Gaining Weight After Trying So Hard

[J322Y]

Me too, I'm eating like you- and losing weight and looking leaner.

I cook with butter and coconut oil.

 

I eat red meat, bacon and eggs- I drench my veggies in melted butter.

 

People think I am talking crazy when I speak of this new way of eating... But the results don't lie. I'm really lean, and I've lost weight since changing my eating habits.

 

I think sugar is such a major enemy.

 

Sugar is the worst thing you can eat. It is often linked to cancer and many other common illnesses.

[Feelin Frisky]

...

 

I'm.... not quite sure where you get the impression I'm anorexic? I get told very often that I'm overweight and need to drop about 10-15 pounds. I don't think I'm really at a risk for those sorts of behaviors. I like food too much, and I can't make myself throw up. But thank you for the concern, I'm glad to hear your sister has recovered.

 

Hi. Just to be clear I didn't go so far as to say you are anorexic. I responded to your words:

 

"Ugh, I freaking GIVE UP. I've spent the last 2-3 months being insanely diligent with my diet and my work outs"...and

"painfully slowly, going down from 125 lbs to

119 last week. (I was at 24% body fat.)

 

And then this week, I shot right back up to 122 lbs. And I look in the mirror, and I look worse than ever before. It's like nothing at all

happened.

 

Seriously, I've tried everything I can think of short of

surgery and starvation. Has anyone ever just reached a point

where they say "Screw it" and just get lipo, or become

anorexic?"

 

What do you think anorexic thinking means? It means caught in a belief system in which you constantly put yourself down for not being "perfect" in body size, weight or proportions. That's it. It doesn't mean that you have to already be physically starving yourself (as I indicated in my post by saying "you don't have to be 80 lbs to be anorexic). I have anorexic beliefs about myself--I have because I was a fat child and was abused and have always been unable to sustain the results of a "diet". People don't die of anorexia, they die of "complications" from anorexic thinking--often starvation which causes kidney failure or some other major systems failure.

 

I'm still not saying YOU ARE ANOREXIC, but your own words reveal someone who is rather excessively unhappy with a 3 lb gain when you are still at a weight most real women would kill for. You brought up anorexia--I know quite a bit about it and have had periods of bulimia in my past (and that's not what most people think either--it's not "sticking your finger down your throat to gag up your food, it's starving yourself to the point where your stomach is so small that when you overeat, the indigestion is immediate and you learn to simply burp back up your food. I didn't do this on purpose. It was just part of my obsession with weight, my occasional back-sliding into over-eating, my guilt and self-loathing, and simply learning how to regurg my food without the horror of gagging a vomiting. It gave me a nasty ulcer that has last 25 years.)

 

The bottom line is that we have to live within our limits and find a way to LIKE ourselves regardless of how we stack up against anyone else or regardless of what anyone else says about what they think we should do to look "perfect". I'm not a preacher or evangelist. I'm just a survivor and it helps me to share. And honey, surgery for 3 to 6 lbs? Consider.

[Leigh 87]

D -LISH - I love to look slim for my body type too, however, I believe 1200 - 1500 is not healthy for your height....

 

 

Of course, what your doing makes you happy and works for you; I am simply stating my own opinion, not judging u, ok?

 

In fact, I loved being thin, so much I developed an eating disorder which I am now recovered from.

 

 

I am glad u reap the benifits of feeling thin, however, only short women, like the OP, should eat that little, for optimal health, in my opinion. OPTIMAL health, that is not to say your ' healthy: enough...

 

 

I would just HATE to starve and eat that amount. I would feel starved. I need way more to feel satisfied and focus on work and etc.....

[fastdietpills]

Do more exercise and take healthy Weight Loss Diets, Weight Loss is not an easy thing it requires lots of patience and hard work.

[FitChick]

D -LISH - I love to look slim for my body type too, however, I believe 1200 - 1500 is not healthy for your height....

 

She doesn't exercise and takes pharmaceuticals which slow down metabolism so if she isn't losing weight, she is maintaining and eating the proper amount.

[Lauriebell82]

Goals vary from person to person; physiology does not.

 

If your goal is fat loss, weights should be done first. You also need to work with weights that challenge you and have your nutrition in line to support your goals.

 

If you are using weights and not seeing a difference in your body, something about your program needs to be tweaked.

 

Yeah, I understand what you are saying.

 

I think the reason I never saw a huge difference is because I was tired and sore from lifting, therefore I wasn't able to run as fast/far on the treadmill. I'm just saying I personally never had a problem losing fat from running first and then lifting. I also can't lose weight from any other exercise except running. It has something to do with my metabolism.

