Ok, I need a verdict on this..is it fat, water or muscle? Please read.

It's been 7 days since I stepped on the scale Labor Day weekend and saw that I had gained 6 pounds. 126 to 132. It still isn't gone. In fact, it's the same. I've been eating healthy, doing what exercise I can, and keeping my calories low. Low carbs. Good, lean protien. Veges. Nuts. Water. Tea. Coffee. No sugar. No junk food. No breads. All I did was had too much sodium on Labor Day weekend. But after that I was back to normal intake.

My question to you is....is it a.) fat, b.) water or c.) muscle? Or is it something else all together? Because I can't figure out WHAT to do when I'm already doing everything pretty much right.

I'm trying not to be upset because I didn't cause this weight gain by eating badly. Although, now that's whats making me even more upset.

I really need someone to analyze this for me because I can't. I just don't get it.

Please help.

Other facts: I work in a hot kitchen, I burn 1200 calories (give or take) a day at work so I usually count that as exercise, I'm always on my feet, carrying boxes and food.

Hmmmm perhaps its just one of those annoying plateaus? Has happened to me before. I was doing all the right stuff and exercising and lost nothing for 11 days. I wish i could analyse it more for you! I don't think its fat. Possibly muscle or water? Maybe up your exercise by an extra 15 mins per session? That worked for me. Hang in there, you will break it eventually!

Boring though it may sound.... the usual cause of gaining weight is eating more than you need.   Are you sure you're using up an extra 1200 calories a day at work, for example?   It's much less common to find people that seriously undereat gaining weight although it does happen.

How many calories a day do you eat now?

Normally, anywhere between 800-1700. It really varies sometimes. I would say 1300 is a good estimate lately. I know it's too little technically, but it's been lower and it's been higher so I'm happy with that.

i would under-estimate my calorie out put it i were u, since i was where u r and know how annoying it is.  i've just started under-estimating today tho, so i don't know how long it takes until u leave the plateau.  i don't know how long ur days are, but if can add some other exercise in there it might help.  and don't cut ur calories back too much!

And how many calories does CC say you need to maintain your weight, if you made your activity level 'moderate'?   You should deduct around 700-800 from that figure on a steady basis for weight-loss.  Never eat below 1200 as a rule.

My feeling is that your eating patterns could be irregular which leads you to undereat badly quite a lot .....  this means that when you eat a more normal 1700 your body is likely to hang on to it in the form of fat.   Hence why you're finding it difficult to lose.

Try to plan your days out better from now on so that you're getting the right number of calories every day and that you're eating regularly.  Starting with breakfast, make time for a meal or a snack every 2 or 3 hours.  And one day this week treat yourself to a day where you consume your full 'maintenance' calories.  This might be what you need to restart the weight-loss process.

It says I should eat 1500 calories a day. But I put my activity as light.

I just don't have time to eat. I don't get breaks at work.  And I have to go to college from work. (night classes end at 10) So I usually eat breakfast and a lunch/dinner at 4 and I try to bring some nuts to class with me.

So, if I start eating the right amount of calories everyday will the weight return to normal soon? :/

You need to redo it at 'moderate' or even 'very active' if your job is so physical. 

'Don't have time to eat' is no excuse, unfortunately.   The irregular eating patterns are part of what's keeping you heavier than you'd like to be and, if you want that to stop, you'll have to give food higher priority.   Assuming you live in Europe or the US, everyone's entitled by law to reasonable breaks at work so remind your employer.  If anyone you work with is allowed to go outside for a cigarette.... they get a break, so you should get one too.  

If you pack some food to take with you each day and use your 5 minutes to eat it then you'll probably see progress.  And if you ate more I think you'd find it easier to lose than to gain/maintain.... ironic if that sounds. 

But I was maintaining for soooo long at 126-128....why did this happen so suddenly? It was 6 pounds in 2 days. :/ And now, 2 inches on my waist.

I thought zig-zagging calories worked?

