How to differentiate water retention & fat gained?

Wingg_

You've gotten lots of good advice from the previous posters. My suggestion is to shift your focus and develop a plan for maintenance. I strongly suspect that almost all of us successful maintainers have a plan for how we maintain our weight. Maintenance doesn't just happen, you need a plan and you'll need time to test and refine your plan as needed.

It isn't good fortune that I've maintained my weight for almost two years. That's my maintenance plan in action.

I wrote a blog post on having a maintenance plan if you are interested:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/themedalist/view/what-s-your-maintenance-plan-624676

Best Wishes!

Great advices you have there in your blog! Thanks for sharing it with me!

Wingg_

I definitely did not over eat by 7000calories but I am just worried that it may be the calories accumulated because I might have been eating the wrong maintenance calories.

In that case I would re-figure your setting just to be sure. If you are still not happy, exercise a bit more and don't record/eat back the calories burned and see what happens. OH and increase your water intake for a week or so and that may shake things up.

I'm female, 159cm and weighs 44kg after gaining a kg and eating 1649calories without eating back my exercise calories back. I'm not sure if it's okay. Because I've been eating 1640 calories for a few months now and maintained my weight at 42-43kg...

Wingg_

3-5 lbs from day to day. I've gain a kg and the kg stayed for a few days already. I'm not sure if my sore muscles one of the cause though.

Yes - reread my post about valid weigh-in days - NOT sore from prior workout.

Because sore means you have retained water in the muscles to aid in healing. Wanna heal from your workout so it causes improvement?

Sadly you can get to point of not being sore and still retaining water for repair - but you'll learn how many days it takes to drop that weight.

Your stress over this is really going to cause you issues too.

So it will take a couple of days before the water will go away... I see thanks! I'm a little stressed because I am afraid of gaining the weight back...

Graelwyn75

Your BMI is only 17.4, even with the weight gain.
I am starting to think you might need more than the advice here for this.

heybales

I'm a little stressed because I am afraid of gaining the weight back...

You are going to be controlled by this for far too long, and lead to stressed out life, which in itself will make it easier to indeed gain weight.

Now, what are you really afraid of gaining back?

Weight?

Do you wear a scale on your back with the current weight displayed on it, and a sign where you want to weigh for all to see that you are off your goal?

Or, are you actually afraid of gaining fat, but your scale is the only thing you can look at?

To reiterate a major point - you would have eat 250 calories over true maintenance EACH AND EVERY DAY for TWO 2 weeks to slowly gain 1 lb of fat. (and if doing strong exercise, not even all fat gain)

And that's what people actually see, and even there, it would take several pounds to be noticeable usually.

I'd suggest you get rid of that scale - you are not doing yourself any favors.

Reread your posts in this topic, add up how many times you talked about gaining weight, even water weight, needed required water weight, as a negative thing.

That's a problem, and you might as well work to get rid of it now before you have more serious issues besides worrying about it.

Get out the tape measure, and log your measurements. Do that every 2 weeks.



I will say, if you only eat that much in total with exercise - you likely have a suppressed maintenance, you could probably eat more without gaining or losing either.
Because you are giving yourself very small margin of error there. What if you get injured and can't work out as much. What if sick. What if on vacation where you'd like to enjoy the local food too.

You are setting yourself up for misery on so many occassions.

Besides, with a suppressed maintenance, you body is going to be hard pressed to make improvements from exercise if it's already slowed things down because it doesn't think it's getting enough. At least compared to what it could be improving.

Wingg_

I'm a little stressed because I am afraid of gaining the weight back...

You are going to be controlled by this for far too long, and lead to stressed out life, which in itself will make it easier to indeed gain weight.

Now, what are you really afraid of gaining back?

Weight?

Do you wear a scale on your back with the current weight displayed on it, and a sign where you want to weigh for all to see that you are off your goal?

Or, are you actually afraid of gaining fat, but your scale is the only thing you can look at?

To reiterate a major point - you would have eat 250 calories over true maintenance EACH AND EVERY DAY for TWO 2 weeks to slowly gain 1 lb of fat. (and if doing strong exercise, not even all fat gain)

And that's what people actually see, and even there, it would take several pounds to be noticeable usually.

I'd suggest you get rid of that scale - you are not doing yourself any favors.

