water retention and gaining weight

allories

Hi, i have joined MFP a week ago and lost 1 kg in the progress (starts at 62 kg). the problem is that i was stucked at 61kg and today my weight increased by around 0.3kg (i weight myself everyday).

So, my question would be is this part of the 'water retention' or i might be gaining back my weight due to eating not enough calories (given calories is 1200, but i usually only eat around 900 to1100+) and thus leading to low metabolism?

i used to eat around 1300-1400+ before i join MFP, so i figure that if i eat more than 1200 i would be hard for me to lose weight...? Or it is what kind of food i am eating that i should be concern with :indifferent:

shadow2soul

Tracking Progress:

Weight – So many things can affect weight, because of this it shouldn’t be the only way you track your progress. Things to keep in mind:
:drinker: Always use the same scale – Different scales can show different weights. You will get the most accurate number for tracking when using the same scale.
:drinker: Don’t move the scale – Carpet, uneven flooring, different types of flooring…can all affect the weight on the scale. So when you weigh, you want it to be approximately the same spot for the most accurate number for tracking.
:drinker: 3500 calories – To gain 1lb of fat you need to be over maintenance by 3500 calories.
:drinker: Muscle Repair – Muscles will hold onto water to repair, because of this it is not uncommon to see a gain for a little while after a workout. This weight comes right back off when they are done repairing.
:drinker: Sodium – Can cause you to retain water. This can also be amplified if you don’t drink enough to flush it out of your system. This is also another reason for temporary weight gain.
:drinker: Water – Not drinking enough water can actually cause you to retain water. Recommended amount is 8 cups or 64oz. I drink 64 oz to 128 oz of water a day. It doesn’t have to be plain water either. I like to flavor mine with crystal light or tea.
:drinker: Time of day – Your weight can fluctuate throughout the day. So for the most accurate tracking, you want to weigh at around the same time.
:drinker: Frequency – This is up to you, but if small fluctuations bother you than only weigh once a week or less.
:drinker: Lightest Weight – Will be naked, first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom
:drinker: Multiple times a Day – Don’t Do It. As I said before, your weight will fluctuate throughout the day. What you eat, what you’re wearing, ect will all affect weight.
:drinker: Clothes – If you weigh with clothing on, keep in mind that the scale will show your weight plus the weight of your clothes. (Jeans are heavy)
:drinker: TOM - A lot of women will retain water around their TOM, but its just temporary and will go away.

Measurements – This is a great way to judge progress. I take measurements once a month. Even if your weight seems to go up, if your measurements are going down, then you are moving in the right direction. For accuracy you want to try and measure the same spots every time. Places I measure:
:drinker: Neck
:drinker: Upper Arm – largest part
:drinker: Forearm – largest part
:drinker: Wrist – smallest part
:drinker: Bust
:drinker: Ribs Under bust
:drinker: Waist – where you bend (usually the smallest area above belly button, but below rib cage)
:drinker: Abdomen @ Navel
:drinker: Hips – largest part
:drinker: Thigh – largest part
:drinker: Calf – largest part

Pictures – Progress pictures are great. I like to take them once a month and at the start/end of any workout programs I do. You may not see the difference in the mirror, but comparing pictures will show you what the mirror does not.

Body Fat % - This is another great weigh to track progress. The electronic devices that track it can actually be affected by how much water you did or did not drink. For this reason, I prefer body fat calipers. I got a cheap one off amazon.com ($4 w/free shipping). This is also another thing you only want to track once a month or so. Like measurements, if this number goes down (even if the scale stays the same or goes up) than you are making progress.

allories

Wow, thank you
i think the 'taking picture every month' should work for me :flowerforyou: