I know I should not be this weight at this height!

[SunsetRunner]

Hello all!

I was just wondering what some of you do to drop some lbs. I am 5'0" and 135. About a year and a half ago I only weighed 122. Despite always having active jobs (working in shelters which requires running back and forth) I keep gaining weight. I  have had every test possible to check for problems (biometric, CT scans, ectc...) and they all come back normal. My weight is constantly fluctuating (in the morning I can weigh 135 and then at night it will be 139), and I haven't changed anything with my lifestyle.

The one thing that has changed is diet, and I am eating healthier. I get no less than 7,000 steps on any given day, and I always am on budget or under my calorie intake. What gives? Often times I am under budget and I know I should eat more but I am not hungry, and I am super bloated (especially my stomach). What can I do to feel better, and begin to get back to a healthy BMI and weight?

PS. I run or walk for 30 minutes every sun, mon and Tue.

[GershonSurge]

@SunsetRunner,

Two things stand out in your post. First, you are experiencing bloating. Second, you changed your diet. 

If I knew you better, I'd ask if your poop started smelling bad, but since I don't, I won't ask that question.

Eating a bit healthier doesn't work well, although it can be a start towards a better diet. 

If you are sufficiently motivated, I suggest you watch these twelve videos by Dr. McDougall. Do this before listening to the objections that are sure to arise here. Try this way of eating for ten days and see what happens. 

[A_Lurker]

Eating healthy doesn't necessarily mean you're eating the right amount of food to lose weight.  Assuming you are in your mid-20s I used this calculator to estimate you're BMR.  http://www.fat2fittools.com/tools/bmr/

This is what it recommends to eat to go from 135 to 122 lbs.

Activity Level                                                                                                                          Daily Calories

Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job)	1621
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)	1858
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)	2094
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)	2330
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)	2567

So, if you're eating somewhere between 1621 and 1858 you're probably around where you need to be.  Way over, or way under and then there will be more questions.  Actually the first question should be how long you have been trying to lose weight.  If it's only been a week or so then don't worry so much.  I used to often bloat up around that time of the month, and a week later it was over.

If you think you can maintain a low-fat, vegan lifestyle, then definitely take the time to look at the twelve videos.  I tried that years ago and only ended up heavier because I couldn't eat that way for any extended period of time.

[Dominique · Accepted solution]

Weight loss/gain is driven by energy balance: what you eat in relation to what you expend. It doesn’t matter whether you eat "healthy" or "unhealthy" food, plant-based or animal-based: all foods have calories, and it’s the total calory amount that matters. Same with energy expenditure: it doesn’t matter whether you walk, run or even don’t exercise at all: you’re burning a certain amount of calories every day, and that must be higher than what you eat for weight loss to occur. So as suggested by @A_Lurker, it’s a good idea to quantify your expenditure (for that, you can use a calculator and also check what your Fitbit tells you, assuming you’re wearing it 24/7) and your intake.

Because you’re a petite woman, you’re very "fuel-efficient": this means there’s only so much food you can eat everyday (again, it doesn’t matter whether it’s healthy or not; in fact, many food items deemed healthy – like avocados, nuts, olive oil etc. – are high in calories); if/when you’re eating out, chances are (based on a few visits I’m made to the USA) a typical meal served in a restaurant would be big enough to make 3 or 4 meals suited for you.

Comparing your weight intra-day (e.g. morning vs. evening) isn’t terribly useful: intra-day fluctuations are normal for everyone, they mostly reflect changes in hydration. Fluctuations one day to the next, or even one week to the next (for women) are also normal. My understanding is women should compare weight during the same week of their cycle (e.g. second week of cycle to second week of next cycle).

Pay attention to how much you eat and how much you expend. You can weigh daily if you want (preferably at the same time of the day, typically first thing in the morning), but should look at longer-term trends. Check out the site (TrendWeight) mentioned by @A_Lurker in this other tread. You will see what I mean by daily/weekly fluctuations vs. longer-term trend.

[silverwalker]

I am guessing you are a relatively young woman.  Please pay attention to your body and see your primary care physician about the bloating.  It can be benign and associatd with your food choices or it could be a signal for something less benign.  Sometimes there are simple solutions with digestive issues that will make you much more comfortable.  Now I will get down off my soap box.

[SunsetRunner]

Nothing has changed in terms of bowel movements, or anything. My PCP told me that a healthier diet often times is what needs to change first in terms of weight loss, so I did change it, but it doesn't seem to be working. I am just not sure what I can do, except for work out harder???

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks for that information, that is definitely a helpful chart to go by. 

Based off of what the chart says, I should be eating more, however. I even eat less than someone with a sedentary lifestyle. My average calorie intake daily is 1,300. If I go past that I usually feel very sluggish. 

[SunsetRunner]

Ok, I can definitely focus on long term trends to see if anything changes. I'll also start weighing in first thing in the morning. Before it was very sporadic.