Reread your posts in this topic, add up how many times you talked about gaining weight, even water weight, needed required water weight, as a negative thing.

That's a problem, and you might as well work to get rid of it now before you have more serious issues besides worrying about it.

Get out the tape measure, and log your measurements. Do that every 2 weeks.



I will say, if you only eat that much in total with exercise - you likely have a suppressed maintenance, you could probably eat more without gaining or losing either.
Because you are giving yourself very small margin of error there. What if you get injured and can't work out as much. What if sick. What if on vacation where you'd like to enjoy the local food too.

You are setting yourself up for misery on so many occassions.

Besides, with a suppressed maintenance, you body is going to be hard pressed to make improvements from exercise if it's already slowed things down because it doesn't think it's getting enough. At least compared to what it could be improving.

So I can actually eat more without gaining? How can I get rid of suppressed maintenance? I've checked a few sites that actually say that my maintenance calories is 1700++ calorie but it seems like I'm eating 1640 without losing(without eating back my exercise calorie because I think it's not that vigorous) so I thought 1640 calorie is myaintenance calorie... What should I do to resolve the problem now?? Please help!
I kept on talking about weight gain because I only look at the scale to tell if I am gaining fat.

Mrsallypants

Monitor your sodium and water intake; drink more water and eat less sodium. Some drugs and supplements (creatine monohydrate) will also cause water retention. Dehydration can, even menses can. Diuretics (e.g. caffeine, alcohol)), sweating, and low carb diets will make you lose water weight, but once you increase your carbs and hydrate yourself you will see a spike in weight gain.

You can use a skin caliper to determine if your fat is increasing or decreasing, or use some other means to measure body fat such as Dexa or Bodpod or underwater testing. Or waist measurements, or see how clothing fits. You could even pinch the fat over the muscle to see if it's increasing, however subjective.

Increase insoluble fiber to combat possible constipation?

Wingg_

Monitor your sodium and water intake; drink more water and eat less sodium. Some drugs and supplements (creatine monohydrate) will also cause water retention. Dehydration can, even menses can. Diuretics (e.g. caffeine, alcohol)), sweating, and low carb diets will make you lose water weight, but once you increase your carbs and hydrate yourself you will see a spike in weight gain.

You can use a skin caliper to determine if your fat is increasing or decreasing, or use some other means to measure body fat such as Dexa or Bodpod or underwater testing. Or waist measurements, or see how clothing fits. You could even pinch the fat over the muscle to see if it's increasing, however subjective.

Increase insoluble fiber to combat possible constipation?

Thanks for all the suggestions!!

heybales

You are going to be controlled by this for far too long, and lead to stressed out life, which in itself will make it easier to indeed gain weight.

Now, what are you really afraid of gaining back?

Weight?

Do you wear a scale on your back with the current weight displayed on it, and a sign where you want to weigh for all to see that you are off your goal?

Or, are you actually afraid of gaining fat, but your scale is the only thing you can look at?

To reiterate a major point - you would have eat 250 calories over true maintenance EACH AND EVERY DAY for TWO 2 weeks to slowly gain 1 lb of fat. (and if doing strong exercise, not even all fat gain)

And that's what people actually see, and even there, it would take several pounds to be noticeable usually.

I'd suggest you get rid of that scale - you are not doing yourself any favors.

Reread your posts in this topic, add up how many times you talked about gaining weight, even water weight, needed required water weight, as a negative thing.

That's a problem, and you might as well work to get rid of it now before you have more serious issues besides worrying about it.

Get out the tape measure, and log your measurements. Do that every 2 weeks.



I will say, if you only eat that much in total with exercise - you likely have a suppressed maintenance, you could probably eat more without gaining or losing either.
Because you are giving yourself very small margin of error there. What if you get injured and can't work out as much. What if sick. What if on vacation where you'd like to enjoy the local food too.

You are setting yourself up for misery on so many occassions.

Besides, with a suppressed maintenance, you body is going to be hard pressed to make improvements from exercise if it's already slowed things down because it doesn't think it's getting enough. At least compared to what it could be improving.

So I can actually eat more without gaining? How can I get rid of suppressed maintenance? I've checked a few sites that actually say that my maintenance calories is 1700++ calorie but it seems like I'm eating 1640 without losing(without eating back my exercise calorie because I think it's not that vigorous) so I thought 1640 calorie is myaintenance calorie... What should I do to resolve the problem now?? Please help!
I kept on talking about weight gain because I only look at the scale to tell if I am gaining fat.

