GAINED 1.5 lbs!!!! HELP!!!

GG70

GETTING DISCOURAGED!! GAINED 1.5 lbs!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE LOOK AT MY FOOD AND EXERCISE DIARY AND TELL ME WHAT I AM DOING WRONG!!! TOTALLY FREAKING OUT IN MY HEAD... A DOOZY FOR MY CONFIDENCE LEVEL RIGHT NOW!! HELP!

fish119

You could be gaining muscle...muscle weighs more than fat. Don't let it discourage you, just keep going....I know you can do it!

BeautyFromPain

Or you could be retaining water, how much do you usually drink?

abbie017

You could be gaining muscle...muscle weighs more than fat. Don't let it discourage you, just keep going....I know you can do it!

You could be gaining muscle, but it doesn't weigh any more than fat. A pound is a universal measurement, therefore a pound of muscle is the same weight as a pound of fat. Muscle is leaner and takes up less space that fat. Have you taken your measurements to see if you're losing inches? That's a better indicator of weight loss than just the basic number on the scale.

You also have a pretty high sodium intake (2,500mg is maximum, but 1,500mg is ideal), so you may be retaining a lot of water. Try drinking extra water to flush the excess sodium out of your system.

meggonkgonk

Did you gain from like yesterday to today? Or do you weigh in weekly? If it's an "overnight" gain, it's likely some form of water weight or bloating.

Are you premenstrual? You can retain as much as 5 lbs of water as your period approaches.

I'm looking at your diary and ,to me, it appears as though you are not eating enough. 1200+ exercise cals is the MINIMUM you should be getting, You've been quite low for quite a while but then you have 1 day this week where you go over (very healthily) and so your body may not know what to do with those extra cals. I would recommend slowly increasing your daily calorie goal to about 1500-1600 cals and then dropping your goal to 1300 calories.

sc1572

Water, TOM, and muscle...these ALL make me gain!

goron59

Probably a combination of undereating, high sodium, PMS and general water retention.

1.5 lbs is not very much - wait a few months and see how it averages out.

wvfrog22

Maybe try eating more of your calories. You seem to be hovering around eating 1200 or so but you're gaining alot from exercise. Also, you could try to cut some sodium. Best of luck to you and please let us know what works for you.

GG70

LET ME SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT: Just finished my TOM LAST WEEK!!.. I am a water drinker only.. I drink AT LEAST 64 oz daily! I eat mainly whole foods (barely any processed), I exercise 5-6 days/ week.. I am not using weights.. mainly elliptical..

PLEASE .. anyone who is really really knowledgeable in this area.. PLEASE RESPOND! PLEASE look at my diary.. I can take the truth.. I am all over this regimen.. and have not seen much results!! ANYONE ELSE WOULD HAVE LOST LOTS OF FAT BY NOW!!! It takes 3500 calories EXTRA to GAIN 1 lb!!! I AM ALWAYS UNDER MY CALORIES GOAL.. WITH 1 or 2 exceptions.. BUT EVEN THAT WASN't A lot!!!

I gained within 2 days!!!!

I feel frozen in my tracks!! I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO TODAY, WHAT TO EAT... etc..

GG70

Muscle is leaner and takes up less space that fat. Have you taken your measurements to see if you're losing inches? That's a better indicator of weight loss than just the basic number on the scale.

You also have a pretty high sodium intake (2,500mg is maximum, but 1,500mg is ideal), so you may be retaining a lot of water. Try drinking extra water to flush the excess sodium out of your system.
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BARELY LOST INCHES!! MEAURE MYSELF TOO! THIGHS.. HAVE NOT LOST ANYTHING IN 11 WEEKS!!! BELLY ONLY 2 inches!! I WILL DRINK MORE WATER AND WATCH MY SODIUM.. THANKS !!! : )

ballgood

I am with you on the gain, had only lost 3.3 lb and gained this week 2lb. My mfp buddies have been a great support and looked through my diaries.
I am not drinking enough and I am working out loads. I have toned and I am way fitter.
I have been really down this week, but I live to diet another week and I know historically I am a slow loser.

Keep going

Beth

cheri03

If you gained 1.5 lbs over the course of 2 days, it is water weight. For it to be fat, you would have had to eat in excess of 5000 extra calories over a few days. Take a deep breath and go to weighing 1x a week. Your body will retain water w/exercise to assist in repair of your muscles and depending on how your body reacts to the exercise you did that day, it will retain water and can hold on to it for weeks.
Things to help, decrease sodium intake. Your body can tolerate 2 gm of sodium easily every day(lots of people on this site will tell you differently, I was a heart failure nurse for many years, you will be fine on 4000 mg of sodium if you are healthy). Eat a little watermelon, natural diuretic. Just give it time, your body will change. Good luck!

