4.6 lb gain in 1 week?!?!

jaceface87

Hello everyone, I'm no stranger to diet and exercise. My entire life I've been in a constant struggle to keep my weight under control. After turning 23 it seemed to only get harder and I tend to always carry around an extra 20-30 lbs. I do the T-25 exercises about 3 times per week and I jog 2-3 times a week. I was doing well and had lost 9 pounds until last week I noticed the weight creeping back on. I monitor everything. I consume between 1200 - 1500 calories a day. I had a BMR and body composition test done at my university and my BMR is 1580 calories per day. (I would burn that if I stayed in bed all day) therefore, this drastic weight gain could not possibly be fat, but I'm not naive enough to believe I've gained 4.6 lbs of muscle either. What gives?! Its been about a week and the scale just keeps going up despite calorie deficit and working out. Starting to feel really frustrated.

sammyliftsandeats

Water weight? Is it getting close to your time of the month?

Water retention from sodium consumption?

Water retention from muscle repair from your workouts?

tlflag1620

Short answer - water weight. Did you consume more sodium and/or carbs than usual this week? Is your TOM approaching? Did you make any recent changes to exercise intensity? All can contribute to water retention.

Are you weighing your food to track intake?

Unknown

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kshama2001

Is the working out new? My scale shot up 7 pounds when I started lifting weights again last fall. Came back off within a few weeks.

Where are you in your menstrual cycle? Many women gain at ovulation and premenstrually.

RoxieDawn

Water weight! Its a perfect storm of any or all the below:

1) muscle recovery
2) hydration (electrolyte imbalance)
3) hormones
4) sodium
5) Carb in take (more carbs in the diet than normal will cause water weight gain)

mom22dogs

I gained 7 lbs over the 4th of July weekend from eating out twice and eating at a family cook out. Took 2 weeks to lose the extra water weight. It's amazing to me how much extra weight and fluid a person can retain just from having more sodium. I actually didn't eat much over my daily calories - maybe 200 cals.

Nikion901

Someone already mentioned carbs, but I gain if I eat too much protein as well as too many carbs. ... and have gained as much as 6 pounds in a week and lost it again the next week after keeping my cals and macros in line.

socalgirl4723

I had the same problem this week, same amount of weight gain, even though I am doing everything the same which made me lose 4 lbs last week! I am not sure where you live but it has been REALLY hot where I live and I cannot seem to get enough water. I think my body may be suffering from heat exhaustion and it is holding onto all the water. So, I am going to give it a few days and see if it goes back down.

jaceface87

That may be it. I did go out for mexican food one night, but usually it doesn't throw me off this back. Also, it's been in the 90s here lately. Perhaps that has a lot to do with it too. I will just keep better track of my sodium and try to drink more water now. Thanks for the advice everyone!

trigden1991

jaceface87 wrote: »

That may be it. I did go out for mexican food one night, but usually it doesn't throw me off this back. Also, it's been in the 90s here lately. Perhaps that has a lot to do with it too. I will just keep better track of my sodium and try to drink more water now. Thanks for the advice everyone!

I think you just answered your own question. Sodium loaded mexican food = water retention.