Down, Down, UP, then Down?!

FeelingFroggy13

I know that weight loss will always fluctuate according to hydration, monthly cycles, etc. But, over the years, I have noticed a pattern with my own weight loss, and I curious if anyone KNOWS the reason why this happens.

I will be in a steady weight loss cycle for about 3-4 days...where the scale reads a tiny bit less and less each day, usually culminating in a 1-2 lb difference. I will stay at that weight for 3-5 days. Then suddenly, the scale will jump back up, sometimes a 3 lb difference. I will stay at that weight for 2 days often....and then my weight will drop, more than the previous amount lost....and then the cycle starts all over again.

Example
April 11 -14 251 lbs
April 15 - 16 252.6 lbs
April 17 250.2 lbs
April 18 250 lbs

It almost always spikes up, and then drops a decent amount (1-2 lbs). I know now, to not panic, when I see a small spike, because I know my body operates this way. But what is going in internally that makes this happen? I am so curious!

Thank you in advance!

Lietchi

Water retention obviously, but no way to know what the mechanism is precisely.

A theory: weight loss/ being in a deficit is stressful and your body wants to stay in homeostasis.
So your body may be staying steady a while because of water weight compensating for lost fat (homeostasis), then an uptick from stress-related water weight (body going 'really, more calorie deficit?!') and then a whoosh of water weight (body going 'ah, I can't keep this water weight up to try and keep weight stable, it's too much'.
(there are a number of people who have 'whooshes' - longer periods with stable weight or even slight gain, and then suddenly a drop - it's a known phenomenon)

Other possibility: correlation with day of the week - for example uptick during the weekend from extra food/carbs/salt, and then down again after that? But you said your diet doesn't vary much.

HoneyBadger302

Lots of reasons, from bowel movements to the "woosh" effect.
My body has a very clear "woosh" pattern anytime I am focusing on losing weight - hold steady (or increase if my workouts have changed), hold steady, hold steady, then suddenly one night, WOOSH! down 1-3 pounds. Stay there for about 1-2 days when a slight uptick happens. Then things hold steady there again...and the cycle repeats.
The length of the cycle seems to depend on how long I've been in the "lose weight" phase. At first it will a good 3ish weeks (give or take). After a few months, it will get far less extreme and a lot more frequent, to a point where I have fairly steady losses overall.
There are reasons for the woosh phenomenon, and historically my body has followed that pattern. I'm dealing with peri now though, so not sure if that may throw off my usual patterns, so trying to prepare for erratic results

tomcustombuilder

Because of the reasons you mentioned

FeelingFroggy13

tomcustombuilder wrote: »

Because of the reasons you mentioned

I would think that as well....but it doesn't correlate with a certain time of the month, and my fluid consumption and regular diet really doesn't change that much. I have a pretty set amount of food I stick with. I have what I would consider 'normal fluctuations". But over the years, I have always had this loss, then spike up, the drop down right before a major weight drop. It's pretty set. So it feels like it's not those other reasons, but then again, I am not well versed in knowledge about health other than my own journey with it.

ehju0901

I think there are so many variables that go into it that it would be hard to have a definitive answer.

I usually blame water retention.

FeelingFroggy13

Lietchi wrote: »

Water retention obviously, but no way to know what the mechanism is precisely.

(there are a number of people who have 'whooshes' - longer periods with stable weight or even slight gain, and then suddenly a drop - it's a known phenomenon)

Other possibility: correlation with day of the week - for example uptick during the weekend from extra food/carbs/salt, and then down again after that? But you said your diet doesn't vary much.

I like the term 'woosh' because that is what it kinda feels like lol

I am retired, so my weeks and weekends don't vary much at all.

I hate to say I have been on this weight yoyo for 12 years or more now....gaining it, losing a lot, then letting it creep back on. This will be my 4th or 5rh time achieving a 50+ lb loss, then letting it creep back. I finally seem to be in a better place this time. I know how to lose weight quickly, I have done it enough times. This time, I am into a 45 lb loss that has taken me a year to do. Much more slowly and with better habits this time. The times previous, and this current journey....still the 'whooshes'. It's something I have always been curious about.

Thank you for taking the time to answer

AnnPT77

I think the explanation is "bodies are weird", honestly. Some people seem to lose in those "stall then whoosh" patterns, always. Some people do it for a while during loss, but not the whole time. Pretty much everyone has ups and downs, i.e., even during steady loss, it's likely that day 7 of a given week won't be the lowest weight, and day 1 of that same week won't have been the highest weight. (Day 7 highest, day 1 lowest may happen if losing really, really fast . . . which maybe isn't a great plan, honestly.)

If you haven't read it, this thread might suggest some insights, especially the article linked in the first post:

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

At the risk of getting icky, the one thing you haven't mentioned (maybe understandably) that could also matter quite a lot is bowel habits. If you're not a same amount every day person, that can make a multi-pound difference, too.

Given your intro, I'm assuming you've considered whether your stalls and high days have anything to do with eating later in the day on some days (if you weigh in the AM), eating a different macro mix on some days, eating more fiber on some days, etc.

Best wishes!

FeelingFroggy13

AnnPT77 wrote: »

If you haven't read it, this thread might suggest some insights, especially the article linked in the first post:

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

At the risk of getting icky, the one thing you haven't mentioned (maybe understandably) that could also matter quite a lot is bowel habits. If you're not a same amount every day person, that can make a multi-pound difference, too.

Given your intro, I'm assuming you've considered whether your stalls and high days have anything to do with eating later in the day on some days (if you weigh in the AM), eating a different macro mix on some days, eating more fiber on some days, etc.

Best wishes!

Thank you for the link, I will certainly check that out!

It's okay about the 'ick', it's all natural and inherent to health. I might be the most decidedly boring person ever. My calories stay within a 200 calorie range most every day (with a larger cheat day maybe once a month). My routine would rival that of Sheldon from 'Big Bang Theory'....my morning ritual is to wake up, get the household occupants ready for the day, once they are off and about. I am free to poo in peace, weigh in for the day, then get dressed and have my coffee.

I think I have been here since 2012 (certainly on and off, skipping large chunks of time when I got lazy and let the weight drift back on). In all that time, I have always noticed this pattern of a steady weight for a week or more, then a drop, then a spike, then a drop lower than the steady weight. Once I recognized the pattern, I stopped fretting about it. But it would send me into a panic early on before I noticed it.

I think just the explanation, 'bodies are weird' is fine for me. I was just curious about the pattern and if other people experienced it. Which you have all confirmed

tomcustombuilder

Alway weigh first thing in the morning after peeing before drinking anything

If the previous day's diet had extra salt and/or carbs then the water retention will be higher.

Retroguy2000

It's Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B. A.