I’ve been alluding to this all year with my many posts on getting fit and staying active, but today, I’m just gonna say it…out loud. I’ve gained 20 plus pounds in the last year or so while on a healthy, whole foods. (Whole foods as in limited processed foods, not the grocery).
Before I go any further, I just want to say, I don’t blame my weight gain entirely on these foods. I still believe that a properly balanced whole foods diet is a big part of staying healthy. My problem was with the ‘balanced’ part of the equation.
Top: Green Smoothie Vegan French Toast // Bottom: Spinach Almond Falafel Salad
[Tweet “Why eating healthy whole foods isn’t always enough #healthyeating”]
When I started eating whole foods, I felt like I’d hit the jackpot. I’d been pretty restrictive for about a hear and a half while I tried to lose weight but I always knew I couldn’t sustain that kind of diet in the long run. So I did some research and decided to focus more on eating whole foods and less on counting calories and removing entire food groups (read: carbs).
At first, it was the answer to all my prayers. I had my food freedom again, but in a way that was still healthy. I started off small, by reintroducing some foods I had cut from my diet e.g. potatoes, pasta, rice etc. And eventually, I started adding snacks and treats back into my diet, limited to things I made using whole foods and healthier ingredients.
This was around summer of 2014 when I believe I was at my healthiest, both physically and mentally.
Then the weight gain began:
After that summer, 2 things happened in quick succession that I believe led to my ‘downfall’.
- I moved and stopped going to the gym as often as I used to. I also stayed indoors (and in bed) more as fall approached and it got colder
- I started sharing more recipes on the blog and all of a sudden had tonnes and tonnes of baked goods lying around with only me to eat them. Obviously, I ate them.
The first one, while worrying, wasn’t exactly a surprise. Clearly, if I wasn’t working out, I couldn’t expect to maintain the same weight and physique. That’s a no-brainer. I was just too lazy to do anything about it at the time.
The real problem, however, was with the plethora of healthy foods I was eating. Sounds like an oxymoron right? But hear me out.
[Tweet “Yes, calories still count even if you’re eating healthy whole foods #healthyeating”]
Somewhere along the way, I started buying into the misconception that I could eat anything I wanted as long as it was healthy or whole foods based. Serving sized ceased to matter because everything I was eating was OMG so healthy.
- An entire avocado with breakfast, lunch and dinner? No prob, cuz #healthyfats
- A whole batch of chocolate granola for breakfast? That’s cool cuz I made it myself and the chocolate is vegan
- Pancakes for dinner every night? Of course, cuz I used coconut oil instead of butter and real maple syrup instead of Aunt Jemima’s
Looking back, it’s clear that I went from counting calories to believing that the calories in healthy foods didn’t count at all. I did a total 180 but my new mindset wasn’t really any healthier.
I started to balloon really quickly after that but it still took me a while to figure out what the problem was. I was so determined to break the stereotypes about healthy people being restrictive or healthy food tasting bad that I lost sight of what healthy eating really was. All things in moderation.
Couple that with my lack of exercise or any real physical activity and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
So here I am, one year later having finally admitted that there’s a problem. Now I just need to figure out how to get back to where I want to be.
What about you?
No questions but I’d love to hear your thoughts, whatever they are.
p.s. I’ll be sharing more about my journey over the next few weeks, so don’t forget to subscribe so you can stay up-to-date.
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Is there a reason why you chose a vegan diet?
I can totally relate!!! I went vegan for 6 months (my goal was to lower my cholesterol but I also was thinking I might lose a few pounds) and I actually ended up GAINING weight. Quite a bit in just 6 months. I definitely didn’t do well with portion control and I was eating lots of healthy but calorie dense foods. (Hellooooo spoonfuls of almond butter haha) so I really had to learn how to eat the right amounts of food. I still struggle wit portion control! But thank you for sharing your story!! I feel like people don’t talk about this enough!