So as you've hopefully learned through these comments - you cannot look at the scale and tell if you have gained fat.
Impossible. You might discern through time what it could be, be even that doesn't guarantee.
Measurements more reliable, though retained water in muscles messes with that too, again, use valid weigh-in day.
Many measurements, why a tight fitting outfit you don't wear and wash regularly is great. Throw it on, see what may seem tight.
Also, your BMR literally does change through the month, enough to make a difference, so monthly is safer, and you likely know when the water retain is going on.

Your body can store 1000-2000 calories worth of carbs as glycogen in your muscles. They must store with water, 2.7 grams per 1 gram glycogen.
That's 1 lb per 500 calories.
And as you have various levels of stored carbs depending on exercise and last meal, ect, you can fluctuate several pounds easily just from that.

If a good workout requires muscle recovery, there is usually retained water there, which of course can drop out eventually too.

When you go on a diet, you don't store as many carbs - that's some of the instant water weight loss.
Usually watch sodium better too, that's more of it.
And body was full burning, so best deficit at that time.
But less water stored in the cells means less energy spent managing it, so instant hit to energy spend.

So how do you tell if actually eating at potential maintenance, or suppressed maintenance?

The fun test. 2 weeks. 250 extra calories daily. Would only cause a slow 1 lb gain. That would prove what the prior eating level was.
If slow gain of 1 lb over the 2 weeks, prior level was correct.
If fast gain of 1 or more pounds on valid weigh-in days say in a week, you still had glycogen stores to top off - you were not at maintenance, but still in a diet, perhaps at small deficit.
If no gain at all, then prior level wasn't maintenance either, current level may not be either.

With either of those last results, you test 2 more weeks, even 250 more yet.

This study showed that while you can suppress your maintenance because of what your diet did, eating at maintenance will start it recovering. Study didn't go long enough to see if complete recovery, but at least right direction. Also didn't test eating slightly over existing maintenance to get it to increase.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/heybales?month=201401

Wingg_

You are going to be controlled by this for far too long, and lead to stressed out life, which in itself will make it easier to indeed gain weight.

Now, what are you really afraid of gaining back?

Weight?

Do you wear a scale on your back with the current weight displayed on it, and a sign where you want to weigh for all to see that you are off your goal?

Or, are you actually afraid of gaining fat, but your scale is the only thing you can look at?

To reiterate a major point - you would have eat 250 calories over true maintenance EACH AND EVERY DAY for TWO 2 weeks to slowly gain 1 lb of fat. (and if doing strong exercise, not even all fat gain)

And that's what people actually see, and even there, it would take several pounds to be noticeable usually.

I'd suggest you get rid of that scale - you are not doing yourself any favors.

Reread your posts in this topic, add up how many times you talked about gaining weight, even water weight, needed required water weight, as a negative thing.

That's a problem, and you might as well work to get rid of it now before you have more serious issues besides worrying about it.

Get out the tape measure, and log your measurements. Do that every 2 weeks.



I will say, if you only eat that much in total with exercise - you likely have a suppressed maintenance, you could probably eat more without gaining or losing either.
Because you are giving yourself very small margin of error there. What if you get injured and can't work out as much. What if sick. What if on vacation where you'd like to enjoy the local food too.

You are setting yourself up for misery on so many occassions.

Besides, with a suppressed maintenance, you body is going to be hard pressed to make improvements from exercise if it's already slowed things down because it doesn't think it's getting enough. At least compared to what it could be improving.

So I can actually eat more without gaining? How can I get rid of suppressed maintenance? I've checked a few sites that actually say that my maintenance calories is 1700++ calorie but it seems like I'm eating 1640 without losing(without eating back my exercise calorie because I think it's not that vigorous) so I thought 1640 calorie is myaintenance calorie... What should I do to resolve the problem now?? Please help!
I kept on talking about weight gain because I only look at the scale to tell if I am gaining fat.

So as you've hopefully learned through these comments - you cannot look at the scale and tell if you have gained fat.
Impossible. You might discern through time what it could be, be even that doesn't guarantee.
Measurements more reliable, though retained water in muscles messes with that too, again, use valid weigh-in day.
Many measurements, why a tight fitting outfit you don't wear and wash regularly is great. Throw it on, see what may seem tight.
Also, your BMR literally does change through the month, enough to make a difference, so monthly is safer, and you likely know when the water retain is going on.