[iris219]

3 pounds is nothing. I wouldn't worry about it. It could be that you're building muscle. Don't focus so much on weight. How do your clothes fit?

 

I fluctuate by at least 3 pounds on any given day even though my diet stays pretty consistent. I say I weigh 120-125 because it really just depends. Sometimes it's because of my cycle, sometimes it's because of my salt, carb, alcohol, and/or dairy intake, and sometimes I have no idea why my weight is higher or lower.

 

It might be that you're at the extreme lowest weight for your body type. If that's the case, your body will fight to regain. Many women try to be too thin for their body type.

[Cypress25]

The reason u may not be losing, is because yout body does not NEED to lose - and therefore, is happy where is, and sees no reason to let go of weight that is purely for vanity.

 

This is what I'm thinking. You've probably reached your set point, and it's not easy to force your body to drop more weight after that. Losing weight was always difficult for me (I had to fight for every pound) but when I got down to 105 lb, it suddenly became damn near impossible to lose more weight. At 5'1" there's no reason for me to weigh less than that, but I was on a mission (a foolish one, to be sure). I had to starve myself to the point of losing my period just to keep my weight under 100 lb. Took me awhile to realize I couldn't live the rest of my life that way.

 

After a few years of eating normally and exercising moderately, I've discovered that my weight settled quite easily at 110 pounds. It's not my ideal weight, but it's where my body wants to be and it's not worth the fight to force my weight any lower. I know it's not much comfort, but if you're eating right and exercising right (and it sounds like you're doing an excellent job at both) and your weight won't budge, your body is probably trying to tell you something.

[D-Lish]

D -LISH - I love to look slim for my body type too, however, I believe 1200 - 1500 is not healthy for your height....

 

 

Of course, what your doing makes you happy and works for you; I am simply stating my own opinion, not judging u, ok?

 

In fact, I loved being thin, so much I developed an eating disorder which I am now recovered from.

 

 

I am glad u reap the benifits of feeling thin, however, only short women, like the OP, should eat that little, for optimal health, in my opinion. OPTIMAL health, that is not to say your ' healthy: enough...

 

 

I would just HATE to starve and eat that amount. I would feel starved. I need way more to feel satisfied and focus on work and etc.....

 

I'm not offended by what you say. I take in less calories now because I am over 40.

 

I don't know if you are over 40, but your body changes, your metabolism slows down big time. Everything changes, if I ate 2000 calories a day now, I'd put on a lot of weight quickly despite being active.

 

I've reduced my calorie intake because I'm responding to my body, the hormonal changes, etc.

 

I still advocate limiting sugar and carbs no matter what your age, height, stage in life, etc. If you want to slim down, this will be your answer.

 

1500 Calories a day is MY maximum, and I don't personally feel starved. I might have 10 years ago though.

[Lauriebell82]

3 pounds is nothing. I wouldn't worry about it. It could be that you're building muscle. Don't focus so much on weight. How do your clothes fit?

 

I fluctuate by at least 3 pounds on any given day even though my diet stays pretty consistent. I say I weigh 120-125 because it really just depends. Sometimes it's because of my cycle, sometimes it's because of my salt, carb, alcohol, and/or dairy intake, and sometimes I have no idea why my weight is higher or lower.

 

It might be that you're at the extreme lowest weight for your body type. If that's the case, your body will fight to regain. Many women try to be too thin for their body type.

 

I agree with this. I also think some people make the mistake of trying to lose too much weight but then realize they can't maintain it without killing themselves at the gym and barely eating..neither of which are healthy. I made that mistake one time when I was trying to lose weight, and I ended up gaining 10 of it back because I couldn't sustain it. It really doesn't sound like you are at a bad weight, maybe you should just try to maintain the weight fluctuation of 3 pounds up and down (which your body will do naturally). It might just not be able to do anymore then that.

[spookie]

I don't think your workout is ideal. Your lifting stats aren't internally consistent and I feel like u can definitely lift heavier. As a beginner, I started at 100 lbs chest press, 135 squats for my heavy sets (i aim for 5 reps) and I am not even that strong. So i am guessing you've got it in u to go harder.

 

Definitely don't do cardio before lifting as others have mentioned. If I were u I would focus on the weights for now, maybe do cardio once a week. It seems counter intuitive but the easiest way to maintain a tight body is to have good muscle mass.

 

U mentioned form which is a legit consideration. If you're concerned you're doing it wrong, ask for help.

 

Your diet looks ok, I eat the same way and I know there is room for improvement (cut out the sandwiches, eat leaner meat) but its ok, as long as your watching your portions.

 

Results take a long time to see but the great thing about lifting is that they arethere to stay. Unlike a crash diet or cardio binge after whichnu go back to the same body.

