3lb weight gain in a matter of days...WTF is going on?

Charliecatesq

I haven't eaten brilliantly this week, i am moving house so doing my best but trying to not stress too much about great choices...but i seem to have put on 3lbs in a matter of days and this is madness. Diary is open, i assume this is something to do with water? I was trying to keep to 1200 cals and eating back exercise but mentally i have been finding it hard so decided to switch to 1400cals but not eating back exercise and that has completely thrown me off...

I have been weighing and being as accurate as possible.

Help

arilongworth

I myself find it useful to drink a lot of water or orange juice to keep the hunger away and loose weight!

DemoraFairy

It's just fluctuations, we all fluctuate from day to day, sometimes up to 5lbs. It's just water weight. It'll be gone in a day or two.

Charliecatesq

It just seemed a like a lot! It was so disheartening to see it this morning

kindrabbit

I put on 4lbs this weekend, its a patten with me. It'll come off plus more during the week, then I'll have a little step back at the weekend again.

Charliecatesq

I have had retention explained to me on my wall, i had some ready meals and takeaways this weekend as well as salty popcorn and tortillas so i think the salt intake has skewed everything somewhat! I'll just keep drinking water and hope for better news next weigh in i guess. The perils of being addicted to weighing every morning!

DemoraFairy

Charliecatesq wrote: »

The perils of being addicted to weighing every morning!

I weigh every day precisely because of fluctuations. Weighing every day means you can follow your fluctuations, learn what causes them, and know when you're fluctuating. If you weigh once a week and happen to weigh on a day when you're 3lbs heavier, you won't know that it's just a fluctuation. You might get really disheartened when actually you were 3lbs lighter the days before and after, but because you only weigh once a week you won't know. Any expected loss per week is not going to counter the possible fluctuations (since generally the maximum healthy loss per week is 2lbs, and fluctuations can be a lot more than that), so unless you're weighing once a month and your expected weight loss is 2lbs/week I've never understood how weighing less often can counter the problem of fluctuations. I get that for some people it helps them put less emphasis on the scale (though for me it would put waaay more emphasis on the scale), but mathematically I don't get it.

Charliecatesq

Fair point i suppose, this is the first time since i have been really sticking to dieting that this sort of fluctuation has happened to me, last year i had pretty constant loss and now i am 14lbs lighter its got much much harder...or i am just expecting too much

bunnywestley81

I can gain/lose over 7lb randomly for fun. I'd not worry about it.

And I weigh once a week. As long as my overall trend heads downwards I try not to get too upset about the odd few that don't move/go up a bit.

Charliecatesq

I suppose it was just a bit of a smack in the face as i have struggled the last few weeks, i am not enjoying the process at all and a few losses would have been a nice pick me up.

zyxst

I know how you feel. Water weight gain sucks. Takes me 10 days to get rid of mine. Keep yourself hydrated and try to de-stress as much as possible. :flowerforyou:

Sued0nim

So you think you've eaten 10,500 over your maintenance calories in 3 days??

doubt it

it's water weight fluctuations - hormonal - ovulation / periods, excess sodium, change-up in exercise

that's why many have a weight goal range - generally of 3-5lbs because it fluctuates day in day out

if you're not enjoying the process, why not? are you following a deprivation diet? have you cut too hard? What are your main challenges?

weight loss is about re-education .. you need to learn how to make the process work for you, in your life because TBH maintenance is the exact same process with a few more calories

isulo_kura

Charliecatesq wrote: »

It just seemed a like a lot! It was so disheartening to see it this morning

Stop weighing so often if you're going to have that reaction you'll just drive yourself mad.

Charliecatesq

rabbitjb wrote: »

So you think you've eaten 10,500 over your maintenance calories in 3 days??

doubt it

it's water weight fluctuations - hormonal - ovulation / periods, excess sodium, change-up in exercise

that's why many have a weight goal range - generally of 3-5lbs because it fluctuates day in day out

if you're not enjoying the process, why not? are you following a deprivation diet? have you cut too hard? What are your main challenges?

weight loss is about re-education .. you need to learn how to make the process work for you, in your life because TBH maintenance is the exact same process with a few more calories

I had said i knew it wasn't food.

I don't enjoy the process of dieting because i enjoy food and to achieve my weightloss goals i have to stop eating the things i like in the volumes i did, its hard to switch your habits and physiological relationship with food as i am sure the majority of people would be able to symapthise with.

