I gained 1.5 pounds in one day?????

alannacarl
alannacarl Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone. I'm really frustrated right now and confused too. Yesterday I ate a little over 1500 calories (goal is 1230) and I exercised and burned a little over 700 calories! When I stepped on the scale this morning I weighed a pound and a half more than I did yesterday! How is this even possible?!

Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Water weight, natural weight fluctuations, etc...
  • princeofmind
    princeofmind Posts: 95 Member
    Water weight, Bowel movements, time of the month etc.
    Your body weight fluctuates by several lbs over the course of a day.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited July 2017
    You weight isn't static. It fluctuates for lots of reasons:

    Hormones - menstruation and ovulation can cause water weight gain
    New exercise - your muscles hold on to water to repair themselves
    Excess sodium - you eat more sodium than your body is used to, you'll retain water
    Flying - causes water weight in some people
    Excessive temperatures outside - causes some people to retain water
    Haven't pooped lately - kinda self-explanatory
    And many more

    In order to gain 1.5 pounds of FAT (not water), you would have had to eaten approximately 5000 calories over your MAINTENANCE calories. Did you do this?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited July 2017
    alannacarl wrote: »
    Hi everyone. I'm really frustrated right now and confused too. Yesterday I ate a little over 1500 calories (goal is 1230) and I exercised and burned a little over 700 calories! When I stepped on the scale this morning I weighed a pound and a half more than I did yesterday! How is this even possible?!

    Because weight fluctuates throughout the day and from day to day...this is a normal thing...you have ever changing fluctuations in water, waste, etc and these can not only be caused by certain definitive factors, but also just occur naturally. Your body is comprised of 50-65% water...it's going to vary day to day. You're always going to have various amounts of inherent waste in your system, etc...more sodium than usual...more carbs than usual will cause water retention...a new workout will cause water retention, etc.

    I'm up 2.8 Lbs from yesterday and there's zero possibility that I ate 10,500 calories over my maintenance. We went out to dinner last night for my kiddos 5th birthday...We most typically eat at home using scratch ingredients or minimally processed ingredients...fairly low sodium and I've been on a relatively low to moderate carb approach for the last few week.

    The restaurant food was heavier than what I would normally have for dinner (more waste), it was higher in sodium than anything we typically have at home (water retention) and more carbs than I typically eat at an evening meal as most of my evening meals consist of only veg and a protein...I had a bunch of chips and salsa and 2 tacos and 2 beers...end result = a lot of water retention and more inherent waste in my system.

    I also have to say that I killed my morning ride this morning...them night carbs baby!

    If you do not understand normal body weight fluctuations I would strongly suggest stepping away from the scale and only weighing in every week or so, or you're gong to go bat *kitten* crazy.
  • KaleidoscopeEyes8
    KaleidoscopeEyes8 Posts: 30 Member
    edited July 2017
    I weigh myself every morning, and my weight constantly fluctuates between 0-4 lbs day to day. Like everyone else said, it's due to a variety of things (water weight, not having pooped in a while, that time of the month, etc.) and is completely normal.

    Most places recommend just weighing yourself once a week for that reason; it's easier to track if you're gaining weight on a consistent basis that way.
  • bluets2011
    bluets2011 Posts: 241 Member
    TOM? 5 pounds for me from one day to the other.
  • Enjcg5
    Enjcg5 Posts: 389 Member
    I gain twice that after breakfast! Relax. Trend your weight on an app like happy weight.
  • theledger5
    theledger5 Posts: 63 Member
    I gained 3.5lbs in one day when I started TOM, 2 days later it was gone plus an extra 1lb! Hormonal fluctuations are a pain but it's important to know it's normal and for it not to define your week.
  • JetJaguar
    JetJaguar Posts: 801 Member
    edited July 2017
    As an experiment, I once weighed myself every couple of hours for a few days and found my weight fluctuates through an approximately 5 lb. range over the course of 24 hours.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    The other thing you should realize is that a weight drop from losing fat is not an instantaneous process. So if you eat under your deficit for just one day, you won't see the results of that the next day.

    But know that eventually you will be the weight that you deserve to be, just not necessarily at the time you think you deserve it. :)
  • Chadxx
    Chadxx Posts: 1,199 Member
    Perfectly normal for all the reasons given. Heck, I gain a pound just taking a shower. Chug a bunch of water and then hop back on the scale. It will go up by the weight of the water. Fluctuations in weight don't mean you gained fat. Give it time and trust the math.

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