GAINED 4 pounds!!! WHAT THE HECK!

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Ok, just over the last 2 weeks I have GAINED 4 pounds! I have been steadily losing about a pound a week with a plateau every now and then, BUT I am now gaining weight!

Could it be muscle? I exercise 30-60 minutes EVERYday, eat my exercise calories back and I stay right at or below my calorie/carb/fat goal. The only exercise I do is the elliptical, but I do the extreme hillclimb (burning somewhere around 500 calories in a 30 min. workout). I know there's a lot of resistance and I'm working my legs and rear end, but gaining 4 pounds because of it?? HELP! What should I do differently?
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  • LizKurz
    LizKurz Posts: 340 Member
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    Ok, just over the last 2 weeks I have GAINED 4 pounds! I have been steadily losing about a pound a week with a plateau every now and then, BUT I am now gaining weight!

    Could it be muscle? I exercise 30-60 minutes EVERYday, eat my exercise calories back and I stay right at or below my calorie/carb/fat goal. The only exercise I do is the elliptical, but I do the extreme hillclimb (burning somewhere around 500 calories in a 30 min. workout). I know there's a lot of resistance and I'm working my legs and rear end, but gaining 4 pounds because of it?? HELP! What should I do differently?

    What are you using to gauge your exercise cals? I am 190 lbs and its almost impossible for me to burn that running, which my HR gets up around 180 nd stays there. You do not look in your profile pic to be 500 lbs. I'm guess you're WAY overestimating your exercise cals.
  • htmlgirl
    htmlgirl Posts: 314 Member
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    You may be overestimating your exercise calories, you should get a heart rate monitor to make sure (if you don't have one already). It could also be water weight.
  • ines25
    ines25 Posts: 107 Member
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    samething happen to me i was freaking out but dont worry my friend this is a good thing what u gain was muscle but with in 2 week or so the weight will go away. i gain 3 pound at one time didnt understand why, weight my self again later and i went down 4.5 pounds keep doing what u r doing now and dont weight ur self for 2 weeks at least
  • ines25
    ines25 Posts: 107 Member
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    oh dont eat back all the calories u exercise
  • hippie162
    hippie162 Posts: 19
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    I woudn't panic. Have you gained any INCHES? keep track of your size, if your not getting bigger, than it's probably just muscle.

    I had the same problem, excercising intensively for 30-40 mins a day I gained a little weight and never lost it, I am the same size though.. although it's almost impossible to burn 500 cals in 30 mins, that would take at least an hour of intensive excercise, 30 mins will burn about 250-300 cals as long as it's intensive, you should really be sweating!

    Are you sure you're not eating excess calories because you're overestimating what you've burnt?
  • seekingstrengthX2
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    3 things:
    1) You probably aren't burning that much.
    2) Your body needs at least 1 day of rest. Overtraining will cause you to retain a lot of water.
    3) Are your calorie goals correct to start with?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    3 things:
    1) You probably aren't burning that much.
    2) Your body needs at least 1 day of rest. Overtraining will cause you to retain a lot of water.
    3) Are your calorie goals correct to start with?

    This. A rest day is just as important as a workout day as your body needs to repair the muscles. If not, water retention is huge. Also, unless you ate 14000 extra calories over and above your TDEE, then it isn't fat. Do yourself a favor, if MFP or the elliptical is estimating your exercise calories, eat 75% of them back. It has been proven that many machines over estimate so you continue to use their product. Most over estimate by 20% but some go up to 40% overestimation.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
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    How does MFP work? For me:

    1. Eat clean
    2. Meet your calorie goals, don't fall below them
    3. Set your goals to lose 1lb/week unless otherwise advised by a doctor
    4. Log every bite--if you are tasting during cooking chew gum or just log each taste.
    5. Keep your routine varied, try something new: Zumba, martial arts, body combat, Tai Chi, power yoga...keep your body confused and your mind from getting bored.

