So close to goal, now I am gaining. How?

[24601 210]

I started as a low bmi'er (29). My goal was to go from 190 lbs to 140 lbs (what I weighed when I was married 12 years ago). It has been only 3 months post op, and I am about 5 lbs away from goal. I am happy with my body, for the most part, but I really want to get to goal. Truly, I would love, love, love to get into the 130's. I am still in the honeymoon phase, right? My surgeon recommends me eating 900-1000 calories per day at this point. I am just starting to get to that calorie range, or at least close. I drink lots of Water and get about 65 grams of Protein a day. I exercise intensely 4x a week (I burn about 450-650 calories depending on what I am doing). But I am gaining weight. How in the world is that possible? I would love to get up to 1200 calories a day with my activity level, but seeing the scale number creeping up makes me want to just restrict more, which isn't very difficult, but probably not the healthiest.

Basically, I have struggled with my weight my whole life, I make this huge decision and spend all this money for weight loss surgery, and I am terrified I am just going to end up big again, even doing all that I am. I feel defeated. Anyone have this happen? How did you remedy it?

[BigViffer 3,544]

If you are really hitting the gym hard, you may be burning more than you are taking in. That can put your body into starvation mode where it holds onto everything. There is also the possibility that you are adding muscle. Perhaps a BMI calculation is in order? And I don't mean the caliper test, I mean the one with the electrical current or the Water submersion test.

[JamieLogical 8,727]

If you are burning that much through exercise 4x a week, then 1000 calories isn't enough, nor is 65 grams of Protein. You need to increase both your protein and your calories.

[2goldengirl 2,076]

There isn't enough to go on, really. However, if you are burning that much at the gym, you may indeed be eating too few calories. if you have gone to heavier weights or upped your strength training, be aware that muscle holds Water as a response to increased exercise. I think you really need to focus on fat vs. weight. There is a big difference between the two. Try easing off on the exercise a bit and upping the calories a bit. if you don't have an electrical impedance scale (that monitors fat weight vs. lean weight), I really recommend getting one. They're widely available for < $100.

When you say you're gaining, how much, and over what period of time?

Edited March 7, 2016 by 2goldengirl

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I started as a low bmi'er (29). My goal was to go from 190 lbs to 140 lbs (what I weighed when I was married 12 years ago). It has been only 3 months post op, and I am about 5 lbs away from goal. I am happy with my body, for the most part, but I really want to get to goal. Truly, I would love, love, love to get into the 130's. I am still in the honeymoon phase, right? My surgeon recommends me eating 900-1000 calories per day at this point. I am just starting to get to that calorie range, or at least close. I drink lots of Water and get about 65 grams of Protein a day. I exercise intensely 4x a week (I burn about 450-650 calories depending on what I am doing). But I am gaining weight. How in the world is that possible? I would love to get up to 1200 calories a day with my activity level, but seeing the scale number creeping up makes me want to just restrict more, which isn't very difficult, but probably not the healthiest.

Basically, I have struggled with my weight my whole life, I make this huge decision and spend all this money for weight loss surgery, and I am terrified I am just going to end up big again, even doing all that I am. I feel defeated. Anyone have this happen? How did you remedy it?

What is your Protein target?

Are you getting in all of your fluids?

Based on what you have posted I would agree that you need more protein and calories.

Also make sure you are drinking at least 64 oz of Water (and even more since you are exercising a lot).

[AvaFern 3,516]

If it makes you feel better it took me 5 months to lose the last 2 pounds to get to goal and before that I lost maybe 1-2 pounds a month for several months. While my goal was 129 and yours is 140, if your profile is right you are wayyy taller than I am, so the distribution is probably comparable. The last few pounds are an absolute B and while I have maintained now for just short of a year, I literally cannot get under 129 to save my life, lol. At certain points our body decides that it likes the weight it is at and it seems to really get down the last bit requires a lot of discipline. I am lazy, so I am going to be just fine at 129 and not 119 which was my stretch goal.

[24601 210]

I haven't gained a ton of weight, but I lost only 2 lbs over the last month, but in the last 4 days they are back. This is the week where I am nowhere near getting my period and I usually lose the most on this week of my menstrual calendar. The only thing I did differently? Got up to 900 calories like the doctor wanted me to. So, yeah, I am a bit panicky that I am just going to get bigger and bigger by upping my calories to a more realistic point. I know 2 lbs is not much, but I have not fluctuated up at all so far in my weight. I have had no official stalls. Maybe I am just being paranoid. Thanks for all the advice. I do agree that for my activity level, my calories and even Protein seem low. I will work on it.

[Babbs 14,681]

Work on eating more calories and Protein to compensate for your excersise. You're not gaining. You're just going through normal wonkey fluctuations that happen to everyone and panicking. You're not going to put weight on working out like you do and eating 900 calories, so ease your mind.

I've gone up and down 2 pounds for 18 months. It's not what I'm doing most of the time, it's just my body doing what bodies do. I'm used to the fluctuations, but I remember the panic about it early out, too