How do I stop gaining weight?

Question

Okay, so during last week, I went on a very strict diet, I ate close to 800-900 calories daily and exercised burning close to 200 calories daily.

Since then, I've been very good, but I've realized I wanted a less demanding regime which I could sustain for longer, so I increased my calories to 900 calories, but since I've been easting close to 1200 calories, however I pay this back by upping my workouts to burn around 300- 500 calories daily.

Now, I'm gaining weight (I've gained about 0.2kg in the past day - this was the same amount I was losing daily before).

Please if you have any advice share it, I want to know what's the best solution, and I've tried going back to 800, it's just too hard, I feel so hungry all the time now.

nermalinda · Accepted Answer

ok. you gotta get a grip for a second and listen carefully.

This type of low calorie dieting and heavy exercise is horrible for you health and will only make you fat in the long run. Read that. Now read it again.

When you cut calories, especially to a very low level, it puts your body literally in starvation mode. Our bodies are evolved to switch into survival mode when this happens and that means they raise the set weight and they store fat. Once your body senses a famine, it will do everything it can to gain weight.

From this point, you have two options. One is ugly. It's to continue obsessing about your weight and size and keep dieting and exercising, descending into an awful physical and emotional hell of starving yourself, being unhappy with your body, and possibly bingeing and purging. The only way not to gain weight will be to exercise to exhaustion and starve to death. And if you can't do that, you'll only get fatter and fatter as your body fights tooth and nail to gain ever more weight in an effort to survive. Just look at the thousands of diet books, fads, programs, and products being sold and all the fat people using them and you'll see this.

The other option is sane. You stop counting calories. You stop obsessing about your weight and size. You eat when you're hungry and you eat a variety of nutritious foods like proteins, whole grains, starchy tubers, vegetables, cereals, dairy, fruit, etc... You never let yourself go hungry so your body can come out of starvation mode. When you temporarily gain weight, you get looser clothes instead of hating yourself for not fitting into tight things. You exercise a reasonable amount doing things you enjoy and you don't do it to burn calories, you do it to be healthy.

At first you will gain weight, but you don't weigh yourself. You give it time, about several months to a year or two. At some point in there, while you're constantly eating healthy foods and enjoying your life, your weight will plateau and you'll start to lose weight. You'll know it by how your clothes fit. This will prove that you have healed your metabolism, you body is coming out of starvation mode, and you're taking good care of yourself. From then on as long as you eat enough real food, your body will maintain a healthy lean weight. It probably won't be super thin, but it will be thin, and you won't have to diet like crazy or torture yourself ever again.

You don't have to do this now, but just know that whenever you want to get off the dieting crazy train, you always can.

whatlove2212 · Accepted Answer

For me it's always not how much you eat as what you eat. Eat a lot of beans and whole wheat crackers or breads that have fiber. eat anything with fiber and protein. Also vitamin c will cut the fat your body intakes in a third so drink emergen-c instead of pop. Eat tons of vegetables.

Littletad · Accepted Answer

One theory is that you're not drinking enough water. Remove all sugar drinks or anything not water from your diet. Also, try not to drink while eating. Why is this so beneficial? Well for one, your body is made up of 60% water. When you don't drink enough water, your liver goes into overdrive, picking up the slack of the kidneys. Since it's not functioning fully, most of the water you already drink is stored as fat, along with the foods you eat. So why lower it's function, when the livers job is to convert fat to energy?

When you do start drinking more water, you'll notice a few bad traits at first. The most obvious, you'll be spending a lot more time peeing. But don't fret, this is actually the body removing excessive water. Remember that when you drank little water before, your body was storing it as fat, not sure if you'd be drinking more or not. All that excessive water was stored on your feet, hands, bell, and so on so forth.

So really, drinking water is one of the most beneficial things you can do. Perhaps this might help. The only other factor I can think of is your genes. But for the most part, you should stick to a 1200 calorie diet. Anything below 1000 does far more damage then you'd expect.

azzhole725 · Accepted Answer

If you feel hungry all the time, that means your body's metabolism will slow down. Your body thinks that you are starving yourself. Ultimately it depends on what you eat. You should eat five or six meals a day, mini meals. This strategy helps and you will feel less hungry. Hydrate more often so you have something in your stomach. You also want to find foods that are more filling. Try to avoid eating late or three hours prior to sleeping. I've read that you should work out two or three hours before going to sleep since your metabolism will increase after you exercise. More importantly, muscles weigh more than fat. You could be gaining muscle.

Maybe this site will help you:

link

selfishstars · Answer

1. Your body weight fluctates from day to day and throughout a single day. You can't really tell if you're actually gaining or losing unless you look at the trend over time. This is why when you're trying to lose weight, people recommend only weighing yourself once a week, in the same circumstances (i.e. naked, when you first wake up, after you've peed).

2. Your body needs a certain amount of calories to function. The amount varies with respect to your age, sex, and current body weight and muscle mass. For most women, it's recommended that you do not eat less than 1200 calories a day. When you eat less than that, your body will compensate by taking calories from elsewhere (i.e. breaking down muscle or fat and using the calories from that). You will lose weight in the beginning, but this is unhealthy and unsustainable. Eventually your body will start to think that it's starving (you may have heard this termed "starvation mode"). When your body is worried about whether or not it's going to get enough calories, it starts to store everything you give it (you might stop losing weight, or even gain weight).

Continue exercising, eat at least 1200 calories a day, choose whole foods (fruit, veggies, lean protein, whole wheats), avoid high sugar, high fat, and/or processed foods, and drink lots of water. You might not lose a ton of weight over night, but this is the healthiest, most practical, and most sustainable way to lose weight.

Standingpretty · Answer

Perhaps you have a thyroid problem, people who gain wieght from doing what they're supposed to do to lose wieght could indicate a health problem so it might be best to rule that out. Also, take in mind your body needs around 1000 calories a day just to live so if you eat less that that you could be conserving calories instead of losing them.

Don't skip meals and eat breakfast! When you skip meals is your body thinks it's "starving" and tries to save every last calorie it can because it doesn't know when it will get food again. It is especially bad to skip breakfast because eating in the morning jump starts your metabolism and makes everything you eat after breakfast more easy to digest. To jump start your metabolism you have to eat within an hour of waking up or you conserve calories instead of burning them. Another reason why it will make you gain weight when you skip meals is because when you do eat you will make up for the meals you skipped and then some because your are hungrey.

If you want to lose weight the best ways to do it are: Exercise, cut out drinks with a high calorie count, especially soda, find some good motivation for working out so you don't give up from frustration, and keep a food journal. Studies show that people who keep a food journal are 50% more successful in losing wieght then people who don't. Hope you reach your goals, good luck!

jbomb27 · Answer

800 Calories is not enough you're body's metabolism is slowing down because you have starved it, the best thing I would suggest would be to increase your caloric intake to at least 1200 Calories, that's the minimum anyone should go, and then focus on gaining muscle(strength, not cardio, cardio just burns extra Calories), you will be leaner and your basal metabolic rate will rise, basal metabolic rate is the resting metabolism for your body to work. I'm in no means a nutritionist however I am studying nutrition in depth for my nursing degree. Check your portions sizes you could be eating more than you think too. Hope this helps

ThirtyThree · Answer

That's a dangerously low calorie intake. To lose weight you need to have 2 things: The right combination of exercise, diet and lifestyle, and to regulate what you eat. Simply don't touch anything with sugar or excessive fat in it (like cheese). Do 6 hours of running a week, and don't let up on the routine - time will show results.

Also, 0.2 kg is such a small amount it it likely just your body fluctuating water levels. Try not to notice such small things otherwise you're building a serious mental block with your fitness!

upnup1973 · Answer

If you want to loose weight, then you have to eat. Starving yourself only makes you store fat and fluid. Your body does not know when it's going to get another meal.

Remember also that dieting is 80% of weight loss and excersise is only 20%. What are you eating... What kinds of foods do you eat?

Weight also flucuates depending on what you eat, time of day and since you're a girl, what time of the month you are in.

human_condition · Answer

It sounds like you're obsessing too much, and eating dangerously little.

Don't think about it too much, just watch what you eat- always go for the healthy option, and if you're hungry, eat.

Try to walk as much as you can instead of drive. Keep a sustainable and sensible lifestyle.

kmhco · Answer

First off, you should NEVER eat less than 1200 calories a day. If you do it'll put your body in starvation mode, which slows your metabolism way down. Also, your weight fluctuates. Really you shouldn't worry about only .2kg. Honestly don't worry about the number on the scale. Its just an arbitrary number. Instead focus on how you feel. If you're hungry eat--just make sure you have a healthy snack, not a giant unhealthy meal.

Arwens-Fire · Answer

Eating too few calories causes your body to go into starving mode.You may lose weight in the beginning but as soon as you increase your caloric intake,you will gain weight.Eating at most 6 small meals a day and decreasing your caloric intake based on your age,body and weight will do.Excercising of course is necessary.

lelebear · Answer

Actually eating such a low calorie diet can make you gain weight.   You should not go below 1200 calories or your metabolism will slow down going into starvation mode.  I am sure you will be fine going up to 1200 calories probably even more if you work out.

Anonymous · Answer

dont obsessess about weight gain or loss... I don't do it.  I think I weight myself maybe every other year... or every 5 years?  I'm 24... I think I am 5'3 and about 120... give or take... maybe 118?  haha, depends on the clothes I"m waering.  but I eat when I'm hungry... usually wahtever is healthy, I take a lot of walks and bike rides... adn that's about it.  I don't stress about getting fat too much.

Anonymous · Answer

Seems like you are making muscles and muscles simply weight more than fat. Don't worry about it keep up your diet and excercise.

(Except don't call it your diet anymore, call it your new way of eating. thrust me it helps a lot jsut changing the way you call it. cause a diet is for a period of time and changing your eating habits is for life).

Reeses-pieces777 · Answer

you're working out and that's a great move. like someone else said, it probably is muscle you're gaining and not fat, that's what you want.

i sometimes take fiber to keep me full with a lot of water. this works for only some people though

Anonymous · Answer

I lost 70lbs after about 10 months of drinking about 1.5-2 gallons of water a day and having about 800-1000 calories a day. Drinking water constantly keeps your metabolism going and burning calories through out the day... Down side is you have to pee all the time...

Tomboy · Answer

.. How much do you weigh?  Some people can't lose weight cause they don't have any left to lose...

SummerDayzxo · Answer

Honestly no matter what anyone tells you its as simply as this: eat less(and much healthier) and exercise more. end of story,if you do that you WILL loose weight.

EddyMetal · Answer

Considering your icon is a very delicious looking ice cream cone, lay off the ice cream?

Anonymous · Answer

...a good start would be to stop tempting yourself with avatar photos of chocolate icecream or whatever that is. Losing weight starts with the proper frame of mind

sexylover · Answer

drink a glass of water before you eat anything...  you will feel less hungry

firefighter53 · Answer

eat your meals in reverse and exercise before you eat anything.

rocksongwriter · Answer

Add muscle mass.  It'll boost your basal calorie rate.

facade · Answer

hers one way, only eat breakfast and lunch, no dinner. this is not healthy a diet, but you will lose 20lb in a month. second way is quiet simple. Laugh a lot. laughing really hard do burn calories more than running. (this one- I cannot promise)

trod199 · Answer

Hello! its simple eat healthy and  exercise

How do I stop gaining weight?

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