I walk every morning for 70 minutes which gets me 6 miles of walking in.
Almost immediately I started to put on weight and not lose it.

I am 5'9 and weigh in at 175 lbs down from the 200lb range last year.

I just can not imagine why I exercise more, watch what I am eating, drink more water etc and I have gained weight. I would say I have gained around 3 lbs since starting to walk.

I have people telling me it is muscle and I just do not see how it is possible to have gained muscle that quickly.

It is not that time of the month for me so it is not water weight.

My measurements are all the same so I am not thinking I am toning up at all either.

Any advice or tips for a frustrated woman?

Anyone??

watching what you eat means little unless your calories are in check...

How are you keeping track of them and how many a day are you getting?

I am averaging right around 1200-1500 per day...mostly closer to 1500 daily.

By the "I weigh and then contemporaneously log every thing that passes my lips" method, or the "I keep a mental running tally" method?

I don't have a hugely varied diet. I eat a lot of the same veggies, meats weekly so I have pretty much memorized most of the foods I eat. I suppose I am keeping a mental tally but considering I am eating better (less) than I was a few weeks ago and I am exercising more I would think I would lose weight at some point.

I have never been big into junk foods. I have always eaten really large portions and have cut them down considerably.

Try counting calories for a bit - a week or so. Exercise makes me hungry, so I eat more than I burn.

Keep in mind that consumption of access sodium can cause water retention. Also, remember that the more you exercise, the more water you will need to stay hydrated, so if you don't burn up that water you'll just retain it.

My advice? Buy a 99p measuring tape and keep track of your measurements. Don't bother with your weight for a couple of weeks (I'd recommend weighing yourself once a fortnight). Your weight can variate throughout the day, throughout the week, so for an OVERALL weight you want to check it regularly at nice intervals.

Are you drinking enough water? Sometimes we can be retaining water due possibly to the sodium in the diet. If that is the case - it is good to be sure that we are drinking enough water.

I drink at least 1 fluid ounce of water for each two pounds that I weigh.

I walk on average 11 to 12 miles a day and have found my walking to be very beneficial for weight loss. I still gain weight due to water retention about a week before TOM hits and keep that extra weight for the next two weeks. Everyone's body is different and you only identify some TOM water retention patterns after months of working towards losing weight.

I believe I am drinking enough water. I have a 32 ounce water bottle that I fill at least 3 times a day....I have the weakest bladder so that is a lot for me. I spend a lot of time looking for bathrooms.

How long have you been walking for? Maybe you should try to add a new thing to your routine every week. Pick one day for a hike or a bike ride so you can shock your body into burning more calories. Walking is a great way to lose weight, but once your body gets used to it, its easy to plateau.

As far as eating goes, make sure that you are really watching what you eat and how much. Just because its healthy doesn't mean its all low calorie. Fruits have plenty of carbs and sugar and nuts have tremendous amounts of fat. While these are healthy foods, they can lead to excess calorie intake.

Worry less about the scale in the beginning. Enjoy watching and feeling your body change as you take on healthier habits.

every time i see the title of this thread...

I've been walking a couple of weeks

I am reminded of the ellen degeneres joke
i thought maybe you were lost and needed a search party sent for you..

The title of the thread answers the first question. I do not think that walking is as apt to causing a plateau as this response implies. I am still walking and getting results after a year and a half on my project.

I also eat a lot of fruit with no ill effect. I do agree with your comment about nuts though.