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Bluegiraffe23
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Hi all, I just joined here because I am trying to understand what's happening and how to fix it.
I am 23 years old, 5"7 and 133 lbs. All of last year I was 125 lbs regardless of what I ate, and I could eat a lot! My weight has been around that since I was about 20 or so, the last time I was the weight I am now I was 17. Before that I was even heavier because puberty was not good to me. My body naturally just dropped to 125 and I loved the way I looked.
Before Christmas, my weight popped up to 127 lbs, and I didn't think much of it thinking it would go back down. I started watching what I was eating and backing off the bad stuff, but it didn't go down. It stayed the same throughout Christmas (even with the holiday food) and a few weeks afterwards. Now, about 3 weeks ago it hit 130 lbs. I haven't seen that number on the scale in years. With summer coming, I really wanted to shape up and get back to the way I was. Since then I have really been watching what I ate, I believe I am eating around 1300-1400 cals a day and I have been running around 2 miles about 3-4 times a week, and doing a toning exercise video on the days that I don't run with 5 lb weights. Over the past couple weeks that I have been doing this, my weight has raised to 133 lbs. This is very discouraging and really frustrating.
I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but my body looks different and my clothes look different on me. It may be enough for only me to tell, but that is more than enough. My confidence has dropped and I don't feel myself Usually it has been very easy for me to drop back to my usual weight if it ever went up slightly. It is weird to me to think that I am 8 lbs heavier than my usual happy weight.
Is there any explanation for this? I can't imagine it is just "getting old" because 23 is still pretty young, and this has happened over the course of a couple months.
I am 23 years old, 5"7 and 133 lbs. All of last year I was 125 lbs regardless of what I ate, and I could eat a lot! My weight has been around that since I was about 20 or so, the last time I was the weight I am now I was 17. Before that I was even heavier because puberty was not good to me. My body naturally just dropped to 125 and I loved the way I looked.
Before Christmas, my weight popped up to 127 lbs, and I didn't think much of it thinking it would go back down. I started watching what I was eating and backing off the bad stuff, but it didn't go down. It stayed the same throughout Christmas (even with the holiday food) and a few weeks afterwards. Now, about 3 weeks ago it hit 130 lbs. I haven't seen that number on the scale in years. With summer coming, I really wanted to shape up and get back to the way I was. Since then I have really been watching what I ate, I believe I am eating around 1300-1400 cals a day and I have been running around 2 miles about 3-4 times a week, and doing a toning exercise video on the days that I don't run with 5 lb weights. Over the past couple weeks that I have been doing this, my weight has raised to 133 lbs. This is very discouraging and really frustrating.
I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but my body looks different and my clothes look different on me. It may be enough for only me to tell, but that is more than enough. My confidence has dropped and I don't feel myself Usually it has been very easy for me to drop back to my usual weight if it ever went up slightly. It is weird to me to think that I am 8 lbs heavier than my usual happy weight.
Is there any explanation for this? I can't imagine it is just "getting old" because 23 is still pretty young, and this has happened over the course of a couple months.
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Replies
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I wouldn't worry so much about the weight you've gained, if you are toning/building up your muscles, that is the extra weight Muscles weigh more than fat. That doesn't mean you need to go on a diet to lose is back.0
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Yes muscle does weigh more than fat but its takes more than a few weeks to build muscle. We cant see your diary to see exactly what you are eating but make sure you are drinking tons of water and watching your sodium. You could either be going over on your carbs, not enough protein, too much fat OR too much sodium or a combination.0
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Hi all, I just joined here because I am trying to understand what's happening and how to fix it.
I am 23 years old, 5"7 and 133 lbs. All of last year I was 125 lbs regardless of what I ate, and I could eat a lot! My weight has been around that since I was about 20 or so, the last time I was the weight I am now I was 17. Before that I was even heavier because puberty was not good to me. My body naturally just dropped to 125 and I loved the way I looked.
