Three months and feel like I'm just gaining weight
toykitten
Posts: 4
I've been morbidly obese my entire life, and I've tried nearly everything. Two years ago I lost 80 pounds by starving myself (basically), last year I got a new job which is more sedentary and I've gained back 40. Not wanting to go back to where I was I've been trying to get my act together. I have a personal trainer/nutritionist, I watch what I eat, no more fast food, I'm trying to make better choices, I work out five times a week....
And after three months I've gained 3 pounds.... I feel as though I look slightly smaller and I definitely feel stronger, but I have noticeably more fat around my stomach. I know after I gained the 40 pounds that I had accumulated fat around my stomach but now it seems more pronounced. And my calves are embarassingly gigantic.
My family agrees that I don't look like I'm loosing weight, but that I look like I'm "changing" and I'm "more flabby." My trainers tell meto stick with it and it will happen. I know it's not going to happen overnight, but is this normal? I would think that after working as hard as I've been working and making huge changes in my diet I would have at least lost a little weight by now. Any advice or encouragement is greatly appreciated
And after three months I've gained 3 pounds.... I feel as though I look slightly smaller and I definitely feel stronger, but I have noticeably more fat around my stomach. I know after I gained the 40 pounds that I had accumulated fat around my stomach but now it seems more pronounced. And my calves are embarassingly gigantic.
My family agrees that I don't look like I'm loosing weight, but that I look like I'm "changing" and I'm "more flabby." My trainers tell meto stick with it and it will happen. I know it's not going to happen overnight, but is this normal? I would think that after working as hard as I've been working and making huge changes in my diet I would have at least lost a little weight by now. Any advice or encouragement is greatly appreciated
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Replies
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stick with it, and dont be discouraged you are doing awesome
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Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so when your working and building muscle it may appear that you're not losing fat. A better measure is how your clothes fit. For me, there certain clothing that was tight around my stomach that are loose now. Pants that were hard fasten, zip up with no problem. Belts are another tale tell sign that you are doing something right. Watch how you are pulling that belt tighter and tighter as you continue to work out.0
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My clothes feel the same, if not tighter around my stomach and calves.0
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My clothes feel the same, if not tighter around my stomach and calves.
While this may not entirely explain things, have you been tested for diabetes and/or thyroid issues in the past 6 months or so?
Additionally, it DOES take time, but given the description you've provided, 3 months is ample time that you should see results.
What is your average caloric intake per day and do you know your protein/fat/carbohydrate intake in grams?
Are you using any measuring device, even periodically, to make sure that you're eating roughly the amount you assume you are eating?
Just asking questions for now.
Good luck and don't get down on yourself. You're making positive changes.0 -
What does your food diary look like? How many cals are you eating? This is what makes the biggest difference for me. I love working out, but my weight loss mostly comes from my nutrition.0
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Someone chimes in on the 'muscle weighs more than fat' comment in 3.....2......1......0
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I've become a little bit of a zealot... Sorry in advance for all the long-windedness
The good news is you don't have to be perfect, you just have to be better.
Here's how I started:
1) tracking for a couple of weeks before I worried about losing.
(although seeing what I was eating I couldn't help but rein back a bit)
2) seeing where I could make small changes on things that weren't that important to me.
(Don't even think of taking chocolate out of my diet!!!)
--Reducing quantities where I won't notice it so much
--Swapping out things instead of eliminating them.
3) Look at my diary and started adding foods that had positive healthy effects specifically for the health issue in my family.
I found most of the things I "should" add were really yummy too! salmon, avocado, oatmeal, mango, red grapes....
(Sort of think of food as medicine to deal with family history of various health issue oatmeal is good for heart health, mango and red grapes lower cholesterol, tumeric and cinnamon good for arthritis)
4) every couple of weeks I see where I can make another couple of small changes.
If you completely revamp your diet, it's way easy to revert to old ways in times of stress. (and who doesn't have stress?)
If you make a series of small changes, food still offers you some sense of comfort.
sort of a comfort continuum, and after a while the first small changes will seem comforting in themselves.
You don't have to be perfect you just have to do better.
5) also rather than being uberstrict with the target MFP set for me. I was happier once I gave myself a range:
ROCK BOTTOM: 1200 cal
TARGET: MFP Calories for lose 1 lb a week (when that hit 1200 I changed to lose 1/2 lb per week)
TOP OF RANGE: Maintain Calories for my GOAL Weight.
(SAFETY VALVE: Maintain Calories for CURRENT Weight - remember to keep updating this number as you lose)
I naturally tended to do 2-4 days between 1200-1300 cal then a day at about 1500-1600 cal then back to the 1200-1300 cal.
