How is this humanly possible?

abatonfan
abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
in Motivation and Support
At the end of last month, I bumped my calories to 1450, how much I need to lose for one pound a day, because of spring break, me reaching below 1200 for 1.5 pounds a week weight loss, and competitions in Florida. On the morning of April 4, two weeks after I last weighed myself, my scale said I lost four pounds. Went on the scale five minutes ago and it said I gained 6 pounds. How could I gain six pounds in two weeks, especially when I am 1,000% sure I did not eat anything over my maintenance (2,000 calories)?

If this is of any use, my monthly is due at the end of next week, though I really do not bloat this bad. I'm also going through a lot of stress, as I just lost a few friends because of their actions while in Florida with me and various school stress.

Don't really know. I, literally, see people lose 15 pounds in two weeks, but I end up gaining six pounds. This all is getting pretty frustrating for me. I might weigh myself in again Sunday morning, as what I normally do because I check in my weight and measurements usually that day, but this is really discouraging me.

Replies

  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    water weight. that's surely the cause.
  • taxidermist15
    taxidermist15 Posts: 677 Member
    *sighface*

    that is all
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,670 Member
    inb4 starvation mode

    you aren't eating enough.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    You'll gain a lot of water weight when you increase your cals. Something to do with Glycogen stores and it increasing water retention temporarily - I don't fully understand it.
  • SaraSweetheart
    SaraSweetheart Posts: 34 Member
    Here's how people lose weight so darn fast. I e mailed my friend, who is a registered dietician, and she had this to say:

    "So about your question... hmmm I don't really know what your diet is like or anything else about your health, etc. but if all you're eating is high fat foods with low intakes of carbohydrates, you may be experiencing some loss of muscle mass coupled with a loss of body water (because your glycogen (carbohydrate) stores will be depleted as carbohydrate intake is insufficient). This will most likely look like rapid weight loss. If you are a healthy individual (i.e. liver is ok, etc.) then this might be a possible explanation for your rapid weight loss that you've seen. However, if you experience any other persistent symptoms that you are concerned about, I would go see a doctor. Does that help a little?"

    Also, calculate your proper BMR.
  • DiamondEyes_x
    DiamondEyes_x Posts: 120 Member
    inb4 starvation mode

    you aren't eating enough.

    How is she not eating enough?
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
    Water weight. It'll getcha! If you haven't been eatting over your TDEE you can't gain real weight, you body is just holding on to fluids differently. Espeically if you have had alot of sodium the day before.

    It is important to weigh yourself at the same time of day too. Dont' freak. Weigh yourself again in a couple days, this happens to me all the time. :flowerforyou:
  • SierraElegance
    SierraElegance Posts: 86 Member
    It should go back down, you probably just caught it at a fluctuating time. Make sure you drink a lot of water-- if you had high sodium or carbs then that could easily cause a temporary weight gain. But keep those calories up, don't let that discourage you.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    I usually gain 2 lbs due to my TOM, but I have gained up to 6. It sucks!!
    It is water weight luv, and it will make you feel like crap too. I started taking a potassium supplement to help with the water retention and it has helped me so far :)
  • Howbouto
    Howbouto Posts: 2,121 Member
    2 different things or a mixture of both

    I retain the most water just after I ovulate (if TOM is due in 1.5 weeks you likely just ovulated).

    and

    Stress produces cortisol, cortisol slows your metabolism and increase hunger (double whammy).

    Get some exercise to allievate stress and drink plenty of wate to flush your system.
  • kgray429
    kgray429 Posts: 2
    I'm the same way! I don't even look at the scale until my TOM is over for 2 days! :)
  • SaraSweetheart
    SaraSweetheart Posts: 34 Member
    are you eating properly hun? are you eating the proper amount? calculate your BMR manually... I have to do it every once in a while. I'll show you how using myself.

    The formula we use is 655 + (4.35 X weight in lbs) + (4.7 X height in inches) - (14.7 X age in years) I am 22 years old, I am 5 feet 6 inches, and I weigh 151 lbs. So, here's my BMR: BMR = 655 + (4.35 X 151 lbs) + (4.7 X 66 inches) - (14.7 X 22 years) BMR = 1298. 65 calories But, I want to lose weight. I am pretty much sedentary, so I am going to multiply this number by 1.2. If you are moderately active (ex. 5 hours of exercise weekly) multiply your BMR by 1.5.

    So, 1298.65 X 1.2 = 1558.36 is what I can eat to maintain my current weight. I want to lose weight, but not go into starvation mode (OR ANY WEIGHT LOSS WILL BE TEMPORARY AND MY METABOLISM WILL BE DESTROYED) , so I am going to decrease my calories by either 10-20%. I am going to use the maximum 20%. So, 1558.36 X 0.8 = 1246.688. I am going to eat 1250 calories daily NET.
  • C00lCountry
    C00lCountry Posts: 282
    Have you did a number 2 lately?
  • Anthonydaman
    Anthonydaman Posts: 854 Member
    It's gotta be water, similar thing happened to me. too much salt and i gained 4 pounds overnight. Hang in there
  • McBody
    McBody Posts: 1,703 Member
    inb4 starvation mode

    you aren't eating enough.

    It probably is starvation mode. You may lose for a bit but that cortisol production will kick in sooner or later and then you'll start putting on weight. I'm training for my first competition and eat at least 2,000 cals/ day and have been losing weight. I actually have the energy my body needs to perform well.
  • mogriff1
    mogriff1 Posts: 325 Member
    BUMP.....i just ordered a new scale that will show body weight, body fat and water weight....I can't stand the fluctuations. LOL
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    Water weight. It'll getcha! If you haven't been eatting over your TDEE you can't gain real weight, you body is just holding on to fluids differently. Espeically if you have had alot of sodium the day before.

    It is important to weigh yourself at the same time of day too. Dont' freak. Weigh yourself again in a couple days, this happens to me all the time. :flowerforyou:

    ^^This. People are generally heavier in the afternoon, so if you weighed yourself in the morning last time a few pounds heavier in the afternoon is normal. Also, the timing (month wise) probably has a lot to do with it. Weigh yourself next week.
  • opus649
    opus649 Posts: 633 Member
    It's water.
  • o_delaisse
    o_delaisse Posts: 193 Member
    Last Tuesday, I gained 6lbs in a day. Was, as you can imagine, utterly unamused by it and the scale hovered at a minimum of 2lbs above my low weight. Then, all of a sudden, down it went, and I've lost nearly a pound.

    It's infuriating, those fluctuations, but I try very hard to see that *I* haven't done anything wrong, and that just because I don't understand them doesn't mean they're not natural. 6lbs is a shock to the system, and I can't account for yours any more than I can account for mine. All I can say is it happens, and just keep going. You probably didn't do a thing wrong (unless you're not telling us you secretly ate a minimum of 5000 calories every day) :)
  • DarcieC2389
    DarcieC2389 Posts: 146
    Probably water weight or digital scales can fluctuate sometimes.

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