Why did I gain 2 pounds and feel bloated?

beloveddoll

so I've been on this program for a little over a week now and was doing real good by following the calories in the app and increasing exercise. I have no drastically changed my diet. I'm still eating all the same stuff just in lesser quantities and started adding water. I drank 4 cups yesterday which is 4 cups more than I used to do before being on this program. I was seeing some amazing results according to the scale. I lost 8 pounds and half an inch off my waist. However my boyfriend lost 2 inches off his waist but lost only 4 pounds. How does that work?

More importantly, why did I gain 2 pounds this morning and feel so bloated all day? My net calories was 0 yesterday. I exercised for about an hour when I saw I went over and I did not eat or drink a thing afterwards. Like I said, I have not changed what I eat or drink, just cut down on how much of it I ate.

I know 2 pounds don't sound like anything but if my net calories are 0 ( yes I'm entering in everything accurately and truthfully), how was the gain possible and where this belatedness come from? And what explains me dropping weight but my waist still big while my boyfriends waist shrinks at a staggering rate but his pounds aren't dropping much in proportion to his waist shrinkage?

IMYarnCraz33

By any chance is it close to your TOM?
If so that could be why.

bobbie228

I bloat and gain when it is about that time. Your BF is probably making muscle so he will have a slower wt gain. A week is not a very long time to notice huge differences wuite just yet just stay at it!

ChelDM

When I gain weight, even a mere pound or two I can literally feel it without stepping on the scale and if I gain...It is always gained in my stomach area whereas if I lose weight I rarely lose anything in that area...It is a fat concentrated area. I have no idea how this medically happens but I can sympathize with your plight. Stay strong.

Dskwon

Try not to worry about marginal weight gains (and losses) on a day to day basis. My weight can be a pound or two more than expected on some days, but it's not fat gain.

Keep doing what you're doing (if it works), and you'll lose body fat.

uhoh_billy

Everyone loses weight differently, your boyfriend and yourself can lose the same amount of weight and lose different inches, or vise versa.

When it comes to your net calories, it shouldn't be 0! Your net calories should be at least 1200 calories a day, because your body is going to need that to just function regularly. If you're consistantly only netting 0 calories, your body is going to fight back and horde everything you eat, because you're not giving it enough energy!

lrgarza82

Another aspect you have to monitor is your sodium intake. Do you eat a lot of salty foods or drink a lot of beverages full of solutes (gatorade, soda, fruit juices with high fructose corn syrup)? All those things, in addition to your TOM, can cause bloating. The retention of fluids is probably where the 2 pounds is coming from. You can do a couple things to get rid of this: 1) take a water pill. This will help you release all that retained water. or 2) drink 2 cups of prune juice. This is a natural laxative that will help flush your system of any impurities. If you eat a heavy meal (like general tso chicken), even if the portions are reduced, it can still have negative effects on your body. Drink 2 cups of prune juice 2 DAYS after that heavy meal, and you will notice your weight will start falling off!

je_tyler

If you are gaining or staying at the same weight, but you are losing inches, then that means that you are gaining muscle mass which weighs more than fat but you are burning fat and toning down . . . this is much more important than weight. (Applicable to both men/women).

If you are bloated, you may double check the sodium in what you are eating . . . could be that you are retaining fluid, but if you have only been on the program for a week or little longer, I wouldn't stress out about it. Your body fluctuates all the time, and the longer you are on the program, the more patterns and the better you will get to know your body. I am no doctor, but this is what i have learned over the years . . . if I am wrong about anything, please feel free to correct and re-post!

Mmcourt

I can understand your frustration.

I think the simplest answer to your question about the waist size vs. lbs lost is that different body styles will loss in different areas at different rates. The most frutrating is that it seems men lose faster than women without doing as much work.

I have taken off 50 lbs over the last year and found that what they say is true - only weigh yourself once a week, and if possible on the same day and at the same time, wearing the same clothes. If you watch your weight on a daily basis you will get frustrated. There are some days that I gain 2-3 lbs even though I worked really hard the day before. Personally, I have found that even with the weekly weigh-ins, some weeks my weight will be up, but then the next week I have lost two weeks worth of weight.

The trick is to remember that you are doing what you know is right, taking small steps and making permanent changes that will make you healthier in the long run.

Keep up the good work!

chandlera07

I am think it is 'that time' soon... It happens to me. It wouldn't be unusual for me to gain a good 4 pounds in a day or two. Don't worry, and just monitor it for a couple of weeks. Stay at it!!

Hendrixsgrandma

water will make your weight fluctuate quickly. It is not uncommon for me to not drink enough water on the weekend, be 4 pounds up on Monday, focus on water Monday and Tuesday be down the 4 pounds.

Also when you exercise "they" (whoever they is) say you need to re-fuel within 30 minutes or your body will store fat so it can take care of you the next time you need energy.

And finally, men can be so irritating! They seem to lose just because their girlfriend or wife is dieting. And where their bodies release fat is different then where womens bodies release it, try not to measure against his progress.

kathyhull

And never compare your weight loss to a guy's. They can give up one pop a day and drop 10 pounds in a week. My ex gave up eating after 7 pm and dropped 30 pounds in no time. It's soooo unfair. But, keep in mind that your weight fluctuates from hour to hour and day to day. It's so tempting to weigh every day but you really shouldn't. You should pick a day (Friday) and a time (when you first wake up) and stick with that - it won't always be perfect but you'll have a better idea of the trend. It's too easy to get caught up in the I dropped a pound, I gained a pound rollercoaster when a lot of that is really just retained water due to a salty meal or dehydration from going to long with out water. It's not good for the soul!

JNick77

Weigh yourself week-to-week and try not to worry about it too much, it's not good for the psyche.

Watch your sodium
Watch your carbs (not just total carbs but what kinds of carbs, low glycemic versus high glycemic)

kbear_fit

As a fitness tech I have learned 1st never compare yourself to a man. They have alot higher body muscle mass. 2. Remember to check your weight at the same time everyday and remember that water has weight to it. Also if you have eaten alot of things with sodium in them you could be retaining water. Just keep working on your diet and exercise and you will see results. Keep up the great work. And what ever you do DO NOT TRY TO COMPETE WITH A MAN. YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK TWICE AS HARD TO LOSE THE SAME AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. GOOD LUCK

beloveddoll

Thanks for the all input. I had no idea that so many factors could cause such a vast fluctuation so quickly.

I guess I didn`t really explain myself clearly when I asked about me vs boyfriend. I`m not worried so much about how he lost more on the waist than me, I sort of already knew than weight loss was a lot easier on men. I`ll try to clarify myself on what it was I was trying to ask:

I lost 8 pounds. He lost 3 pounds. I lost 1/2 inch on my waist, he`s lost 2 inches off his waist. How is it possible for me to loose a lot of pounds but hardly any waist while he lost few pounds but a lot of waist. I don`t understand the body mechanics to figure out why the amount of loss on us is so opposite. How can a person loose a lot of pounds but little waist while another looses a lot of waist but little pounds?

I hope that clarifies my question.

lanamilo

Maybe you lost more fat from other places on your body? Legs, hips, chest, back?

beloveddoll

Maybe you lost more fat from other places on your body? Legs, hips, chest, back?

I expected the belly to go down a lot since we`re using exercise balls as chairs at work (which I think I neglected to mention in my original posting). Well, I guess long as the scale says I`m going down the belly will eventually go down, too, right?

beloveddoll

Would it help if I did some protein intake after exercises to get the belly going somewhere with this? Like if I eat a couple of eggs after exercise and then I`ll see my belly start shrinking?

EDIT
I was trying to see how I can make my diary more open like someone suggested but I can`t find where I can change the settings for that. Where do I go to fix that?

Ssocrrbabe

I couldn't help but notice that you put that your NET calories were 0! NET calories should never e zero, NET calories should be what MFP set as your goal. This may be why you have gained weight as your body thinks its not getting enough nutrition and holding on to every ounce of fat. I suggest reading the articles in the "NEWBIE Please Read" folder. This will explain net calories and exercise calories.

beloveddoll

My bad. I was using the wrong words. x_x;; I meant the remaining calories were 0. My apologies for the confusion.

MinnieInMaine

Two reasons why your boyfriend lost more inches than you: 1) everyone's body changes different and stores fat differently - you apparently happen to store fat more in your stomach than he does. 2) you can't spot train any area so although that exercise ball chair may help strengthen your core, it may not help you lose inches.

You could be bloated for various reason - constipation, too much fiber, too much sodium, not enough whater, time of the month (TOM) or even some sort of food intolerance. Watch your diet and pay attention to what you've eaten in the last 8-12 hours when you experience this bloating and then try to cut out one thing at a time to see if it helps.

edit: (snipped last paragraph) nevermind, you already explained the calorie thing

beloveddoll

Wow, so bodies can be wildly more different form one another than I originally thought. What would be the best route to go to get those inches shrinking if the case for me is that I do store more fat there if spot training isn`t the solution?

Mmcourt

The best thing you can do is just keep going. Keep working out and watching the calories. And don't look at any single measurement. Look more at the overall picture and how you feel. Eventually you will lose the fat in the places you want.