Lozze

How tall are you?

And I think eating more might help. You're eating the bare minimum of 1200 (and there are a few days where you're not even doing that!) Eat at 1500 (and that includes eating your exercise calories!) and see how it happens.

But 1.5lb in two days? It's water weight. Nothing to worry about.

meerkat70

Looking at your diary, you're consistently undereating. You're doing more than 500 cal of exercise each day, and eating 1200 or less most days. At your weight, this is generally something people can't get away with. Eat a little more, dip into your exercise calories a bit, and see how you get on.

(Can I also suggest losing the shouty capitals?)

mscoco10

I agree with its water weight. I think you should pick 1 day a week to WI at the same time. Also do your measurements once every 2 or 4 weeks . This will give you a more accurate evaluation on your weight loss or gain.

Coltsman4ever

Stress can keep you from losing weight too. I wouldn't stress at all over 1.5 lbs in 2 days. Our weight constantly fluctuates day to day. It's absolutely nothing to worry about. From the looks of your diary, you're eating good foods. Just make sure you hit your calories every day. I saw a few days that were very low, unless your diary was incomplete for those days.
Try switching your exercise up as well. Don't get stuck doing the same things for long periods of time. Your body gets used to things and stops responding to them. Try some weights and/or different types of cardio.

You'll be fine. Don't get discouraged about this. It has happened to me on occasion also.

GG70

How tall are you?

And I think eating more might help. You're eating the bare minimum of 1200 (and there are a few days where you're not even doing that!) Eat at 1500 (and that includes eating your exercise calories!) and see how it happens.

But 1.5lb in two days? It's water weight. Nothing to worry about.

I am 5' 6"

AlyRoseNYC

I'm with the water weight camp. The scale will probably go down again within a few days.

kapeluza

First of all. Take the caps lock off. Breathe. Next breathe a little more. Ok, now that we have calm ourselves, :flowerforyou: don't forget that our weight fluctuates everyday/at different times. This can be water weight/ poop/ anything!

One example, yesterday morning I weighed myself and I weighed 166.8lbs this morning I weighed myself again and I weighed 169lbs! But TOM is around the corner, I feel a little bloated and I haven't pooped since yesterday afternoon. I weigh myself everyday so I can see the fluctuations instead of weighing in once a week and freaking out with a 3lb gain.

So weigh yourself again tomorrow morning or this afternoon and just notice how your weight is fluctuating.

ninerbuff

You could be gaining muscle...muscle weighs more than fat. Don't let it discourage you, just keep going....I know you can do it!

Almost impossible to do on calorie deficit. You need a surplus to do it.

GG70

Why do people get so bent when you use capital letters? they are just letters.. nothing personal, girls..

ninerbuff

LET ME SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT: Just finished my TOM LAST WEEK!!.. I am a water drinker only.. I drink AT LEAST 64 oz daily! I eat mainly whole foods (barely any processed), I exercise 5-6 days/ week.. I am not using weights.. mainly elliptical..

PLEASE .. anyone who is really really knowledgeable in this area.. PLEASE RESPOND! PLEASE look at my diary.. I can take the truth.. I am all over this regimen.. and have not seen much results!! ANYONE ELSE WOULD HAVE LOST LOTS OF FAT BY NOW!!! It takes 3500 calories EXTRA to GAIN 1 lb!!! I AM ALWAYS UNDER MY CALORIES GOAL.. WITH 1 or 2 exceptions.. BUT EVEN THAT WASN't A lot!!!

I gained within 2 days!!!!

I feel frozen in my tracks!! I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO TODAY, WHAT TO EAT... etc..

It's water. But to use only cardio to lose weight will cause a stall and you also end up losing lean muscle tissue which lowers your metabolic rate. You may hate weights, but the more lean muscle you retain, the higher you metabolic rate will be.

kapeluza

Why do people get so bent when you use capital letters? they are just letters.. nothing personal, girls..

Sorry, you missed my sarcasm/joke. Text doesn't really reflect tone that great. No one is upset, I was just joking.

GG70

Why do people get so bent when you use capital letters? they are just letters.. nothing personal, girls..

Sorry, you missed my sarcasm/joke. Text doesn't really reflect tone that great. No one is upset, I was just joking.

No harm done.. and thanks for your advice! MUCH appreciated!!

cheri03

You could be gaining muscle...muscle weighs more than fat. Don't let it discourage you, just keep going....I know you can do it!