Before Christmas, my weight popped up to 127 lbs, and I didn't think much of it thinking it would go back down. I started watching what I was eating and backing off the bad stuff, but it didn't go down. It stayed the same throughout Christmas (even with the holiday food) and a few weeks afterwards. Now, about 3 weeks ago it hit 130 lbs. I haven't seen that number on the scale in years. With summer coming, I really wanted to shape up and get back to the way I was. Since then I have really been watching what I ate, I believe I am eating around 1300-1400 cals a day and I have been running around 2 miles about 3-4 times a week, and doing a toning exercise video on the days that I don't run with 5 lb weights. Over the past couple weeks that I have been doing this, my weight has raised to 133 lbs. This is very discouraging and really frustrating.
I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but my body looks different and my clothes look different on me. It may be enough for only me to tell, but that is more than enough. My confidence has dropped and I don't feel myself Usually it has been very easy for me to drop back to my usual weight if it ever went up slightly. It is weird to me to think that I am 8 lbs heavier than my usual happy weight.
Is there any explanation for this? I can't imagine it is just "getting old" because 23 is still pretty young, and this has happened over the course of a couple months.
BMR is around 1380
TDEE 2139
MFP should be set for 1500 to lose fat.
Anything below that could result in lean mass lost.
Protein and Fat should be set to about 30% each.
Run with that and see how you feel.
You are in a healthy place weight wise.
Keep in mind that eating TDEE daily will maintain weight.
Eating at or below BMR will turn you skinny-fat.0 -
1) You're probably not eating enough.
2) Sorry, but you just hit the point where your body is going to make you pay attention or not. Some of you lovely people were blessed with bodies that just let you do whatever and maintained your fit figure and endurance. My friend was this way. And she was about your age when she hit that point too - that point where it went from "nothing mattered" to "everything mattered"... I didn't want to tell you that you were getting old...but thems is the facts of life. It's a good thing you've noticed it so you can nip it in the bud now and begin making healthier choices and doing what your body needs to maintain your healthy metabolism.0 -
I wouldn't worry too much as long as you're eating healthy, and enough, and working out... If you're working on strength training it could be that you're gaining muscle mass so the weight is a good thing. I would suggest taking your measurements. I have read about loads of people not losing weight, but inches.
good luck! 0 -
BMR is around 1380
TDEE 2139
MFP should be set for 1500 to lose fat.
Anything below that could result in lean mass lost.
Protein and Fat should be set to about 30% each.
Run with that and see how you feel.
You are in a healthy place weight wise.
Keep in mind that eating TDEE daily will maintain weight.
Eating at or below BMR will turn you skinny-fat.
^^ THIS. And if you've recently upped your workouts (adding the running/weights), then your muscles could be holding water right now. Every time you intensify your workouts, your muscles will hold onto water for a short while to rebuild (get stronger) and repair. This can last 2 weeks sometimes. If you're not eating enough on top of it, your body'll hold onto every single calorie.0 -
Given that you just started exercising again regularly, I would go with water retention. This happens not only because of high sodium levels, but also as your body is trying to repair the damage to the muscle fibers caused during exercise. Drink your water, cut out sodium and eat more. You want as much lean muscle as possible to help burn fat naturally (increase your metabolism). Weight-loss should not be measured in days or weeks, IMO. Any rapid weightloss is generally not fat alone but a combination of water, fat and muscle. Slow and steady weight loss over months through clean eating and exercise is what you want to focus on.
Also, don't fall into the trap of "quick" solutions. Too many people get hooked on the "Lose 10lbs in 10 Days" B.S. Nothing good will come of these quicky solutions.
Oh, and do not believe that muscle weighs more than fat. It has less volume because it is denser but weighs the same.
Good luck, eat right and exercise and in a couple months you will feel and look great again!0 -
Thanks guys, it's nice to get a lot of good feedback! I admit I'm not used to calorie counting or paying attention to carb/fat/protein intake so I'm going to try to pay attention and learn more on that. It's difficult with my schedule, I just bring small snacks like tuna with crackers or applesauce to keep me going between classes, not really enough time for real meals during the day.
