First big set back - gained weight

shannova

I got on the scale this morning and had my first big set back since I started back on here (January of this year). I gained 2.2lbs and I'm sure that's partially due to my "cheat day" on Valentine's day. (I went over my 1200 calories/day by about 400 calories). How frustrating. I'm wondering if working out now has anything to do with it? Last week was my 1st week at the gym. Maybe I'm finally building up some muscle? I'm hoping that has something to do with it because I am so bummed over this. I was getting so close to hitting my 1st 20lb loss and now I feel like it's going to take another two weeks to do that. Has anyone else had any set backs like this? .....trying not to let this ruin my day.....

spoiledpuppies

Don't let this ruin your day. It looks like you're doing great! The increase could be due to many, many things. If you log your weight regularly, over time you'll see that you might follow trends each month. It's not due to going over by 400. First, you were probably still under maintenance; and second, 400 calories wouldn't even cause a 0.5 increase. Stick with things, and you'll continue to see results.

wilsoje74

I got on the scale this morning and had my first big set back since I started back on here (January of this year). I gained 2.2lbs and I'm sure that's partially due to my "cheat day" on Valentine's day. (I went over my 1200 calories/day by about 400 calories). How frustrating. I'm wondering if working out now has anything to do with it? Last week was my 1st week at the gym. Maybe I'm finally building up some muscle? I'm hoping that has something to do with it because I am so bummed over this. I was getting so close to hitting my 1st 20lb loss and now I feel like it's going to take another two weeks to do that. Has anyone else had any set backs like this? .....trying not to let this ruin my day.....

First of all 3500 extra cals equals a lb so 400 over won't cause actual fat gain
Second you don't gain muscle that fast.
Your weight will fluctuate sometimes, I would not call 2 lb a " big setback" let's be realistic

SunofaBeach14

I got on the scale this morning and had my first big set back since I started back on here (January of this year). I gained 2.2lbs and I'm sure that's partially due to my "cheat day" on Valentine's day. (I went over my 1200 calories/day by about 400 calories). How frustrating. I'm wondering if working out now has anything to do with it? Last week was my 1st week at the gym. Maybe I'm finally building up some muscle? I'm hoping that has something to do with it because I am so bummed over this. I was getting so close to hitting my 1st 20lb loss and now I feel like it's going to take another two weeks to do that. Has anyone else had any set backs like this? .....trying not to let this ruin my day.....

First of all 3500 extra cals equals a lb so 400 over won't cause actual fat gain
Second you don't gain muscle that fast.
Your weight will fluctuate sometimes, I would not call 2 lb a " big setback" let's be realistic

^ This. It's almost certainly water weight or you just need to go to the bathroom. My weight fluctuates by more than 5 pounds during the day.

sentaruu

it's probably just normal body weight fluctuation. I wouldn't be too alarmed. some weeks my body holds onto weight, whether it be water or just added muscle. but the general pattern is increased weight loss.

cwolfman13

You do realize that there are natural body weight fluctuations right? A couple of pounds is well within normal and natural fluctuations. You don't gain two pounds of fat because of a cheat meal or whatever...your body doesn't work that way.

I'm maintaining and have been for 9 months or so...my weight (nobody's weight) is static. On Friday I weighed in at around 179....this morning I'm 185 on the scale. Why? killer workout yesterdays so I'm retaining a little water from that. I also might have more waste in my system this morning than I did on Friday...but I assure you that I didn't gain 6 Lbs of fat in two days...that's just now how it works.

I'd suggest doing a bit of research on how all of this stuff actually works...otherwise totally natural fluctuations are going to wreck you. Weight loss isn't a linear function and weight maintenance isn't static...it's a general trend over time.

JesterMFP

This is absolutely, in no way a set back. It's actually a good thing because it's the first opportunity to learn about weight fluctuations. If you're reasonably accurate with your calorie intake, then you didn't eat enough that day to gain anywhere near even 1 lb of fat. In fact, you were probably still beneath the level you need to maintain your weight, for that one day. I'm assuming that the days prior to that day, you were eating at a deficit anyway, so even if you went over your maintenance for that one day, you would likely still be at a deficit for the week.

Weight fluctuates for all sorts of reasons, including more food/waste in your system (eg. after you've had a bigger meal than usual), and an increase of sodium or carbs, both of which make your body retain more water, which obviously has a weight.

Another thing that makes you retain water is starting a new exercise program, so there's probably a bit of that going on here too. Very normal.