Oh, and I work part time. Part-timers get no breaks.

I dunno. I tried increasing my cals and that increased/maintained my weight. I tried increasing exercise, that increased/maintained my weight. So, I really have a hard time believeing in eating more. Esspecially when I'm just not that hungry. I dunno. You could be right though I guess. At this point, nothing is working so I don't know what to do.

Thanks for the advice though.

Maiden, don't forget how far you have come!!  This 2 shall pass if you just hang in there and try to follow the advice from GIJane.  You look fantastic and congrats on being such a go-getter.  Work and School, you go girl!

Hope this is not too personal a question but could you be pregnant?

How are your clothes fitting?  If they feel tight, I'm thinking it's possible you've either gained a bit or are retaining water ..... if they still feel fine - it could either just be a blip in the scale or you've gained some muscle ....

Original Post by maiden:

But I was maintaining for soooo long at 126-128....why did this happen so suddenly? It was 6 pounds in 2 days.

Personally I'd put a rapid gain like that down to fluid retention. I had similar happen at the end of August (UK Bank Holiday Weekend).

By part-time do you mean you work 8 hour (or more) days but not enough to make 40 hours? or a few days at around 4-5 hours per day?  If I remember my labor laws correct most people are entitled to a 15 min break if they work 5 hours and being part-time doesn't make you exempt from that.

Thank you guys. I really need your help and opinions!

Ok, firstly I'm definitely not pregnant lol. (unless my name is Mary) However, I do not menstrate due to weight loss and my doc said it would come back eventually.

Secondly, yes my clothes fit slightly tighter. (in my opinion)

I work 5 hours a day 5 days a week to get 25 hours. They say if you work 6+ hours you get a break.

If I'm holding water it's the longest I've ever held it with NO change whatsoever.

And I also did nothing (like eat 3500 cals a day and sit on my arse) to gain weight. So I'm really really upset.  *sigh*

Thanks again guys.

This sounds terrible.. but I am so happy that you are having the dreaded weight gain instead of weight loss.. only because the same thing happens to ME! I weighed in about 2.5 weeks ago at 176, the VERY next day I weighed myself again (I thought I felt thin that day.. how delusional was I?!?!?!) and I had GAINED 3 pounds!!! Now I have been STUCK at 178 for the past two weeks. SO I know exactly how you feel... It is VERY frustrating. I work out HARD, and I mean HARD. I have noticed though that I have dropped one whole clothing size and I am SOOO much stronger than I used to be. I am actually lifting 15 pound weights for Bicep curls!

Of course, this is very little comfort to the number that I see showing up on the scale. Bottom line, you are definitely not alone in this. I think this is more of a problem that some women face.. our bodies naturally fluctuate all the time. Though is may seem impossible, stay the course, change up your eating/workout routine somehows (less salt maybe?).. and hopefully we will both break through the weight gain plateau!

How tall are you?  I'm thinking 136lbs might be just fine.  You know 6 lbs might seem like a lot but on some girls its nothing.  If you are under 5 feet I might be concerned.  If you are around 5'7" then 136 is a very nice weight, a natural weight for that height, and you should consider yourself quite skinny.

Seriously.

 

Mareneedear,

I'm 5'7ish. I know...technically I should be happy. Technically. But you and I both know how damn frustrating it is to backtrack, right? It's like I'm letting myself down. I look at myself and I can see the 6 pounds. (even if people say they can't.) Because somehow everyone could see when I lost 6 pounds...but when I gain them back, magically you can't see it anymore? Right.

Sorry, I'm not venting about you . I'm just venting. It feels like my family is happy that I've gained. But I'm miserable right now.

Thanks for caring though. :)

Could your scale be broken?

And, when I went out of town I gained weight and it took two weeks for the scale to go down. I'd wait until next week before getting too concerned.

(BTW - I'm 5'7" and have never been that weight once in my entire life. O_O... Haha, I'll be happy at 145!)