Frustrated!

ashlielinn

I haven't weighed myself in a little over a month. To be honest, I'm not even sure what the exact weight I started using MFP was, because I recently moved and seemed to have misplaced my scale.

Anyway, this weekend I weighed myself and I weighed six pounds more than I did a little over a month ago. I'm baffled, however, because I've been using MFP and exercising more. Also, I can see and feel a difference. My clothes are fitting better and I can see changes in my body. I know muscle weighs more than fat, but 6 pounds seems like a lot!

Any insight?

Thanks!

Russellb97

If your clothes are fitting better than I'm sure it's just water weight, It will go away. You may have gained some muscle, but you situations sounds like water.

What's your plan like,
cals and macros?

erickirb

It is probably not muscle, as muscle is very hard to build on a caloric deficit and even with a caloric surplus may take 3-6 months to put on 6 pounds of it. Most likely you are seeing water retention. Could be due to muscles storing water to aid in recovery and to protect them from the damage caused by exercising (this is normal) or water retention due to too much sodium.

hooma

Water weight is the culprit, and you must fight water with water! And avoid salt/processed foods.

vim_n_vigor

I haven't weighed myself in a little over a month. To be honest, I'm not even sure what the exact weight I started using MFP was, because I recently moved and seemed to have misplaced my scale.

Anyway, this weekend I weighed myself and I weighed six pounds more than I did a little over a month ago. I'm baffled, however, because I've been using MFP and exercising more. Also, I can see and feel a difference. My clothes are fitting better and I can see changes in my body. I know muscle weighs more than fat, but 6 pounds seems like a lot!

Any insight?

Thanks!

You moved, and are weighing in a different location. Scale readings can change based on the surface of your scale. Maybe you are getting a different reading because of where your scale is now located. Take your new weight, your new measurements, and use that for your basis from today. It doesn't change what you have already done.

rosemarieum

it could be muscle gain, depending on what type of exercizing your doing. I gain a few founds if it is that time of the month - water. and than it comes off afterwards. Keep staying on plan and than try again in a week.

plcarpenter

If your clothes are fitting better than I'm sure it's just water weight, It will go away. You may have gained some muscle, but you situations sounds like water.

What's your plan like,
cals and macros?

Wow, is that you in the picture? Holy crap! Did you go from squishy marshmallow to man of steel? That's incredible...I wanna be your friend!

CarolynB38

The main thing is you are noticing a positive change and your clothes are fitting better. Ultimately you are losing fat. There could be lots of reasons why you appear to weigh more. If you are weighing yourself on a different scale you may find that accounts for some of the weight. Also if you have moved house is the scale you used on a different type of flooring? That can make a difference too. As you are not 100% sure of your start weight you may have got it slightly wrong and perhaps the difference isn't a whole 6lbs. With all this and the other reasons suggested by the other members, that could account for the discrepancy.

General guidelines for weighing (which you probably already know, but here goes...)

1) always weigh at the same time of day - when you get up is good, just after visiting the toilet
2) always wear the same or similar clothes for weighing (or perhaps just underwear)
3) always use the same scale
4) always weigh on the same type of floor surface - preferably a hard, level floor rather than carpet
5) if you weigh more frequently than once a week, bear in mind you will see your weight fluctuating up and down from day to day

Your clothes are fitting better and you can see the positive changes so you are doing great and definitely seem to have lost fat. Don't sweat it. Perhaps change your start weight to what it is now and see how you go. Keep at it. You're obviously doing all the right things :-)

sc1572

I hate this! This happened to me a few weeks ago...I sprained my ankle and was off from doing cardio for about 2 weeks. I lost a few pounds, and when I could start doing cardio again, I weighed more. I came to the conclusion that it was me building up muscle again, plus water weight, and I was right. Don't let it hold you back!

ashlielinn

Thanks for all the feedback! We'll see what happens this week!

KyleB65

Most likely water retention.

Watch the sodium content in what you are eating. And, cut down on carbs (bread, pasta , potatoes, etc).

Try and keep your sodium at or below 2500 mg per day. (Cut out any and all processed foods)

In addition drink lots of water during the day. (8 glasses as suggested by MFP).

Lastly, what is your workout like? Try and get in 2 - 3 good cardio workouts per week. This will have the lbs melting off!

Good luck!

AlyRoseNYC

I'd say water weight. Is it the TOM ? If so, that could be the culprit.

ashlielinn

I run at least 3.5 miles 3 to 7 times a week and do some toning exercises 3 to 7 times a week, as well.