Why do people panic over a 1-2 lb gain?

speedy740

Ahh I hate when people post on here "I gained 2 lbs yesterday what happened???! What do I do, I think I'm gonna die." It's 2 lbs people...CHILL OUT! Unless the scale goes up and stays at a 5-10 lb gain it's not a big deal, get up early the next morning and take a poop ????, see its gone and life is back to normal! ????????

hamo1987

i will be honest, I still want to cry when the scale moves the wrong direction even though I know darn good and well there are far too many factors that contribute to it... I think for me it is because I am still so early in the game (haven't lost much yet, six pounds in three weeks 1 day) so any move up is discouraging! Once I start making a dent in my large weight loss needs then I think I will come to terms better! Great post though, you are right

_jayciemarie_

I will be honest--I have been that person more than once. Everything in me tells me that it isn't a big deal. However, there is a part of me that sees the scale going the other way and that causes me to freak out. I don't want to return where I came from. It sucks. I usually calm myself down and realize it is water weight or whatever. I log/measure everything I eat at home. I wear a Hrm. I know the science behind gaining/losing weight. But still, the negative nancy side of me freaks out.

Sreneesa

I do not look at it that way due to my weight fluctuating 1-4lbs thoughout the day so if I see a 1 to 2 lb difference I do not count that...usually I go back to the same weight by the am.

Francl27

Dunno, it's sorta annoying when you're at a smaller deficit and those 2 lbs is what you're hoping to lose in a month.. and yet you gain, lol. Even if you know it's water weight, even if you know you can't gain fat because you're eating at a deficit, weighing everything etc... it's still annoying!

Saramelie

Perhaps bcause people are working hard at losing this weight, and for some seing a + on the scale starts the anxiety spiral of ""what if I can't do this? What if I stay fat? What of.....". For me this is what happens. I've lost and gain back a lot of weight many time in my life and this is always so scary to see the number go up... once again.... and the feeling of ""it will never work!"" creep in.

cwolfman13

- people generally do not understand natural body weight fluctuations and how much those fluctuations can be day to day.

- people are overly scale obsessed

- people generally don't really understand how all of this weight loss stuff actually works.

- people are, generally speaking, linear thinkers and have a hard time with anything that isn't a linear progression. Sadly, most success whether it is weight loss or otherwise, is not linear...which is why people get derailed so easily in life generally.

- people generally put all their stock in some arbitrary number on the scale rather than actual health and nutrition...they just want to get to the finish line so they can stop all this health and fitness nonsense.

neandermagnon

because they have been conditioned to judge their entire value as a human being according to a number on the scale.

scale weight is not even a good metric on which to judge the state of someone's physical health. It doesn't tell you what you look like and it certainly doesn't judge your worth as a human being. Sad that so many people take it that way though...

Ed98043

Because my "day to day fluctuations" always seem to be up and not down. If I gain 2 lbs overnight, it'll take two weeks to lose it again. I don't freak about it, but it bums me out.

BeachIron

This is what keeps you up at night?

downsizinghoss

I ate a 16 oz ribeye a while back. Guess what? I gained about a pound for a while.

kimosabe1

hahaha....:laugh:

2013sk

- people generally do not understand natural body weight fluctuations and how much those fluctuations can be day to day.

- people are overly scale obsessed

- people generally don't really understand how all of this weight loss stuff actually works.

- people are, generally speaking, linear thinkers and have a hard time with anything that isn't a linear progression. Sadly, most success whether it is weight loss or otherwise, is not linear...which is why people get derailed so easily in life generally.

- people generally put all their stock in some arbitrary number on the scale rather than actual health and nutrition...they just want to get to the finish line so they can stop all this health and fitness nonsense.

love this answer!!!

Phaedra2014

It sucks when it is the same 2 lbs that go up and down and up and down. I understand weight loss is not linear but when the train's been stalled for a while around those same 2 lbs, well, it's not a happy place.

ldrosophila

because life must be perfect 24/7/365

turtleball

people dont want to be big again.

kierkeb

When I first started my weight loss journey over 2 months ago, I was this person. I would lose 5 pounds and then see a 1-2 gain. Then I'd lose some more and see another gain. I've learned along the way that this is normal, my body is holding weight and like many of you said, water, not going to the bathroom, many factors play into this. You just have to stick through it until you see more loss than gain. When my scale would say 178 one day, then 180 the next, yes it could be discouraging. But once a few days passed and I kept working hard, I'd hit 176 and then occasionally 178. I never saw that 180 again. Baby steps, everyone Good luck!