In this instance, you have absolutely not gained 2 lbs of fat overnight. I promise. This is a long process though and even it at some point you do gain a couple of pounds - real pounds of fat - you really, really need to not let it ruin your day. Like I said, it's a long process, and it's not about achieving perfection, but about mastering a lifestyle that a) you can live with and b) will support you being at a healthy weight. Look at the bigger picture. You ate 1600 calories (which is really not a large amount) on a day that you were eating celebratory food. One day amongst many that you are probably really on point with your diet. I really hope you enjoyed your Valentine's meal!

shaynepoole

there are so so many reasons for a 2 lb scale gain

I'm assuming you went out on Valentines day or ate something different that caused you to think that your 400 calorie overage is what caused you to gain weight -- more than likely you probably increased your sodium intake for that day and just need to flush it out of your system

Also for the week before and the week of the TOM, my scales do things that I absolutely hate

it sounds like you are off to a good start after a month - don't let this stop you if it is what you want

callyart

It's probably a weight fluctuation from not going to the toilet, or something.

If this gets to you, don't weigh yourself as much.

kaseysospacey

Ive learned its best to just look at your weigh ins weekly and see if overall youre trendsing downward. Because bloating (like when youre due for AF) or even needing to poop will cause some changes. Little increases arent important if overall youre going down.

SideSteel

While it's normal to be disappointed, I think you would be doing yourself a favor to look at your progress and your planning in terms of months rather than days.

Weight is going to go up and down day to day and sometimes even week to week. Concern yourself with the overall trend in weight and whether or not that's moving in the right direction at a reasonable and sustainable pace.

One strategy you can use would be to weigh yourself daily and average that out over the week and compare weekly average weight.

Just remember that you are not defined by the number you see on the scale and whether that number is higher or lower doesn't change who you are.

2014hillary

I feel your pain this morning. I started this 3 weeks ago and lost 4 lbs my first week. But I got on the scale this morning and I've gained it all back... I've stuck to my calorie counts (except for a cheat day I too gave myself on Valentine's day) but I admit I've not started incorporating exercise yet. Guess we just have to not let us quit and keep trying right? At least that's what I'm trying to tell myself right now. Tbh I'm pretty bummed out about it. I thought I was doing so well. Looks like you're doing great so far, so don't let it get you down. Good luck

MyPureSteez

Oh no... You gained 2 lbs in 2 days!
At this rate in the next 10 days you'll gain 20 lbs!

RELAX...
Calm Down...
and just be.

Aviendha_RJ

I got on the scale this morning and had my first big set back since I started back on here (January of this year). I gained 2.2lbs ....

Ok... I understand a lot of people come onto forums and post things like "OMG I GAINED TWO POUNDS!!!" Looking for a little perspective, or someone to make them feel better about it.

First off: I was down to 143lbs from my original 175lbs. Then I got in a car accident and messed up my back. HELLO 160lbs!!

THAT is a setback honey. Something that actually stops you from being active, or hinders you from success (I couldn't even negotiate STAIRS, obviously I wasn't running, which is my main source of exercise. I haven't been running in about 6 weeks, & my weight has ballooned. But I know it'll come off again when I can get back to it).

2lbs is probably water weight from your muscles recovering from the gym. Happens to me all the time.

To find out if I'm right, complete the following steps:
1) Wake up in the morning & weigh yourself, pre-breakfast, post bathroom, no clothes.
2) Eat breakfast
3) Go to the gym... put in some heavy cardio.
4) Come home.... weigh yourself, no clothes.

If those 2lbs are gone... it was water.

Hope that helps!

ladymiseryali

2.2 lbs is more than likely fecal matter that hasn't been expelled yet. OR it's water retention. Chill out. My weight fluctuates by two lbs daily. You need to weigh yourself once a day. It's best to weigh in when you wake up, after you use the restroom and preferably in your underpants.

bajoyba

This is absolutely, in no way a set back. It's actually a good thing because it's the first opportunity to learn about weight fluctuations. If you're reasonably accurate with your calorie intake, then you didn't eat enough that day to gain anywhere near even 1 lb of fat. In fact, you were probably still beneath the level you need to maintain your weight, for that one day. I'm assuming that the days prior to that day, you were eating at a deficit anyway, so even if you went over your maintenance for that one day, you would likely still be at a deficit for the week.

Weight fluctuates for all sorts of reasons, including more food/waste in your system (eg. after you've had a bigger meal than usual), and an increase of sodium or carbs, both of which make your body retain more water, which obviously has a weight.

