Weight gain: How it probably happened to you

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Replies

  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
    I know exactly how I gained weight. Overeating, alcohol (and more overeating) and being a lazy BUM. That'll do it! Fortunately, all of that is under my control and I realize that now. So I'm gonna fix it!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    Interesting, sir.

    Out of curiosity, I used a BMR calculator and played around with it.

    I'm 25 and about 140 lb right now. BMR around 1443. If I put on 5 lb in 5 years, my BMR would be around 1441 even though I'm heavier, because of age. Then, in another 5 years and another 5 lb later, my BMR would be 1417. I don't even need a Popsicle, I could put on weight just getting older.

    I think that is why exercise is such a good indicator of whether someone will be able to maintain their weight. Because BMR just keeps going down... Sedentary people are in trouble!

    ETA: Whoops, my reading comprehension apparently sucks, I thought it was 5 lb in 5 years, not 5 lb in one year. My slower BMR theory can definitely not keep up with 5 lb a year lol.

    I was around 3 lb a year, from a not skinny, but not fat starting point. Yeesh, only 30 calories a day! crazy. Although I was completely sedentary, to the point where I would skip meals because I didn't want to get up from my video game... lol How could I have been so silly?!
    You do bring up a great point though. Because BMR can reduce with age, then this would only accelerate weight gain for those who consistently ate over daily.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • GabrielleZelda
    GabrielleZelda Posts: 190 Member
    Wow, this is really eye opening. It's insane how little it takes for the weight to pile on!

    Is it just me, or is anyone else now very very paranoid and scared?
  • dawson555
    dawson555 Posts: 26
    3yrs ago i put on 85lbs in 8months when i tore my rotator cuff and could'nt train but i was a heavy child also i blame me parents for putting to much dinner on my plate lol.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,467 Member
    Most of the my anecdotes is that people will be at a stable weight for years, and then suddenly blimp out seemingly out of nowhere. I can't recall anyone who gradually gains weight year after year.

    Yes, that's how it was for me. I was roughly the same weight (around 120 lb) for years and years, then went up quite quickly and levelled out at about 210 lb for another few years.

    Edit: The funny thing (or maybe not) is that most of my dieting was during the journey up from 120 lb to 210 lb. I hardly dieted at all when I was 120 lb or at 210 lb. In fact, it seems that my weight was most stable when I DIDN'T try to eat less! Let's hope this time I don't end up putting on more weight again.
  • skruger22
    skruger22 Posts: 75 Member
    This is crazy to think about!!! But also kind of inspiring- although the idea of the sneaky, gradual weight gain is daunting, it makes it less scary to conquer. It's less about needing to "diet" and more about making a lifestyle change so this doesn't continue to happen.
    Thanks for the perspective!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    Wow, this is really eye opening. It's insane how little it takes for the weight to pile on!

    Is it just me, or is anyone else now very very paranoid and scared?
    That's why it's important to be aware and active. Ask anyone who gained a lot of weight and guaranteed they will always say that they weren't really aware of how much they were consuming.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    And this is why I don't like the idea of going on a drastic "diet" to lose weight... cutting calories in half, etc. It only took minor changes to gain the weight, and minor changes can take it off.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Most of the my anecdotes is that people will be at a stable weight for years, and then suddenly blimp out seemingly out of nowhere. I can't recall anyone who gradually gains weight year after year.
    *Raises hand*

    I started slowly gaining from about 15 up till 20. I've about 65lbs of fat to lose, so 13lbs a year, 1.08 a month, 0.27 a week, 0.03 a day. 0.03 being 135 calories a day. Crazy really.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    And this is why I don't like the idea of going on a drastic "diet" to lose weight... cutting calories in half, etc. It only took minor changes to gain the weight, and minor changes can take it off.
    THIS!!! People FAIL at weight loss because of drastic life changes.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • A_New_Horizon
    A_New_Horizon Posts: 1,555 Member
    I liked the breakdown of this, but I know my weight gain was from college years (I think I put on a good 25 lbs during college) and then getting married. I have had 2 babies since then, and I didn't gain an ounce from the pregnancies. With both of my pregnancies, I gained less than 20 lbs and quickly lost it. Then, after my son was born, I saw the scale hit 200 lbs - my wake up call. My kids only have 1 parent, and I need to be around a very long time. I have been at it since Sept 2010, and I am proud of my success. Still trying to lose the 15 lbs I put on from an anti-depressant, but I WILL GET IT BACK OFF!!!
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    That's an interesting way to look at it.

