How did this happen?

Sheseeksstrength

Hi! I have been counting calories and working out and tracking my weight. I am relatively new to this site and while I know I shouldn't weigh in every day , I have been. Over the past three days I have had a deficit of 200 calories!, which I know isn't. Lot at all, it wouldn't even show up on the scale, but in fact, I have gained 5 Lbs. how on earth is this happening?

Thoughts and insight welcome!!

FatFreeFrolicking

Do you use a food scale?
If female, are you menstruating?
Have you been consuming foods high in sodium?
With the holidays approaching, have you been more stressed than usual?

jemhh

- weight fluctuation due to hormones
- water retention due to eating high sodium meals
- water retention due to high carb meal after a period of low carb eating
- water retention due to beginning weight training

Just a few possibilities.

malibu927

Weight loss isn't linear. There are many other factors that cause us to gain and lose several pounds of water weight within 24 hours.

Sheseeksstrength

Thanks for the comments, I am currently not on my period, but my body is beyond irregular that I would have no idea! I have had A LOT of sodium recently and my water intake has not been as great as I would want. I also did start doing some weight training, but it is new so I know it is not muscle but my body is pretty sore, so I guess that is good...

cjames010

I "gain" weight every time I have pizza, even though I stay under my goal. It goes away a couple of days later.

fluffyasacat

If you're weighing every day (and there's NO reason why you shouldn't UNLESS you get hung up on daily fluctuations) you should chart the data you take so that you can see your own patterns of loss and gain. Weighing daily is rejected by people who "get obsessed with the numbers" etc but it can be great if you can use those numbers to see that day to day ups and downs are not necessarily indicative of the bigger picture.

If you get to the end of the month and find you've gained weight overall you can bet the likely culprit is too many calories going in vs not enough calories going out.

Muscle is more compact than the same per lb in fat, but you shouldn't be gaining weight just because your muscle mass is increasing. Measure yourself to see if you're losing inches.

katherine_startrek_fan

I agree with the above. Weighing every day makes it easier for me to tell what is basic bloat and what is underestimating calories eaten/ overestimating exercise Burn.