Oh and another thing I've learned from this site: Non-Scale Victories (NSV) are way more important, at least in my opinion. I've lost 22 pounds so far which is great but when I measure and see that I've lost INCHES, that's when I really celebrate my progress!

stealthq

I don't panic - I know it'll drop again within the week unless I've been overeating, but it doesn't make me happy.

Why? Because at this point it's taking me a month to legitimately lose a lb. Just the hint that some of that work might need to be repeated does not make me a happy camper. I really want to get to maintenance and I'm having a hard time being patient.

MB_Positif

No idea. I am up two pounds today, not crying about it, but I also feel like I need to take a big poop, so hopefully the lentil stew I just had will get things moving.

Quieau

I'm testing this theory. I just bought an Ozeri body composition scale that measures weight, fat density, bone mass, water, and muscle. While the base readings may or may not be accurate (reviews were mixed but overwhelmingly good, favoring accuracy), more importantly trends can be noted. If my weight doesn't change or goes up, I can see what's going on 'behind the scenes' and see if there is a true shift from fat to water or muscle. Just got it today. Will see over time ...

Amazon, Ozeri marked down from $129 to $31 with checkout discount of 20% ...

littleburgy

Losing weight takes a considerable amount of focus and energy -- 3500 calories in a week or whatever you've managed to do, when people see the scale go up it makes them feel like all their efforts have been undone or done in vain. I had that panic when I was new to weight loss and fluctuation.

I find water retention pretty annoying but I've learned to recognize it when it happens.

kelsully

fear

Panic is born of fear and not a lot of other things like basing one's self worth on the scale etc.

People are putting forth an effort. They are working hard and a 2 lb gain seems like a set back. Likely if they are new to the journey a little reassuring that this is how the body fluctuates is all they need instead of being treated like morons.

Some people might also feel like they are always walking a fine line between a balanced life and one that is either too restricted or too free and loose..therefore certain times a 2 lb gain can make them feel like they are teetering off that fine line.

If someone if panicking, they likely need reassurance or education.

taiyola

- people generally do not understand natural body weight fluctuations and how much those fluctuations can be day to day.

- people are overly scale obsessed

- people generally don't really understand how all of this weight loss stuff actually works.

- people are, generally speaking, linear thinkers and have a hard time with anything that isn't a linear progression. Sadly, most success whether it is weight loss or otherwise, is not linear...which is why people get derailed so easily in life generally.

- people generally put all their stock in some arbitrary number on the scale rather than actual health and nutrition...they just want to get to the finish line so they can stop all this health and fitness nonsense.

THIS

heybales

I'm testing this theory. I just bought an Ozeri body composition scale that measures weight, fat density, bone mass, water, and muscle. While the base readings may or may not be accurate (reviews were mixed but overwhelmingly good, favoring accuracy), more importantly trends can be noted. If my weight doesn't change or goes up, I can see what's going on 'behind the scenes' and see if there is a true shift from fat to water or muscle. Just got it today. Will see over time ...

Amazon, Ozeri marked down from $129 to $31 with checkout discount of 20% ...

If by reviews you mean consumer reviews, I'd be very interested how any of them knew it was accurate.
Too many equate different than what they knew from some other means as more accurate, however that logic works.

Anyway, use your scale 3 times in a row to decide how much you can trust consistency. Literally, get off, walk down the hallway, come back, and do it again.
Because true, that consistency is more important than accuracy range over time, but you gotta see what it can vary by just 3 times in a row to decide what the data means for 3 days in a row.

septembergrrl

I think even when you KNOW it's hormones or poop or whatever, it still sucks to see the scale moving the wrong direction. That said, I agree the "oh noes the scale went up 2/3 of a pound HELP" posts are tedious.