20 lbs in two months???

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12kelly34
12kelly34 Posts: 7 Member
in Motivation and Support
I weighed myself on Friday and I have gained TWENTY POUNDS in TWO MONTHS. I’m freaking out. How is that possible??? I guess I fell off the wagon a bit with eating and drinking and I’ve been traveling for the holidays a lot so exercise has been difficult... but still! Is it possible for it to come off that quickly too? I’m a fairly active 24 year old female. Any advice for me?

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  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    20 pounds in two months is a lot. Are you using the same scale? Time of month, water weight fluctuations. Hopefully it's more like 15 pounds.

    A 2 pound a week weight loss goal is more appropriate when you have 75+ pounds to lose. So no, you can't expect to lose 15 or 20 pounds that fast. Choose a weekly goal that's no more than 1% of your current weight.

    I've lost and regained too. Find changes you can live with forever.
  • Dilvish
    Dilvish Posts: 398 Member
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    Could be the scale. some home scales can be off as much as 2-5lbs. Was it the same scale you used before the 2 months?

    Water retention also plays a factor.

    Losing 20lbs is great but putting a 2 month time limit on it is insane if you want to keep it off. Weight loss is a journey not a destination. Habit changes versus "diet" is the only successful way to lose weight and keep it off.

    At 2 months you would have to lose 2.5lbs per week which is aggressive and ultimately unsustainable in the long term. You'd have to have roughly an 8700 calorie deficit every week.
  • 12kelly34
    12kelly34 Posts: 7 Member
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    It’s the same scale. Even if it’s five pounds off, 15 pounds is still a ton for me. I wish I could undo it... losing that is going to take months.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    If you put twenty pounds on in two months(this most likely water weight), conceivably you could reverse your weight gain in two months.

    What are your stats? Height, weight now, goal?
  • 12kelly34
    12kelly34 Posts: 7 Member
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    I’m 5’6” and now 174 lbs. I was 154 lbs at the beginning of November. My weight has been up and down between 135 and 155 in the last couple years, but never ever this high.
  • Jackie9003
    Jackie9003 Posts: 1,109 Member
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    L1zardQueen wrote: »
    If you put twenty pounds on in two months(this most likely water weight), conceivably you could reverse your weight gain in two months.

    What are your stats? Height, weight now, goal?

    Not really, it's far easier to gain a pound by eating an extra 3500cals, there's a safe limit to the possible deficit dependent upon height, current weight and BMR.

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    Last year, I crashed and burned and it took me three months to gain the weight that it took me five months of excellent stats to get off.

    I still have five pounds to get back to where I was in May and am staying focused on the habits that will keep me going this time, rather than the stats.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    Jackie9003 wrote: »
    L1zardQueen wrote: »
    If you put twenty pounds on in two months(this most likely water weight), conceivably you could reverse your weight gain in two months.

    What are your stats? Height, weight now, goal?

    Not really, it's far easier to gain a pound by eating an extra 3500cals, there's a safe limit to the possible deficit dependent upon height, current weight and BMR.

    I’m addressing her panic. She could have conceivably gained 20 pounds of actual body fat, but it is most not likely. Everyday she would need to eat 1200 calories over her maintenance every day. That is a lot of extra food. I could be wrong. Not the first time.

    Back to the OP, get back to logging. Pick one pound per week weight loss goal, get back to your exercising. It will be okay.

    Are you possibly pregnant? Get checked by your doctor if you weight continues to climb. Hugs
  • 12kelly34
    12kelly34 Posts: 7 Member
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    L1zardQueen wrote: »
    Jackie9003 wrote: »
    L1zardQueen wrote: »
    If you put twenty pounds on in two months(this most likely water weight), conceivably you could reverse your weight gain in two months.

    What are your stats? Height, weight now, goal?

    Not really, it's far easier to gain a pound by eating an extra 3500cals, there's a safe limit to the possible deficit dependent upon height, current weight and BMR.

    I’m addressing her panic. She could have conceivably gained 20 pounds of actual body fat, but it is most not likely. Everyday she would need to eat 1200 calories over her maintenance every day. That is a lot of extra food. I could be wrong. Not the first time.

    Back to the OP, get back to logging. Pick one pound per week weight loss goal, get back to your exercising. It will be okay.

    Are you possibly pregnant? Get checked by your doctor if you weight continues to climb. Hugs

    Thanks for the encouragement and advice. I’m not pregnant. I’ll go to the doctor if logging doesn’t begin to work. I’m going to blame all of the holiday wine and cookies for now, but I’m still baffled.
  • BethE238
    BethE238 Posts: 222 Member
    edited January 2019
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    Hi, jumping in to say, may be worth having your thyroid checked. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid around your age, and had similar height/weight stats as you. I was working out and eating pretty normal, and all of a sudden gained a ton super fast. May not be it at all in your case, but worth checking. Your TSH level should be between .3 to 3. If this is the case and you get on medications, it won’t help you lose, it will just help you not gain more. You will still have to focus on getting the weight off in a healthy and steady way.
  • 12kelly34
    12kelly34 Posts: 7 Member
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    BethE238 wrote: »
    Hi, Just jumping in to say, may be worth having your thyroid checked. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid around your age, and had similar height/weight stats as you. I was working out and eating pretty normal, and all of a sudden gained a ton super fast. May not be it at all in your case, but worth checking. Your TSH level should be between .3 to 3

    My mom, aunt, and grandpa all have hypothyroidism. It’s genetic, right? I should get that check. Thanks!
  • BethE238
    BethE238 Posts: 222 Member
    edited January 2019
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    12kelly34 wrote: »
    BethE238 wrote: »
    Hi, Just jumping in to say, may be worth having your thyroid checked. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid around your age, and had similar height/weight stats as you. I was working out and eating pretty normal, and all of a sudden gained a ton super fast. May not be it at all in your case, but worth checking. Your TSH level should be between .3 to 3

    My mom, aunt, and grandpa all have hypothyroidism. It’s genetic, right? I should get that check. Thanks!

    It’s not “genetic” per se, but it is more likely if you have family members with it.

    Also, edited above to talk a bit about weight loss with it.

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