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17239077 tn?1454875124

Why do I keep gaining weight?

Good Afternoon,

My name is Osiris and I have a dilemma which hopefully some of you all can help me figure out. So I have recently decided to join the army . It's been something I want to do but I held it off a while for school. Anyway the military weight for my height(5'8) and age (20) is 164. Now I used to be a very active girl 3 years ago when I was still in high school . I ran cross country , lifted weights every day, and did softball . Now that I am 20 I started working out and getting in shape but here is the problem. I have gained 7 POUNDS since Jan 4th when I started eating healthier and working out every day. So I run every day 2 to 3 miles a day , 50 sit ups, 20 lunges,  climb 100 floors on that stair master, and 15- 20 perfect pushups. I had a car crash which I am lucky to be alive considering how bad is was I started working out the very next day. But since then my body has been very sore so I take an easy day where I just walk 2 miles instead once a week and the other 6 days its between cardio outside , hiking/cardio, and gym .

I have gained 7 pounds since I started working out and my calorie intake is less than 1600 probably between 1000 to 1400.

On a weekly bases my breakfast is always oatmeal in the morning, a yogurt at my 10 break. A carrot at 11 then my chicken, egg or fish salad no dressing, and lots and lots of veggies . Then I get home eat another salad before the gym and after I eat a fruit or a a banana with a glass of milk.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG I AM starting to become very irritated.....
6 Responses
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Avatar universal
Every workout should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down period. A warm-up helps your body get ready for exercise. It gradually increases your heart rate and loosens your muscles and joints.
A cool-down after you work out is important to slowly bring your heart rate back to normal. Walking for 5 to 10 minutes after you work out is one way to cool down.
As for stretching, research is conflicting as to whether it can also help prevent injury. I haven't stretched at my exercise routines for a number of years.
I do do foam rolling after my routines.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I'm going to disagree with the above on only two points, because in general it's good advice, but remember, we don't exist in general, we exist as individuals.  The first is that if you were having pain, greatly increasing exercise and cutting calories at the same time might leave you without sufficient nutrition to prevent pain.  Weight loss, to be both healthy and lasting, should be slow, not fast.  And calories are not the guide to weight -- metabolism is.  If what you're eating is being digested and metabolized well, you will lose weight; if it's not, you won't.  I also have to say that of course stretching helps you burn calories, and not stretching is never recommended, though some believe in different times to do it -- some believe in doing it before and after a workout, some believe it only before, some in only after, and you probably need more with cardio than with resistance training unless you're old.  Warming up is great, but doesn't substitute for stretching, it aids it.  Any activity, if done instead of no activity, will burn more calories -- that includes stretching, walking, pointing your finger, wiggling your toes, or anything else that requires the body to work.  All movement burns calories.  It's just a question of where you're starting from whether it adds or subtracts from you current weight.  And stretching can be pretty significant exercise (see yoga and the warm-up done in martial arts).  Here's an example of metabolism -- let's say you're one of the majority of humans who don't digest dairy very well, especially milk -- well, it's protein, which is good, but if your body can't digest it, it will slow down your metabolism and cause inflammation.  You have to eat what suits you, not what suits some general theory, and the same goes for calories.  Good luck, and give it time.  See if your body is looking leaner more than how much you weigh.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
The proteins that shorten and lengthen your muscles inside each muscle cell increases, resulting in an increase in muscle size and weight. The enzymes needed to convert the food you eat into energy for resistance training increase. Your muscle cells are also able to store more energy from the foods you eat. Though your fat cells are shrinking, the increase in lean muscle tissue weight is off-setting the weight you lost from fat.

Blood volume increases between 12 and 20 percent after three to six cardio sessions, according to the authors of the book “Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance.” The size and the number of mitochondria or energy-producing organelles in your skeletal muscle cells increase, adding to your lean muscle weight-gain. Aerobic exercise generates an increase in the capillaries surrounding each muscle cell, especially those muscles highly engaged in your activity.

You should keep a food journal! It helps in aiding your weight-loss efforts. You may actually be consuming more calories than you think if you do not weigh and measure your foods and write everything down. Creating a meal plan every night for the following day enables you to assess the number of calories you eat, Making sure you consume at least 250 fewer calories per day compared to what you would normally eat. If you want to see a significant weight loss of 2 pounds per week, especially after the first six weeks of your plan, you should be consuming 500 calories less than what you would normally eat and exercising nearly 90 minutes a day to burn another 500 calories.

Keeping track of how often, duration, intensity and type of exercises you do helps you make adjustments to your routine, helping to get a quicker weight loss. You may think you are exercising every day for an hour, but in fact you may only be working out four days per week. Of each hour, you may be stretching for 15 or 20 minutes which does not burn as many calories as one hour of walking and running. Fine tuning your exercise program maximizes your time in the gym or on the treadmill so you can burn plenty of calories and see the results as a downward drift toward a smaller number on the scale.
I don't know if you like stretching before you do an exercise. I don't stretch
I use a light weight to warm the muscle being worked on. (between 30-40 reps) then I use the weight intended. ( the warm up burns calories as the stretching doesn't.)
Helpful - 1
16426782 tn?1447843358
Your diet and workout program is good, give some more time and don't take stress. Take proper sleep and eat healthy balanced diet for complete nutrition. Take help for a personal trainer and improve your diet.
Helpful - 0
16798687 tn?1451547757
Compare once your previous workout and diet chart with current. I think you can get all answer because according to me its all are happening with you so no one can know more better than you. May in previous day you walk generally more than current, may be now you are sleeping in day or night more than previous. So compare all things than previous and if you are still thinking that you are doing  good then take decision or any instructor. They will definitely help you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Osiris.
Your daily program is right & good for you. I don't see something wrong. Maybe your just stressed. Just try to relax your mind & body.
Helpful - 0

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