Almost impossible to do on calorie deficit. You need a surplus to do it.

Bull. What anatomy and phys class have you taken?

hottottie11

You could be gaining muscle...muscle weighs more than fat. Don't let it discourage you, just keep going....I know you can do it!

Almost impossible to do on calorie deficit. You need a surplus to do it.

Bull. What anatomy and phys class have you taken?

To gain weight (fat or muscle) you need a surplus...you cannot gain on a deficit...What are you building muscle with??

btw..I'm a biologist who have taken both at the MASTERS level plus I'm training to become a PT.

dad106

"BARELY LOST INCHES!! MEAURE MYSELF TOO! THIGHS.. HAVE NOT LOST ANYTHING IN 11 WEEKS!!! BELLY ONLY 2 inches!! I WILL DRINK MORE WATER AND WATCH MY SODIUM.. THANKS !!! : )"

Hate to tell you but it takes more then two months to lose weight and inches.. you didn't put it on over night you won't lose it over night. It took me closer to 3 to 6 months before I started noticing a change in my inches and clothing.. so it will happen, but you have to patient.

As far as the 1.5 goes, it happened in 2 days time.. not a big deal at all.... weigh again next week and I'm sure you'll be back to normal.

Keep up with the water and weights.. it will happen when it wants to happen.

nlawani

I've read thru ll the responses an while they do seem sensible and all, I must say I don't quite buy in. I have th exact same problem as dad106, having gained 1.5lbs in ONE day. And 10 days before before I was 7lbs LIGHTER! To say I'm freaked out is an understatement. It's like this:
Pre Oct: weight fluctuated between 225 at lowest and 240. Average weight 233 since Jan12. But have lost over 70lbs since Jan11.
Oct 8: started 3 week vacation. Weight 237 at start. NO exercise to speak of (hiked 2-3 days), and NO careful tracking of calories. Basically I avoided most desserts and all alcohol, but ate pretty much as I wanted
Oct 23: vacation ended. Weight - 230.5!!! Apparently I lost 7lbs not paying any Attention to myself...
Oct 25: resumed exercise, 20-30 minute daily of elliptical training or moderate walking.
Oct 26: Weight 233
Oct 28: 235.25.
Oct 30: I revise average daily calories down from 1400 to 1200
Oct 25 - Nov 4: have exercised 7 of these 10 days
Nov 4: 235.75lbs. went to a party, ate a lot drank about 300ml alcohol, went over 1200 calorie limit by 500. But net of exercise, excess intake was about 200 calories
Nov 5: weight 237.25lbs!!!

Summary: after having lost 7lbs over 3 weeks of vacation with NO exercise or dietary restrictions, I've gained it all back in 3 weeks, WITH regular exercise etc. and the reason for this is...?

In my head I know I cannot have put on fat of 1.5lbs in a day; I simply cannot eat that much in a single day! But my real worry is that I cannot find the link between my behavior and my weight. And without that I feel like I'm just waiting my time, and it's incredibly frustrating.

jjss8001

I started at 153 and was down to 143 yesterday. My goal is to lose a 1.5 lbs per week. I started about a month ago,grated my first weigh in was bundled up in my winter attire, all the rest naked in the morn. So I'm right on track. I woe up this morning and weighed 1.5 pounds more. There's no way I gained that in fat! I was under my daily intake of 1250 calories. I had 1 serving of organic pizza cor dinner last night..it's got to be the sodium. I usually don't eat that stuff. Also over the last few days I have been upping my protein intake. I work out after dinner and then have protein post work out, without trying to go over my daily calorie limit. I have been losing more slowly but like what I see in the mirror. It's def. Possible, but the biologist is right. When you lose weight you are losing both fat and muscle. You can't really lose just fat and gain muscle, but you can trick the body into losing less muscle, by getting as much protein in you throughout the day. They say about 1 gram per pound of weight. That's a challenge and that's why bodybuilders have such a regimented, challenging task! I don't think you sudden weight gain is muscle unless you are cramming mostly protein into consistently throughout the day. It was definitely water retention!

ninerbuff

You could be gaining muscle...muscle weighs more than fat. Don't let it discourage you, just keep going....I know you can do it!

Almost impossible to do on calorie deficit. You need a surplus to do it.

Bull. What anatomy and phys class have you taken?

Very well versed in this. To gain muscle (there are a few exceptions and she doesn't sound like one of them) one is gaining tissue. Tissue can't "appear" out of nowhere, so to add tissue is to add weight. To add weight one needs a surplus. And fat can't be transformed into muscle.
It's a water issue here. Scales do lie.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition