Advice Needed: Reason for my weight gain and how to reverse it?

Okay my lovelies. I hate being yet another person asking essentially the same question, but I?m really having a problem and I need your help. Apparently I can?t figure this out on my own. You guys are so knowledgeable and helpful and supportive ? I?ve already learned a ton from you over the past few months.

So here?s my story. I started counting calories on May 23rd of this year and I weighed 142.6. My goal was to lose 10-12 pounds and drop at least one pants size (from a 10 to a size 8). I started really watching my calorie intake and walking a few times a week. I have an office job where I just am sitting at my desk all day long. I entered my activity level as sedentary on CC and it gave me an allowance of 1300 calories, to lose weight.

Since May, I?ve been eating between 1300-1600 calories per day (with, of course, a few days where I?ve slipped up or given myself ?the day off? for special occasions) depending on if I work out. Also, in August I started a running program and have been doing a little bit of weight training a few times a week.

I drink about 100 oz of water per day most days and have been trying to keep a good ratio of carbs/protein/fat going.

Now my problem is, as of this morning, I weighed in at 148. I have been gradually and steadily gaining weight for the past four months and I don?t know what to do! I thought at first that it was just muscle I was building and that after a while I?d see a drop in my weight. But that hasn?t happened. There?s been no change in my measurements either (except that my stomach is even bigger now).

I?m really at a loss as to what to do next. I feel like I?m eating enough (I have a 500-600 cal deficit each day), I?m exercising, I?m drinking lots of water, I try not to eat too much fat?but nothing good is happening! I?m getting so discouraged and feel like just throwing in the towel and ending up like the rest of my morbidly obese family. Today I?m just so depressed and feel horrible about myself. I?ve never weighed this much in my life and I?m so afraid of it getting out of control. I don?t want to end up like my mom, at age 45 and trying to lose 150 pounds. I?m just scared and have no idea where I should go from here.

Please, if you have any advice or encouragement, send it my way! Thanks in advance kiddies!

Any chance you are pregnant? :-)

I think you might want to check with your doctor. From what you have posted, it looks to me like you are doing what you should be doing. Guess I should ask the obvious questions, though, in the meantime: how tall are you? How much sodium are you taking in? Have you been measuring the areas in which you are trying to build muscle?

you're totally knocked up! i knew it! how dare you not tell me. it really is the only reasonable explanation.


let's go get liposuction. sigh.

i'm going to add you as my friend...we are in the same boat! i read your profile, and i think our measurements are almost identical, so maybe we can help each other, k??? :)

well, i honestly don't know what to tell you...

you said you've been giving yourself days off. go a week of not cheating at all and see what the scale says. maybe eating low one day and then overeating the next day is messing with your metabolism...i'm not an expert, i'm only guesstimating...

also, i find that running, for my body, makes my legs and hips get bigger at first, then after a few more weeks i really slim down. so just keep doing what you're doing...also, for toning, pilates works wonders!!!! and i'm sure in LA there are many pilates studios. i would say even just two classes a week for a month and you will be amazed at the difference in your body! good luck and let me know if you need more help...

jocelyn

at 142 lbs I doubt you had much fat on you. Is it possible that the weight gain and possible increase in stomach size is actually all muscle growth?

lol... I too immediately thought that you were pregnant.  I'm sorry.  I've totally been there though.  I used to run and walk everywhere... Workout all the time, and then I stopped loosing weight, and then I started gaining weight, didn't realize it, a month later I found out why... I was pregnant....  I had thought that my period was just being it's normal stupid self, cause I never ever ever have a consistant one... It can be anywhere from 28 days to 45 days... doesn't matter... it's always weird.  Other than that explaination, I would think that maybe the days that you are giving yourself off, are just rounding out to weight gain... When you do give yourself these "days off" as you say, are you counting your calories at all to see how many you really are consuming?  Just a question...

Hopefully you didnt' take offense to anything I said, cause I don't mean anything to be taken the wrong way.

Gypsy

Athena: Definitely not pregnant! Haha. As for your questions - I'm 5'6", I try to stay under 2400mg of sodium, and I've been measuring basically every possible inch of my body. Haha. But you're right, I may have to consult a doctor on this if things keep on going the way they've been going.