I have managed to lose 14lbs before Christmas and getting back on the horse again after mostly maintaining over 3 months is tough. I know what i have to do but lack the enthusiasm

Charliecatesq

isulo_kura wrote: »

Charliecatesq wrote: »

It just seemed a like a lot! It was so disheartening to see it this morning

Stop weighing so often if you're going to have that reaction you'll just drive yourself mad.

I know you are right but if i don't weight myself i start worrying i am just piling weight on even if i am sticking to the right cals, its an anxiety thing i guess

999tigger

Just chill out a bit as the extra pressure you are putting yourself will undermine you. It will help if you ploy the readings so you cna see how you fluctuate through the month. New dieters are oftem impatient and have unreasonable expectations, which means when they hit a bump or its not what they were expecting they get frustrated and disheartened. More experienced dieters who have lost more tend to take it in their stride.

DemoraFairy

Charliecatesq wrote: »

isulo_kura wrote: »

Charliecatesq wrote: »

It just seemed a like a lot! It was so disheartening to see it this morning

Stop weighing so often if you're going to have that reaction you'll just drive yourself mad.

I know you are right but if i don't weight myself i start worrying i am just piling weight on even if i am sticking to the right cals, its an anxiety thing i guess

That's part of the reason I weigh every day. I'd go mad not knowing.

Charliecatesq

999tigger wrote: »

Just chill out a bit as the extra pressure you are putting yourself will undermine you. It will help if you ploy the readings so you cna see how you fluctuate through the month. New dieters are oftem impatient and have unreasonable expectations, which means when they hit a bump or its not what they were expecting they get frustrated and disheartened. More experienced dieters who have lost more tend to take it in their stride.

I don't have unreasonable expectations, like i said, i have lost 14lbs but this is the first huge (in my head!) fluctuation i have seen and wanted reassurance is was ok.

Sued0nim

Charliecatesq wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

So you think you've eaten 10,500 over your maintenance calories in 3 days??

doubt it

it's water weight fluctuations - hormonal - ovulation / periods, excess sodium, change-up in exercise

that's why many have a weight goal range - generally of 3-5lbs because it fluctuates day in day out

if you're not enjoying the process, why not? are you following a deprivation diet? have you cut too hard? What are your main challenges?

weight loss is about re-education .. you need to learn how to make the process work for you, in your life because TBH maintenance is the exact same process with a few more calories

I had said i knew it wasn't food.

I don't enjoy the process of dieting because i enjoy food and to achieve my weightloss goals i have to stop eating the things i like in the volumes i did, its hard to switch your habits and physiological relationship with food as i am sure the majority of people would be able to symapthise with.

I have managed to lose 14lbs before Christmas and getting back on the horse again after mostly maintaining over 3 months is tough. I know what i have to do but lack the enthusiasm

Oh I completely empathise with the psychological connection with food and how hard it is to adjust.

But it's not impossible and it is important that your attitude to food and overconsumption adjusts until you're at a point of enjoying the process .. because as I said it doesn't end.

So if you can find foods you still love that you can eat more freely .. or ways to change previous habits around foods you can adjust to that expectation

I, like many, have always failed with 'diets' because I always thought I'll just lose the weight then I'll be fine .. this time is different because this time I've thought .. how can I make this work for the rest of my life and in the last 9 months my go-to foods, my forethought in meal preparation and planning and my habits have changed .. now my only willpower is involved in sticking to the changes ... but it does get easier IME .. and becomes more natural

it's not an easy process for anyone .. but it does get minimally easier month after month

good luck

bigd66218

I looked at you past few days and you may have the same problem I had with a recent weight gain..sodium. After a few days of drinking water your weight should come down.

Charliecatesq

iK NOW I WI

rabbitjb wrote: »

Charliecatesq wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

So you think you've eaten 10,500 over your maintenance calories in 3 days??

doubt it

it's water weight fluctuations - hormonal - ovulation / periods, excess sodium, change-up in exercise

that's why many have a weight goal range - generally of 3-5lbs because it fluctuates day in day out

if you're not enjoying the process, why not? are you following a deprivation diet? have you cut too hard? What are your main challenges?

weight loss is about re-education .. you need to learn how to make the process work for you, in your life because TBH maintenance is the exact same process with a few more calories

I had said i knew it wasn't food.

I don't enjoy the process of dieting because i enjoy food and to achieve my weightloss goals i have to stop eating the things i like in the volumes i did, its hard to switch your habits and physiological relationship with food as i am sure the majority of people would be able to symapthise with.

I have managed to lose 14lbs before Christmas and getting back on the horse again after mostly maintaining over 3 months is tough. I know what i have to do but lack the enthusiasm

Oh I completely empathise with the psychological connection with food and how hard it is to adjust.

