Why am I gaining weight?

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snowbune27
snowbune27 Posts: 75 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been doing this for about a week and a half....
I've been meeting all my goals for caloric intake...
I've been working out....
eating small meals throughout the day instead of large meals....
making the right choices when it comes to the foods I eat....
and I've gained 2 pounds...
I don't have a tape measure to get my measurements, but my clothes are fitting snugger....

What am I doing wrong?:cry:
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Replies

  • snowbune27
    snowbune27 Posts: 75 Member
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    So I've been doing this for about a week and a half....
    I've been meeting all my goals for caloric intake...
    I've been working out....
    eating small meals throughout the day instead of large meals....
    making the right choices when it comes to the foods I eat....
    and I've gained 2 pounds...
    I don't have a tape measure to get my measurements, but my clothes are fitting snugger....

    What am I doing wrong?:cry:
  • firewalking
    firewalking Posts: 335 Member
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    Can you post your menus for the last week?

    What is your heart rate like when you exercise? How much water have you been drinking? Are you close to getting your period? How often do you weigh yourself? How often do you exercise? What do you do?

    Sorry for all the questions, but I really want to help find the answer for you....
  • thejarviclan
    thejarviclan Posts: 465 Member
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    I do this right before my menstrual cycle. Could that be it?
  • shea831
    shea831 Posts: 6 Member
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    That's exactly what happened to me when I first started watching my calories! Please don't get discouraged. If you're in a healthy BMI range like I am, it is a lot harder to lose weight than it is for people who have significant weight to lose. I think it's your body retaliating against a new, more strict diet. It took a few weeks, but my body did adjust, and I can feel the difference in my clothes now. I still haven't lost much weight, but my pants fit so much better! Keep doing what you're doing, be patient, your body will get the hang of it :smile:
  • snowbune27
    snowbune27 Posts: 75 Member
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    So I realize that I go over by about 100 calories each day...
    but that is still way under what MFP says I need to have to stay the same weight...
    hmmm?

    anywho... here is what I ate so far this week....


    MONDAY
    Breakfast
    Kellogg's - Smart Start (Antioxidants), 1.5 Cup
    Silk - Soy Milk - Plain - Light (Half Fat of Plain), 1.5 cup
    Kellogg's - Fiber Plus Antioxidants Chewy Bar Dark Chocolate Almond, 1 bar
    520

    Lunch
    Chicken - Breast, meat only, cooked, stewed, 1.5 cup, chopped
    Gravy - Au jus, canned, 0.5 cup
    336

    Dinner
    Kraft Foods Recipe - Cheddar Chicken and Vegetable Skillet,
    510

    Snacks
    Betty Crocker - Warm Delights Minis Molten Chocolate Cake, 1 bowl 150 25 5 2 15 180 remove


    Total: 1,516
    Your Daily Goal: 1,415
    Remaining: -101
    *You've earned 215 extra calories from exercise today


    TUESDAY
    Breakfast
    Eggs - Poached (whole egg), 2 large
    Brownberry - Country Wheat Bread
    387

    Lunch
    Subway - 6" Oven Roasted Chicken Breast on Wheat, 6 " sandwich
    345

    Dinner
    Greek Gyro - Lamb With Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, Lettuce, Onion and Tomatoes In A Pita, 2 Pita
    834

    Snacks
    Safeway - Low Fat Honey Graham Crackers, 1 whole crackers
    Trader Joe's - Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels, 1 pieces
    69

    Total: 1,635
    Your Daily Goal: 1,445
    Remaining: -190
    *You've earned 245 extra calories from exercise today

    WEDNESDAY
    Breakfast
    Quaker - Rice Cakes - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, 3 Cake
    Smucker's - Reduced Fat Natural Style Peanut Butter Creamy, 3 Tbsp.
    480

    Lunch
    Generic - Pita Bread, 1 pita
    Chicken - Chicken Breast, 1 breast
    Kikkoman - Teriyaki, 0.25 tbsp
    Heinz - Mayonnaise, 0.5 tbsp
    244

    Dinner
    Gardenburger - Portabella Veggie Burgers, 1 patty
    Safeway - Giant Wheat Hamburger Buns, 1 bun
    French's - Mustard, 0.5 tsp
    250

    Snacks
    Granny Smith - Apple, 1 MED
    Bananas - Raw, 1 small
    170

    Total: 1,144
    Your Daily Goal: 1,200
    Remaining: 56

    THURSDAY
    Breakfast
    All Recipes - Stuffed Peppers, .5 pepper
    Brownberry - Country Wheat Bread, 1 slice
    Eggs - Poached (whole egg), 2 large
    393

