Nobody gains six pounds over five days, do they?

AmyWebb2

I am so SICK of dieting, and working hard, just to gain six pounds since Sunday!
I work out every day. I drink a lot of water. While I may be slightly above my calorie requirement sometimes, I'm not over by a ton. Perhaps 200 calories or so...which I know adds up, but over five days six pounds?!
Does a person retain water in the summer? I know in Kansas, where I am, it's been 100-105 for the past several days.
I don't know what to do, but I am frustrated and want to quit and I've tried so hard. I've been doing this since January 1, so I've been in this battle a while.

desidelay

Last weekend I managed to "gain" about 6 pounds in 24 hours with an hour of cardio and 1200 calorie diet. Over the next few days it came off, as it was excess water and undigested food. I was incredibly discouraged to see it on the scale, however I am learning to realize that it's not true weight gain. Don't worry, you are likely retaining water/waste... not fat.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

It could be water... number 1 priority is to stay plenty hydrated in that heat and don't forget to get enough electrolytes. You lose a lot of salt sweating, just like you lose water. Don't focus on a single weight reading, but instead look at trends over several weeks. 5 days is not enough to establish a trend, much less any useful information from a single reading.

You said you started Jan. 1. Have you been losing weight since then?

AmyWebb2

midwesterner85 wrote: »

You said you started Jan. 1. Have you been losing weight since then?

Oh yes. I've lost almost 50 pounds. It's just been this last week that I noticed such a high gain. I've gained other weeks, believe me, but nothing like this. And I am so hungry and just want to eat a burger or something, but I've worked so hard to lose what I have and don't want to ruin everything...it's just so hard to see higher numbers.

AliceDark

A lot of things can influence water retention (sodium, travel, new/increased exercise, etc.), and there probably is some tightening up you could do on your logging (food scale, not using homemade entries unless you used the Recipe Builder to create them, etc.). Everyone has a normal weight fluctuation range; do you know what yours is? There's no way you gained six pounds of fat in less than a week, so it has to be a combination of water retention and your natural weight fluctuations.

However...when's the last time you changed the batteries in your scale? Does your scale live in one place, on a flat surface, or do you bring it out and put it away every time you weigh in? Before freaking out, try changing the batteries and leave it in one stationary place (if you're not doing that already.

sunnybeaches105

Did you consume more sodium than normal?

taco_inspector

Amy, a gallon of water weighs about 8.35lbs putting the weight of a single cup of water in the half-pound range.

6lbs of water weight is quite easy to run into, and sadly, even "more easy" for the ladies without regard for season or outside temperature.

Keep on your course and do stay hydrated, this too shall "pass"

cross2bear

You would have to consume LOTS of calories to truly gain 6 pounds of fat - there are 3500 calories in a pound, so 3500 x6 =21000 calories - over your maintenance level - to gain 6 lbs. Did you do that? I didnt think so! So these are the normal variations that are very common in those losing weight - dont sweat it (or maybe you should "sweat" it!!)

Need2Exerc1se

AmyWebb2 wrote: »

I am so SICK of dieting, and working hard, just to gain six pounds since Sunday!
I work out every day. I drink a lot of water. While I may be slightly above my calorie requirement sometimes, I'm not over by a ton. Perhaps 200 calories or so...which I know adds up, but over five days six pounds?!
Does a person retain water in the summer? I know in Kansas, where I am, it's been 100-105 for the past several days.
I don't know what to do, but I am frustrated and want to quit and I've tried so hard. I've been doing this since January 1, so I've been in this battle a while.

Besides fat and muscle, your body weight is comprised of things not affected by calories.

tlflag1620

AmyWebb2 wrote: »

midwesterner85 wrote: »

You said you started Jan. 1. Have you been losing weight since then?

Oh yes. I've lost almost 50 pounds. It's just been this last week that I noticed such a high gain. I've gained other weeks, believe me, but nothing like this. And I am so hungry and just want to eat a burger or something, but I've worked so hard to lose what I have and don't want to ruin everything...it's just so hard to see higher numbers.

Eating a burger won't ruin anything. The increase you've seen is in all likelihood water weight (I retain more water in the summer months too). If it is burn out you are feeling, you can always eat at maintenance for a week or two to give yourself a "break", then get back at it after the heat wave (hopefully!) is over. The water weight will come off regardless.

