Can certain foods make you gain weight?

kattp07
kattp07 Posts: 40 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on mfp everyday ,writing everything down, exercising 3 days a week if not 4 for an hour each time and i havn't really lost any weight.I had pizza last night for dinner (we do every couple of weeks ) but stayed at my calories and gained 2 lbs this morning! I was sooo hungry last night I thought it would be ok to eat it since I worked out,should I just not eat those foods anymore?It feels like I do this all for nothing!I don't want to quit but 2 months ,really!
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Replies

  • deb_jones
    deb_jones Posts: 48 Member
    It sounds to me with all that exercise, which is a good thing, you may be substituting muscle for fat which weighs more. Try measuring yourself or just paying attention to how your clothes fit.
  • kattp07
    kattp07 Posts: 40 Member
    I feel like my clothes fit good but not any bigger really?I take a boxing class and I do feel like i've gotten some muscle and i'm tighter,but how long do before weight comes off?I'm only 5'3 151lbs is just too big for me!
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I've been on mfp everyday ,writing everything down, exercising 3 days a week if not 4 for an hour each time and i havn't really lost any weight.I had pizza last night for dinner (we do every couple of weeks ) but stayed at my calories and gained 2 lbs this morning! I was sooo hungry last night I thought it would be ok to eat it since I worked out,should I just not eat those foods anymore?It feels like I do this all for nothing!I don't want to quit but 2 months ,really!

    You're probably just bloated. Depending on how the pizza was made, it may have had a lot of sodium in it. Drink plenty of water and weigh yourself again in a few days.

    You did not gain muscle after dieting and exercising for 3 weeks. It's next to impossible to gain muscle while eating at a calorie deficit. And muscle does not weigh more than fat - it's just more dense.
  • melissa10666
    melissa10666 Posts: 63
    As long as you're under your calorie allowance you can eat whatever
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I've been on mfp everyday ,writing everything down, exercising 3 days a week if not 4 for an hour each time and i havn't really lost any weight.I had pizza last night for dinner (we do every couple of weeks ) but stayed at my calories and gained 2 lbs this morning! I was sooo hungry last night I thought it would be ok to eat it since I worked out,should I just not eat those foods anymore?It feels like I do this all for nothing!I don't want to quit but 2 months ,really!

    You're probably just bloated. Depending on how the pizza was made, it may have had a lot of sodium in it. Drink plenty of water and weigh yourself again in a few days.

    You did not gain muscle after dieting and exercising for 3 weeks. It's next to impossible to gain muscle while eating at a calorie deficit. And muscle does not weigh more than fat - it's just more dense.
    This. It's water retention.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    to me, if i eat carbs, even though i stay under my cals, i will not lose weight. at all. no matter what i do.

    cut out carbs and viola. weight loss!
  • wewon
    wewon Posts: 838 Member
    I've been on mfp everyday ,writing everything down, exercising 3 days a week if not 4 for an hour each time and i havn't really lost any weight.I had pizza last night for dinner (we do every couple of weeks ) but stayed at my calories and gained 2 lbs this morning! I was sooo hungry last night I thought it would be ok to eat it since I worked out,should I just not eat those foods anymore?It feels like I do this all for nothing!I don't want to quit but 2 months ,really!

    Salty food can bloat you quick.
    Eating pizza one night and weighing yourself the next morning sounds like water weight.

    I bet if you avoid salty food today and drink plenty of water your weight will change again in the morning.
  • sun33082
    sun33082 Posts: 416 Member
    Pizza is full of sodium. It's water retention. No one truly gains 2 pounds of fat over night.
  • Sharyn913
    Sharyn913 Posts: 777 Member
    to me, if i eat carbs, even though i stay under my cals, i will not lose weight. at all. no matter what i do.

    cut out carbs and viola. weight loss!

