Why am I gaining weight?

[gib65]

Hello,

I'm on a diet, trying to lose weight, and I'm wondering why some days I gain weight and some days I lose weight. I'm monitoring my calories and being sure I'm under 2000 every day. I also commute to work on my bike everyday, half an hour per leg.

Two days ago, I weighed myself. I was at 175 lb. Then yesterday, I weighed myself. I was at 176 lb. This morning, I was at 177 lb.

Here's what I ate yesterday:

yogurt for breakfast: 35 calories

soup for lunch: 200

crackers with the soup: 100

chicken salad for supper:

romain lettuce: 10

roma tomato: 35

carrot: 25

1/3 yellow bell pepper: 20

4 or 5 broccoli spears: 10

mushrooms: 5

cucumber: 5

1 chicken breast: 150

blue cheese dressing: 240

croutons: 60

parmesan cheese 240

TOTAL: 1135

I munched on a few snacks throughout the day, but it couldn't have been more than 200 calories worth. So let's bring the total up to 1335. <-- Well under 2000 calories, plus the bike riding, yet I still gained a pound since yesterday.

The day before was a similar diet: yogurt for breakfast, soup with crackers for lunch, a salad for supper. The only difference in the salad was that the meat was fish, not chicken. Fish is typically less than chicken in terms of calories but this fish was 1.5 to 2 times bigger than the chicken breast I had last night, and I also battered it with oil. My batter recipe consists of crushed bread crumbs, whipped egg, and oil. If I were to guess, I'd say the fish was between 300 and 400 calories. That's a difference of 150 to 250 calories from the chicken. Let's say 250. Add the same 200 calories for snacks, I estimate that yesterday I consumed 1335 + 250 = 1585. <-- Still under 2000.

Yet I still seem to be gaining weight. Why?

Edited July 19, 2017 by gib65

[fiveworlds]

Chicken/soup high salt if shop bought

Yoghurt/cheese high fat

 

Also try high intensity training e.g. sprints

Skipping and boxing

[Phi for All]

Were you biking before you started the diet? Could you be trading fat for more muscle to start, so it looks like there's little change?

 

The only thing I don't like in your diet is the crackers and croutons. Is it for the crunch? Can you get jicama to do that?

 

I agree with fiveworlds about the salty. But not about the fat, that seems fine with the rest. You have to retain water in ratio to your salt intake, so you could have some water weight.

[dimreepr]

 

Hello,

I'm on a diet, trying to lose weight, and I'm wondering why some days I gain weight and some days I lose weight. I'm monitoring my calories and being sure I'm under 2000 every day. I also commute to work on my bike everyday, half an hour per leg.

Two days ago, I weighed myself. I was at 175 lb. Then yesterday, I weighed myself. I was at 176 lb. This morning, I was at 177 lb.

Here's what I ate yesterday:

yogurt for breakfast: 35 calories

soup for lunch: 200

crackers with the soup: 100

chicken salad for supper:

romain lettuce: 10

roma tomato: 35

carrot: 25

1/3 yellow bell pepper: 20

4 or 5 broccoli spears: 10

mushrooms: 5

cucumber: 5

1 chicken breast: 150

blue cheese dressing: 240

croutons: 60

parmesan cheese 240

TOTAL: 1135

I munched on a few snacks throughout the day, but it couldn't have been more than 200 calories worth. So let's bring the total up to 1335. <-- Well under 2000 calories, plus the bike riding, yet I still gained a pound since yesterday.

The day before was a similar diet: yogurt for breakfast, soup with crackers for lunch, a salad for supper. The only difference in the salad was that the meat was fish, not chicken. Fish is typically less than chicken in terms of calories but this fish was 1.5 to 2 times bigger than the chicken breast I had last night, and I also battered it with oil. My batter recipe consists of crushed bread crumbs, whipped egg, and oil. If I were to guess, I'd say the fish was between 300 and 400 calories. That's a difference of 150 to 250 calories from the chicken. Let's say 250. Add the same 200 calories for snacks, I estimate that yesterday I consumed 1335 + 250 = 1585. <-- Still under 2000.

Yet I still seem to be gaining weight. Why?

 

 

Stop doing this, it's not healthy.

 

If you want to be healthy, eat what you want to eat (so long as it's not, basically, pure sugar or over processed) if you cook it and do some exercise; stats aren't needed because health is as much mental as physical; stats can only describe the physical.

Edited July 19, 2017 by dimreepr

[DrP]

I've noticed that too (what Phi said) - I have started exercising, running in particular, whilst being very unfit.... and GAINED weight due to increased muscle mass.

