Gaining not losing weight

[Peaches69m]

I have walking for about two weeks for a total of 2.75 to 3 mikes a day except for Sunday. My start weight is 265 and my goal is 135-140 lbs. I weigh myself yesterday and now I weight 267.5.  I keep the food log and I don't know why I am gaining and it is upsetting. What am I missing to get the weight going downward not upward?  I am a newbie.

[Esya]

@Peaches69mwelcome to the forum!

There can be a few causes, but they all boil down to that you are still consuming more calories than you are burning if you keep gaining over a longer period of time (for women typically 4 weeks as the cycle can make our weight cycle). The FitBit might report that you burn more than you consume, but everything is an estimation, so a calories deficit on paper might not be a calories deficit in reality. See if you can increase the calories deficit in your plan a bit more and check after a few weeks what the results of that are.

A few pointers that might help:

1. Try a plan and stick to it for 4 weeks. If it is not working change 1 or 2 things and stick to it again for 4 weeks. It might take some time, but at some point you will find the balancing point where you start to lose weight.

2. No matter how (in)active you are, you can still gain if you consume more calories than you burn. This includes drinks. Are you logging your drinks as well? Think about sugar and creamer in coffee and drinks that contain sugar.

3. Some foods can have the same calories on paper, but can have a different impact on the body. I personally do not experience this, but there are people who seem to do poorly with bread for example. See if there are certain foods that prevent you from losing (and replace with healthy options if needed).

If you can give a few more details about your life, I think people can give you some better pointers than the general.

[MarciM]

Hi @Peaches69m Agree with everything @Esya stated. A couple of other things to consider:

Don't weigh yourself every day, weight fluctuates based on a number of factors, so you will see it go up an down and this can drive the wrong behavior. Instead, weigh in once a week at the same time of day, under the same conditions (7am, before breakfast, wearing XX, etc.). 

Another thing to pay attention too, is what you have eaten that week, it's more than just calories, its quality of food. Are you eating more veggies than bread, grain, and other carbs? How does your body react to certain foods? If you don't tolerate grain, you are likely to gain when eating it because it can cause inflammation in the body, this happens with many different types of foods. You need to understand what works well for you and what doesn't. When in doubt focus on green leafy vegetables and lean protein. 

Good luck on your journey to healthier lifestyle.

[SebWotan]

I disagree on one point: weight every day in order to get a trend and do a weekly average. Do it always under the same condition (just after waking up is good for example). Your weight will vary due to lots of factors: water retention, digestion, etc .... If you weight one a week and it happens to gain because of let's say water retention you will not see the forest for the trees. 

Trendweight.com (free) is good for this. 

[emili]

Hi @Peaches69m.. it is exactly what has been said .. you are eating more than you are burning     . If you are not measuring and weighing your food, your estimates are off for whatever you are logging. Weighing your food on a scale is the most accurate way to see how many calories you are consuming. You need to figure out how much you can eat based on your TDEE- then figure out what deficit is going to work for you and then eat to that number. Your TDEE will take into account your walks- so if you skip a day, you will need to eat less because your burn will be less. Weighing yourself everyday and taking the average is the best way to see if you are trending down or up. You can use TrendWeight to help you keep track.

[Baltoscott]

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@SebWotanwrote:

I disagree on one point: weight every day in order to get a trend and do a weekly average. Do it always under the same condition (just after waking up is good for example). Your weight will vary due to lots of factors: water retention, digestion, etc .... If you weight one a week and it happens to gain because of let's say water retention you will not see the forest for the trees. 

Trendweight.com (free) is good for this. 

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Agree with the daily weigh-in first thing in the morning advice, with the focus being on the trend (average over multiple daily weigh-ins) that develops over the week/month rather on the number the scale shows any particular day.  Even when two weigh-ins are a week apart, the difference between the two data points is often more about water weight change than any change in fat.  Averaging 7 daily weigh-ins, on the other hand, will sort out the daily water change. 

To see an example of daily variability click the TrendWeigh link in my signature.  Even though I count calories and eat roughly the same every day, you'll see daily weight going up and down by a pound or more every day. The trend, however, is up because on average I am eating more than I burn.   When I am ready to turn that trend around (after I get to about 170), I will cut my calories by about 25%.

[SunsetRunner]

I too would advise daily weigh-ins at the same time every day. For myself it is right after I get up each morning. Don't focus on the ups and downs each day, focus on the longer trends.

If I get three days in a row where my weight has edged up I take a moment to think about:

1. have I been exercising regularly

2. Have I taken in enough water each day, (not hydrating enough can actually lead to water retention when you do top-up)

3. Have I been indulging in my eating lately, bigger portions, more snacking etc., poor food choices

4. Has my weight gone up but my %body fat gone down (lean muscle gain) (haven't seen this yet)

Usually it's a bit of a combination. Then I keep that in mind and work on getting back on track.

I accept that that week might be a break even or even a slight loose but the goal is generally week on week and definitely month on month reduction in body fat% and weight.

Eventually I might focus on weight gain while keeping body fat% stable (lean mass increase).

For now It's weight loss with hopefully minimal to no lean muscle loss.