    I kind of feel the same =/ My diet is better than it was six months ago, my portions o\are smaller and overall more healthier. Fast food is limited to very very rare, when in the past it was 2-3x per week. But now I exercise an average of 5x per week, 60 min each time, and the weight is steady. Once I cut the carbs down, the weight goes... I just get so sick of the same foods!
  • BeautifulBetsy
    BeautifulBetsy Posts: 60 Member
    I join MFP in May and I've put on 7 pounds since I joined. I have a wedding to go to in August and if I put on any more weight I'm going to be totally bummed, but I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I work out twice a week and go for walk almost every morning, and I eat pretty clean too......SUCKS
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I've been on mfp everyday ,writing everything down, exercising 3 days a week if not 4 for an hour each time and i havn't really lost any weight.I had pizza last night for dinner (we do every couple of weeks ) but stayed at my calories and gained 2 lbs this morning! I was sooo hungry last night I thought it would be ok to eat it since I worked out,should I just not eat those foods anymore?It feels like I do this all for nothing!I don't want to quit but 2 months ,really!

    Salty food can bloat you quick.
    Eating pizza one night and weighing yourself the next morning sounds like water weight.

    I bet if you avoid salty food today and drink plenty of water your weight will change again in the morning.

    Nice profile pic! I live about 30 minutes from there!!
  • nolakris
    nolakris Posts: 98 Member
    In my experience, a lot of restaurant and take out food is full of sodium. I'm usually always heavier from bloating the next morning, especially after pizza or Chinese food. Drink a ton of water today. I lose very slowly, so I take measurements too.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I join MFP in May and I've put on 7 pounds since I joined. I have a wedding to go to in August and if I put on any more weight I'm going to be totally bummed, but I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I work out twice a week and go for walk almost every morning, and I eat pretty clean too......SUCKS

    Have you figured out your BMR and TDEE?
  • veggiesaurus15
    veggiesaurus15 Posts: 152 Member
    Our weight fluctuates daily. And not to sound gross, but how often we eliminate will affect the number on the scale as well.
  • sparkie51
    sparkie51 Posts: 98 Member
    Pizza cheese is salty and it could just be that. Don't fret just keep at it. Losing weight is not as easy as gaining it and it is a process and a lesson in patience!
  • rydn4h2o
    rydn4h2o Posts: 255
    I've been on mfp everyday ,writing everything down, exercising 3 days a week if not 4 for an hour each time and i havn't really lost any weight.I had pizza last night for dinner (we do every couple of weeks ) but stayed at my calories and gained 2 lbs this morning! I was sooo hungry last night I thought it would be ok to eat it since I worked out,should I just not eat those foods anymore?It feels like I do this all for nothing!I don't want to quit but 2 months ,really!

    You're probably just bloated. Depending on how the pizza was made, it may have had a lot of sodium in it. Drink plenty of water and weigh yourself again in a few days.

    You did not gain muscle after dieting and exercising for 3 weeks. It's next to impossible to gain muscle while eating at a calorie deficit. And muscle does not weigh more than fat - it's just more dense.
    This. It's water retention.
    Agreed
  • angelica1125
    angelica1125 Posts: 1
    Wow I am in the EXACT same boat. I gained some weight after studying abroad in Italy and was probably between 152 and 155. Last summer I was down to 141 with mfp. I'm also 5'3 and after 6 weeks of a strict 1200 calorie diet and working out 4-5 times a day I STILL cannot break 150! It's so frustrating I know how you feel. I definitely look more "fit" than I was before, but you're right, we just shouldn't weigh this much!! You're probably like me and have a somewhat athletic build, and I'm fairly certain that after making these lifestyle modifications, we've gained muscle that's tipping the scale in the opposite direction. My clothes also seem to fit a teensy bit better, but not really. We just need to keep at it and try not to splurge to often! Stay hydrated so you body flushes out the water instead of retains it and helps to keep you full. good luck :)
  • LatinaGordita
    LatinaGordita Posts: 377 Member
    I typically have food that isn't necessarily nutritious on my weigh in day. For instance I weighed in this morning, already burned 475 cals on a nice run and will be going out to a late lunch, where I will start with a nice low cal soup and salad and then gorge on pizza, muffin and ice cream. Then Sunday I am back to my plan, till next Saturday.