Your body can store 1000-2000 calories worth of carbs as glycogen in your muscles. They must store with water, 2.7 grams per 1 gram glycogen.
That's 1 lb per 500 calories.
And as you have various levels of stored carbs depending on exercise and last meal, ect, you can fluctuate several pounds easily just from that.

If a good workout requires muscle recovery, there is usually retained water there, which of course can drop out eventually too.

When you go on a diet, you don't store as many carbs - that's some of the instant water weight loss.
Usually watch sodium better too, that's more of it.
And body was full burning, so best deficit at that time.
But less water stored in the cells means less energy spent managing it, so instant hit to energy spend.

So how do you tell if actually eating at potential maintenance, or suppressed maintenance?

The fun test. 2 weeks. 250 extra calories daily. Would only cause a slow 1 lb gain. That would prove what the prior eating level was.
If slow gain of 1 lb over the 2 weeks, prior level was correct.
If fast gain of 1 or more pounds on valid weigh-in days say in a week, you still had glycogen stores to top off - you were not at maintenance, but still in a diet, perhaps at small deficit.
If no gain at all, then prior level wasn't maintenance either, current level may not be either.

With either of those last results, you test 2 more weeks, even 250 more yet.

This study showed that while you can suppress your maintenance because of what your diet did, eating at maintenance will start it recovering. Study didn't go long enough to see if complete recovery, but at least right direction. Also didn't test eating slightly over existing maintenance to get it to increase.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/heybales?month=201401

I will try upping my calorie once my sore muscles are recovered. Must it be 250cal? Can it be like 100cal?

heybales

I will try upping my calorie once my sore muscles are recovered. Must it be 250cal? Can it be like 100cal?

Sure.

Now, to see if you understand the math and what your body can do - reread some of the posts if you missed it, but I spelled it out.

How many weeks would it take to add 1 lb slowly if that 100 calories really was above your true potential maintenance figure?

And what does that mean if you gain 1 lb the first week of the test?

Wingg_

I will try upping my calorie once my sore muscles are recovered. Must it be 250cal? Can it be like 100cal?

Sure.

Now, to see if you understand the math and what your body can do - reread some of the posts if you missed it, but I spelled it out.

How many weeks would it take to add 1 lb slowly if that 100 calories really was above your true potential maintenance figure?

And what does that mean if you gain 1 lb the first week of the test?

It will take me 30days to add 1lbs if the 100cal is really above my maintenance calorie...
If I gain 1lbs or more the first week it means I still have got glycogen stores to top off meaning I'm not at maintenance, but still in a diet.

heybales

I will try upping my calorie once my sore muscles are recovered. Must it be 250cal? Can it be like 100cal?

Sure.

Now, to see if you understand the math and what your body can do - reread some of the posts if you missed it, but I spelled it out.

How many weeks would it take to add 1 lb slowly if that 100 calories really was above your true potential maintenance figure?

And what does that mean if you gain 1 lb the first week of the test?

It will take me 30days to add 1lbs if the 100cal is really above my maintenance calorie...
If I gain 1lbs or more the first week it means I still have got glycogen stores to top off meaning I'm not at maintenance, but still in a diet.

Got it. (well, 35 days, but long enough to got the idea)

So now if you can freak out over the scale, grab pen and scratch paper, sit down, and assure yourself what did and did not happen.

Wingg_

I will try upping my calorie once my sore muscles are recovered. Must it be 250cal? Can it be like 100cal?

Sure.

Now, to see if you understand the math and what your body can do - reread some of the posts if you missed it, but I spelled it out.

How many weeks would it take to add 1 lb slowly if that 100 calories really was above your true potential maintenance figure?

And what does that mean if you gain 1 lb the first week of the test?

It will take me 30days to add 1lbs if the 100cal is really above my maintenance calorie...
If I gain 1lbs or more the first week it means I still have got glycogen stores to top off meaning I'm not at maintenance, but still in a diet.

Got it. (well, 35 days, but long enough to got the idea)

So now if you can freak out over the scale, grab pen and scratch paper, sit down, and assure yourself what did and did not happen.

Thanks for the help! Really appreciate it!