Just to give you guys some background. I am a 29 year old female and I have always maintained a +-5 pounds from 120 since I can remember and I am 61 inches tall(around 5'1). My diet is a vegan whole foods diet but I eat meat when I go out sometimes. lately the weight keeps piling. I have gone from 120-145 in four months.
This is what my diet looks like:
Breakfast: breakfast smoothie with power greens blend, coconut milk, flax seed meal,banana, and a cup of mixed berries, totaling 360 calories.
Lunch: beans and lentils with collard greens included= 433 calories and apple =80 calories
Snack: homemade hummus = 163 calories, with carrots =40 calories or with celery
Dinner: tofu kale salad with sesame oil = 320 calories
Daily total = 1376calories, lots of water throughout the day.
I also have lots of energy
Here is my work out routine:
Monday: I do strength training. Qquats with weight, jump lunges, and all those leg machines you see at the gym which I don't know what are called, but I do a full lower body workout for 30mins, then I run for 30mins.
Tuesday: I do upper body. Lifting, pushups, and also all those upper body machines at the gym for 30mins, then I do the stir master for 30 mins afterwards.
Wednesday: I do core for 30mins and light bicylcing at the gym for about 15 mins.
Thursday: I go swim laps for 30mins.
Friday: I eat a bunch of junk food at the office and don't exercise
Saturday: sometimes i go for a two mile walk and sometimes I'm just a couch potato.
Sunday: I go to Yoga, then start all over again on Monday.
I've been doing weight training for about 3 months. Before that, my exercise was just running a lot and hiking a lot, but since I added weights, I seem to be gaining weight and my mid section is looks bigger.
I am supposed to eat 1280 cals a day to lose 2 pounds a week, but I find my self eating about 1300-1600 calories a day now.
That being said: Can someone please explain to me why I am gaining weight instead. I don't look leaner. I probably look the same or a little bigger. Also, what would you suggest I do for my stomach. is it normal to experience weight gain when I seem to be doing the right thing. Also, is it possible that getting older has slowed down my metabolism? Would you guys recommend sticking to the strict 1280 calories a day even if I workout?
I know I don't get enough proteins because of my diet, is there a way for me to get more protein on a vegan diet? my goal is to lose the extra 15 pounds I have gained in a healthy manner. Thanks a lot in advance.