    I reached my goals in September. I also read Everyday Food magazine (makes it easier to log--nutrition info included), www.dailygarnish.com, and Whole Living Magazine. You can get free recipes on all of their websites.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    oh dont eat back all the calories u exercise

    You are supposed to, to ensure you lose your goal amount of weight. Just make sure they are a good estimate (not the machine or MFPs estimate)

    OP: Most likely water retention. It will not be muscle gain, as it would take months to gain 4 lbs of muscle in a caloric surplus, so if you are in a deficit, there is not a chance you would put on that much muscle.
  • ipsamet
    ipsamet Posts: 436 Member
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    I would also suggest changing your routine up - I don't know how long you've been doing that, but if you do the same thing every day, your body gets very good at doing that. Hit the treadmill one day, the bike another, maybe take a class once a week. Keep your body guessing! It also keeps me from getting bored at the gym.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    Nearly impossible to help you without seeing your diary, but the advice given you is awesome. Only thing I can add is make sure you are eating enough!! Eating to low will stall your weight loss, and make it difficult if not impossible. Go to Fat2Fitradio.com and use their calculators.
    How does MFP work? For me:

    1. Eat clean
    2. Meet your calorie goals, don't fall below them
    3. Set your goals to lose 1lb/week unless otherwise advised by a doctor
    4. Log every bite--if you are tasting during cooking chew gum or just log each taste.
    5. Keep your routine varied, try something new: Zumba, martial arts, body combat, Tai Chi, power yoga...keep your body confused and your mind from getting bored.

    I reached my goals in September. I also read Everyday Food magazine (makes it easier to log--nutrition info included), www.dailygarnish.com, and Whole Living Magazine. You can get free recipes on all of their websites.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    4 lbs fat gain would mean you ate at least 14,000 calories OVER maintenance. About an extra 1000 over your maintenance per day. Does that sound familiar? No? Well then, probably not fat.

    4 lbs of muscle? Only Bruce Banner can gain muscle that fast, and only if you make him really angry.

    Water retention.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    oh dont eat back all the calories u exercise

    You are supposed to, to ensure you lose your goal amount of weight. Just make sure they are a good estimate (not the machine or MFPs estimate)

    OP: Most likely water retention. It will not be muscle gain, as it would take months to gain 4 lbs of muscle in a caloric surplus, so if you are in a deficit, there is not a chance you would put on that much muscle.

    MFP has already given you a deficit, so you must eat back those calories!
  • ademiter
    ademiter Posts: 176 Member
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    You know, my husband has often said that you can't trust that darn elliptical and what it says I'm burning! UGH! The workout that I do on the elliptical is VERY INTENSIVE (I am POURING sweat and I feel like I'm going to DIE!!!) but I push through it. It's actually a 35 min.workout now that I think about it. I will estimate that I burned HALF those calories from now on. I will also just eat my 1200 cal. diet. Do you all think that 1200 is ok or should it be a little higher? I appreciate ALL of your advice sooooo much!

    My start weight was 196. My goal weight is 150. My current weight WAS 173 but now I'm 177.
  • ademiter
    ademiter Posts: 176 Member
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    Ok, so I DO need to eat back my exercise calories??
  • ademiter
    ademiter Posts: 176 Member
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    LOL! Thanks!
  • ademiter
    ademiter Posts: 176 Member
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    4 lbs fat gain would mean you ate at least 14,000 calories OVER maintenance. About an extra 1000 over your maintenance per day. Does that sound familiar? No? Well then, probably not fat.

    4 lbs of muscle? Only Bruce Banner can gain muscle that fast, and only if you make him really angry.

    Water retention.

    LOL! Thanks!
  • spyderred
    spyderred Posts: 3
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    Hey i like your thinking. It helps me. Fitnesspal gives me a larger number than my machine. I have muscle and bone problems. i rarley count in the extra calories. My gastric bypass doesnt allow me to eat the amount given. Thanks for your input again it made sense to me.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    Ok, so I DO need to eat back my exercise calories??

    If you used MFP to set your calorie goal then YES! They have already created a deficit for you! But I still feel they don't give you enough. Check out Fat2fitradio.com
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    4 lbs fat gain would mean you ate at least 14,000 calories OVER maintenance. About an extra 1000 over your maintenance per day. Does that sound familiar? No? Well then, probably not fat.

    4 lbs of muscle? Only Bruce Banner can gain muscle that fast, and only if you make him really angry.

    Water retention.

    :flowerforyou: