6 Reasons You’re Gaining Weight Despite Dieting and Getting Exercise

Everyday Health Archive

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Don’t let the scale rule you! There are other ways to keep track of your dieting progress.Rick Elkins/Getty Images

Q: I’ve been following my healthy eating and exercise program perfectly, but when I weighed myself this afternoon, I weighed a pound more than I did this morning. What happened?

A: Oh, that dreaded scale! It is not uncommon for body weight to fluctuate throughout the day. This is often the result of changes in fluid balance, which means that your body retains different amounts of water at various times of the day. For instance, when you wake up in the morning and you haven’t had anything to drink for several hours, you often weigh less than you do in the afternoon.

There are also other factors that can affect fluid balance and, in turn, weight. For example, a woman’s weight will fluctuate slightly based on where she is within her menstrual cycle, and everyone will weigh a little more the day after eating a salty meal or two.

If you’re feeling stymied in your attempts to drop pounds, don’t lose hope. These four tips can help you get and stay on track — and help you better keep track of your progress.

1. Know When to Weigh In for an Accurate Measure

When following a healthy eating and exercise plan, many of us define success by the number we see on the scale. If you are tracking your weight loss, it is fine to weigh yourself each day, but do so at the same time each day and in similar clothing. This will limit the amount of fluctuation that you see as a result of changes in fluid balance. However, it is most important to try not to focus on the day-to-day changes, but instead, track your weight loss month over month to see your overall progress. This will give you a better idea of how things are going by seeing real changes in weight rather than water retention.

2. Track Inches Instead of Pounds to See Results

If you’re not seeing the results on the scale that you would like, consider measuring your success by tracking your measurements: hips, waist, thighs, etc. As you start to exercise more and eat a healthier diet, it’s common to see changes in measurements before a change on the scale. Keeping track of your measurements, or how your clothes fit, gives you another way to measure your success!

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help if You Need It

If you’re not happy with your progress after tracking your weight and measurements for a month, it may be a good idea to see a local registered dietitian. Most health insurance companies will cover a few visits with a nutritionist to help you on the road to weight loss success. You will be able to discuss how you’ve been doing, and the dietitian can suggest what changes may be helpful as you move forward. Keep in mind that a healthy weight loss amount is between ½ to 2 pounds per week. So make sure to set reasonable expectations for yourself. If you can’t meet with a registered dietitian, try these healthy habits for weight loss.

4. Remember: Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Even if you’re not seeing the changes that you were hoping for right away, try to keep in mind that, regardless of weight loss, exercising and eating healthy foods will help you feel better and will decrease your risk of negative health outcomes, such as diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. Weight loss is a challenging journey, but if you make health your primary focus, you’ll always win!

Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.

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I Eat Healthy, Why Am I Gaining Weight?

If you are trying to eat healthier for weight loss and the numbers on the scale are not moving down, you’re not alone. Like most things in life, there are many factors that add up to successful weight loss. Fortunately, the majority of these factors are within our control, but a few are not.

At Moreland OB-GYN, we focus on building strong relationships with our patients. If you’re struggling to lose weight or keep it off despite eating a healthy diet, here are some things to consider and address to help you meet your goals.

You May Have A Distorted Idea Of What A Healthy Diet Is

There are countless misconceptions when it comes to defining a healthy diet. Many people think their favorite restaurants or fast food chains have great healthy options. But when foods are loaded with dressings and sauces, sodium and sugar, are they really healthy?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), at least half of your average meal plate should be made up of vegetables and fruit. The other half should be split evenly between 100-percent whole grains and lean meats or other types of protein such as nuts, beans, or tofu.

Get more insight on what healthy foods are actually bad for you, in this helpful article.

You Might Be Eating Too Much

Even though you’re reaching for healthy foods to achieve your target weight, or you’re ordering salads and grilled selections when dining out, overeating healthy foods can actually sabotage your efforts. Why? Because portion sizes have become dramatically inflated since the 1970s, making it difficult to identify just how much food adds up to a healthy portion.

If you’re struggling with portion distortion, take time to carefully measure the foods you make before adding them to your plate or use a portion or divided plate when cooking and eating at home. When dining out, choose meals that are comprised mainly of fruits and vegetables and lean, grilled meats, and eat approximately half of the portions served to you.

You Might Be Eating Too Little

You may think that eating less than recommended portions can help accelerate your weight loss, but doing this actually causes your body to conserve energy by reducing the number of calories you burn. This phenomenon is called “starvation mode,” and while your body isn’t actually starving, it will naturally hold onto whatever calories it receives in an effort to help you maintain your energy balance.

Eating too little can also cause you to get so hungry that you stray from your planned, healthy meals and snacks, or eat foods that aren’t ideal for weight loss. So, what can you do?

First, make sure that you’re fueling your body by eating healthy, balanced meals. Next, manage hunger and minimize the urge to binge between meals by eating natural or nutrient-rich snacks that not only give you energy but feed your body.

You May Be Retaining Water

Since the human body is mostly comprised of water, it’s only logical that our bodies will hold on to excess amounts of water from time to time. While consuming too much salt or certain types of processed foods is the most common culprit of water retention, standing or sitting for too long, hormonal changes that occur around your menstrual cycle, and even certain types of medication can cause increased water retention.

Cut Down On Sodium Intake

The most obvious way to minimize excess water weight is to cut down on your sodium intake. We suggest not only limiting the amount of salt you add to your food at the table but check labels when shopping for foods and avoid those that are high in sodium. Cold cuts, bacon, sausages, hot dogs, canned soups and salted nuts are the most common high-sodium foods.

Eat Foods Rich In Magnesium

In addition to reducing high-sodium foods, increase your intake of foods that are rich in magnesium, vitamin B6 and potassium, as these vitamins and minerals assist various bodily functions and have been proven to help reduce fluid retention. So reach for leafy greens, whole grains, avocados, tomatoes, bananas and other foods that are packed with these essential nutrients.

Interested in learning about Preventive Health Care? You’re not alone! Click here to learn what questions are being asked and what you should know.

Drink Plenty of Water

Yes, that’s correct! If you’re retaining water, it might be a sign that you need to drink more water! When your body is low on fluids, the brain triggers the body’s thirst mechanism, which many people actually mistake for hunger. If your water intake is not equal to your output, you can become dehydrated, which can trigger your body to hold onto excess fluids.

Luckily, many of our healthy foods are comprised of water and even other drinks such as coffee and tea can contribute to the hydration intake your body needs. Make sure you pay attention to the color of your urine. The color should be only slightly yellow; if your pee is dark orange or deep yellow, you are dehydrated. A conservative amount that we recommend is eight 8-oz. glasses of water per day.

You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body tends to gravitate toward junk foods rather than the healthy meals and snacks you have planned. In fact, research shows that getting less than five hours of sleep each night increases the likelihood of weight gain. So, make sure you’re getting approximately 7-9 hours of sleep each night for optimal health, wellness, and to boost your weight loss efforts.

You’re Under Stress

Who isn’t, right? Unfortunately, chronic stress is linked as a contributor to hindering weight loss. Why? For starters, the “comfort foods” that people often turn to when they are feeling stressed are typically unhealthy. In addition, cortisol, the hormone that your body releases when you’re under stress can cause your body to hang onto fat, especially the fat around the midsection that people are typically trying to reduce.

Get your stress level under control by exercising, doing yoga, reading or participating in activities that help to relax and enrich you, rather than reaching for sweets, chips or other high-carbohydrate, high-fat foods.

You’re Over 40

If you’re over the age of 40, there are a multitude of factors that make it harder to lose weight, including:

1. Hormones – One of the main culprits for the inability to lose weight, or experiencing weight gain, is, of course, our hormones. For women, the body’s production of less estrogen begins around the mid- 30s and causes the fat in our bodies to shift to the middle of the body.
2. Lower Metabolism – After the age of 40, the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) decreases, along with the total energy you exert during exercise. According to some experts, metabolism can decrease by approximately 5-percent each decade after 40, which means you need approximately 60-100 fewer daily calories every 10 years. If you have a more sedentary lifestyle, take in more calories than you burn, and you regularly feel stressed, you’ll probably need even fewer calories. So, keep this in mind.
3. Genetics – Studies have identified the specific genes that determine both the number of fat cells we have, as well as where they are stored. While this isn’t something we can’t exactly change, looking at your parents and family members will help you identify where your family tends to store excess fat.
4. Muscle Loss – In addition to our metabolisms slowing down, our bodies also begin to lose muscle when we hit our 40s, and we experience a steady decline with each decade we age. While some scientists believe that the motor units that make up our muscles decline as we age, the biggest factor in losing muscle is the lack of physical activity, making exercise an essential daily component to preventing muscle loss.

We understand how frustrating it can be for anyone who is eating right and exercising regularly to not see their hard work translating to weight loss, which is why we take the time to carefully evaluate your wellness goals and make sure that you’re on the right track.

We’re happy to answer any questions that you have surrounding weight loss, and any area related to women’s health, and deliver a personalized care plan tailored specifically to your needs.

At Moreland OB-GYN, we specialize in women’s health care and prioritizing the needs of our patients at all ages and stages of life. We hope you’ll connect with us to answer your questions and we hope you’ll turn to our experts as a trusted source for information.

Weight gain while losing weight: 10 objective reasons . But what if your weight has increased for almost no reason? The main thing is not to panic. After all, this may have a very simple explanation.

We offer you the 10 most probable reasons why you saw a figure on the scale above the norm.

Remember that weight gain is not always a sign of fat gain. If you are in the process of losing weight, then periodic stops or a slight increase in weight is absolutely normal. And this does not mean at all that you are doing something wrong. The biggest “plummets” usually occur in the first weeks of weight loss (mainly due to a decrease in edema), but then the weight begins to decrease at a slow pace (already due to adipose tissue).

In the process of losing fat, complex biochemical processes take place in your body. Give him time to readjust! The weight will not drop linearly, so prepare for jumps and stops in weight (even possibly long ones) in advance. Moreover, the lower your initial weight, the slower and more difficult it will decrease when losing weight.

• PROPER NUTRITION: where to start step by step
• A complete list of products on proper nutrition
• Glycemic index: what is it for, GI products

you just recently started exercising or sharply increased the intensity of exercising. After the load, the muscles swell (do not confuse with muscle growth), and the numbers on the scales creep up. But don’t worry. Usually after two weeks the muscles adapt to the loads and the weight returns to normal.

Our advice: just wait 2-3 weeks, never stop training.

2. Salty foods

Foods containing a lot of salt retain water. This can also lead to weight gain. Be careful with the following products: breakfast cereals, sausages and sausages, vegetable juices, pickles, canned food, condiments, cheeses, salted fish, pizza and other fast food. They contain a large amount of salt, so fluid retention in the body is very likely.

Our advice: Limit salty foods, especially at dinner. If this is not possible, then it is better to postpone the weighing for a couple of days.

3. Alcohol

Alcohol also retains fluid in the body. Within one or two days after an alcoholic evening, it is better not to get on the scales, in order to avoid frustration from increased numbers.

Our advice: is the same as with salty foods. Do not drink alcohol or just wait it out.

4. Eat more than you should

If you think that by following the right diet, you are guaranteed to lose weight, then this is not so. Even eating wholesome and proper foods, it is easy to eat more than your body can use during the day. And this will inevitably lead to weight gain, and the saddest thing is to an increase in fat reserves.

Our tip: start counting calories. Thus, you will be able to control the amount eaten per day. See our instruction for more details: How to count calories.

5. Eat less than you should

Do you see an absolute contradiction in this and the previous paragraph? Do not be surprised. Undereating is just as bad as overeating. When we excessively limit our body in nutrition, it begins to switch to an economical metabolism mode. This means that he begins to accumulate fat even from the small amount of food that falls to him.

Our advice: forever forget about starvation diets and eating below 1200-1300 calories.

6. Period of menstruation

Women’s weight is very dependent on the menstrual cycle. Firstly, before the onset of menstruation, fluid is retained in the body, which leads to a weight gain of 1-2 kg. Secondly, during this period, women increase their appetite, which can also lead to an increase in kilograms.

Our advice: Control your appetite during this period of time by choosing vegetables and unsweetened fruits. And also do not pay attention to the indicators of weights a few days before and during menstruation.

7. Insufficient water intake

Water is essential for the normal functioning of most organs in our body. If the body does not receive the required amount of water, then the body begins to retain it for the future. Therefore, one of the reasons for weight gain may be insufficient water intake and dehydration.

Our advice: try to drink 2 liters of clean water a day. Do not abuse coffee and tea.

8. Errors in calorie calculations

One of the implicit causes of weight gain may be errors in calorie calculations. For example, you incorrectly calculate the calorie corridor. Or do not weigh the products, but measure by eye. Or do not take into account all the foods eaten. As a result, you eat more than you need and gain weight.

Our advice: read the article on calorie counting and a calorie deficit. Perhaps some questions will disappear by themselves.

9. Violation of the norms of BJU

In addition to counting calories, you must remember about a balanced diet. Our body needs a certain amount of nutrients, and when they are lacking, it can rebel. Try to count not only calories, but also proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Too much carbs can cause weight gain.

Our advice: calculate your BJU norm, try to follow their values, do not overdo it with carbohydrates.

10. Kidney and heart problems

Weight gain can also be caused by fluid retention due to kidney and heart problems. The likelihood of this is quite high if you are also concerned about swelling and bags under the eyes. Due to such disorders, fluid is retained in the body and weight gain occurs.

Our advice: If, in addition to weight gain, you often suffer from edema, it is better to consult a doctor.

As you can see, if you have gained weight, it does not mean that you have gained weight. If you are nervous about the numbers on the scale, we advise you to weigh yourself no more than once a week.

Read also:

• Protein for weight loss and muscle growth: everything you need to know
• How to remove the sides: 20 main rules + 20 best exercises
• Top 50 trainers on YouTube: a compilation of the best workouts

Why does weight gain when dieting?

Reduction of fat mass after the transition to a diet is accompanied by complex biochemical processes. This does not always lead to quick results. The human body is a complex system of interconnections. If weight is growing while losing weight, you should not panic, but analyze the reasons and take action.

Weight gain while losing weight: what does it mean?

In the first weeks of weight loss, the weight scale pleases more often. Edema is reduced, excess fluid is removed. Subsequently, the decrease in body weight occurs more slowly. The normal indicator is 5% of the weight lost per month from the initial indicator. This means that losing weight is not harmful to health.

The fatter a person is initially, the faster he loses weight. The process of losing weight does not occur linearly, but abruptly. Periodic fluctuations in the direction of growth during weight loss are normal, you should not panic. But sometimes weight gain occurs too rapidly, with enviable constancy. Let’s analyze the main reasons.

Rapid increase in physical activity

Diet weight gain is not always due to increased body fat. If you haven’t been involved in sports before, you have sharply increased the number of workouts, the muscles swell from the load. This is the answer to the question of why dieting leads to weight gain. Do not confuse swelling of the muscles with a stable increase in muscle mass.

• There is no need to give up training, after 2-3 weeks the body will rebuild, swelling will subside, the weight scale will crawl down.