--As long as I stayed under the top of my range I should continue to lose, even if it is at a slower rate.
--As long as I don't go past my safety valve I shouldn't gain.
BUT... The closer you get to your goal the smaller your range. (frustrating)
6) I only worry about it 1 lb at a time.
Once I found ways to lessen the stress, I found it way easier to focus on the process and let the results follow. (It's what worked for me some people need the stress to get them motivated. Me I get scared and overwhelmed and don't see the big goal as achievable. )
Food is not the enemy.
Oddly enough on my journey here I've reduced guilt over food.
I have the occasional treat and I fully enjoy it with no guilt involved.
The thing is since I'm not eating crap all the time the occasional treat is just that a TREAT it's special and I enjoy it so much more than when I was unconsciously shovel junk food into my face.
I figure if I've got a good plan that I can actually maintain I can keep this off for a long time to come, without feeling deprived.
Good Luck0 -
No. It is not normal to eat at a calorie deficit for three months and not lose weight, especially if you are obese. Something isn't right here.0
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This is a hard question to answer without know what your workout consists of, what you are eating, etc.
All I can do is encourage you to continue down the road you are on based on the little bit of information you offered. I assume that your on the right type of diet and your trainer has set ups a good workout plan which included a lot of cardio.
Now i don't know if this will help, but I actually hit a spot where I couldn't lose weight and I was actually gaining weight. It turned out to be a combination of things. The medication I was on caused me to hold onto weight. Also I was eating to many carbs. Once I was off the medication and reduced my carb intake I was back on track losing weight.0 -
That would be hard.
First make sure you don't have an underlying, unidentified health problem getting in the way and potentially putting you in danger.
Then, make sure you are eating enough. See the many articles and groups here about eating enough that you don't put your body into starve/gorge->store fat mode. Are you eating enough bulk? Usually vegetables. But try adjusting what you eat so you don't feel like you're starving. Yes, you may need to eat less and may not eat much of your old favorite foods, but find the foods that keep you comfortable most of the time. (It's ok to feel hungry some of the time, but not most of it.)
As others said, muscle weighs more than fat. Usually you do tighten up, but sometimes the "loose fat" next to tight muscle might look worse temporarily because of the contrast?
How do you feel? Do you have more energy? Is it easier to move around (just regular daily activity like stairs or walking around)?
Then check whether you are documenting everything you eat. (For me, it was the little snacks here and there that were causing the most trouble. I didn't realize how much some of those "little bits" were adding up, and they tended to be the dense calorie items that didn't really keep me feeling satisfied.) Are you recording what you eat correctly? Check the labels and the number of portions. I found that some things that i assumed were the same from brand to brand varied by almost 100%. And are you exercising as much as you think? Being in the gym doesn't count
I hope some of the ideas in this or the other responses is helpful.
Hang in there. It's hard when you're off to a slow start, but you'll get there!0 -
I've become a little bit of a zealot... Sorry in advance for all the long-windedness
The good news is you don't have to be perfect, you just have to be better.
Here's how I started:
... most of quote omitted - see full post by auntiebabs above ...
I figure if I've got a good plan that I can actually maintain I can keep this off for a long time to come, without feeling deprived.
Good Luck
This response is great! I suggest reading it repeatedly. Thanks, auntiebabs!0 -
This happened to me in September... I wound up buying a hrm to see how many calories I could eat back. Come to find out mfp over estimates most calories burned by working out.
Hang in there!0 -
First of all, congratulations for losing weight the life-long way. What you learn on this weight loss journey will give you the tools to keep it off. In fact, you will be well qualified to help other. Way to go. Your determination is inspiring. Keep it up.
It's hard to know why you are not losing the pounds. It could be new muscle. I hope you are not starving this time. I did have a friend that had a personal trainer and nutritionalist and they put her into starvation mode. 3 months on 1000 calories with hard 2hr workouts a day. In 3 months she lost 2 pounds. She wasn't eating enough. She did learn to run.
So eat well, exercise and lookforward to your hard work paying off.0 -
I've become a little bit of a zealot... Sorry in advance for all the long-windedness
The good news is you don't have to be perfect, you just have to be better.
Here's how I started:
1) tracking for a couple of weeks before I worried about losing.
(although seeing what I was eating I couldn't help but rein back a bit)
2) seeing where I could make small changes on things that weren't that important to me.
(Don't even think of taking chocolate out of my diet!!!)
--Reducing quantities where I won't notice it so much
--Swapping out things instead of eliminating them.