    I weighed 102 lbs. when I got married, in 1995. I was at a stable weight (108) for years, then somehow ended up around 118 in 2009, right before I got pregnant. That averages to a little over a pound a year over 14 years. About 10 calories over on a daily basis!!! Heck, it could be that the metabolism slowed down over time simply due to aging, and one can gain weight eating the exactly same way they've been eating without issues for years.
  • Martinigirly
    Martinigirly Posts: 13 Member
    Not to be grim, but just wait til menopause kicks in and you have health issues that don't allow you to be active enough to keep your weight in check. Lose the weight now and learn how to eat. It will really pay off!!!!!
  • FollowThatUnicorn
    FollowThatUnicorn Posts: 200 Member
    Wow. People gain 5lbs a year? I was gaining 5 pounds a week back in Nov/Dec because my thyroid shut down.
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
    i'm on my 4th time losing the same weight only more. Priorities. I made the time to lose it, but not to make sure I didn't put it back on. The last time I lost it, I actually watched it come back on, 10 lbs, then another 10 lbs then another. I was too consumed with work and paying bills, a teen-age daughter and a very high-maintenance emotionally draining spouse. My highest weight was 201. I got it down to 135 about 6 months ago, but put 25 back on for the same reasons of not paying attention and just too emotionally drained to care or do anything about it. This time i'm doing it all different and I don't have the emotional drains on me that I used to have and i'm more informed, therefore doing it right this time. Better late then never I suppose.
  • EstherRyu
    EstherRyu Posts: 16
    this is exactly what happened to me, and i was in denial for about year.. and NOW i am having the HARDEST TIME getting it off....i feel since i am aware - i am maintaining it, but not losing. i lost 5 lbs - but i get the craziest cravings and urges to over eat.
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
    I sat around playing WoW for 7 hours a day drinking 4-5 cans of soda, pasta with cream sauce, taco bell, and late night binges to deal with emotional problems. It crept up on me throughout high school until I saw pictures of me at a New Year's party and my weight was 195 pounds that it was a real problem.
    This is me, word for word. Replace Taco Bell with pizza rolls, and you have 2009-2010 in a nutshell. I gained 90 pounds. When I did the math, it showed that all it took was an extra 800 calories per day. I'm sure I achieved that and then some. I'm sure the only reason I didn't gain more weight was because I do like to go for walks on occasion. I hate to think of how huge I'd be if I hadn't gone for an occasional walk.

    I plan to keep tracking when I reach my goal weight because I don't want to get fat again. I want to stay at or close to my maintenance calories because it's easier to lose a few pounds gained over Christmas than 200 pounds gained over the course of 10 years.
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    Sounds like it's time to torch some calories ... >:D
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Interesting, sir.

    Out of curiosity, I used a BMR calculator and played around with it.

    I'm 25 and about 140 lb right now. BMR around 1443. If I put on 5 lb in 5 years, my BMR would be around 1441 even though I'm heavier, because of age. Then, in another 5 years and another 5 lb later, my BMR would be 1417. I don't even need a Popsicle, I could put on weight just getting older.

    I think that is why exercise is such a good indicator of whether someone will be able to maintain their weight. Because BMR just keeps going down... Sedentary people are in trouble!

    ETA: Whoops, my reading comprehension apparently sucks, I thought it was 5 lb in 5 years, not 5 lb in one year. My slower BMR theory can definitely not keep up with 5 lb a year lol.

    I was around 3 lb a year, from a not skinny, but not fat starting point. Yeesh, only 30 calories a day! crazy. Although I was completely sedentary, to the point where I would skip meals because I didn't want to get up from my video game... lol How could I have been so silly?!

    and remember that BMR calcs using age/height/weight are basing that BMR figure on folks at avg ratio fat / LBM.
    it's the lack of LBM as you get older that causes most BMR slowdown.

    That's why if you use BMR calc with bodyfat%, age is not a factor, as studies have shown if you retain or gain the LBM back, your metabolism goes back up.

    Obviously you reach an end of life stage where that no longer applies, but then again at that point probably atrophied so you really don't have the LBM you once had.
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
    [/quote]
    QUOTE
    and remember that BMR calcs using age/height/weight are basing that BMR figure on folks at avg ratio fat / LBM.
    it's the lack of LBM as you get older that causes most BMR slowdown.

    That's why if you use BMR calc with bodyfat%, age is not a factor, as studies have shown if you retain or gain the LBM back, your metabolism goes back up.

