I know weight loss isn't linear but...

lizholt326
lizholt326 Posts: 35 Member
in Motivation and Support
I started getting serious about my weight loss again on about January 5th. In the time since my weight went from 188.6 down to 185.1. And I'm definitely feeling better. My pants are already looser, probably from not being bloated from certain foods.

Then in the last 2 days the scale has gone back up to 186 and 188 today. So frustrating!

I know, I know, 2ish weeks is basically no time at all. But I just need to vent!

Replies

  • BeGrandLike
    BeGrandLike Posts: 184 Member
    Y'know, I think that knowing rationally that its NBD and you definitely didn't put on 3 pounds in 2 days (like.. nobody eats THAT much without noticing..) is such a different thing to seeing those numbers on the scale and not feeling deflated.

    It's gonna be FINE. Hang in there, give it a couple days (or a week or so if it's coming up to that time of the month for you?), and you'll see those numbers get back om track.

    You've got this!
  • samanthajcurley
    samanthajcurley Posts: 2 Member
    I hear ya. It's so hard. I'm in a very similar place and it's a struggle to keep positive. I've had moments when I want to quit but I let myself go feel those bad/sad feelings and then redirect the energy to formulate my next moves (diet improvements, exercise, other forms of self care). It's tricky. But keep at it
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    Remember why weight loss isn't linear- because our weight is subject to daily fluctuations that have nothing to do with the loss of fat. ;)

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10683010/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-fluctuations/p1
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    try2again wrote: »
    Remember why weight loss isn't linear- because our weight is subject to daily fluctuations that have nothing to do with the loss of fat. ;)

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10683010/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-fluctuations/p1

    Yeah, read that^^ So eye-opening!
  • BeGrandLike
    BeGrandLike Posts: 184 Member
    try2again wrote: »
    Remember why weight loss isn't linear- because our weight is subject to daily fluctuations that have nothing to do with the loss of fat. ;)

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10683010/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-fluctuations/p1

    You know, I NEVER knew that stress causes water retention.

    ...and knowing that, the four pounds overnight increase after a STRESSFUL day earlier this week (where despite the stress I stuck to my eating plan!) suddenly makes sense 😊

    Thank you for sharing!
  • lizholt326
    lizholt326 Posts: 35 Member
    That is a good read. And thanks for the comments!

    I know I feel and look better already, so I'll continue to focus on that. Today is my rest day, but I'm already itching to get back to the gym!
  • polvo71
    polvo71 Posts: 42 Member
    Hormones and cycles will totally add pounds. If you track your weight daily you’ll see that pattern. I’m 48 and premenopausal or maybe going into it and i see it. Like 2 weeks before I would usually start I’ll be about 3 pounds up for like a week or so and then it drops back down and some ( if you stay on track with counting calories and etc.)
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Instead of relying on the scale for feedback, take photos and keep measurements. :)
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,463 Member
    “I know...but”

    This is really where the rubber meets the road isn’t it?

    Take heart. Calorie counting works. It has to work, it’s the way our bodies are designed. If we eat excess calories, our bodies store the extra as fat. It’s how humans survived times of scarcity.

    But since scarcity rarely arrives for most of us, we need to learn to live within some limits. This takes time and some concentration.

    Push back against that voice in your head that wants to jump to the conclusion that it’s not working any time you hit a bump in the road. Calorie counting is a skill set. No one was born counting calories. There’s a significant calorie counting learning curve that doesn’t seem to get much discussion. Give it time, it gets easier.

    There seem to be two ways folks deal with daily fluctuations. One is to stay away from the scale. Personally, when losing, I weighed twice per week. I had an official weekly WI and one day when I peeked. But no emotional investment to peeking.

    Some people weigh daily and chart their results. Given enough time, they become desensitized to the daily ups and downs. With a big enough time frame the chart becomes hard evidence that they can establish downward trends in spite of the fluctuations.

    Stay the course. If/when you decide you need to make adjustments, take small steps. Don’t go jumping from diet plan to diet plan. Try to find the right number for a moderate calorie deficit that you can live with. The best plan is one that we will actually follow.

    And don’t be distressed if the numbers that the calculators and gadgets give you are a bit off. They really aren’t all that exact. Keep your food diary going no matter what. Never quit. Good luck.
  • ladyzherra
    ladyzherra Posts: 438 Member
    Yes, I hear you! Hang in there. You "know" weight loss isn't linear, but that doens't make seeing a spike in weight any easier. Getting frustrated and stepping into a mindset in which you let the number dictate your feeling of success, is sticky territory that can slow you down...at least according to my own experience. When this happens, I give myself a day or two away from the scale and refocus on what matters. Good luck!

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