Christen: Haha! You crack me up! Maybe we can get a 2-for-1 deal on the lipo?

DanceGirl: I'll add you too! I have gone several weeks in a row before without a "cheat" day...so I don't know about that being the problem. I really thought running would help me slim down more quickly...but maybe I do just need to stick with it for longer. I have some pilates dvds...maybe I'll start doing those a couple times a week and see if anything happens.

M3lody: I definitely have fat on me! Maybe I should post some pics of my cellulite and muffin tops? Haha!

Gypsy: Haha - you people and your pregnancy theories! Cracks me up. I guess it's possible - but I've been having normal periods and just had one a couple of weeks ago. Maybe I'll take a test just for fun to put everyone's mind at ease. :)

As for my "days off" I never go totally crazy or anything. I doubt I go over 2000 for that day. Usually it just means I'll have a piece of birthday cake or a meal at a restaurant. I still try to be conscious of portion size, etc, even on those days.

Thank you guys who have replied so far...if anything at least you've put a smile on my face!

i'm secretly hoping you're pregnant. shhh. don't tell john.

Haha. Well...I hope I am, too. Then at least I'll know there's nothing wrong with me and that it's not my fault that I'm gaining weight! Plus...a baby! Haha.

I am sorry to butt in to the "pregnancy conversation"   I don't think that you are pregnant but depending on your age, after the age of 25 our metabolisim starts to slow down, if all of the sudden you cut down on calories then there is a chance your body is going into "starve mode" and attempting to save some calories as fat for future fuel burn.....there are several thing that you should take into account, but I recommend that you try to burn at least 500 extra calores a day through excercise....preferably high impact....fast pace.

hello all

  i am interested to find that one of the last entries exactly confirms what i have been saying all along about diets "calorie counting" - not! working. if you start counting  and taking in less calories than usual you body does save more fat for burning. i myself have seen this personaly. and have tried to explain it to my girlfriend who thinks just by watching what she eats will make her lose weight. it in fact has made her gain! gain !gain! i have been the same weight for the past 10 years and it has nothing to do with watching what i eat or counting calories! and i am by no means!! fit, actuly by this sites information i am 32 pounds over weight for my age and height. but i am by no means fat either.

my point is simple- if you eat as you normaly do taking in the clories that you always do and "not" count and just step up the exercise the weight will come off maybe not rt away but it will if not then you step it up some more. then after you have established a steady work out you can gradualy reduse the in take and of what kinds as well.

if you go from eating mc d's for lunch to salad your going to gain period. your body say "hey wait.. ididn't get my "normal' fat today..but when i do i'm keepin it!! don't know when they'll give it again!"

so with that said i need some help well not personaly but for my girlfriend, who has asked for my help.

i have said all these things to her it response but she does not "believe" them to be facts.

i bought her a tread mill and she used it for 30 days and she said her pant size went up."her pants got tighter" NO SHE IS NOT PREAGNENT!

is there any one out there who has lost pant sizes by eating the same but working out? walking, swimming, biking, anything! so i can better help her? or anyone with a smilar gained by walking experience?      i am lost! since she does not belive that it works no matter ho many mags i've read, and quote. i don't know how to help her if she doesn't listen to my advise.

any and all replys welcome.

 thanks for your time

dgug77,

I am female and started to lose weight when I cut my calories back about 300 a day and started to increase my exercise tremendously.  I would walk maybe 2 miles a day normally and maintained at 2000 calories a day.  I now take in anywhere from 1400 to 1900 calories and exercise up to 7 miles a day and sometimes a workout DVD.  I have watched what I eat and have kept my carbs to 50% my protein to 25% and my fat to 25% with my sodium being around 2500mg or lower.  This has helped me to lose weight.  I started out at 270lbs and I am not 219.  I started dieting in June of this year.  So I have lost 51lbs in 4 months. 

Don't let the title of this article put you off.  Maybe one of these methods will help you to jump start your weight loss.

http://health.msn.com/dietfitness/articlepage .aspx?cp-documentid=100142350

Also, are you sure about your base line caloric needs?  You may be eating too little.

edited to add:  Have you measured yourself lately?  Especially your waistline.  Sometimes we lose inches before we lose pounds.