    Obviously you reach an end of life stage where that no longer applies, but then again at that point probably atrophied so you really don't have the LBM you once had.
    [/quote] END QUOTE

    I have a question....it's great that we can put our BMR back up by weight lifting...but is 3 times a week enough to do that and also, can it be done by NOT weight-lifting but doing weight resistance exercises only? Just curious
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    and remember that BMR calcs using age/height/weight are basing that BMR figure on folks at avg ratio fat / LBM.
    it's the lack of LBM as you get older that causes most BMR slowdown.

    That's why if you use BMR calc with bodyfat%, age is not a factor, as studies have shown if you retain or gain the LBM back, your metabolism goes back up.

    Obviously you reach an end of life stage where that no longer applies, but then again at that point probably atrophied so you really don't have the LBM you once had.

    I have a question....it's great that we can put our BMR back up by weight lifting...but is 3 times a week enough to do that and also, can it be done by NOT weight-lifting but doing weight resistance exercises only? Just curious

    In a deficit eating mode, if able to gain at all, would be very slow. And once you get over improvements based on fact you just started exercising, it'll take longer and more hard work to keep getting results.

    Now, maintaining is much easier, especially if eating at maintenance level.

    So if that 3 x weekly is really hard work, and good protein with it, and small deficit. (hard for body to repair/recover when it doesn't get the energy for basic functions of life), then you can hope to maintain or build some very slowly. Most will have to wait until you are done eating in deficit.
    Weight resistance is weight lifting, but I'm guessing you mean bands or light weights during cardio workout - no, just heavier cardio.
  • savageman69
    savageman69 Posts: 339 Member
    i use to belame my fat on slow metabolism when in fact looking back i was more then likely eating well over 4000 calories a day if not more...so seeing i have no trouble loosing weight now i feel it was a major food adiction and excuses....and you dont notice the fat gain until one day you clue in it really does sneak up on you thats for sure
  • littlepinkhearts
    littlepinkhearts Posts: 1,055 Member
    Thanks so much!!! I've actually been upping my cals since February. Prior to that I was eating anywhere around 700-1000. Now i'm gonna stay at 1800 for a while and see what happens. I've only gained like 3 pounds from February. But what i'm also wondering is since i'm eating lots more then I have been for probably years now, does my body think that i'm at a deficit as 1767 is my 15% under TDEE OR am I able to add LBM since i'm eating so many more cals then it's use to?

    Hope this isn't going too far off topic :flowerforyou:
  • KBienn
    KBienn Posts: 23 Member
    WOW! what an eye opener! Thank you!!!
  • kvanbenthem
    kvanbenthem Posts: 13
    LOL- guilty when it comes to the clothing excuses!
  • ahelland21
    ahelland21 Posts: 48 Member
    Great way to put it in perspective!
  • TheAncientMariner
    TheAncientMariner Posts: 444 Member
    Mine wasn't so much diet as it was sedentary lifestyle. I did 0 exercise, especially after I owned a car. I always drove everywhere. Now I'm in better shape than I was at a much lower weight in my early 20s. It won't be creeping up on me again because biking, running, weight training, and whatever else I decide to do is just plain fun :)
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Thanks so much!!! I've actually been upping my cals since February. Prior to that I was eating anywhere around 700-1000. Now i'm gonna stay at 1800 for a while and see what happens. I've only gained like 3 pounds from February. But what i'm also wondering is since i'm eating lots more then I have been for probably years now, does my body think that i'm at a deficit as 1767 is my 15% under TDEE OR am I able to add LBM since i'm eating so many more cals then it's use to?

    The real BMR/RMR is the preferred level of calories to burn on that basic metabolism. If the body has it available, it'll burn that much on those required things. If there's not much left over, not much for body to build with. Some aspect of breaking down unused muscle can allow building up very used muscle.

    Just depends on where that 1767 falls in the scheme of things.

    If you start losing 1/2 lb weekly, then you got the expected deficit about and know you are there. That should be enough to really feed your workouts for body improvement.
    Which is actually the issue of seeing 1/2 lb loss on the scale, your body is going to be making a bunch of improvements it just didn't have the energy for before, if you are exercising a decent amount.

    Be prepared for inches lost, not weight lost.
  • cannonsky
    cannonsky Posts: 850 Member
    This just sorta bums me out since its so hard to know exactly what calorie intake you need...
  • KimAggie04
    KimAggie04 Posts: 165 Member
    When I was a senior in college, I went to my doctor for my yearly checkup. I had gained a few pounds since my last visit. She told me that the slight weight gain was alright, but I better not gain a "few pounds" every year. I think about that every year, and it's one of the reasons I joined MFP. It sneaks up on you, and before you know it, you're inactive and overweight.

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