3) Look at my diary and started adding foods that had positive healthy effects specifically for the health issue in my family.
I found most of the things I "should" add were really yummy too! salmon, avocado, oatmeal, mango, red grapes....
(Sort of think of food as medicine to deal with family history of various health issue oatmeal is good for heart health, mango and red grapes lower cholesterol, tumeric and cinnamon good for arthritis)
4) every couple of weeks I see where I can make another couple of small changes.
If you completely revamp your diet, it's way easy to revert to old ways in times of stress. (and who doesn't have stress?)
If you make a series of small changes, food still offers you some sense of comfort.
sort of a comfort continuum, and after a while the first small changes will seem comforting in themselves.
You don't have to be perfect you just have to do better.
5) also rather than being uberstrict with the target MFP set for me. I was happier once I gave myself a range:
ROCK BOTTOM: 1200 cal
TARGET: MFP Calories for lose 1 lb a week (when that hit 1200 I changed to lose 1/2 lb per week)
TOP OF RANGE: Maintain Calories for my GOAL Weight.
(SAFETY VALVE: Maintain Calories for CURRENT Weight - remember to keep updating this number as you lose)
I naturally tended to do 2-4 days between 1200-1300 cal then a day at about 1500-1600 cal then back to the 1200-1300 cal.
--As long as I stayed under the top of my range I should continue to lose, even if it is at a slower rate.
--As long as I don't go past my safety valve I shouldn't gain.
BUT... The closer you get to your goal the smaller your range. (frustrating)
6) I only worry about it 1 lb at a time.
Once I found ways to lessen the stress, I found it way easier to focus on the process and let the results follow. (It's what worked for me some people need the stress to get them motivated. Me I get scared and overwhelmed and don't see the big goal as achievable. )
Food is not the enemy.
Oddly enough on my journey here I've reduced guilt over food.
I have the occasional treat and I fully enjoy it with no guilt involved.
The thing is since I'm not eating crap all the time the occasional treat is just that a TREAT it's special and I enjoy it so much more than when I was unconsciously shovel junk food into my face.
I figure if I've got a good plan that I can actually maintain I can keep this off for a long time to come, without feeling deprived.
Good Luck
Brilliant advice.0 -
I think a healthy person eating at a deficit should have some results after 3 months.
Therefore, I can think of 2 possibilities to investigate:
1) You have a medical condition that is interfering with your weight loss- Thyroid, PCOS, Diabetes, some GI problems, or any number of other conditions that should be checked with a doctor. Medication could also be causing a problem, but I suspect you would have already figured that out.
2)You're not really eating at a deficit. This could be the result of:
a. Suppressed BMR from medical condition, such as thyroid disease
b. Underestimation of calories - You should be logging every morsel of food and beverage that crosses your lips, and IMHO you should weigh everything except liquids (and sometimes even weigh liquids for accurate measurement) but def. use volumetric measuring cups for liquids. Get a digital scale if you don't have one. You should really crack down on the measurements at least until you figure out what is going on. Don't eyeball anything!
c. overestimation of calories burned- MFP estimates and cardio equipment estimates can be really high. Even HRMs can be way off if they're not programmed correctly.0 -
Thyroid comes to mind, I was dieting/working out in the past and it was my thyroid all along but took years to diagnose. Soy made it worse as I ate tofu scrambles and soy milk lattes often.
So it matters your hormones/health condition, what you eat and etc as well if you are not seeing results. Also the only thing that really works for me is to have essentially a grain-free diet (or close to it) where I get most or all my carbs from fruit, nuts and veggies only with gluten-free toast or oatmeal once in awhile. For some reason I have to eat lower carb like that and it works. So it matters WHAT you're eating, as well. So if I ate pizza but ate 1700 calories of pizza, and I ate raw nuts, oatmeal, chicken breast, salad, etc for 1700 calories, I would probably NOT lose with the pizza but I would with the other diet.My clothes feel the same, if not tighter around my stomach and calves.
While this may not entirely explain things, have you been tested for diabetes and/or thyroid issues in the past 6 months or so?
Additionally, it DOES take time, but given the description you've provided, 3 months is ample time that you should see results.
What is your average caloric intake per day and do you know your protein/fat/carbohydrate intake in grams?
Are you using any measuring device, even periodically, to make sure that you're eating roughly the amount you assume you are eating?
Just asking questions for now.
