Huge weight swings

looney9708

I am curious if other people experience such intense weight swings. I have some autoimmune conditions and a lot of inflammation which I'm sure contributes. I'm just unsure if that is the root cause of if this is normal.

My weight last week after a couple of meals out and extra wine jumped up 6 pounds. Then came down 9 later in the week. Only to jump back up after eating out but I had grilled chicken and steamed veggies. Yea there was a sauce so it wasn't a perfect healthy meal. I realize there is sodium but another 7 pound jump is intense. I can feel my feet and hands begin to expand too when this is about to happen.

I realize it's glycogen and not real weight but it's discouraging. I can't nor so I want to always eat perfect. But a cheat meal or evening out doesn't feel worth it. Plus I don't know what I actually weigh!?

Your insights would be helpful to give me perspective.

sijomial

I am curious if other people experience such intense weight swings. I have some autoimmune conditions and a lot of inflammation which I'm sure contributes.
Not such big swings but 4lbs in a few days isn't that unusual. Yep - inflammation is added water.

Plus I don't know what I actually weigh!?
You weigh whatever it says on the scales on any particular day or at any particular point in a day.
Or alternatively "I weigh somewhere between X & Y" or "I weigh about X".

I realize it's glycogen and not real weight but it's discouraging.
Not really - it's water retention. It would only be glycogen (plus the water it binds with) if you were significantly glycogen depleted. Unless you are doing endurance cardio (unfuelled) you shouldn't be significantly glycogen depleted at maintenance. And water is real weight too.
Hold up a pint glass full of water - that has a real weight.
Glycogen is real weight.
The food in your GI tract is real weight.
The inflammation in your swollen hands and feet is real weight. etc. etc..

Yea there was a sauce so it wasn't a perfect healthy meal.
What on earth was in that sauce to make it unhealthy? Cyanide perhaps?

To get perspective - can you express why your precise weight is so important to you that you feel enjoying a nice meal or social event isn't worth it when you know it's just a temporary blip?

RoxieDawn

You don't know what you actual weigh? How did you measure that you gained exactly X pounds and lost X pounds..

@sijomial.. instead of marking awesome, I decided to just say NICE!!

RosieRose7673

Mine can swing dramatically. When I've eaten really healthy and cooked my own meals for a few days and combine that with some working out, my weight will go down to 128/129. If I go out to eat and have some beer or wine, it'll swing up to 131-132. If I do that a few days in a row, it'll go up to 134. It always goes back down though. So I just consider my real weight ~130.

TOM... Oh man, that's when my weight really gets up there and stays for about 10 days. Blah!

STEVE142142

Your weight will vary during the day by a couple pounds. That's normal based on what you eat how you feel conditions conditions. What you have to realize is that you don't have a real weight it fluctuates.Don't let the scale control you you have to control the scale. I've weighed myself and I've seen my weight vary anywhere from two to six pounds over the course of the day.

I'm like you if I had to give up stuff I like I could never have done this. Was on the beach today had a couple beers doesn't even phase me. I truly believe for this to be successful and sustainable it has to be looked at as far as a lifestyle change. My other suggestion is please don't call this a cheat meal. By calling it a cheat you're implying you're doing something wrong you're not. You're being human and you're enjoying yourself.

mommarnurse

The weight you see is real but it certainly doesn't represent fat gain. You know that's impossible unless you're eating at such a surplus, and you're clearly not.

It's so easy to get drawn into this mindset of fear, but don't let it make you not enjoy life.

rosebarnalice

My weight typically swings about 6 lbs over the course of a week--particularly on weekends when I'm moer likely to indulge in sweets, salt, and alcohol. My "weigh day" is on Wednesday-- which I find is typically my lowest weight day of the week, so that's what I take as my recorded weight.

looney9708

I try to not have the number on the scale dictate my feelings of success. It's so much work to lose fat and in terrified that I'm going to enjoy myself too much and lose all the hard work and effort.

Thank you all for the guidance and reassurance. I know what you are saying to be correct but it's hard to own it for myself. Thanks!

Cheesy567

I'm still losing (CW 295), but also have an autoimmune disease and experience very large weight fluctuations during the week. When I started, it'd be 14 pounds in a week, now more typically 5-6 pounds.

Some weeks are bigger swings due to chewing/swallowing issues leading to dehydration, IV infusions, sub-Q infusions, steroids, etc. I've just learned to see the weekly and monthly patterns, and find them to be comforting now.

If I have a sudden gain, I have to consider how I'm feeling-- sometimes I'm feeling fantastic and it's rehydration after a difficult week swallowing-wise; other times it's too many carbs causing me to retain water and I feel swollen and tender.

Cheesy567

And if you think there are foods triggering inflammation for you, you might want to look into an elimination diet to find the culprit. I followed the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, and discovered many intolerances/ inflammatory reactions to common foods and oils (soy, almonds, tomatoes and other nightshades, etc). It was tremendously helpful for managing some symptoms, although I didn't see significant improvements in my main autoimmune diseases. Info about the AIP can be found (for free) at PaleoMom's website, more info (and more how-to type info) at AutoimmuePaleo.

looney9708

Cheesy567 wrote: »

And if you think there are foods triggering inflammation for you, you might want to look into an elimination diet to find the culprit. I followed the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, and discovered many intolerances/ inflammatory reactions to common foods and oils (soy, almonds, tomatoes and other nightshades, etc). It was tremendously helpful for managing some symptoms, although I didn't see significant improvements in my main autoimmune diseases. Info about the AIP can be found (for free) at PaleoMom's website, more info (and more how-to type info) at AutoimmuePaleo.

Thank you so much! I definitely can feel the retention and the swelling and I know my weight will go up. I've been doing fodmap diet and have been lakes formulate some time. Glad that I'm not alone. I just don't want it to be fat

ilovecoffee

Been there. It is so frustrating! There are a few reasons for summer weight gain--

1. Your body will hold on to extra water to compensate for increased sweating.
2. Because it is hotter, your body does not have to expend as much energy keeping up your body temperature.
3. Due to the heat, you tend to move less and thus burn fewer calories.

Once aware of this, you can make adjustments and keep your weight to where you want it to be. I try to just keep well hydrated and do all of my workouts early in the morning. Hope this helps:)

junodog1

I weight myself every morning nekkid. This is my MFP report.
See the blue line - that is what matters. Ignore the daily ups and down, unless your line is going up.