Getting Past Weight Flucuations (Mentally)

cammiecane

So I weigh myself every day. Today, I was over 2lbs heavier. It’s the first day I’ve weighed more since I started trying to lose weight. The logical part of me knows there’s no way I gained 2 pounds from yesterday and that it’s probably just water retention. That being said, there’s another part of my brain that is disgusted and upset. It makes me want to fast all day or something.

So my question is, for those of you who weigh every day or frequently, how did you get past being upset about increases and fluctuations in your weight. If you never did get upset, what prevented you from doing so? Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

TavistockToad

It's not fat gain.

Sounds like it's a question for your treatment team, given your ED background.

cwolfman13

Do the math. To be up 2 Lbs in a day would require 14,000 calories over your maintenance calories.

Beyond that, you're always going to have variable degrees of inherent waste in your system...and the human body is comprised of about 55-65% water which will always fluctuate. Your body weight isn't a static number...you're definitely going to have to come to grips that this is how your body naturally functions or maintenance is going to be a royal nightmare.

kommodevaran

I'm still getting surprises now and then, and feel it in my gut, but it doesn't really bother me anymore, so I don't know how I managed to get "past it"; I think I just decided to accept that fluctuations are just that, up AND down.

middlehaitch

Time, observation, and analysis helps one get over reacting to fluctuations.

You may want to start using a weight trending app so you can get a clearer picture.

There are so many things that can affect water retention, digestion through times, and bowel movement frequency, journaling your day may help you know the whens and whys of your personal weight fluctuations.

I'm 2lbs heavier this week because I retain water during a heat wave. Once it is back to our normal summer heat, I'll pee like an elephant for a day, then return to my normal weight- and get my ankles back.

Cheers, h.

lorrpb

I didn't belive my trainer after he explained fluctuations to me. To prove it to myself, I began weighing daily and tracking in happy scale. Since then it's become a bit of a game guessing if I'll be up down or same on any given day.
So I guess you'd say I got past it by learning and tracking the true "facts".

manderson27

lorrpb wrote: »

I didn't belive my trainer after he explained fluctuations to me. To prove it to myself, I began weighing daily and tracking in happy scale. Since then it's become a bit of a game guessing if I'll be up down or same on any given day.
So I guess you'd say I got past it by learning and tracking the true "facts".

I do this as well but I use Libra to track the trend. It really helped to see the general trend down even though I have blips where I go up as well.

AnnPT77

I didn't get upset.

I'm a data geek, and had been tracking my daily weight for years, even when not trying to lose, so I had a reasonable understanding that weight fluctuates routinely, and had some experiential idea why that happened for me. I also understand that energy balance (calories in, calories out - that sort of thing) is behind fat gain and loss, and nowadays, I know where my calorie intake sits and can make reasonable assumptions about what the scale consequences of said intake may be.

By nature, I'm analytic to a fault, from a subculture that considers a raised eyebrow a very strong expression of a very strong emotion. Mostly, I don't even have emotions, so certainly I don't have any about meaningless temporary scale fluctuations.

I understand that that won't work for everyone.

OTOH, one of the most powerful tools we each have is controlling the things we can, influencing a few more that we can't control, and figuring out how to work around the rest (the parts we can't control or influence). Focusing on what we control/influence is IMO our best path to achieving our goals. My reactions fall firmly into the realm of things I can (learn to) control. But I know it may be easier for me (the unemotional/analytical thing) than for some others.

cammiecane

Thank you to everyone for the helpful advice!!

Tavistock Toad - I don’t really have a treatment team, per se. I have a therapist I see once a week Fridays and then I have to see my GP once a month while I’m actively losing weight. I also don’t want to make everything about my ED. I’d prefer everyone treat me like I’m a “normal” person. I’ve been recovered for over 5 years.

Middlehaitch, lorrpb, manderson27, and AnnPT77 - so it sounds like if I get a tracking app, over time I’ll realize what’s normal for my body and I’ll still be able to make sure I’m on the right track by looking at the trend. Thanks you! I learned about the tracking app a couple of days ago, I think, but for some reason I’ve been procrastination downloading one. I’m definitely going to do that today. I do feel a lot better just knowing this happens to everyone and you all are still successful nonetheless.

Thanks a lot everyone! So glad I found this community!😊

stfpa

I don’t really have any good advice but if it makes you feel better, I’m having the same problem right now. I’ve been weighing myself everyday for a few days and each day I gain weight. I’m not expecting to lose a bunch of weight in a couple days but not even .1? It’s really discouraging. But last time I lost 20 pounds I had the same problem and I remember the trend still being downwards even if sometimes it seems like it’s only going up. At least when we get rid of the water weight, our weight will go down by a decent amount and that’ll be exciting

AnnPT77

Be a little careful with the trending app: It's a help, but it can occasionally mislead, too - a water weight jump that lasts several days can make it think you're trending up, when you're not. Doesn't happen often during weight loss, but I see it fairly often during maintenance. Always think "have I eaten enough calories above maintenance calories to have gained as much as I'm fearing?" It takes a cumulative 3500 calories above maintenance, approximately, to gain a pound. You won't eat that much extra in a brief time without realizing it.

Also, when you start out, it takes a while to get enough data into it to establish a valid trend: The trend line can be even more wonky until you have at least 2-3 weeks of data in it. It needs a bit of data in there to establish a trend from.

cammiecane

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Be a little careful with the trending app: It's a help, but it can occasionally mislead, too - a water weight jump that lasts several days can make it think you're trending up, when you're not. Doesn't happen often during weight loss, but I see it fairly often during maintenance. Always think "have I eaten enough calories above maintenance calories to have gained as much as I'm fearing?" It takes a cumulative 3500 calories above maintenance, approximately, to gain a pound. You won't eat that much extra in a brief time without realizing it.

Also, when you start out, it takes a while to get enough data into it to establish a valid trend: The trend line can be even more wonky until you have at least 2-3 weeks of data in it. It needs a bit of data in there to establish a trend from.

Thank you so much for the heads up and all the info. That’s good to know. I just downloaded Happy Scale yesterday so I’ll keep all your advice in mind. 🙂

kdbulger

I remind myself that sensible small changes led to my success, and will also help me shed water retention. I look at my data: have I been lacking in sleep? Drinking enough water? Expecting my period? Ate a sodium-heavy meal in the past few days?

Have I been tracking everything and closing my diary at the end of each night?

Have I been measuring and weighing my portions?

I tend to tighten up on these little things and see how the next weight in goes.