You've done a great job to lose 50 lbs in less than seven months! That is so wonderful! Have you readjusted your rate of loss since losing so much? As you get closer to goal, 2 lbs per week becomes less realistic and harder to stick to (I don't know what your rate of loss is set to, but 50 lbs in 6-7 months tells me you are most likely set to lose 2 lbs per week). It may simply be time to be less aggressive. Try 1 lb per week for a while - you'll continue to lose and maybe won't feel so hungry.

BillMcKay1

AmyWebb2 wrote: »

I am so SICK of dieting, and working hard, just to gain six pounds since Sunday!
I work out every day. I drink a lot of water. While I may be slightly above my calorie requirement sometimes, I'm not over by a ton. Perhaps 200 calories or so...which I know adds up, but over five days six pounds?!
Does a person retain water in the summer? I know in Kansas, where I am, it's been 100-105 for the past several days.
I don't know what to do, but I am frustrated and want to quit and I've tried so hard. I've been doing this since January 1, so I've been in this battle a while.

Unless you spent those 5 days going crazy at an all inclusive Mexican resort, it's unlikely you ate/drank enough of a surplus to put on 5 pounds of fat.

You can especially retain water in the body during the summer. With the heat and sweating hot weather can bring, if you are not hydrating properly, your body will retain fluid to "reuse".When many people who aren't drinking enough fluids start to properly hydrate themselves, they drop a bunch of scale weight quickly. They didn't shed 5 lbs of fat, but a combination of some fat and a bunch of "water".

Keep on doing what you are doing, drink lots of water and you will probably see things back to normal in a day or three.


http://blog.expelis.com/dehydration-and-water-retention.html

xjessicaxrx

I posted similar on monday, i gained 7lb in 3 days! im still 4lb up now its not all budging

cerise_noir

Yep.... TOM. Easy.
Other causes: Starting or increasing exercise, too much sodium, dehydrated...

endlessfall16

I routinely gain from 1 to 7 lbs over almost every weekend and my weekend starts on Friday. My gain is definitely a combination of excessive liquid and a ton of eating as my family cook serious "special occasion" dishes. I don't count or mind any amount of calories. But over the course of weekdays I drop all the gains.

In my opinion you are doing your diet too hard or you are mismanaging your calories if you feel "I am so hungry and just want to eat a burger or something," but you are afraid of ruining your work.

Contradicting as this may sound, and to me it's kinda a "secret", a big key to successful weight managing is...to EAT WELL when you do. That means, eat sufficiently a lot and at correct time. Eating a lot and at proper time fuels the body well and it burns calories much more than usual. That's what I am doing and I feel psychologically and physiologically satisfied and full of energy! It's like money management/investment. Saving isn't bad but big spending at right time is also great!

T1DCarnivoreRunner

AmyWebb2 wrote: »

midwesterner85 wrote: »

You said you started Jan. 1. Have you been losing weight since then?

Oh yes. I've lost almost 50 pounds. It's just been this last week that I noticed such a high gain. I've gained other weeks, believe me, but nothing like this. And I am so hungry and just want to eat a burger or something, but I've worked so hard to lose what I have and don't want to ruin everything...it's just so hard to see higher numbers.

Take a deep breath and don't dwell on temporary scale fluctuations. If you haven't done so recently, update your calorie intake goals because you will have a lower RMR now that you weigh 50 lbs. less than when you started.

zorhiannon

Time of the month can be a thing - on one week of the month I'm about 3lbs heavier then it soon drops off, so this doubled with water retention etc. could have something to do with it? Don't quit just wait it out, you've done so well!

savithny

Remember: "A pint's a pound the world around." fluid weight is real.

Wicked_Seraph

It's absolutely possible to gain six pounds in five days. I managed to gain 6lbs in three.

Mind you, it's not going to be 6lbs of FAT. That's the difference. It's very likely water retention due to sodium and eating a bit more carbaliciously than usual. Stick with things, tighten up your logging, and it'll all come back off :>

ninerbuff

Lol, I can gain 6lbs in one day. Of course most of it is water retention.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

AmyWebb2

I've had a bit more water today than usual to try to flush things out a bit. Also, TOM isn't an issue for me...hysterectomy in December took care of that. As I type this, I can see my socks' tops are digging into my ankle. That's not usual, so maybe it is just water. All I know is I'll be happy when it is gone. I like weighing less, and I feel better too. I need to stay determined and watch my calories. Also, maybe lessen the sodium.

Shana67

I gained 8 lbs in 7 days on our vacation - heck yes, it's possible! However, I have also found that weight that I gain quickly, I am able to lose pretty quickly as well. I'm not sure if that is the case for everyone else, but it has been my experience