Salty foods in the diet

Diet for weight loss involves a reduction in the diet of foods containing fast carbohydrates. A person who is used to having frequent snacks with sweets, sweet tea, cookies, tends to replace sweets with salty, spicy food. Not always such products are useful. Canned food, salted fish, sausages, any fast food contain an increased amount of salt that retains fluid in the body. This is a direct path to weight gain while losing weight.

• Replace chips, salted peanuts with green apples, the benefits to the body will be much greater. Make your own vegetable juices without adding salt.

Fluid retention due to alcohol

Similar to salty foods, alcoholic beverages tend to retain fluid in the body. If at a party with friends you excluded fatty foods, sweets, but drank alcohol, the scale arrow will show an increased weight in the next three days.

• If you don’t want to be upset that your weight grows when you lose weight, don’t drink alcohol. Or don’t step on the scale after the party.

Lack of water

In order for the body to function properly, sufficient water is needed. The required amount of water depends on body weight, physical activity, individual characteristics, objective conditions. On average, it is supposed to drink 1.5-2 liters of pure water per day. If it is less, the metabolism will slow down, edema will appear, the question will arise why weight is growing with a diet. Insufficient water intake, dehydration of the body is a bad companion on the way to losing weight.

• Ensure that the body gets enough drinking water. Coffee, tea, juices, carbonated, sugary drinks do not replace clean water.

Incorrect calorie counting

Proper nutrition is no guarantee of weight loss. A balanced diet helps to improve metabolism, improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and eliminate health problems. If the volume of food intake remains high, you will not be able to lose weight.

• Learn to count calories, control the amount of food eaten. This is the only way to avoid weight gain when losing weight.

Survival program launched

Overeating and undereating in the process of losing weight is equally harmful. The constant feeling of hunger, lack of the right amount of nutrients will put the body in a stressful state. The response is a slowdown in metabolism, postponing “reserves” for the future, weight gain with a diet.

Nutritionists do not recommend lowering the threshold of 1200-1300 calories per day. You can arrange fasting days 1-2 times a week, do not forget about the days when you can treat yourself to “sweets”. With normal physical activity, your favorite cake once a week will not provoke weight gain during weight loss.

• Do not run the survival program. The body will begin to accumulate fat even with minimal food intake.

A purely female cause

Women’s weight is highly dependent on hormonal changes associated with the monthly physiological cycle. These days, fluid is retained in the body, which can lead to a temporary weight gain of 1-2 kilograms. It is much more important to pay attention to another reason for the increase in body weight during this period – a sharp increase in appetite.

• Control your appetite and don’t panic when the scale goes up for natural reasons.

Unbalanced diet

Weight loss process is accompanied by increased physical activity. A balanced diet is required for normal functioning of the body. This is just as important as counting calories. Therefore, the composition of sports nutrition includes a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates. If something is missing, the body immediately reacts. An increased amount of fast carbohydrates leads to an imbalance in blood sugar. The lack of proteins inevitably leads to edema, metabolic disorders. Fats help to quickly get enough, regulate appetite. The lack of at least one of the elements in the diet leads to a constant feeling of hunger, nervousness, and putting off reserves for the future.

• It is necessary to follow the correct ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates in the diet, to know the norm of BJU.

Health problems

Before starting a weight loss program, check for chronic diseases. This will help determine the possible causes of weight gain, make the right diet for weight loss. Physical activity should not be harmful to the body. Problems in the work of the kidneys, hearts provoke edema, do not allow to disperse the metabolism. The nutrition is correct, calories are counted, the norm of BJU is observed, the lifestyle is active, but body weight is growing, edema has appeared? See a doctor, get tested. There is a high probability of failure of the vital organs.

• Keep an eye on your health while losing weight. Otherwise, any additional efforts aimed at correcting the figure will be harmful.

Results

It’s not always that weight gain while losing weight is due to the fact that you are doing something wrong. If you doubt that you are doing everything right, contact a specialist. It will help to deal with the causes of weight gain on a professional level.