 

Also... when looking at weight fluctuations, water intake is important to monitor. You can loose or gain a lot of weight in a day related to the amount of water you drink. Drinking a lot of water is good to stay hydrated.... but the amount in the body can fluctuate with the weather or with how much you take in if it isn't consistent.

[StringJunky]

You need to weigh yourself everyday, or often, and you'll notice a downward trend on the lowest number, if you are losing weight. A few weeks ago, my range was 11 stone 12lb to 12 stone 5lb. my lowest number now is 11 stone 10lb with a high up to 11 stone 13lb. You typically carry 48 hours worth of food and plus there''s the hydration aspect at 1kg per litre of water which will cause significant daily fluctuations. You need to look at the trend and not the number on a particular day. Try graphing your progress and you'll see it better.

Edited July 19, 2017 by StringJunky

[swansont]

2 lb fluctuations over the course of a few days is most likely noise. The difference between weighing yourself before and after going to the bathroom can be of order a pound — a liter of water is 2.2. lbs. I'm heavier than you are, but I routinely see ~1 lb fluctuations from day to day

[Sensei]

Muscles are more dense than fat. You can have the same weight 80 kg as before, but you will look thinner.

Walking and biking does not sound like a lot of training.

Do you have 5-20 kg dumbbells?

If not get them ASAP (adjustable weight),

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/adjustable-dumbbells

and watch one of these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dumbbell+workout

Edited July 19, 2017 by Sensei

[StringJunky]

2 lb fluctuations over the course of a few days is most likely noise. The difference between weighing yourself before and after going to the bathroom can be of order a pound — a liter of water is 2.2. lbs. I'm heavier than you are, but I routinely see ~1 lb fluctuations from day to day

Yep.

[dimreepr]

I guess the rule against offering medical advice has hit the buffers, on this thread.

[StringJunky]

I guess the rule against offering medical advice has hit the buffers, on this thread.

What buffers?

[fiveworlds]

I

agree with fiveworlds about the salty. But not about the fat.

 

 

Yeah I never knew about the fat till awhile ago. The food science class did a study on supermarket yoghurt in lidl, aldi and tesco and found no yoghurt/cheese below 20% fat.

[swansont]

I guess the rule against offering medical advice has hit the buffers, on this thread.

 

 

What medical advice?

[Phi for All]

I guess the rule against offering medical advice has hit the buffers, on this thread.

 

This seems more like opinions on why this particular restricted calorie diet isn't working, rather than anyone telling him something his doctor should be telling him.

[swansont]

 

This seems more like opinions on why this particular restricted calorie diet isn't working, rather than anyone telling him something his doctor should be telling him.

 

 

It's not even that. There's some physics (water and food weigh something), measurement technique (the system is noisy; two days is not long enough to get a meaningful answer) and experiment design (weight can go up because of muscle mass, so you aren't measuring the right thing).

 

There's only one comment on the diet itself, and diet advice is not medical advice.

[Sicarii]

I would use almond milk-based shake for breakfast, and get rid of croutons/crackers/cheese (or any bread or dairy products, basically; or at least keep them to a minimum).

 

But, in your case, I think it's probably noise, like others have mentioned. It's more important to look at the trend. Also, you could be replacing fat with muscle, so your weight won't reflect that.

 

Lastly, it's important not to be discouraged, and to keep going at it in order to reach the goals you set out for. If after like a month or two you are not noticing any positive changes, it may be time to discuss with a nutritionist and get some advice from them.

[StringJunky]

Probably the most practical measure of progress is when you have to tighten your belt up or your trousers start falling down over your hips, if you don't wear one, and can touch your toes. When I hit 13 1/2 stone that was impossible; my belly was in the way.

Edited July 19, 2017 by StringJunky

[Coherentbliss]

The way I lost weight quickly was to go on a strictly seafood diet.. you can eat as much as you want but no bread (no buns or breaded coatings), no dairy and also eating a lot of spinach salads with traces of chicken, onions and a little dressing. When you get tired of seafood eat a plate full of green veggies and a few Kiwi's....no potatoes

Stay away from any drive through. If stuck in a restaurant dont eat any bread or breading or gravy, pasta etc.

 

My rule of thumb is If a certain food fills you up quickly it is a sign to not eat that particular food at all.,,example is potatoes, cereal, cakes, almost everything lol. Some foods that do not fill you up quickly are seafoods, veggies, watermelon, etc......think about it...it is usually the crap put over/on the food that makes you fat.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Coherentbliss

[koti]

I have experience with both loosing weight myself and helping others to do it. When you get deeper into this, its quite a complex subject which depends on various subjective factors but on the other hand...you dont have to get deep into it, just learn to eat healthy and do physical acrivities. And keep doing it for a long time, preferably till you die. Thats it.