But it's not impossible and it is important that your attitude to food and overconsumption adjusts until you're at a point of enjoying the process .. because as I said it doesn't end.

So if you can find foods you still love that you can eat more freely .. or ways to change previous habits around foods you can adjust to that expectation

I, like many, have always failed with 'diets' because I always thought I'll just lose the weight then I'll be fine .. this time is different because this time I've thought .. how can I make this work for the rest of my life and in the last 9 months my go-to foods, my forethought in meal preparation and planning and my habits have changed .. now my only willpower is involved in sticking to the changes ... but it does get easier IME .. and becomes more natural

it's not an easy process for anyone .. but it does get minimally easier month after month

good luck

I know i will get there eventually but it is tough, i think i am putting pressure on myself as a i have a wedding in July to go to and i want to look great, seeing 3lbs appear out of no where does get that little voice in your head saying "why are you bothering" and i would be easier to pack it all in but i am determined to keep going. Thanks for your lovely reply.

Charliecatesq

bigd66218 wrote: »

I looked at you past few days and you may have the same problem I had with a recent weight gain..sodium. After a few days of drinking water your weight should come down.

Thank you, i think that might be the issue too, i don't usually have as many "convenience foods" as i have had recently, i have packed up half the kitchen and lacking motivation and energy to fish everything back out! I shall keep up the water intake and see how things look in a few days. Thank you

scottacular

You probably just need a really big poop. Eat more fibre as well as drinking more water to make this happen. You'll probably recoil in disgust, but you'll thank me for this suggestion when you're floating out of the bathroom because you're so light.

Charliecatesq

scottacular wrote: »

You probably just need a really big poop. Eat more fibre as well as drinking more water to make this happen. You'll probably recoil in disgust, but you'll thank me for this suggestion when you're floating out of the bathroom because you're so light.

As an ex nurse and kennel worker (and adult) i don't recoil at the idea of poo.

You did make me laugh though

sgthaggard

Your body's like a toddler - you can keep pushing it in the right direction but it works on its own schedule and takes a lot of detours to look at bugs. Eventually, it will get there.

Sued0nim

sgthaggard wrote: »

Your body's like a toddler - you can keep pushing it in the right direction but it works on its own schedule and takes a lot of detours to look at bugs. Eventually, it will get there.

I like that analogy

it also throws tantrums

Charliecatesq

Haha i like it too! I always refer to myself as being a tantruming toddler because i can't have junk when i want it if i still want to be full.

clare_harte

I've just put on 3 lbs in a day!!!! And kept to my calories! But I have looked at nutrition and my salt intake was way too high as was my sugar!!! I hope it's this!!
Was losing a steady 2lbs and then bang weight gain!!!!!!! I had even been adding vino and cheese which actually made up the majority o my snacks and night time meals!

CSARdiver

Charliecatesq wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

So you think you've eaten 10,500 over your maintenance calories in 3 days??

doubt it

it's water weight fluctuations - hormonal - ovulation / periods, excess sodium, change-up in exercise

that's why many have a weight goal range - generally of 3-5lbs because it fluctuates day in day out

if you're not enjoying the process, why not? are you following a deprivation diet? have you cut too hard? What are your main challenges?

weight loss is about re-education .. you need to learn how to make the process work for you, in your life because TBH maintenance is the exact same process with a few more calories

I had said i knew it wasn't food.

I don't enjoy the process of dieting because i enjoy food and to achieve my weightloss goals i have to stop eating the things i like in the volumes i did, its hard to switch your habits and physiological relationship with food as i am sure the majority of people would be able to symapthise with.

I have managed to lose 14lbs before Christmas and getting back on the horse again after mostly maintaining over 3 months is tough. I know what i have to do but lack the enthusiasm

Try thinking of this like finance. We all enjoy spending money, but spending outside your budget isn't healthy and will have very serious consequences.

Dieting is the same. Despite all the negative connections we have with dieting - largely thanks to the dieting industry - all MFP does is present us with knowledge of our budget. I know I have 2200 calories/day to spend as I wish.

Understanding how your brain works in this is key to your success. With every bad habit you need to replace this with a good habit. Don't tackle more than 1-2 habits at a time.

...for the record my weight fluctuates ~5lbs throughout the day. Nothing more than water weight.

kgirlhart

It is most likely sodium related water weight. I had a high sodium day yesterday and I was up 2.4 pounds today. Weight fluctuates.

Tacklewasher

I posted this somewhere else, but wouldn't it be nice to just always lose .28571428571 lb every day
I was my lowest in memory yesterday, but of course I'm up 1.1 today. Sigh,