Another thing that makes you retain water is starting a new exercise program, so there's probably a bit of that going on here too. Very normal.

In this instance, you have absolutely not gained 2 lbs of fat overnight. I promise. This is a long process though and even it at some point you do gain a couple of pounds - real pounds of fat - you really, really need to not let it ruin your day. Like I said, it's a long process, and it's not about achieving perfection, but about mastering a lifestyle that a) you can live with and b) will support you being at a healthy weight. Look at the bigger picture. You ate 1600 calories (which is really not a large amount) on a day that you were eating celebratory food. One day amongst many that you are probably really on point with your diet. I really hope you enjoyed your Valentine's meal!

All of this. Couldn't have said it better myself.

livonianerd

It's not about those two pounds. It's about all of the other pounds you want to lose. Obsessing now is a good way to get off track and abandon your efforts.

shannova

Well this certainly helped....and most of you are absolutely right. I am very new to this and seeing the first gain in numbers threw me off. I told a friend yesterday that I would not weigh every day as I have been and that was the 1st thing I did when I woke up. Should have stuck to weighing in a week. But thank you all for the suggestions and advice, it's greatly appreciated.

bwogilvie

There's nothing necessarily wrong with daily weigh-ins, but if you continue, you need to do some math to find the difference between your actual weight loss and the daily fluctuations, which are much larger.

Your weight fluctuates depending on water, salt, and fiber intake, and other factors having nothing to do with calories. Using an exponentially weighted average can help you filter out the noise and focus on the trend, as John Walker explains in "The Hacker's Diet" (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/). The chapter on "The Rubber Bag" explains, briefly, the source of these fluctuations. The chapter on "Signal and Noise" explains how some simple math can filter them out. Walker explains how to do the math, but you can also set up a free account on his server to do it for you, or use a service like Beeminder or TrendWeight.com.

I weighed 162.8 lb. on Friday morning, and 164.7 lb. on Saturday morning. Now, I did go over my goal by about 700 calories on Friday, and was probably about 100 over maintenance. (I was a few hundred under goal earlier in the week, so it was a chance to make things up!) Since I was slightly over maintenance, I might have added one half of an ounce of body fat on Friday, but not 1.9 lb. Most of that was a combination of excess solids and, because my lunch was salty, water retention. Yesterday I ate about 450 calories under maintenance, and got in both a run and an hour of cross-country skiing, but my weight this morning was even heavier than yesterday - 165.0.

My trend line, though, shows that almost all my morning weights have been below the trend, indicating that, once daily fluctuations are filtered out, I am losing weight consistently. That makes big fluctuations easy to shrug off.

sloth3toes

Well this certainly helped....and most of you are absolutely right. I am very new to this and seeing the first gain in numbers threw me off. I told a friend yesterday that I would not weigh every day as I have been and that was the 1st thing I did when I woke up. Should have stuck to weighing in a week. But thank you all for the suggestions and advice, it's greatly appreciated.

Although you didn't specifically ask.... I did want to point out, that 1200 calories is quite aggressive. You are certainly seeing the results / reward for being that aggressive... but.... you are in this for the long haul. If MFP calculated 1200 calorie / day for you, for a 2 lb loss, and you're good with that, then, great. But, if you start to struggle, eating 1200 calories / day, you could eat more, and still lose. And you are eating back your exercise calories, right?

There's also this....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161976-adopt-a-noob-official-mfp-thread?hl=adopt

The Adopt-A-Noob program.... some very experienced MFP's are offering to mentor newbies, one on one. You get all the FREE advice and tutelage ( I've never used that word before, ever.... ) you can shake a stick at, until you're ready to leave the nest on your own.... just because these MFP's remember how hard it was in the beginning for them, and want to pay it forward. You can check the thread out, and see if it would be of any benefit to you, and PM some of the mentors offering services. Many mentors have stepped up towards the end of the thread, and may still be available.

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*edited to clarify*

cheripugh1

I'm pretty sure 400 calories did not do this UNLESS they might have had a lot of extra sodium in them? then you would have water weight and that can seriously hold you at weight or a bit over.

Everyone gains at some point, and they are like crying a river and beating themselves up Do not beat yourself up! Just get back to your normal diet and exercise and see what happens this next weigh in.

I would evaluate what "new" foods (not normally on your diet now) that you ate on Valentines and see what the sodium level was. So if that was the issue you can make a mental note to increase your water intake next time.