    This way your body will flush out the water gain by your next weigh in and you can enjoy a splurge ever now and then.
  • kattp07
    kattp07 Posts: 40 Member
    Thanks everyone,i will keep it up ,I do think I need to watch my sodium more!
  • herstrawberri
    herstrawberri Posts: 347 Member
    lots of salt, sugar, carbs. For me it's way to many carbs. Even if I'm under for my cals, if I have an over abundance of carbs it's bloat city and the scale jumps up at least a few lbs if not more.
  • dnhames
    dnhames Posts: 12 Member
    I have the same thing happen to me. I am carb sensitive to high glycemic carbs such as white flour, pasta, sugar, fruit juice etc.

    To loose weight I have to give all of these up, and get my carbs and calories from sources that are healthier for me. For me a calorie is not a calorie, it matters how that calorie impacts my blood sugar. I was insilin resistant, but so far I have corrected the blood sugar problem with diet. It is still very hard to loose weight even with counting calories and logging exercise. For some people the quality of the carbs really matters and health low glycemic ones are better. There are other people that can just count calories and not worry about the source of their carbs. If we have pizza I never eat the crust. I often add something else for me to eat because I know the consquences of pizza crust for me.
  • sun33082
    sun33082 Posts: 416 Member
    I join MFP in May and I've put on 7 pounds since I joined. I have a wedding to go to in August and if I put on any more weight I'm going to be totally bummed, but I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I work out twice a week and go for walk almost every morning, and I eat pretty clean too......SUCKS

    Have you figured out your BMR and TDEE?

    I looked at your diary and 5 days out of the last 2 weeks you ate over your calorie limit, and you didn't log 5 other days. So I'm going to say you're not eating at a deficit.
  • LatinaGordita
    LatinaGordita Posts: 377 Member
    Wow I am in the EXACT same boat. I gained some weight after studying abroad in Italy and was probably between 152 and 155. Last summer I was down to 141 with mfp. I'm also 5'3 and after 6 weeks of a strict 1200 calorie diet and working out 4-5 times a day I STILL cannot break 150! It's so frustrating I know how you feel. I definitely look more "fit" than I was before, but you're right, we just shouldn't weigh this much!! You're probably like me and have a somewhat athletic build, and I'm fairly certain that after making these lifestyle modifications, we've gained muscle that's tipping the scale in the opposite direction. My clothes also seem to fit a teensy bit better, but not really. We just need to keep at it and try not to splurge to often! Stay hydrated so you body flushes out the water instead of retains it and helps to keep you full. good luck :)

    This happens to me, however that is your body telling you, you need to change it up. Try 5 days with no exercise, then go back to your regimen. I lost 2.6 lbs this week by doing just that. You should change things up like exercise and calorie intake every 4 to 6 weeks as your body will adapt. Its not science, but this works for me and I have continually lost weight since Jan 2012.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Salty foods can cause a short term gain or going over your daily calories over time will make you gain.
  • kculp73
    kculp73 Posts: 16 Member
    How are you determining your exercise calories? Do you have a heart monitor that is set to measure your calorie burn? I saw in your diary that you typically adjust your intake to include exercise calories. It is possible that you are over estimating calorie burn and therefore eating more than you should to lose. I also noticed you don't currently have any MFP friends. Feel free to add me for support;)
  • mstifb
    mstifb Posts: 230
    to me, if i eat carbs, even though i stay under my cals, i will not lose weight. at all. no matter what i do.

    cut out carbs and viola. weight loss!

