Is gaining this much weight this quickly even possible?!

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Hi everyone!

I have been weighing myself every few days, about once a week or so. I have been weighing myself on the same scale, at the same time in the morning right after I use the restroom when I wake up, and before I put any clothes on or eat. I was SO excited at my last weigh in, but something happened during my weigh in yesterday. . .

My past few weigh ins are as follows:
Started on 5/18/14: 150.8 lbs.
Second weigh in on 5/22/14: 149.4 lbs.
Third weigh in at 6/1/14: 144.8 lbs.
Yesterday's weigh in (6/5/14): 151.4 lbs.

What the hell?! I weighed myself multiple times over an over. While my scale fluctuates by a few pounds (which is awfully annoying), I have been eating very well other than during a staff meeting I consumed tacos and some salty fries. Later that evening, I had a margarita with a very heavily salted glass rim. I figured at first that this was due to my excess of sodium consumption. It has been two days and I'm still reading at the same weight. What gives?! This is so discouraging! :(

Replies

  • Tweakfish
    Tweakfish Posts: 93 Member
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    Don't worry! Just keep it up! It sounds like this is absolutely a result of your sodium consumption. Don't let it get to you. Just get your water intake up and sodium down and you'll soon be back in the 144 range.

    Good luck!:smile:
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
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    Normal. If you're going to weigh yourself daily, the best thing to do is take your weight average for the week. After several weeks, look for a trend. Weight fluctuates for a ton of different reasons. Water retention, lack of bowel movement, excess sodium, etc.
    Here's my data for reference :D

    6-1 118.2
    6-2 117.6
    6-3 118.2
    6-4 117
    6-5 119
    6-6 117.8

    ETA: like last week I went up to 121 lbs because of sodium and it took over a week to scale back down
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    If your weight ever spikes up a large amount in the course of a day then it is water weight.

    If you gain a lot of water weight in a short period of time it is most likely because within 24 hours you had ingested a large amount of sodium from salt.

    Yeah that is totally normal. Just drink a lot of water and you will drop that weight in a day or two.
  • katiebearzorz
    katiebearzorz Posts: 11 Member
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    Thanks for the help everyone!! I was seriously feeling worried. I most certainly feel more bloated (ugh). I figured that the bloat from sodium might have dissipated by now, since I ate all of that crappy stuff on Wednesday and it's Friday. Apparently not! :P More water it is!
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    By the way quick tip.

    If your work ever has some sort of "Biggest Loser" contest and you know its going to happen you don't even have to work particularly hard to win, here is all you do.

    The day before the way in just eat a lot of salt, like a lot of salt. Then drink lots of water. Guarantee'd 10 pounds + of weight gain.

    Now the couple days before the final weigh in just cut sodium out of your diet as much as you can and drink lots of water. Will drop probably 15 pounds from your initial weigh in just from water.

    Easy win from exploiting how easily manipulated scale weight is.
  • Tweakfish
    Tweakfish Posts: 93 Member
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    Definitely don't feel bad Katie! I have wasted a lot of time feeling so upset over water weight gains. It absolutely isn't worth your time. I always thought that boys didn't experience the same turmoil. Thanks for proving me wrong Aaron! lol

    Good luck again and don't worry. You getting down to 144 is still a good sign. You'll definitely be there again soon. :)
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    Definitely don't feel bad Katie! I have wasted a lot of time feeling so upset over water weight gains. It absolutely isn't worth your time. I always thought that boys didn't experience the same turmoil. Thanks for proving me wrong Aaron! lol

    Good luck again and don't worry. You getting down to 144 is still a good sign. You'll definitely be there again soon. :)

    Nah its just physical law, not gender related.

    Your body needs to maintain a certain concentration of electrolytes in your blood and sodium is the primary one. If you eat lots of sodium your body responds by retaining water to maintain the correct concentration. This is why large sodium intake equates to high blood pressure. If, instead, you eat low amounts of sodium and drink lots of water diluting the concentration of sodium in your body to low levels your body will respond by flushing water out of you through urination to get back to the correct concentration in your blood. This will drop your blood pressure and weight.

    That said do NOT read this as it is a good idea to eat as little sodium as you can. That is far from a good idea. Your body needs sodium. Just be aware of this and that water weight fluctuations are normal.

    400mg of sodium takes about 2 pounds of water to dilute to the right concentration for your body.
  • Crateria_
    Crateria_ Posts: 253 Member
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    Thanks for the help everyone!! I was seriously feeling worried. I most certainly feel more bloated (ugh). I figured that the bloat from sodium might have dissipated by now, since I ate all of that crappy stuff on Wednesday and it's Friday. Apparently not! :P More water it is!
    Oh gosh I went sodium crazy a few weeks ago and the bloat lasted for almost a week! It was pretty painful too. Just lots of water and it'll fall off. :)