Good luck and don't get down on yourself. You're making positive changes.0 -
Y DO THESE PPL ON HERE KEEPS SAYING MUCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT. IT DOES NOT!!!!!!!!! MUSCLE IS DENSER & TAKES UP LESS SPACE THAN FAT BT A LB IS A LB REGARDLESS OF HOW U LOOK AT IT. AN OVERWEIGHT PERSON AT 250 LBS PROBABLY WUD LOOK BIGGER THAN A FIT PERSON DAT WEIGHS 250 LBS DATZ BCZ MUSCLE TAKES UP LESS SPACE ON DA BODY THAN FAT BT MUSCLE DOES NT WEIGH MORE THAN FAT. I WISH YA'LL WUD STOP SAYING THAT. TALK 2 ANY TEAM BEACHBODY COACH OR ANY OTHER NUTRITIONISTS BESIDES MYSELF. STUDIES SHOWS THIS FACT. PLEASE PPL STOP SAYIN THAT!!!!!!0
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Y DO THESE PPL ON HERE KEEPS SAYING MUCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT. IT DOES NOT!!!!!!!!! MUSCLE IS DENSER & TAKES UP LESS SPACE THAN FAT BT A LB IS A LB REGARDLESS OF HOW U LOOK AT IT. AN OVERWEIGHT PERSON AT 250 LBS PROBABLY WUD LOOK BIGGER THAN A FIT PERSON DAT WEIGHS 250 LBS DATZ BCZ MUSCLE TAKES UP LESS SPACE ON DA BODY THAN FAT BT MUSCLE DOES NT WEIGH MORE THAN FAT. I WISH YA'LL WUD STOP SAYING THAT. TALK 2 ANY TEAM BEACHBODY COACH OR ANY OTHER NUTRITIONISTS BESIDES MYSELF. STUDIES SHOWS THIS FACT. PLEASE PPL STOP SAYIN THAT!!!!!!
So you mean to tell me that 1 lb of fat weighs just as much as 1 lb of muscle. I am so glad you took the time to inform us. We were so lost without your explanation and expertise on the subject.
I think your little rant here really help this lady out with her question / advice she has requested from the forum. Please keep up the good work in providing assistance to people who ask for help.
FYI.... your caps lock is on 0 -
rude!!!!!!0
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Wow thank you everyone for all your replies. I thoroughly appreciate it, 'll try to give some more info:
Before I changed my eating habits I was starving and binging. I wouldn't eat for a couple days, then inhale an entire pizza. Or go to burger king or something. I would joke that I was living off caffeine and cigarettes.
When I started with my trainers they had me log at 2000 calories per day. I gained 7 pounds, but lost four of that within the first month. After no additional change they decreased me to between 1760 and 1900. Still no change.
I'm using the heart rate monitor on the cardio equipment on my cardio days, I try to burn at least 500 calories per session.
The last blood panel I had was about 6 months ago, no thyroid issues no diabetes, high blood pressure cholesterol nothing. I'm actually really healthy for being obese.
I feel wonderful. I'm happier, I'm sleeping better than I have in my entire life.
As far as the comment about "loose fat over muscle," that's almost exactly what it seems like. But what I've noticed is that as the day goes on my abdomen protrudes more. By the end of the day I feel as though I look pregnant. But I could just be obsessing and seeing things. Lol.0 -
By the end of the day I feel as though I look pregnant. But I could just be obsessing and seeing things. Lol.
Um... maybe you ARE pregnant?
Give it time, this post may be relevant
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losingWe have to warn her that since she's been sedentarily living on protein with binges of carbs and fats she is likely to see a weight gain right away. It's true.
Once we begin really feeding her body with nutritious carbohydrates so she can become more active, her glycogen-depleted body will hang on to some of those carbohydrates (in skeletal muscle and liver) so she has stored energy for activity.
When her body hangs on to those carbohydrates it has no choice but to hang on to more water too. For every gram of glycogen (stored carbs) she stores she'll hang on to three grams of water.
This is not a negative response by the body but it will be interpreted by her as quite negative when she steps on the scale.
...
This resistance may take one to three weeks to overcome. During this period no weight loss will occur. She is too fat already in her mind and believes it will only hurt her to increase her food intake.
I just realized you said it's been three months (I read "weeks") so ... pregnancy test... and any other screenings you can afford.0 -
Wow thank you everyone for all your replies. I thoroughly appreciate it, 'll try to give some more info:
Before I changed my eating habits I was starving and binging. I wouldn't eat for a couple days, then inhale an entire pizza. Or go to burger king or something. I would joke that I was living off caffeine and cigarettes.
When I started with my trainers they had me log at 2000 calories per day. I gained 7 pounds, but lost four of that within the first month. After no additional change they decreased me to between 1760 and 1900. Still no change.
I'm using the heart rate monitor on the cardio equipment on my cardio days, I try to burn at least 500 calories per session.