    So how many carbs is "too many" carbs? Fruit has carbs, and I don't want to cut out that. Not sure with all the material I've seen which is correct? I eat around 1200 calories and I do exercise. Thanks!
  • ripemango
    ripemango Posts: 534 Member
    I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS show a gain the morning after having pizza even when I don't go over my calories for the day. I believe it is the high level of sodium. Just stick to your calorie allotment for the day, drink lots of water, and you will see the scale go back down.
    It's not permanent, just bloating from too much salt/sodium. Btw, I notice 'the bloat on the scale' any time I have fast food.
  • robert65ferguson
    robert65ferguson Posts: 390 Member
    @Katt 1394, the answer to your question is yes most definitely. It is more than a question of calories in versus calories burned. You need to be thinking in terms of a lifestyle change rather than a diet. People can diet and then regain weight when they stop their diet and regain the weight lost plus some more. A whole industry is predicated on this fact with some people becoming rich on the backs of others. Changing your lifestyle means getting more exercise, which you are doing. It also means educating yourself regarding the impact of food on your body. This means keeping an honest food diary of what you are eating and logging this on MFP. You need to understand what happens when you eat. Everything you eat is converted into glucose eventually. Your body then produces insulin to lower the level of glucose to a normal level. Insulin is a hormone which is a fat storage machine. By managing the amount of carbohydrates you eat each day you will reduce the amount of insulin your body produces and thus the fat being stored in your body. As you exercise you will begin to burn the fat already stored in your body leading to controlled weight loss and a better state of health. Assuming you have input your details to MFP and have been given a target, the next thing to do is to try and reduce the number of carbohydrates you consume each day. Have a look at the number of carbohydrates in your portion of pizza and you will be amazed. The basic micronutrients you want to focus on at the begining are CARBS; PROTEIN; and FAT. I suggest you try for no more than about 45 gms of carbohydrates per meal and allow say about 20 for snacks. Try for a total around say 150 for the day. Try to eat foods rich in protein which will avoid those hunger pangs. Try to avoid processed foods as much as possible because they are full of carbs and fat. You can, with practice, have a really nutritious and enjoyable diet by using these principles. Lastly and most importantly, remember MFP is a lifestyle change programme designed to lose weight slowly but steadily. It needs patience and persistence. if you employ these principles and keep up your exercise you will succeed. If you plan what you will eat and how much you will eat before you eat it you will be well on the road to success. I wish you well.
  • wewon
    wewon Posts: 838 Member
    @Katt 1394, the answer to your question is yes most definitely. It is more than a question of calories in versus calories burned. You need to be thinking in terms of a lifestyle change rather than a diet. People can diet and then regain weight when they stop their diet and regain the weight lost plus some more. A whole industry is predicated on this fact with some people becoming rich on the backs of others. Changing your lifestyle means getting more exercise, which you are doing. It also means educating yourself regarding the impact of food on your body. This means keeping an honest food diary of what you are eating and logging this on MFP. You need to understand what happens when you eat. Everything you eat is converted into glucose eventually. Your body then produces insulin to lower the level of glucose to a normal level. Insulin is a hormone which is a fat storage machine. By managing the amount of carbohydrates you eat each day you will reduce the amount of insulin your body produces and thus the fat being stored in your body. As you exercise you will begin to burn the fat already stored in your body leading to controlled weight loss and a better state of health. Assuming you have input your details to MFP and have been given a target, the next thing to do is to try and reduce the number of carbohydrates you consume each day. Have a look at the number of carbohydrates in your portion of pizza and you will be amazed. The basic micronutrients you want to focus on at the begining are CARBS; PROTEIN; and FAT. I suggest you try for no more than about 45 gms of carbohydrates per meal and allow say about 20 for snacks. Try for a total around say 150 for the day. Try to eat foods rich in protein which will avoid those hunger pangs. Try to avoid processed foods as much as possible because they are full of carbs and fat. You can, with practice, have a really nutritious and enjoyable diet by using these principles. Lastly and most importantly, remember MFP is a lifestyle change programme designed to lose weight slowly but steadily. It needs patience and persistence. if you employ these principles and keep up your exercise you will succeed. If you plan what you will eat and how much you will eat before you eat it you will be well on the road to success. I wish you well.

    Solid advice!!
  • krystalhaze
    krystalhaze Posts: 3 Member
    While it has a lot to do with what you eat, it also matters WHEN you eat. If you are eating pizza at say 9pm one night and then waking up at your normal 6am to weigh, your body likely hasn't had enough "down time" to recharge itself and burn all of the calories that you intook (intaked??) the day before. I was reading about the importance of having a "fast" time between dinner and breakfast ("breaking the fast!"); it is important to give your body enough time to recharge itself... for instance, if you typically eat late dinners (8pm), try to wait 12 hours before your next meal. During the day, space your meals about 3-4 hours apart. And make sure that you're getting ample sleep (at least 6-8 hours). Sometimes, just not getting enough sleep and eating meals too close together can make a big difference in how your body burns the fuel you're feeding it!
    Hope that helps! Stick with it and don't give up... eventually you'll find the right recipe for your healthy self! :)

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