Unexpected Weight Gain - Upset

emmarobbo2756

Hello everyone,

I was looking for some advice.
I am on a diet at the moment.

I am 28 years old, a woman and at the start of the year I weighed 65kg/143lb.
My goal is to be 54kg/119lb.
A week and a bit ago I was at 58.8kg.
I have been using MyFitnessPal to track what I eat and I run/do BBG on 5 days a week.

It's been such slow going but over the last few weeks I've made consistent if not massive progress.
I gave myself a little goal which was to be back at my wedding weight of 58kg by today, my anniversary.
I worked hard this week and while it wasn't perfect, and I reckoned I wouldn't lose a full 2lbs as I wanted, I was secretly hopeful of something good. I went on the scale and I've not just not lost any weight, I've put it on and am back up at 59.1kg.

I'm so sad and disheartened and am now questioning if I tracked my food right and what I've done wrong. I'm also so frustrated not to be able to get even to this preliminary stage. I also have been feeling good in myself all week and felt like maybe I looked to have lost weight. Was I just imagining it because I thought my eating was going well?

Has this happened to other people? What did you do and what did you find was the cause? I'd love some support, I feel very demoralised.

Thank you.

kommodevaran

You can't lose 2 pounds per week at your weight, and your weight naturally fluctuates. Deadlines for weightloss is usually not a good idea. Check your food logging and be patient.

TavistockToad

Sounds like normal water weight fluctuations...

How tall are you? If youre at a normal BMI then weight loss will be slow and you'll need to be patient and consistent.

jdubois5351

I understand where you're coming from. Patience is a virtue that I'm currently learning the very hard way. The first 6 kg came off rather easily, but now I've been stuck between 83.1 and 83.8 kg for what seems like an eternity (in reality, it's been about two weeks). Theoretically, I should be around 82 kg now, but my body doesn't seem to give a *kitten* about that theory. I KNOW I'm doing everything right, and yet ... And this is were patience factors in. I know I need to trust the process, and I know the weight will come off eventually - but it's really hard when you don't really seem to be making any progress even though you should. In my case, I'm very sure that I'm retaining a lot of water (that seems to be a genetic trait, and I also eat a diet high in sodium - which is a whole other problem, and one I really struggle with).

Hang in there and trust the process.

AnvilHead

Three possibilities come to mind:

1) How long have you been doing your exercise routine, and have you recently increased the intensity or frequency? New exercise or changes in your exercise program can result in temporary water weight gain as your muscles hold on to water/glycogen to help repair them.

2) Are you weighing all solid foods with a food scale and measuring all liquids using measuring cups/spoons? Accuracy in tracking/logging can affect how much of a deficit you really have vs. how much you think you have: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1

3) 58.8kg to 59.1 kg (which is only 0.6 pounds) could just be a perfectly normal scale fluctuation, which happens for a variety of reasons. My weight fluctuates more than that on a daily basis, and I don't even have female hormonal issues to deal with. There's a good explanation of it here: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10683010/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-fluctuations/p1

tiptoethruthetulips

300gms? That's not a weight gain, that's a fluctuation. A temporary downward fluctuation.

Machka9

tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »

300gms? That's not a weight gain, that's a fluctuation. A temporary downward fluctuation.

This!

My weight bobs up and down like that for any number of reasons including but not limited to:

-- more exercise than usual
-- drinking more water than usual
-- consuming more salt than usual
-- getting a sunburn
-- being out in hot weather
-- travelling by airplane
-- being sick
-- having surgery
-- being a woman

It happens.

That's why I can never say, "On this date, I'm going to weigh ... " because the moment I do, I'll retain a bit of water and ... nope.

crazypoundstolose

Fluctuations, water weight, muscle mass, could be anything. I do understand how you feel but cool!

88olds

Rethink. This is 99% in your head.

As noted, you can’t stop weight fluctuations. That number on the scale probably has more to do with your last meal or your last workout, than your progress. And if working hard this week means lots of exercise, stressed muscles retain water. Read this board regularly and you find a lot of people in similar circumstances.

How would you be doing without the self imposed deadline? That deadline is entirely an idea in your head. Don’t wreck an effective plan over an unhelpful idea.

If you don’t have one, make a chart of your entire program, from starting weight through today? From your post, you should be looking at a downward trend over time. That’s hard evidence that your plan is working. Don’t let your brain mess this up.

On a thinking level, everyone understands that lasting weight loss requires patience. This is the point where you have to put that into practice. Keep doing what you’re doing. It’s working. Rethink your expectations. Ditch the calendar.

sassysisterjd

Pretty close to your age, and similar stats, so gonna echo the other poster who said 2lbs a week is unrealistic at this size. Even one pound a week is pretty hard. You might have MyFitnessPal set to two pounds, but literally the maths won't add up when there isn't much to lose.

I know it's easy to get hung up on the numbers, but take a deep breath and focus on how much better you feel about yourself, you've already lost an awesome amount. Would that extra pound really have made you look that much better for your anniversary? No one else is even going to know. It's not the end of the world if it takes a little longer than expected. Like all the motivational quotes say - the time is going to pass anyway.

diannethegeek

Good read: http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

Mom2ACJC

I would encourage you to take your body measurements as well. Also, just the fact that you are logging your foods and exercising is progress! Do not let the number on the scale determine if you are succeeding or not.

emmarobbo2756

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for your advice and support.
It really means a lot.

First of all, yes sorry I should have included my height:
Age: 28
Height: 164cm/5f4(5) ish
Start weight: 65kg/143lb
Current weight: 59.1kg/130.3lb
Goal weight: 54kg/119lb.

I'm not very experienced at this weight loss business.
And I take you all seriously that my jump back up to 59.1kg may be a random fluctuation.

I suppose what I found hard was that after a week or more of taking my dieting very seriously and working so hard at it or thought I did, I'd made no progress and gained weight.

I guess I will have to focus on my eating carefully and try to take nothing for granted.
I know that everyone is saying you can't lose weight fast when you are no longer overweight, but isn't it the case that you should be stricter when you're closer to your goal weight?

How did you all manage if you've got near to your goal weight or reached it?

Thank you in advance!

TavistockToad

emmarobbo2756 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for your advice and support.
It really means a lot.

First of all, yes sorry I should have included my height:
Age: 28
Height: 164cm/5f4(5) ish
Start weight: 65kg/143lb
Current weight: 59.1kg/130.3lb
Goal weight: 54kg/119lb.

I'm not very experienced at this weight loss business.
And I take you all seriously that my jump back up to 59.1kg may be a random fluctuation.

I suppose what I found hard was that after a week or more of taking my dieting very seriously and working so hard at it or thought I did, I'd made no progress and gained weight.

I guess I will have to focus on my eating carefully and try to take nothing for granted.
I know that everyone is saying you can't lose weight fast when you are no longer overweight, but isn't it the case that you should be stricter when you're closer to your goal weight?

How did you all manage if you've got near to your goal weight or reached it?

Thank you in advance!

Weight loss when you're already a healthy weight will be very slow, so you need to be consistent and patient.

One week is a drop in the ocean

88olds

emmarobbo2756 wrote: »

but isn't it the case that you should be stricter when you're closer to your goal weight?

How did you all manage if you've got near to your goal weight or reached it?

Thank you in advance!

I made goal on Weight Watchers. Attended meetings. First time, only time on WW, at least so far. First thing I noticed was the line of returning Lifetime members who had gained much, all, or more, of what they had lost. I vowed not to get in that group.

Strict only works if you want to hit your goal, snap a pic and start gaining it back. Otherwise it’s time to think about how you want to live your life from here on out.

My goals were always try this and see what happens sort of things. My initial goal was 204 lbs. then I wanted 200. Then I thought I’d try for 190. My official WW goal was 184 lbs. But I ended up around 175 lbs. Then up to around 180, then a problem up to 186. Now 169. Has more to do with fitness and how I feel than the scale.

elisa123gal

The most important thing I've learned as I've lost my weight is that it takes TIME. Everyone talks about logging, calorie counting, weighing.. blah blah. that's what it takes.. and they leave the time element out.

But.. the truth is "TIME". is the single most important element to losing weight. It takes the body time to shed fat..to shape up... The problem with most people on here is they want consistent fast weight loss. It just doesn't happen that way.

Logic dictates that if you're eating healthy and exercising.. eventually the body responds.

But the body won't respond on demand or by a date. Stick with it... you've done a great job already.

jdubois5351

Just to put things into perspective ... I've had a rather low sodium day yesterday, and magically dropped 1 kg overnight, from 83.7 to 82.7 (my lowest number ever).

Machka9

Yeah, this week, I've remained the same for a couple day, then gained 700 grams overnight, then lost half of that, and then lost the other half. Maybe, just maybe tomorrow I'll hit a new low! Or I could go up 600 grams.

Weight loss is all about ups and downs.

TavistockToad

i've gained a pound this week, and am bloated, because i'm ovulating... yay!

Zoejohnse91

TavistockToad wrote: »

i've gained a pound this week, and am bloated, because i'm ovulating... yay!

I feel your pain! Ovulating and then due on and then actually TOM - I have one week where I'm actually a none water retentive blob 😂

Zoejohnse91

What everyone else has said- your weight all is all over the place if you track it religiously. My method is ignore the highs and concentrate on the new lows! As long as my lows get lower every few weeks I'm happy. But also, maybe get a measuring tape and start tracking inches rather than pounds - less fluctuation I've found.