Edited July 19, 2017 by koti

[Sensei]

just learn to eat healthy and do physical acrivities. And keep doing it for a long time, preferably till you die. Thats it.

That's essential. Some people think they will go on diet, then lose weight, and then return to their normal unhealthy diet, and ass in front of tv, after a while... And then surprised because of yo-yo effect..

Edited July 20, 2017 by Sensei

[koti]

That's essential. Some people think they will go on diet, then lose weight, and then return to their normal unhealthy diet, and ass in front of tv, after a while... And then surprised because of yo-yo effect..

Its even worse than that...Ive trained 4 times a week for about 5 years straight then I stoped when my kid was born 14 months ago. Im having spine operation done today. Need I say more?

Edited July 20, 2017 by koti

[Coherentbliss]

Its even worse than that...Ive trained 4 times a week for about 5 years straight then I stoped when my kid was born 14 months ago. Im having spine operation done today. Need I say more?

 

 

 

Hope all is well with you during and after your operation.

[MigL]

Forget the specialty diets that tell you 'cut out all carbs' or 'cut out all fats'.

 

The human body is an adaptive machine. If you go without fats ( for example ) for any length of time, the body will actually start 'cannibalizing' muscle mass, or protein, in order to store fat deposits for 'lean' times. This is an evolutionary mechanism.

 

Your best bet, is a balanced diet, including ALL food groups ( variety keeps it interesting ), while reducing caloric intake, and exercising regularly. Remember that even exercise is an adaptive mechanism. If you're just interested in burning calories, use the biggest muscles in your body ( buttocks and thighs ) in some repetitive motion like running or cycling. If you want to build muscle, on the other hand, you need to use more weight than your muscles can currently handle; Otherwise they have no need to grow/strengthen.

[Handy andy]

On ‎19‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 3:35 PM, gib65 said:

Hello,

 

 

 

 

I'm on a diet, trying to lose weight, and I'm wondering why some days I gain weight and some days I lose weight. I'm monitoring my calories and being sure I'm under 2000 every day. I also commute to work on my bike everyday, half an hour per leg.

 

 

 

 

 

Two days ago, I weighed myself. I was at 175 lb. Then yesterday, I weighed myself. I was at 176 lb. This morning, I was at 177 lb.

 

 

 

 

 

Here's what I ate yesterday:

 

 

 

 

 

yogurt for breakfast: 35 calories

 

 

soup for lunch: 200

 

 

crackers with the soup: 100

 

 

chicken salad for supper:

 

 

romain lettuce: 10

 

 

roma tomato: 35

 

 

carrot: 25

 

 

1/3 yellow bell pepper: 20

 

 

4 or 5 broccoli spears: 10

 

 

mushrooms: 5

 

 

cucumber: 5

 

 

1 chicken breast: 150

 

 

blue cheese dressing: 240

 

 

croutons: 60

 

 

parmesan cheese 240

 

 

TOTAL: 1135

 

 

 

 

 

I munched on a few snacks throughout the day, but it couldn't have been more than 200 calories worth. So let's bring the total up to 1335. <-- Well under 2000 calories, plus the bike riding, yet I still gained a pound since yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

The day before was a similar diet: yogurt for breakfast, soup with crackers for lunch, a salad for supper. The only difference in the salad was that the meat was fish, not chicken. Fish is typically less than chicken in terms of calories but this fish was 1.5 to 2 times bigger than the chicken breast I had last night, and I also battered it with oil. My batter recipe consists of crushed bread crumbs, whipped egg, and oil. If I were to guess, I'd say the fish was between 300 and 400 calories. That's a difference of 150 to 250 calories from the chicken. Let's say 250. Add the same 200 calories for snacks, I estimate that yesterday I consumed 1335 + 250 = 1585. <-- Still under 2000.

 

 

 

 

 

Yet I still seem to be gaining weight. Why?

 

You haven't mentioned what you drink. An alcoholic drink is typically < 200 calories, a bottle of wine 600 calories etc. As shocking as it sounds you may have to stop boozing to lose weight.

Soft drinks have sugar and additives along with alcoholic drinks, these accumulate in your body and cause your cells to retain water etc.

If you are serious about losing weight you might want to think about drinking just water, or at least diluting what you drink.

[John Cuthber]

On 7/19/2017 at 3:49 PM, dimreepr said:

 

Stop doing this, it's not healthy.

 

If you want to be healthy, eat what you want to eat (so long as it's not, basically, pure sugar or over processed) if you cook it and do some exercise; stats aren't needed because health is as much mental as physical; stats can only describe the physical.

There were no fat prisoners in Belsen; no matter how positive  their mental attitudes were.