What am I doing wrong?
 

I had a 5 lb. gain this week. I don't know why. This week, for my average, I'm at 1600 calories in, 2300 calories out. I was at the gym six days this week. My workouts vary, one day, I did over an hour of pretty intense cardio, three days I'm doing a calisthenics class that's focused on weight training, and the remaining two days I did average cardio. My food was all pretty decent, except two times, I went out for dinner. We had tickets to see two shows, so we did dinner before hand. Other than that, I've been really good about whole grains, low fat, lots of greens, fruit for snacks instead of crackers or cookies...

So, what am I doing wrong?? Any ideas?

How have your losses been up to this point? If I had to guess, I would say fluid retention. Are you SURE you've entered all your cals, including the ones from the restaurants? Restaurant food can be full of sodium, causing fluid retention. As it appears you are female (I'm not, but I live w/two of them) there can be natural monthly fluctuations as well. For the next week I would concentrate on meticulously entering all your cals (weigh and measure if neccessary) and see what happens at your weigh-in next week.

What does your pie chart look like? I try and keep my carb intake at 40% for weight loss. It's not just the calories you're eating, it's also what they are made of that's important.

From all that intense exercise, are you sore at all? Muscle soreness means the muscles have all that lactic acid buildup and the extra fluids could be impacting your body. Get some rest, listen to your body, and I'm sure you'll be down next week. (We always say the hard work this week won't show until next week.)

I agree...happens to me a lot. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Salt can be a HUGE issue. Sounds like you are doing all the right things...don't let the scale discourage you...try backing off on the salt and increase water and see how that goes for you.

Most likely water weight, do to restaurant food having high sodium levels. Drink lots of water.

To gain 5 pounds of body weight (not water retension) you would have to eat 17,500 calories over your maintenance. That would be an extra 2500 calories each day. Unless those meals out were 10,000 calories each your weight gain is not fat. Some of the gain could be muscle (which would not be a bad thing) but it is unlikely you could gain more than 1/2 pound of muscle in a week. So, logically it sounds like water weight. Don't get discouraged and keep on doing what you are doing.

thanks!
 

Thanks, everyone! I'm pretty sure it must be water weight. It's hard to get the calories exact when eating at restaurants. I know some post nutritional data on their websites, but we generally eat at finer restaurants that very rarely have that information readily available. Despite the quality of the restaurant, I absolutely believe that there was way more salt than what I would get if I made food at home. I'm certain that I didn't eat the calories that duff described. My husband and I shared a salad entree, and while I did have bread as well, we were not eating huge burgers or french fries or anything... My weight loss has been really good up to this point. I started fitday about 3 weeks ago, and I was losing about 2.5 lbs/week. I lost 8 lbs, and then gained that 5.

So, thanks, I feel much better and encouraged to know that it's probably water weight. I'll keep pushing water and see what happens at next weeks weigh in.

:)

In the past, Ive weighed myself on a Saturday and than again on Sunday where there was a 4 pound difference on my scale lol. After that I decided to pick a day (Sunday Mornings) and only weigh myself at that point as soon as I woke up before I eat. The body definately goes through alot of changes and I agree with it most likely being some added muscle and/or water retention.

Keep up the good work

If your calories are on track and you're eating properly - forget the scale. The scale doesn't mean anything. Start measuring yourself and using clothes instead of the scale.

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Agreed, epecially if you are weight training, you can be adding muscle and losing fat at the same time, taking pictures of yourself is the best way to measure fatloss because you will actually be able to see your body transform.

Not that it really matters, but I was just reading about this online yesterday. The lactic acid buildup only lasts a few minutes, while you are doing the exercise. The person who wrote it got into a lot of technical detail, and I'd put the source if I still had it. Apparently it's a very common misconception that lactic acid stays built up for a long time.

Anyway, I'm going with the water idea.

I would say that it's physically impossible to gain 5 pounds of fat with a calorie deficit, but I seem to be able to manage it myself for some reason. (Unless all my water weight collects in rolls around my belly and hips, and stays there forever.) It is impossible, but that doesn't always seem to matter, as far as I can tell. :rolleyes:;)

I was reminded today that muscle weighs more than fat. So I am wondering if your 5 lbs is from where your body converted ( or whatever the term is) fat into muscle and it isnt that you have actually gained weight ( if you are sticking to your chosen diet). Otherwise, as far as waterweight goes.. each week, It is nothing for me to gain 15 - 20 lbs of water weight and when i break down and take a diaretic, will drop those in a 6 hour period of time. So its possible that its either muscle or water.

Muscle weighs more than fat by volume. Sorry I just felt I needed to clarify this. 1 lb of fat is the same as 1 lb of muscle. The only difference is the amount of space it takes up.

It's also the case that fat does not turn into muscle. You can gain muscle at the same time you're losing fat, but it's a completely different process. It's also slower than people think...if you are up a pound after a week and have been exercising, it's not likely that's a whole pound of muscle already. Water weight is more likely.

Yes Yes Yes! Burn the scale! It is evil and will only try and discourage you. Go by how you look and feel.

WAY too much cardio. Don't focus on weight training, weight train properly. Some cardio if you must. Absolutely ditch the grains increase fats to 50%-60% of calories keep fruit to once or twice a week.