The last blood panel I had was about 6 months ago, no thyroid issues no diabetes, high blood pressure cholesterol nothing. I'm actually really healthy for being obese.
I feel wonderful. I'm happier, I'm sleeping better than I have in my entire life.
As far as the comment about "loose fat over muscle," that's almost exactly what it seems like. But what I've noticed is that as the day goes on my abdomen protrudes more. By the end of the day I feel as though I look pregnant. But I could just be obsessing and seeing things. Lol.
Get a second opinion on your blood work to start. My wife kept getting told by her doc that her thyroid was "fine" and "normal" when after seeking out a specialist it was certainly NOT.
Also if you are eating a calorie defecit and that's not working, check what you are eating. Cut out soy products completely to begin with and then start looking at other areas that might be problemaic. The most common that give people issues with bloating and inflammation are
Wheat and other grains
Soy
Starches (like potatoes)
Try cutting some of that stuff out and see what happens. Just do it for a few weeks and see what happens. Many of the foods that we eat these days really wreak havoc with hormones and could cause the issues that you are having loosing weight.0 -
By the end of the day I feel as though I look pregnant. But I could just be obsessing and seeing things. Lol.
Um... maybe you ARE pregnant?
Give it time, this post may be relevant
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losingWe have to warn her that since she's been sedentarily living on protein with binges of carbs and fats she is likely to see a . During this period no weight loss will occur. She is too fat already in her mind and believes it will only hurt her to increase her food intake.
But stick with it! Weight loss will happen.
Lol I'm not so no worries there! That post was so helpful thank you normal
As far as the labwork, I actually work at my doctors office so I have access to the test results. Everything is within normal range.0 -
A lot of cardio exercise on top of a calorie deficit to lose weight can inhibit fat loss to the point of stopping it.I'm using the heart rate monitor on the cardio equipment on my cardio days, I try to burn at least 500 calories per session.
I'm not convinced there's ample evidence to support cardio exercise as a supplementary means to weight loss really, beyond walking around a bit each day, so if you are genuinely stalled and not losing I would back off the cardio exercise 50% and reduce food a corresponding amount of calories. Do that for three weeks and see what happens.
If your food diary was open to public people may have opinions about what you're eating etc.
Good luck.0 -
Thyroid comes to mind, I was dieting/working out in the past and it was my thyroid all along but took years to diagnose. Soy made it worse as I ate tofu scrambles and soy milk lattes often.
So it matters your hormones/health condition, what you eat and etc as well if you are not seeing results. Also the only thing that really works for me is to have essentially a grain-free diet (or close to it) where I get most or all my carbs from fruit, nuts and veggies only with gluten-free toast or oatmeal once in awhile. For some reason I have to eat lower carb like that and it works. So it matters WHAT you're eating, as well. So if I ate pizza but ate 1700 calories of pizza, and I ate raw nuts, oatmeal, chicken breast, salad, etc for 1700 calories, I would probably NOT lose with the pizza but I would with the other diet.
^^^ I am the exact same way. I love my starchy carbs but they do nothing but bloat me out and make it nearly impossible for me to lose. I, too, am hypothyroid and have to eat this exact way. To the OP, maybe try going this route with the diet? I also agree with others who have suggested getting more blood/lab work done. I was 35 before I was diagnosed as being hypothyroid. It was very severe so no clue how that many people missed it so it's worth the chance of having more done.
GOOD LUCK!!! :flowerforyou:0 -
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As far as the comment about "loose fat over muscle," that's almost exactly what it seems like. But what I've noticed is that as the day goes on my abdomen protrudes more. By the end of the day I feel as though I look pregnant. But I could just be obsessing and seeing things. Lol.
Mysterious...
Without trying anything too extreme, play around with different foods. See what works for you. I'd suggest reading some of the other message boards about what people have done when they were stalled.
On the abdomen protruding more... this is not something where I have expertise, but one exercise leader used to tell us that if we didn't pull our tummies in while doing exercises that used abdominal muscles that while we'd still get exercise and stronger muscles that they wouldn't be flat. I don't know if that's true, but it makes sense to me that if you want to flatten your abdomen, do exercises that strengthen the muscles in the positions that hold everything in.
(I also used to have a very flat tummy... but a doctor said that leg lifts, sit-ups and stomach crunches weren't really good exercise and were hard on the joints. My stomach wouldn't be flat now anyway, as I've gained too much weight, but I do think I'd be in better shape, if I'd kept doing them.)
Again, I don't have any expertise in physiology or exercise, just my own personal experience to share. Good luck!!0
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