Why am i Gaining weight?!
 

I was looking for some support and anyone else experience with this subject. I am now in my third 'serious' week and have been on a very well balanced diet and exercising at the gym a few times but over all i'm getting in some form of daily activities. I've slowly lost 5lb over the past two weeks but this week i seemed to gain 1/2. What is going on I've not been naughty. OK apart from one evening and i wasn't even that bad.

Will it only go down from here? Is this something you have experienced? Is this normal? HELP ME it's really dis-motivating and disheartening!

I've heard and read that the less you have to lose the slower it is, the closer to
goal weight, the slower it is. Perhaps that is what you are experiencing?

1/2 pound gain could be explained as a extra glass of water, in-between
bathroom visits, humidity effects with the scale, even what clothes were worn from one weighing to another, if any.

I'm thinking just let what you are doing happen and have what I struggle with: patience.


.

At 5'7" and 163 pounds, this is going to happen a lot.
If you were 200lbs or even 180 we would be having a different conversation.

But the truth of the matter is that at your weight you can miss a sh!t one day and it will show up on the scale. Water weight, for example from sodium from that bad meal, is going to show up. Muscle gain is going to show up. So you just need to be patient. And you need to accept that you are close to a maintenance weight.

Patienice is key. There are so many possible reasons not to have a weight loss.

1. Tom or just middle cycle
2. Too much sodium in meal
3. Increase exercise - stores extra water in muscle for recovery.
4. Incorrectly counting calories
5. Getting close to goal weight

I could go on but I think you get the idea. A lot of times, I will hold a weight and then do a whoosh of several pounds over night. Our bodies are strange machines and not constant.

I agree with all the input you've received. If the scale frustrates you and you know you're doing all the right things, then I recommend putting it away for a little while. I usually weigh daily but when I get frustrated (which happens a lot now that I"m close to goal), I will put it away and then I get to see some changes when I weigh myself again.

Lots of good input. One thing that I didn't see mentioned was this.

Are you in a caloric deficit? When it comes to fat loss it doesn't matter how well balanced your diet is. Exercise for an hour at the gym doesn't burn many calories.

If you're not in a caloric deficit you won't lose fat.

Thank you so much for all the help and advice and i agree that all factors mentioned are a contribution to the 1-2 pound gain! and if i want to see the result it will have to be hard work and good choices constantly no matter what temptations are around.

I have lowered my calorie intake so that its roughly 1,200 calories a day, would you say this is ok? im doing this as mentioned along with trying to keep more active my job is office work so im sat at a desk all day.

I'm appreciate all the support you have all shown and has given me a positive boast to keep motivated and just be patient with my body.

At 1200 calorie, you're creating a substantial caloric deficit (if you're counting your calories accurately, that is). Since you lost 5 lbs. in the first 2 weeks, having a little gain is not unusual due to water fluctuations. You mentioned you had one evening when you were off track....not sure how much more you had, but perhaps you had foods with lots of sodium, which could also explain some water retention. One pound gain is 3500 extra calories consumed and one pound loss is 3500 calories deficit. If you are at a 500 calorie deficit a day, you should lose one pound a week. People tend to overestimate how much they burn at the gym and underestimate how many calories they eat. Whenever I see a gain on the scale...say 1/2 pound... I"ll ask myself, did I really have an extra 1700 calories in one night? If not, then I know it has to be water weight. It helps me not worry about the little ups and downs. The scale is not that great at telling us the whole story in the short term.

Just keep doing what you're doing and see how it goes over the next few weeks. I'll bet you're going to continue losing weight. Just remember that this is a slow process that requires patience and consistency. Make sure you're not starving yourself. I don't know what you meant by exercising a few times at the gym. If you're doing intense workouts, 1200 calories might not even be enough and could lead you to binge. Take a slow approach and find a way of eating that you can feel comfortable with for the rest of your life.

Luckymommy.

Thank you for your words of wisdom you have come so far on your journey and for you to take the time to respond to me i really appreciate it. I will listen and take on board all you've said and keep all up to date.

Thanks again everyone shows that it is a possible journey until i find my happy space. Losing this weight is a journey I'm on for myself but not by myself with everyones kind and wise words.

x