I have tried increasing my water intake but I need to be more consistent with it, so I'll really increase it and see what happens. In the past when I was younger, I would start working out and not like the increased number on the scale, so I would stop and be happy when my weight fell back down. I never knew then that it was muscles retaining water to heal. That is encouraging.
It is mostly noticeable in my stomach area, it looks most bloated than usual, in the mornings it's usually slim and flat but lately just remains a slightly bloated look. I hate to sound like I'm obsessing over something silly, but it's just weird when you're different than what you're used to I'm sure you all know.
Just a question- I have read about eating back exercise calories. I have never heard of that before, only warnings that if you eat the same amount of calories that you burn, it's not going to do anything. But I noticed somewhere on the board here, eating exercise calories to make sure your weight will respond. Is this true? And does anybody know how this works?0 -
It's called "getting older"... at some point in your 20s you'll also find that you get hangovers like you never used to and can't sleep so long in the morning.
A slippery slope, I'm afraid!0 -
You have to remember that if you are working out, you might be creating more muscle mass. I know that I had the same exact problem and it turned out that I was just more toned that I was before.
About 4 years ago, I was 5'-5" and weighed about 178 lbs. I was wearing a size 12 pants and knew I needed to lose weight. I started working out and eating right for the next four years. I have been about a size 4/6 for the past two years, but my weight went from 135 to 141 lbs. When I was 135lbs I was def. wearing a size 6, but now at 141 lbs, I am wearing a size 4. Doesn't make sense does it? Until I realized how much more toned I was...then I realized why I was in a size 4 and weighing 141.
Another thing I remember going through is the whole body change bs right around 25. I am 30 now and remember right around 25 I was having trouble with my weight and not understanding how I had put on weight after pretty much eatting whatever I want. It's a tough thing to figure out, but it seems like most women experience this body change thing between 25 - 30.0 -
muscle DOES NOT weigh more than fat, it is denser or more compact.
with that said, it is true that you could see a gain while starting a new program0 -
Seems to me like you saw a few extra pounds on the scale, panicked, and started working out. It's great that you're working out now! But that's why you're gaining weight. I also gained weight when I started running and exercising. You're building muscle. Can I suggest taking your measurements instead of weighing yourself? What you are talking about, by the way, is a few vanity pounds. I don't want to belittle what you are experiencing. I am 5'4 and weigh 115, and when you weigh a little bit, EVERYTHING COUNTS.
I took a trip a few years back. I did the Camino de Santiago, which is a 500-mile walk across Spain. I did this while carrying my 15lb rucksack. I ate very well and walked (sometimes up mountain trails and through very physically taxing terrain) about 18 miles per day. BEFORE the trip I weighed 109. When I came back, I weighed 117. But my calves were AWESOME.
So, try to focus more on how you feel and how you look, not on how much you weigh.0 -
I know you probably thought of this, but I thought I might ask, you're not pregnant are you?
My parents had a pony once that kept getting fatter and fatter, and my dad kept feeding it less and less, and then one day out popped a foal! We have no idea how she got pregnant, the stud was two pastures away...my dad felt awful about it.
I'm sure you would know if you were, but I just thought I would throw it out there for Rosy's sake. Now down to business.
You are probably just eating more than you used to. Yeah, it's easy to think you are eating a certain amount a day but if you aren't tracking diligently bite for bite, you probably don't have a good idea.
I have heard old people warn young people about "their metabolism slowing down" when they reach a certain age, maybe this happened to you alot at once this year? Yeah MFP should get your BMR pretty close, but maybe yours slowed a bit for your age compared to other people. Did anything like this ever happen to your female family members?