I am loving all these posts opening up about weight gain. I’m definitely surprised though as we constantly hear stuff like “abs are made in the kitchen” or “80% diet, 20% working out”
carmy recently posted…4 Ways Runners Can Give Back
Love the you are so real Giselle! I feel like many people go through this stage too, because they get too caught up into the idea of “healthy” instead and eat a whole jar of pb and forget about the nutritional value. Going to send this to my Dad bc he has the same problem! Thanks for sharing <3
rachel @ athleticavocado.com recently posted…Cherry Pie Chia Pudding {Gluten-Free + Vegan!}
Although you probably feel good and your body loves the whole foods, it’s easy to overeat the good stuff too 🙂 If your not burning what you’re taking in you’ll gain some weight regardless of how healthy it is, which you pointed out in your post. As you said it’s all about finding that energy balance! I find if I eat a pile of greens or veggies along with a single portion of protein (basically a handful of tofu or beans) I’m good, whereas before I’d eat half the packet and only a bit of veggies. You’ll find what works for you!
Thank you for sharing this Giselle, because it’s a reminder that nutrition is a matter of ‘calories in vs. calories out.’ Now, not that I promote focusing on calories, but I love that you shared this perspective, because it really balances out the idea of healthy eating.
Emily Swanson recently posted…Thinking Out Loud: Travel and Trust
First of all, thank you so much for your honesty here. I have been in the exact same position, and completely appreciate you putting this out for others to see. I especially had a hard time keeping my healthy fats in check, and portion control is always a tricky thing. I really appreciate your perspective.
Les @ The Balanced Berry recently posted…My June 2016 Goals
Love your honesty here! I definitely think activity level and portion plays a bigger role than many people want to talk about! I don’t like the whole calorie counting thing either! I’m trying to learn more about intuitive eating but at the same time…trying to be as active as possible.
Much easier said than done! I definitely have a harder time staying motivated to work out and eat better in the cold months too! I hope you find the balance…if you do I hope youll tell us! haha <3
Heather @ Polyglot Jot recently posted…Secrets from an Introvert
I’ve had this same problem before! I didn’t gain too much, but I was looking to lean out and couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t. Well, it was because I kept snacking all the time, thinking it was find because a handful of almonds ain’t no big deal right?? Until you’ve had 2 or 3 of them! 🙂 I am trying to get back to listening to my body a little bit better, and eating only when I am actually hungry. It’s harder to do than it sounds!
Girl this is the story of my life. And I hate hate hate tracking my food intake so whole foods was the answer. But I can’t seem to lose the weight I want to and it’s frustrating. You just opened my eyes to a problem i believe I have and in guessing it’s something my clients struggle with as well. Thanks so much for sharing I’m sure this wasn’t easy and your food always looks amazing!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors recently posted…Pecan Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Bowl
OHH this is such an easy trap!!! I have been trying to work with mom my on this because she is going crazy with granola and avocados…but um still eating other not so healthy things and can’t figure out why she’s suddenly gaining 🙂
My only real thought to this is YUP, DITTO. I still fall into this trap with things like fruits & veggies. And my desire to eat a whole watermelon at a time during the summer, even though a serving of fruit is like 1 cup & a whole watermelon is like the amount of fruit I should eat for the whole week, NOT breakfast.
thanks for sharing your side of things!! that’s so interesting, although not very surprising especially when you’re making baked good recipes every week. they’re so tempting!!
i lost track a bit too not too long ago, and really had to make an effort to straighten myself up. the 80/20 rule is good, but sometimes it can start to turn to more 60/40 before we even realize it.
Beverley @ Born to Sweat recently posted…Salted Gluten Free Walnut Brownies
You’re not alone girl, I too gained 15 pounds last year and I was also eating healthy, whole foods and working out on and off. What I realized (the hard way) was that my portions were just to big, I was eating clean, but eating too much! And not being consistent with moving my body didn’t help me either. I just joined Weight Watchers and I’m starting to watch my portions again, I’ve seen a difference on the first week already. You can do it girl, don’t give up 🙂
Loved reading this. I was in a similar position about a year ago. I’ve since reigned myself in and realized that even though something is healthy- doesn’t mean i need to eat all of it! It’s hard to keep your portions in check all the time, but also have a balanced lifestyle that you’re not obsessing over what you eat.
Liz @ The Clean Eating Couple recently posted…Chicken Caprese Zoodle Bowl
Yep. It’s easy to forget about the whole portion thing when it’s healthy food. Like the commenter above, I definitely do this with fruit (which ends up hurting my stomach too!) I think for me it is mostly the mindless snacking that gets me. Just because it’s healthy doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be mindful while eating it!
I gained about 20 lbs. in the past year too. And your #1 reason is the same reason why I gained weight. That and because I was just too tired to cook after a long day of teaching all-day kindergarten so we went out to eat a lot. Restaurant portions are larger than what I usually eat even though I almost always made healthy choices.
