I'm so upset!!!!

zfitgal
zfitgal Posts: 518 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I had surgery on my foot 12 weeks ago (i was at my goal weight)...I went back to the gym 1 week later only doing upper body. I never went on the scale because I had a cast and there really was no point. My diet was perfect, i lowered my calories to 1700 because i knew i wasnt going to be moving much. 6 weeks ago I was able to start doing all my activities again. So I started my cardio, still eating 1700 calories. 2 weeks ago I raised them to 1800 thinking I could. I've been feeling thick and puffy lately. I went on the scale today and I am 6 pounds up post surgery. I am so upset!! I have been working so hard daily.

I was eating 1650-1700 daily to get to my goal weight. I now feel I have to start all over!!! I kind of want to indulge tonight and start tomorrow. I wish I went on the scale earlier, i would have caught this earlier appose to increasing calories.

This is so weird because I even started walking more in the past few weeks (This is on top of my 6 day a week training).

I understand how i could have gained this weight, but I dontbunderstand how I didn't lose it inbthe past 6 weeks that I have been up and moving.

I'm going to cry. #help

Replies

  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 518 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    Over what time period did you gain six pounds? Was this over 12 weeks since your surgery, or over two weeks since increasing your calories from 1700 to 1800?

    Feeling puffy sounds very much like water retention, which is expected when increasing your activity level, as you have done recently. It does not sound like you gained six pounds of fat.

    today was the first time that I went on the scale in the past 12 weeks. I just feel so thick. I felt so tight and lean before surgery and I want to get back to that point again.

    i increased to 1800 because that's where I was prior to surgery. I wasn't exactly where I physically was before the increase. Maybe I should have waited and went on the scale before raising my calories.

    for the past 6 weeks I stayed within my calories and tracked everything.. what do u suggest I do.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    surgery takes a lot out of you so try not to stress too much! it will go back down again! As said above, probably a lot of water retention (the puffy feels is usually water-related) as you heal. Give it some time it will start coming down again. HUGS
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I think you should just stick with 1700-1800 calories , work on getting back to your normal level of activity and weigh yourself regularly. Don't judge your progress based on one weigh in. Don't be devastated or give up.
    You are likely retaining water and that is most of the 6 lbs. 6 lbs is not a lot. It will come off again.
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
    How is your foot now? Any remaining swelling? And are you still taking any medications that could be affecting water retention?

    Even when I had a fairly minor surgery to remove screws etc from my ankle, I had swelling for a good few months (slowly reducing over that time). So I'd say it's likely still some water weight and just try to stick to your goal calories and be patient. :heart:
  • mariececilia10
    mariececilia10 Posts: 77 Member
    Is it possible that you could be at a point in your cycle that could be contributing to water retention?
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 518 Member
    jo_nz wrote: »
    How is your foot now? Any remaining swelling? And are you still taking any medications that could be affecting water retention?

    Even when I had a fairly minor surgery to remove screws etc from my ankle, I had swelling for a good few months (slowly reducing over that time). So I'd say it's likely still some water weight and just try to stick to your goal calories and be patient. :heart:

    I didnt take any medications after my surgery. it is still slightly swollen. but it's been 3 months and I'm doing all the activity I was doing prior to my surgery.

  • amyepdx
    amyepdx Posts: 750 Member
    How much had you lost to get to goal? If it was more than 6 lbs, then you hardly need to start over. That kind of a gain (especially after surgery) is part of what maintenance is about. No starting over, just keeping going.
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 518 Member
    mariececilia10 wrote: »
    Is it possible that you could be at a point in your cycle that could be contributing to water retention?

    my cycle is expected in 9 days, I wish that were the case. It's funny I use a tape measure to measure my progress. My thighs usually measure 21.5 inches, today they were 22.5. ..that's 1 inch difference from last weel...I hate complaining but I'm doing everything right and.measuring everything by the gram (even my mustard :)).

