Sad, angry, and frustrated

I've posted a couple times before about my seemingly uncontrollable weight gain. I get so mad and so sad because it's so unfair! I read these stories about people like Kirstie Alley who gained weight because she ate nasty food slathered in butter. I've been trying a vegan diet (for two weeks) and fairly consistent, calorie-burning exercise (for 2 months) and have gained 10 pounds. This is ON TOP OF the 15 I gained throughout this year. Why? I'm trying to be healthier of all things. After eating 1300 a day for a year and getting down to 125 pounds (I'm 5'7'' and 16 years old) I decided to try a healthier route and upped my intake to a still-below-the-maintenence-level 1500. What do I get? Severe, rapid weight gain. It pisses me off. I think to myself, why even try? Why exercise and eat right if I just gain and gain? I could pig out on sugary food at get to the same spot. I wonder why I even do try. There doesn't seem to be a point. I feel like something is seriously wrong with my body.

If you were eating 1300 at age 15-16, you were severly undereating for your age (and even size)... plus, you are still growing - not necessarily getting taller, but you are still growing.

There are a few possibilities. Number one, if you cut your calories back too far it stimulates your body's famine response. It freaks out, thinking it's not going to get enough food, so when it gets more calories, it packs them away for the next "famine". That may be a part of what's happening to you. Your body just doesn't want to switch off the famine response.

In regards to that, I have anothr question for you. How many meals do you eat a day? How often do you eat? When do you eat?

These can sometimes be almost as important (but not quite) as what you eat. How often you eat, whether or not you eat breakfast, etc. can speed up or slow down your metabolism significantly.

Also, I don't suppose the weight you've gained is muscle? Muscle weighs significantly more than fat - so I always care more about what the measuring tape says than what the scale says. Because you can be lighter, and still not look toned and be in healthy, good shape. A size 6 can weigh radically different depending on fitness levels.

But if the measuring tape is creeping up on you, you should talk to your doctor? It's possible you have a vitamin or nutrient deficiency that's partially to blame, or other medical issues.

On a side note, you don't sleep walk do you? My mother's cousin used to diet restrictively, and in the middle of the night, she would sleep walk downstairs to the fridge and make herself a huge peanut butter sandwich, eat it and go back to bed without waking up... but that's pretty rare.

If you're eating a vegan diet, be careful about your soy intake. Soy is loaded with estrogen and can even cause medical complications (Eating a lot of pure soy is equivilant to eating several birth control pills every day). Extra estrogen can also make some women gain weight. (Fermented soy, however, is safe. Example: Soy sauce).

Good luck.

your 16.

you're growing. chances are what ever you're trying to get down to-you're body has different ideas. if you have a healthy BMI, then leave your body alone. it's trying to grow.

There's nothing out of control about growing at 16. Keep eating at a healthy level and things will stabilize; you've probably freaked your body out a bit by under eating. Good for you for trying to be healthy now. Make sure you do your research; eating well as a vegan is tough.