As bad as it sounds, this is actually one of the reasons why I introduced junk food back into my diet. I found that healthy food just wasn’t always doing it for me as far as satisfaction went, so I’d eat something healthy just because I felt like it was the right thing to do, and then go back and eat more just because I wasn’t satisfied… which definitely lead to some weight gain. The blog baking thing is tricky, though. I just try yo time a lot of mine away.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…it feels so good to be back! (ToL#185)
i 100% understand.
masala girl recently posted…Race for the Cure & Weekly Workouts & Foods
I can DEFINITELY relate to this. It’s SO easy to overeat healthy foods and justify it because it’s healthy! I’m a bulk eater, so my main thing is finding foods that have nutrients and are healthy that I can eat a good amount of and feel satisfied. So lately I try to eat half of what I would “like” to eat (sooo maybe half a batch of granola 😉 ) and then double the veggies, like broccoli or greens. Keeps me fun without going crazy.
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While I can’t say I was in the same situation right now your post reninded me of the beginning of my weight loss/healthy eating journey. Doing it without a dietitian meant my teenage self trusted on my mum’s advice. Don’t get me wrong; she’s a wonderful intelligent person. But she doesn’t nutritional facts and telling a hungry teenager in need of loosing some weight that couscous has “very few calories” led to me having half a package more than once.
It certainly can’t have been easy for you to share your story but from all the comments above and my experience I can say you did a great thing. More people than we might guess are struggling with this.
Miss Polkadot recently posted…Give yourself some credit.
I don’t believe in counting every last calorie, either, but you do need to have a ballpark idea of what you’re taking in. Definitely do some research on IIFYM.
This is such a great post. I really hate hearing people say “calories don’t matter if you eat the right foods” – because when it comes to physics, they do matter! Portion sizes and balance among the different types of foods is still essential. I love this post and how brave you are for sharing your experiences & struggles!
Chrissy @ Snacking in Sneakers recently posted…10 Year Flashback: From Unhealthy to Unbelievably Happy
You know what I love about the blog world? How people are so damn honest! I think SO many of us can relate to this post. My job is basically teaching healthy cooking classes – and because I have a sweet tooth I love to show people how to bake healthier snacks. Buttttt I inevitably end up eating too many of them. It’s like, I would never have chocolate cake everyday, but I fool myself into thinking a vegan avocado brownie is snack worthy rather than an occasional treat (and as a dietitian, I should know better LOL).
Chelsea’s Healthy Kitchen recently posted…Homemade Hummus with Canned Chickpeas
this is such an important and often ignored topic..while eating healthy is great but ultimately too much of healthy eating is not SO great. i can totally relate to this because im dealing with it right now myself. i used to be pretty active and ate well but lately my workout has been non existent but eating hasnt changed, which has resulted in a weight gain. i have to remind myself that too often these days.
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So brave of you to share this! It’s definitely tough to balance the healthy whole foods diet while trying to lose weight. I think I’ve hit a plateau myself, but I feel strong and healthy, so I’m ok with it. As far as figuring out your plan, it might be obvious, but I highly recommend creating an exercise routine that you’ll stick with. Make it fun & interesting, and you won’t dread the gym/run/workout class. Good luck! Oh, and as for an excess of baked goods: co-workers and friends are always overly appreciative when I share my goodies with them. It’s better than indulging in an entire batch of vegan cookies!!
Christina Bauer recently posted…Black Bean Pesto Pasta
It sounds like you have the right tools to get back on track – just need to put them all together! I feel your pain, though. It stinks when you realize, “wait… I changed my diet but I’m gaining weight?!” I think if you go back to what worked for you in the beginning, and get back in the gym (especially with some weight training and cardio), you’ll be able to get back to where you want to be. Best of luck in your journey!
Great post and so true for many!! Whether you’re eating your calories from whole foods or processed crap, it’s still going to lead to weight gain if your intaking more calories than you’re burning off. Of course you rather eat a whole avocado over an ice cream sundae but ultimately, there is a line of how much whole foods you can eat when it comes to weight maintenance.