    I'm training hard and heavy and intense, so I just don't really understand.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    I sometimes have a six pound water weight gain in ONE DAY due to water. When I hurt my leg I gained 5 lbs temporarily. Twelve weeks may seem like a long time, but you're just now starting to be properly healed.

    At least for me, only weighing every few weeks would not work. It's too easy to lie to myself about how much activity I'm getting and what I need to be eating. I think probably part of your weight is water weight, but if not, lesson learned, you lost the weight before and you can lose it again. And track more often, you can't stop watching your weight just because you hit goal!
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 518 Member
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    I sometimes have a six pound water weight gain in ONE DAY due to water. When I hurt my leg I gained 5 lbs temporarily. Twelve weeks may seem like a long time, but you're just now starting to be properly healed.

    At least for me, only weighing every few weeks would not work. It's too easy to lie to myself about how much activity I'm getting and what I need to be eating. I think probably part of your weight is water weight, but if not, lesson learned, you lost the weight before and you can lose it again. And track more often, you can't stop watching your weight just because you hit goal!

    I never stopped tracking. I tracked everyday before surgery and everyday after.. I don't lie to myself. Why would I do that? this is all for me.

    today was the first day I weighed myself since surgery.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited November 2018
    My guess is water and inflammation too.

    I tweaked my kneeat playing basketball a few weeks ago, around the same time my autoimmune issues flared up minorly, and I gained six-seven pounds within a few days. It wasn't diet, just my body's reaction to an injury and an immune issue. I lost most of it within 2 weeks once my AI issues calmed down. I'm still up a bit, but my knee is still burning, so my guess is that it will go once I am more fully recovered.

    I have had injuries and autoimmune flare-ups that affected my weight for months. It's annoying, but there was nothing I could do about inflammation.

    My guess is that you still need some more time. If you are tracking, and taking into account less activity, you should be fine. Even if you did somehow gain a few pounds of fat, you know how to lose it.
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    LosingLaurensWay wrote: »
    I was hit by a car while running and was completely out of commission for a year.

    I'm sorry to hear about the accident. I run and cycle both and I worry about getting hit. My thought is that I was hurting myself one fork-full at a time; if I get hit that's on someone else. I still worry about it.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    garystrickland357 wrote: »
    LosingLaurensWay wrote: »
    I was hit by a car while running and was completely out of commission for a year.

    I'm sorry to hear about the accident. I run and cycle both and I worry about getting hit. My thought is that I was hurting myself one fork-full at a time; if I get hit that's on someone else. I still worry about it.

    Right? The hardest part of riding in traffic, in my opinion, is trusting that the drivers behind me will see me, give me room, and not be homicidal maniacs with a hate on for cyclists.

    OP, I agree with posters above that weighing yourself weekly would be the best way to avoid getting shocked after a long time away from the scale. Sticking with 1700 - 1800 calories for a few weeks as suggested while getting back to routine will give you an idea of what you have to do going forward. I understand feeling sad - it's very hard to have to backtrack when life throws you a curve. You're in a position now to take back control, and you have a good record of success to fall back on as you get back into your routines.
  • melissafeagins
    melissafeagins Posts: 1,421 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Your body is trying to heal. It's holding water to repair the damage. Hence this...
    zfitgal wrote: »
    I've been feeling thick and puffy lately.

    Just keep doing the right thing. Give your body time to heal. You'll get there.

    Thanks, @Quiksylver296 for preaching my sermon. :)
    Seriously, OP, you're doing all of the right things, just let your body get all the way better. It will know when it doesn't need to hold every extra ounce and stop doing it.
  • Phoebe5164
    Phoebe5164 Posts: 79 Member
    I spent 8 months in bed , all my muscles got soft and my legs were so giggly ☹️. You have to understand that a healing body has to be given time to heal and stressing out won’t help 🌸I actually ate more protein during recovery which you’re supposed to do so your body heals.

    I’ll bet as soon as you’re 100% and active again you’ll have a good loss ,but by saying you took no medication I hope you really gave your body the best situation to heal . Pain killers allow us and our bodies to relax and heal , I trust my drs so I take them .

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