    Lunch
    Rice - White, long-grain, regular, cooked, 1 cup
    Safeway - Chick Peas, 0.13 cup
    Lamb - Leg, shank half, lean only, cooked, roasted, 0.25 piece, cooked, excluding refuse (yield from 1 lb raw meat with refuse) 107
    Kraft - Mexican Style Taco Cheese Natural Shredded, 1/4 cup
    Generic - Pita Bread, 1 pita
    498

    Dinner
    Generic - Beef Prime Rib, 6 oz
    Milano - French Roll 6", 1 roll
    590

    Snacks
    Yoplait - Yogurt - Light Fat Free - Boston Cream Pie, 1 container
    Trader Joe's - Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels, 1 pieces
    Blackberries - Raw, 0.5 cup
    Red Grapes - Red Seedless Grapes, 8 grape
    182

    Total: 1,663
    Your Daily Goal: 1,554
    Remaining: -109
    *You've earned 354 extra calories from exercise today
  • snowbune27
    snowbune27 Posts: 75 Member
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    That's exactly what happened to me when I first started watching my calories! Please don't get discouraged. If you're in a healthy BMI range like I am, it is a lot harder to lose weight than it is for people who have significant weight to lose. I think it's your body retaliating against a new, more strict diet. It took a few weeks, but my body did adjust, and I can feel the difference in my clothes now. I still haven't lost much weight, but my pants fit so much better! Keep doing what you're doing, be patient, your body will get the hang of it :smile:

    I am hoping that is what it is... I do have a healthy BMI...

    I will try and be patient and see what happens...
    but still any suggestions would be great!

    even help with my diet since I posted what I ate this week
  • snowbune27
    snowbune27 Posts: 75 Member
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    Can you post your menus for the last week?

    What is your heart rate like when you exercise? How much water have you been drinking? Are you close to getting your period? How often do you weigh yourself? How often do you exercise? What do you do?

    Sorry for all the questions, but I really want to help find the answer for you....

    I do not have a HRM but the machine tells me I am usually around 160-166.

    I drink about 6 glasses a day...
    ... I do not even know what my cycle is... lol, it is so off every month...

    I exercise every other day at least...
    some weeks I do 2 days on and 1 day off.

    I run on the treadmill for about 25 mins, then the eliptical for 15 mins, then i lift weights...
    and top it off by running back up to my condo 22 floors up.
  • bonniejo
    bonniejo Posts: 787 Member
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    I run on the treadmill for about 25 mins, then the eliptical for 15 mins, then i lift weights...
    and top it off by running back up to my condo 22 floors up.

    Take a glance at this! It will help you get more out of your time at the gym.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/41135-weights-first-cardio-second
  • firewalking
    firewalking Posts: 335 Member
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    Your diet looks pretty good...I'm not sure if this is the case, but I would like to make a suggestion or two. First, even if you are staying within your sodium range, perhaps cut back a little and increase your water. If it is water retention, you should be able to tell a difference immediately. I've been known to gain and lose up to 10 pounds of water in a 24 hour period. It really freaked me out for a while, but these little fixes helped.

    They have you at 1500??? May I ask how tall you are?

    Also, maybe you could try bumping up your cardio to at least 45 minutes with that same heart rate. Getting it up is great, but keeping it up is important.

    Also, keep in mind that you do not have a lot to lose, which makes it even harder for you. But just keep doing what you're doing because it will work. You are actually doing very, very well.

    I'm a little stumped actually.

    Can you check back in and let me know how you're doing?
  • firewalking
    firewalking Posts: 335 Member
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    great reference Bonniejo! Thanks!
  • snowbune27
    snowbune27 Posts: 75 Member
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    I run on the treadmill for about 25 mins, then the eliptical for 15 mins, then i lift weights...
    and top it off by running back up to my condo 22 floors up.

    Take a glance at this! It will help you get more out of your time at the gym.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/41135-weights-first-cardio-second

    I will start doing this... Thank you!
  • snowbune27
    snowbune27 Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    Your diet looks pretty good...I'm not sure if this is the case, but I would like to make a suggestion or two. First, even if you are staying within your sodium range, perhaps cut back a little and increase your water. If it is water retention, you should be able to tell a difference immediately. I've been known to gain and lose up to 10 pounds of water in a 24 hour period. It really freaked me out for a while, but these little fixes helped.

    They have you at 1500??? May I ask how tall you are?

    Also, maybe you could try bumping up your cardio to at least 45 minutes with that same heart rate. Getting it up is great, but keeping it up is important.

    Also, keep in mind that you do not have a lot to lose, which makes it even harder for you. But just keep doing what you're doing because it will work. You are actually doing very, very well.

    I'm a little stumped actually.