I’ve been in the same boat for the past few years, focusing so hard on just eating foods that make me feel good and not monitoring the portions. It’s a hard place to come back from and I feel like my body doesn’t want to give us this extra weight. Especially as a food blogger, I find myself creating these healthy treats and then just giving them away to others so I can make the blog post but don’t feel obligated to eat the treats. I still get the enjoyment out of baking without the guilt 🙂
Thank you for sharing this–I think it will help others who are going through the same thing! As a trainer, so often I have to coach clients through the fact that yes, that is great food that they are choosing, but that doesn’t mean that they can still hose, as you said, an entire avocado. Portion control can be hard for everyone!
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Five Common Fitness Myths
I gained 15 pounds when I tried to go Paleo! Like you I got into that whole mindset of oh it’s clean, whole food I can eat as much as I want and yes #healthyfats! OMG I think I was eating like 2 whole avocados, a cup of coconut oil and jars of nut butter at a time…whoops.
Thank you so much for sharing this…I really thought I was alone on this one!
Diana @ Live Lean Eat Green recently posted…5 Ways To Drink More Water + Lemon Cucumber Infused Water
I think about this a lot because when I eat super healthy (minimal processed foods), I tend to eat a LOT of healthy fats (I’m lookin’ at you, avocado, hummus, and nuts/seeds). So although I feel proud of myself, my diet is still so unbelievably unbalanced. And I hear you on the baked goods thing. I have to force myself NOT to make fun things all the time because I know I’ll eat them, even if they ARE healthy. I’m sure this post resonates with a lot of people, and I’m so glad you shared!
Katie @ Gettin’ My Healthy On recently posted…Killer Core HIIT
I totally get this. I’ve been through lots of es and flows of life and probably been up and down 8-10 pounds over my adult life. It takes work to figure out what works with your body. Staying active is a big component for me!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt recently posted…8 Ways to Wear Shorts
Great Post! I have been through something similar, but mine happened training for Marathons and Triathlons as I would overeat after hard training sessions! It’s all about the Balance!!
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Thank you for finally saying what I’ve been thinking forever. This is the best and most honest post I’ve read in a long time. I have struggled with finding balance for a long time between hardcore dieting and then thinking I could eat allllll the healthy foods in the world. It doesn’t help that every time I get on Instagram I see smoothie bowls piled with granola, nut butter, fruit, chocolate chips…. my body just can’t do that. I’ve been working on shifting my mind set, but I of course still struggle with balance and listening to my body about how much to eat.
Emilie @ Emilie Eats recently posted…Gluten-Free Vanilla Peach Cake
This is everything. Thank you for sharing your story Giselle! I think no matter who you are, it feels uneasy to gain weight (unless you’re trying to of course). I recently stepped on the scale the other month and realized I was up a good 10 lbs from when I last remember, and also the heaviest I’ve ever been. Now some of it could be muscle? But I also know that during the moving transition, I was blogging at home and eating all the treats with Drew gone. Add stress to the mix and that definitely didn’t help things much. I think through the process of trying to get back on track, you just have to remember that everyone is different. Don’t compare your plate to someone else’s unless you know for a fact your bodies react the same way to the macros and training (highly unlikely). Stay positive through it all and be kind to yourself, you’ll get there 🙂
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen recently posted…Fudgy Gluten-Free Vegan Brownie Bites [ with Among Friends Baking Mixes ]
Great post! This is such a great reminder to us all. Currently, I struggle with knowing that even though dates, honey and other natural sweeteners are “healthier” it doesn’t mean I can eat all the sweets! Thank you for opening up and being vulnerable in sharing your story.
I think that many people in the food/ healthy blogger world can feel like this. even though those brownies are healthier than Pillsbury Boxed ones, that is not a free pass to eat half a tray! I have definitely learned that. I think it takes a little time to see what works for your body and even over eating on “health foods” can cause weight gain. Thanks for sharing!
I am a bit underweight and this seems to be impacting my health. I have tried a few other weight gains plans which were a bit tough on me. I tried to load up on proteins and that made me feel bloated. then I followed your idea about whole foods and this really helped. Huge Thanks from me.
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Thank you for sharing this article.
Many thanks for your valuable content. You are an inspiration with your hard work.
Keep up the awesome work and know that you’re appreciated!
Thanks
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I apologize, but I still don’t have access to external articles or content, including those written by “Exsloth.” If you could provide me with some details about the article, such as its main ideas or key takeaways, I’d be more than happy to help you come up with a comment or provide insights related to the topic.
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