 

FYI I am 20 lbs heavier right now than I was 5 years ago, but all my old clothes still fit. So don't worry about the numbers so much.

[Leigh 87]

D - LISH - I can see now.. I am 25, and while I maintained 120 - 125 lbs on 2000 with exercise NOW, by age 40, I am sure I will need less, 1500 sounds spot on, actually...

 

I guess 1200 is just too low, in my mind.. I am heavier than 119, I am hoping that 130 lbs at age 40, can be maintained on 1800 plus working out daily....

 

 

 

I still think it is a very low weight for your height - u would have to be the 5% of women who are naturally slim, an " ecto" build, for it to be truly healthy for u, according to the medical facts.

 

 

Although, i guess even if we are a normal body type, we can choose to be thinner than our bodies truly WANT to be; some get ill, other bodies can take it better.

 

 

For me? my body does not function well, I cannot think properly and my cognitive abilities diminish, when I am under my bodies set point range.

[ThaWholigan]

You may have hit a plateau Verhzn. Switch up your workout every once in a while, lift heavier, do interval training as well.

[FitChick]

I can't wait for Easter to come and go. I can't stop eating Cadbury Caramel eggs. Then I am home free until Halloween...

[verhrzn]

I'm just a disgusting fattie, so I guess I just freaking give up. Can't lose weight, can't be attractive. Give the f*ck up.

[D-Lish]

D - LISH - I can see now.. I am 25, and while I maintained 120 - 125 lbs on 2000 with exercise NOW, by age 40, I am sure I will need less, 1500 sounds spot on, actually...

 

I guess 1200 is just too low, in my mind.. I am heavier than 119, I am hoping that 130 lbs at age 40, can be maintained on 1800 plus working out daily....

 

 

 

I still think it is a very low weight for your height - u would have to be the 5% of women who are naturally slim, an " ecto" build, for it to be truly healthy for u, according to the medical facts.

 

 

Although, i guess even if we are a normal body type, we can choose to be thinner than our bodies truly WANT to be; some get ill, other bodies can take it better.

 

 

For me? my body does not function well, I cannot think properly and my cognitive abilities diminish, when I am under my bodies set point range.

 

When I hit my 30's, anything and everything I put into my mouth affected my body. I am not naturally slim at all. I weigh less now than I did in my 20's, but I was about 140-160 back then.

 

I don't look too thin, I look healthy. I work with someone that is the same height as I am but has a different build, and she's 10 lbs heavier than I am, but she looks slimmer than I do.

 

We are all different. If I consumed the same calories now as I did 15 years ago, I'd be overweight. I find that the older you get, the less you can eat, and the more you have to work out in order to maintain your figure. It's not fun being a woman.

 

I'm slender, but I am not skinny. I'm still eating the same "volume" of food I used to consume, but it's now in the form of vegetables, fruit, red meat and chicken. No bread, no pasta, no sugar.

[CupcakeCrisis]

Metabolism slows down as you age, but for most people...check out this calculator:

 

BMR Calculator

 

It doesn't slow down all that much. A 25-year-old, 5'8" woman who weighs 150 pounds should eat about 1500 calories a day, according to her BMR (no, this is not a daily maintenance calculator). A 75-year-old woman with the same stats should eat about 1275 calories a day.

 

People do lose muscle mass as they age, but that can largely be prevented. A lot of people lose a lot of muscle mass and wind up putting on tons of weight as they get older because their muscle has vanished.

[zengirl]

FWIW, V, I think your weight is healthy for your height anyway. Not slender, no, but not fat either. Average. And you must have some tone to it, if you're lifting regularly.

 

I cannot imagine being on a diet that restrictive, so kudos to you for keeping it up. Wowza.

 

I do suggest a few things with the exercise. For one, I find that I stay in better shape by exercising at least a little every day. Maybe you're going to your MA classes on the off days? Anyway, even if it's just 20 minutes of cardio and some push-ups/sit-ups in the morning or something, I recommend doing something active EVERY day. Personally, I think if you want to lose weight and fight your natural shape, you need more cardio in general (not necessarily less lifting but just more cardio), but that depends on your body, I suppose.

 

It's really hard to say because everyone is different. The weight #s themselves with your height don't sound anywhere near 'large.' Are there just areas you really dislike and want to focus on. I do yoga and I know a lot of friends do pilates---both are good 'body sculpters' for a lot of shapes. I would say, at your weight, the key is not so much pounds but shape.

 

FWIW, I do not think everyone's metabolism decreases at the same rate. My mother's has barely decreased with age. You have to look at your own family history for an idea of how yours will change. Much of metabolism is determined by genetics, sadly. You can infuse it with better foods and activity, but you basically have to work with the one you've got.