    Can you check back in and let me know how you're doing?

    They have me at 1200 but I earn more calories from my workouts. (I'm only 5'5")

    I will try to do more cardio (it's hard to find time because I go before work... otherwise afterwork I won't go at all- ha)

    and the water.... oh yes, I've been told many times to drink more water.... I will just have to be better at it!

    as far as the sodium goes... I guess I've never even considered how much sodium I take in! I never think about it because I have great blood pressure.

    I will definitely check in with you!!!!
  • firewalking
    firewalking Posts: 335 Member
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    Someone posted a great blurb about eating the extra calories....I think it was called "why you may be gaining weight by eating your exercise calories.."

    You know, maybe try going to the 1200????
  • msujdak
    msujdak Posts: 141
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    I see ALOT of carbohydrates in your diet and hardly any veggies. Carbs conbribute to bloat. Try backing off on those and increase your veggie intake. You may have too much sodium in your diet also.
  • mnichol
    mnichol Posts: 642
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    I have about 15 lbs i want to lose, started last week, have lost one lb so, i'm 5'6", weigh 145, am 52. I work at a hospital and in the past have participated in the weight loss plan they offer with their dietician a very nice young woman. I saw her this week and told her excitedly about this new web site and suggested she check it out and weighed in with her. I gave her a sample of my food diary and she asked about the exercise calories added. She suggested i stay with just the calorie limit suggested only as when you only have 10-15 lbs to lose adding the calories burned to the diary might hinder the weight loss. i know that's not what is suggested at this site, but personally thats what i plan to do and see what happens since losing weight is very tough, especially after a certain age. good luck.
  • teach416
    teach416 Posts: 2 Member
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    I noticed the same thing about having no veggies or fruit. That's where I'd start.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    It occurs to me as I read a lot of these posts about people not losing that some of you guys might be missing two main points in the issue.

    1st point is this: When you have very little weight to lose, it's going to take MONTHS to lose it, and by months I don't mean 1.1 months I mean more like 3 to 5 months. And yes, there may be some weight gain involved. It's not uncommon to put on weight when you're so close to goal.

    2nd point: what is your weekly deficit goal set at (I.E. 2 lbs / week, 1 lb / week...etc)? and how did you go about finding that goal? This is important. Did you just remember back to when you were younger and say "I'd like to be that again"? That's not a good way to get your goal (admirable, but our body chemistry changes as we age, this isn't always achievable.).

    My advice: find out what your body fat % is, then post that up. Because with 7 lbs to lose, you may actually not want to lose 7 lbs (if you catch my meaning). If you have a low body fat %, guess what... you ain't gonna have much luck losing fat, and you really shouldn't WANT to lose muscle, so it might be time to rethink things.

    Just my opinion.
  • neeterskeeter
    neeterskeeter Posts: 571 Member
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    I agree with shea about the body reacting to a stricter/ different diet and having to adjust. My body does this too. Any change, it has to adjust to before I see results. Just stick with it and don't give up.

    I also agree about your diet being heavier on carbs and sodium. These really bloat me! Try to replace most of that with veggies and fruit.

    Good luck!
  • snowbune27
    snowbune27 Posts: 75 Member
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    It occurs to me as I read a lot of these posts about people not losing that some of you guys might be missing two main points in the issue.

    1st point is this: When you have very little weight to lose, it's going to take MONTHS to lose it, and by months I don't mean 1.1 months I mean more like 3 to 5 months. And yes, there may be some weight gain involved. It's not uncommon to put on weight when you're so close to goal.

    2nd point: what is your weekly deficit goal set at (I.E. 2 lbs / week, 1 lb / week...etc)? and how did you go about finding that goal? This is important. Did you just remember back to when you were younger and say "I'd like to be that again"? That's not a good way to get your goal (admirable, but our body chemistry changes as we age, this isn't always achievable.).

    My advice: find out what your body fat % is, then post that up. Because with 7 lbs to lose, you may actually not want to lose 7 lbs (if you catch my meaning). If you have a low body fat %, guess what... you ain't gonna have much luck losing fat, and you really shouldn't WANT to lose muscle, so it might be time to rethink things.

    Just my opinion.

    I am 23%body fat with a 23 BMI

    so I definitely wouldn't really be losing muscle... I have enough fat to lose

    My goal is 1lb/week

    since my last post I have put on 1 more lb (now 8 lbs to lose)

    I have been eating more vegetables and drinking more water as everyone suggested as well as watching my sodium... and another pound? :huh:
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I would be interested in knowing how much sodium you take in daily as well as carbs or processed foods.....this also could be just a case of needing to boost your workout and eat a bit lighter in the evening....How often do you work out and for how long?....:drinker:

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