trying hard but gaining weight

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  • Nikstergirl
    Nikstergirl Posts: 1,549 Member
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    I'm saying this from a place of love, so please hear me.....

    I know it goes against everything we think about "dieting" but you HAVE to eat!!! At LEAST three good meals, starting with a nice breakfast, protein at every meal, and eat the calories MFP gives you. Trust me, it will come off!!!! Measure and weigh your food so you know the calories are accurate. Get a heart rate monitor so you know how many calories you're burning and EAT them!!!! It's not complicated, but it's also so different from what we think of as a "diet". I can and will be eating this way for the rest of my life and after losing 50 pounds I never want to go back there again!!!

    You can do this... but for crying out loud... EAT something!!!!

    Ok, I'll be rooting for ya...
  • margo36
    margo36 Posts: 222 Member
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    Had a look your food diary. You need to eat more food. No way could I survive on 700 to 800 cals a day. You need to net at least 1200 cals a day. Have a look at my diary if you find helpful. I eat my allowance plus most my exercise calories. I've lost 7 pounds in the last three weeks. I used to weigh over 300 pounds and lost most of it with another site which was a paying site but the principles were the same this site.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    This is the best thread ever.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    What they said! If that's all you're having, that's not nearly enough. When I tried to lose weight years ago, I did the same thing - severely limiting my food - and my weight loss was so slow that I quit and gave up. This time, I ate more than twice as much food, felt great the whole time, had steady progress, and never felt deprived or frustrated.

    Plus, fluctuation is normal. If you're exercising hard, your muscles will be sore and sore muscles hold onto fluid, which shows as weight on the scale. Monthly girlie issues change your weight. Sodium in food affects your weight.

    What I'd do if I were you... Step away from the scale for a few weeks. Eat the calories allowed, and a good chunk of the calories burned through exercise. Take measurements now, and take some before pictures, with a self-timer or in the mirror, now. The less clothes you have on the better, and they're for your eyes only so don't delete them if you don't like how they look. Then in a few weeks, check the scale, your measurements, and take more photos in the same clothes and the same pose. You *will* see a difference. :smile:

    And give yourself some goals that have nothing to do with the scale or how your clothes fit. For me, it was training to run a 5k. I couldn't run a quarter of a mile last year. I started the Couch to 5k running program - www.c25k.com - and started with running just one minute at a time. Each week, when I increased my distance, it was a victory, and no matter what happened on the scale, I knew I was getting healthier and stronger. Now I can run a 10k, something I never thought I'd be able to do!

    It's hard looking at it one day at a time. We don't see the changes because they happen so gradually (both when the scale's going up and when it's coming down!), so think about what's going to happen a month from now, two months from now, six months from now, a year from now.
  • Biggipooh
    Biggipooh Posts: 350
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    Aren't you hungry all day? With only this little food? You got to eat a little more than that. Good luck with your weight loss.
    :wink:
  • jacksons4hokies
    jacksons4hokies Posts: 4 Member
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    Good Luck, I have only been here for 4 days also..love this site. Hang in there I have similar issues as yours but we need to be patient for our results:smile:
  • kfue
    kfue Posts: 17
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    I'm having the exact same problem. I started seriously exercising 3 weeks ago- running (~6 mph) on an elliptical about 45 min a day for 3-5 days a week and doing some weight training (and softball 2x a week). I also walk a lot at work (before, after and during). My heart rate monitor says that I am burning just over 2000 calories in a ~15 hour period (not incl. sleep) on workout days. I very rarely eat more than 2000 calories in a day and I am eating more than 1200 calories a day. I have somehow managed to gain 5-7 lbs in the 3 weeks since I've up'ed my workout (clothes are now tight, I am not losing inches). Not even sure how this is possible.

    It's extremely discouraging.

    Can you all let me know what I'm doing wrong?
  • Jaymefirst
    Jaymefirst Posts: 268 Member
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    I agree with the other posters, you need to eat more. I know that sounds crazy but seriously you must be so hungry not to mention tired. Your body needs fuel to run correctly. This is a learning process, keep it up!! Good Luck!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I'm having the exact same problem. I started seriously exercising 3 weeks ago- running (~6 mph) on an elliptical about 45 min a day for 3-5 days a week and doing some weight training (and softball 2x a week). I also walk a lot at work (before, after and during). My heart rate monitor says that I am burning just over 2000 calories in a ~15 hour period (not incl. sleep) on workout days. I very rarely eat more than 2000 calories in a day and I am eating more than 1200 calories a day. I have somehow managed to gain 5-7 lbs in the 3 weeks since I've up'ed my workout (clothes are now tight, I am not losing inches). Not even sure how this is possible.

    It's extremely discouraging.

    Can you all let me know what I'm doing wrong?

    You are burning 2000 cals on top of the cals you burn just living, but you arent fueling your body to deal with all the exercise so it's clinging to all the weight that it can.

    Eat more!
  • Jaymefirst
    Jaymefirst Posts: 268 Member
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    Kfue - Can you open your diary, it may help.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    To the OP - ditto pretty much what everyone's said so far re: not enough calories. There's also a chance that you're retaining a bit of water from the increase in activity. My only additional suggestion would be to add sodium to your food diary and make sure you're getting your water intake.
  • kfue
    kfue Posts: 17
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    My food diary should be open-- I made it public.

    Thanks all :-)
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I'm having the exact same problem. I started seriously exercising 3 weeks ago- running (~6 mph) on an elliptical about 45 min a day for 3-5 days a week and doing some weight training (and softball 2x a week). I also walk a lot at work (before, after and during). My heart rate monitor says that I am burning just over 2000 calories in a ~15 hour period (not incl. sleep) on workout days. I very rarely eat more than 2000 calories in a day and I am eating more than 1200 calories a day. I have somehow managed to gain 5-7 lbs in the 3 weeks since I've up'ed my workout (clothes are now tight, I am not losing inches). Not even sure how this is possible.

    It's extremely discouraging.

    Can you all let me know what I'm doing wrong?

    HRMs are not intended for all day use, only for when you're being active. Try changing your activity level to at least lightly active so it will include the walking around you do during the day and only count the calories you burn on the elliptical and training as exercise. (scratched the last line)
    Edited - checked out your food diary - first of all, you need to be more consistent. Second, if what you've entered is correct and complete, you need to eat more
  • Baldylocks30
    Baldylocks30 Posts: 37 Member
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    thankyou so so much and thankyou for those who took the time to message me too, i really appreciate your advice.

    ok i have taken everything on board and my plan is:

    to eat more!! and omg yes i am bloody starving and knackered lol

    to drink much more water

    and to do more weights at the gym

    and the biggest one: TO EAT BREAKFAST!!



    love and hugs to you all xxx
  • maura5880
    maura5880 Posts: 346 Member
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    Eat some yummy breakfast, girl! Gosh, I'd be starvingggg if I didn't eat in the morning. My favorite breakfast is to toast up a mini bagel, microwave an egg white & a slice of rice cheese. Have a Greek yogurt on the side, and you have a delicious breakfast with lots of protein to keep you moving :)
  • marianne_s
    marianne_s Posts: 986 Member
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    thankyou so so much and thankyou for those who took the time to message me too, i really appreciate your advice.

    ok i have taken everything on board and my plan is:

    to eat more!! and omg yes i am bloody starving and knackered lol

    to drink much more water

    and to do more weights at the gym

    and the biggest one: TO EAT BREAKFAST!!



    love and hugs to you all xxx

    Also don't forget to track & limit your sodium (try to keep it under 1500mg a day) - if you stay away from pre-prepared foods, then you find this easy enough to do.
  • marianne_s
    marianne_s Posts: 986 Member
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    My food diary should be open-- I made it public.

    Thanks all :-)

    I would recommend the same to you as I did the OP - to track your sodium & keep it under 1500mg per day.
    Because from the complete days that I did see in your diary, they looked ok - except for the sweet snacks (I'm guilty of that too...!)
  • cherokeetracey
    cherokeetracey Posts: 49
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    i think it is hard sometimes to eat. i know i get days when i have to force myself to eat and days where i wanna pig out. i love working out on the wii fit, and also love walking. i know at the moment i need to change what i am eating to the good stuff lol.
    you'll get there girl, we both will xx
  • FitMissVicky
    FitMissVicky Posts: 51 Member
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    thankyou so so much and thankyou for those who took the time to message me too, i really appreciate your advice.

    ok i have taken everything on board and my plan is:

    to eat more!! and omg yes i am bloody starving and knackered lol

    to drink much more water

    and to do more weights at the gym

    and the biggest one: TO EAT BREAKFAST!!



    love and hugs to you all xxx

    I would add in addition to eating more and eating breakfast - make sure you are eating more frequently, and including enough protein. Nuts are a great snack, greek yogurt is tasty and high in protein. THese things fill you up in between meals and help fuel your day.
  • kfue
    kfue Posts: 17
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    Just wanted to update you all to let you know I figured out what *MY* problem was. After a bunch of research, I figured out what is probably obvious to most. I got all gung-ho about working out and was working out on the highest incline at a high resistance- which burns calories faster- but builds a ton of muscle. I switched to the weight-loss setting on the elliptical and lost 2 lbs last week and another 2 this week :-) Weight loss mode has 4 min intervals of no resistance, no incline-- and mid incline, mid resistance. Loving it.

    I just wanted to post this here for anyone else who is working out but gaining- and you don't fall into the "you're gaining weight bc you eat too much or too few calories" category. Maybe you are making my mistake :-o

    Best Wishes!

    P.S. My apologies to the OP- I didn't mean to take over your post :-/ I really appreciate all who replied.

    P.S.S. No longer wearing my HRM all day. :wink:

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