Eating exercise calories back is not necessary if you have properly set your TDEE unless you are burning enough to where you would be eating below your BMR without eating some back. (eating below BMR = bad)
It is a MYTH that you will lose more weight if you eat more.0 -
It's called "getting older"... at some point in your 20s you'll also find that you get hangovers like you never used to and can't sleep so long in the morning.
A slippery slope, I'm afraid!
I agree with this, it just happens. As long as you stay on top of it like you are you'll be fine!0 -
Here is my take on "Eating back workout calories"
Someone may have a more detailled one, but I look at it like this.
Let's say you need 2000cal per day to maintain your weight. If you eat less, let's say 1500cal per day, that adds up to 3500cal per week that you "under-ate". That equates to a pound per week of weight loss while still providing your body enough nutrients to remain healthy.
Now let's say you exercise each day and average to burn 500 per work-out. Now your 1500 cal per day goes down to 1000 cal per day. Some people jump to the end and think- wow, that's two pounds per week in weight loss! Wrong! Your body now doesn't have enough nutrients to remain healthy so it has to support itself by using muscle. So maybe you lose 1.5 lbs of fat, but you also lose .5 pound of lean muscle mass. It is the muscle that burns a significant amount of calories in our bodies so we don't want to lose any!
So let MFP calculate a "safe" calorie goal for you to lose weight at a safe and healthy rate. Then eat back the calories you burned during your workout so you don't fall into too low of a calorie count and start losing muscle!
Hope that helps.0 -
But, whatever is happening, you STILL can lose the weight again. It just might be a bit harder then you are used to.
LOG EVERYTHING YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH DILLIGENTLY. And also, make sure your TDEE and deficit is accurate. (Go to My Home > Goals)
I don't eat my calories back unless it means I would be going below my BMR.
You can get there, no big deal. 8 lbs is NOTHING compared to what some people lose, yeah it is a pretty signifcant percentage of your total body weight, but it still can be done! :happy:0 -
Just a question- I have read about eating back exercise calories. I have never heard of that before, only warnings that if you eat the same amount of calories that you burn, it's not going to do anything. But I noticed somewhere on the board here, eating exercise calories to make sure your weight will respond. Is this true? And does anybody know how this works?
Because MFP calculates your weight loss just on diet alone. When you exercise, you need to add that fuel or you will create too much of a calorie deficit. This isn't some new trick to lose weight, it is just understanding how many calories your body needs, and using this tool to get there.
For example, you tell MFP that you want to lose 2 pounds per week. It set you at 1,200 calories a day (the minimum recommendation for women) If you eat the 1,200, and also exercise off 400, then you are only getting 800 NET calories. This is not enough, so then you have to eat 400 calories more to be at 1,200.
If you set your own calorie goal because you have looked up your BMR and your TDEE and set your own calorie deficit from that, then you might or might not eat back exercise calories. It is all how you use this website tool.0 -
I found this...
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
...and this link has a bunch of mfp links
http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/index2.html
I think somewhere in there is the info you're looking for, as far as eating back calories. Personally, I do. I eat back half to most of mine and it's working for me.0 -
To be honest, your weight is still pretty low for your height. i'm considered normal weight and I weigh more than you AND I'm only 5'3".
125 at your height might actually be considered "underweight." I'm not positive though.0 -
You're right at the age where metabolism changes. Us old farts understand this...we were young too. When you're young you can seemingly get away with anything, eating junk food with no effect, drinking a lot with no repercussions, etc. Well, that's over. Your body is maturing and the fact that you are gaining weight is because you no longer burn more calories than you consume. You will need to find the balance of calories in vs calories spent to maintain the weight you want. Check out a BMI scale on the internet and find where you should be based on your age and height. You will need to find out what your calorie intake needs to be at if you just layed in bed all day, then you multiply that by your activity level 1.2=little to no activity (then multiplier increases for more activity). Then you will know how many calories you can consume on average a day. If you stay within your calorie range you will maintain. If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight, if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. It's really pretty simple.0
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