Working so hard... GAINED 6lbs in a week.

cspong

So, it might be because I'm using a different scale, but I just bought a new scale that says I've gained 6lbs... This is my first week with MFP, my first week really changing my diet and working out.

Today is day 4 of doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and I've been really pushing it and I was super pumped for my weigh in day because my clothes are fitting better.... and I've GAINED 6lbs!! In a week!!

I'm super discouraged and don't know what's going on.

Stefanie7125

I think you answered your own question. It may have to do with the scale. If your clothes fit better, do NOT be discouraged. This is the best indicator that you are on the right path. I personally only try to weigh once a month. Scales lie so much. Take measurements, they are far more truthful. Congrats and keep it up!!

Heidi64

Can you weigh yourself on your old scale to see if that is what's different?. I wouldn't be surprised if the weight difference isn't a combination of different scales and some water weight gain from working out. I read a post once that said a person will retain water for a bit if they are not used to working out hard. Don't give up, whatever you do. The exercise and better eating are bound to pay off! Good luck.

kalynn06

I'm pretty sure you didn't gain it in fat, so don't stress . To gain 6 lbs of fat in a week, you would have had to have eaten about 21000 calories more than your maintenance calories over the course of the week or 3000 per day over all of the calories you burned through BMR, normal daily activity and exercise.

It probably is a combination of the new scale and some water retention due to a new fitness program. When you start a challenging program, you stress the muscles and create micro damage. This is normal. It's how they adapt. While they heal, they swell and retain water, which can lead to temporary weight gain. For me, the water weight of a new program usually lasts about a week or 2. I would treat today as your "starting weight" and continue to use the new scale to track progress so your results will be consistent. Also consider measurements, since they can often reflect change better than scale weight.

viser_haut

My scale at uni says I weigh 2lbs more than my one at home. It's a bit discouraging when I come back here, but meh. In my head I think so at home I actually weigh....
There's no way you can gain that much in a week eating right and exercising. It's either water retention from too much exercise/not enough fluid, or it's the scale. Does your old scale still read the same weight?

cspong

I'm pretty sure you didn't gain it in fat, so don't stress . To gain 6 lbs of fat in a week, you would have had to have eaten about 21000 calories more than your maintenance calories over the course of the week or 3000 per day over all of the calories you burned through BMR, normal daily activity and exercise.

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Even with eating my earned calories (and I don't even eat near them all) I'm still less than my BMR...

I can't check on my other scale until tomorrow night. I've never owned a scale of my own so I've been using my mom's up until today. But I'm not expecting it to be much different if any... I'll stick it out for another couple weeks, hopefully things will change. It made me feel like all this work was for nothing.

KristalDawnO

It's probably just water retention. I gained 12lbs two weeks ago. Insanity!

DrBorkBork

My bet is on water retention & your body freaking out. 'HOLY-- WTH ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!'
pay less attention to the scale and more to the way you feel and how your clothes fit. Have you seen girls who weigh more skinny than they did before they got fit? It's pretty interesting.
Example-- This chick:


She started at 117 lbs (pic on left), and ended at 131 lbs (pic on right)
http://fluteangel.wordpress.com/

So, you see, the scale can lie to you. How you feel and the way your clothes fit? Not so much.

I'd rather weigh 175 lbs & look like Xena/Linda Hamilton than 135 with a spare tire

Jorra

Your muscles can retain water to repair themselves after a strenuous workout. Considering you just started, I would say this is a big possibility. Different scales also make a huge difference. No worries.

ctraill

I had a scale that was 5 pounds off and was crushed to realize that I was even heavier than I already thought I was. But, the important thing to remember is that you're still the same size (if not smaller) and that you haven't gained weight even if the number is different. I didn't know that your muscles retain water when you start a new fitness regime, that was helpful to know (thanks kalynn). I know it feels like a setback but it's not! The weight will come off!

taso42

it might be because I'm using a different scale

stephyy4632

its water retention anytime you start a new workout the body will hold onto some water weight for awhile. Don`t let it bug you just keep going and drink your water the body will let the water weight go and you`ll see your progress just hang in there it happens to all of us from time to time

I just started INSANITY and I`m up but not worried at all I know its water weight and will come off soon

Sandyk5460

So, it might be because I'm using a different scale, but I just bought a new scale that says I've gained 6lbs... This is my first week with MFP, my first week really changing my diet and working out.

Today is day 4 of doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and I've been really pushing it and I was super pumped for my weigh in day because my clothes are fitting better.... and I've GAINED 6lbs!! In a week!!

I'm super discouraged and don't know what's going on.

You have to remember that muscle weighs more. If you are exercising hard and your clothes fit you better....................... that is not weight gain............... it is muscle. Muscle raises your metabolism which is half the battle. With a new scale, you need to forget what you weighed prior. Today is a new day. Do not get discouraged! You are doing GREAT!!!! :bigsmile:

LauraAshley95

One word. Muscle. Especially if you notice inches coming off of you. Muscle weighs more than fat, yada yada, you're absolutely fine. A lot of people go off of inches over scale because that's more meaningful.

Werglum

If you are not used to working out you can hold onto water when you start. When I did the shred I only lost 5.9lbs in the 33 days that it took me to do it, so it doesn't necessarily make you lose a lot of weight, but I lost a lot of inches and people said I looked like I had lost at least 10lbs!
Also scales are notoriously different! Sometimes I weigh myself on my Mum's scales because I know I'll be at least 3kg (6.6lbs) lighter than I am at home and I like to pretend I weigh that amount :laugh: . I'd only worry if you weigh in heavier next week on your own scales.

kimmieinkc

The first week I did the The 30 day shred I gained weight also, but after about a week in half my scale started going down! Keep going the weight will come off.

mmmyotwnz

I traveled overseas several months ago and knew I would retain water in the joints, ankles etc... It was a shock to get home and weigh in on the scale to see what it was. In two days it was all off and I was back down to where I was when I left. You need to weigh at the same time and with the same scale.
If you have eaten too much salt, you will retain and if you are gaining muscle mass with regular exercise than the scale will weigh in more. Measure the bust, waist, hips, thighs, calves, ankles upper arms and yes your neck size. Do this periodically when you loose. If you are retaining water you'll see it and when your inches start falling off even if the scale doesn't reflect it, you will have your answer.

good luck, do NOT become discouraged.

DrBorkBork

You have to remember that muscle weighs more. If you are exercising hard and your clothes fit you better....................... that is not weight gain............... it is muscle. Muscle raises your metabolism which is half the battle. With a new scale, you need to forget what you weighed prior. Today is a new day. Do not get discouraged! You are doing GREAT!!!! :bigsmile:

Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. That's like saying 1 lb of bricks weighs more than 1 lb of feathers. A pound is a pound. Muscle takes up less space. You're right on with the rest. The fact that the OP is still trucking along despite a discouraging week proves that she's pretty fabulous

sabinecbauer

1) Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound is a pound, and a pound of feathers weighs exactly the same as a pound of lead.
2) There is no way in hell that anyone could gain six pounds of muscle in a week. :noway:

As several people explained already , it's most likely water retention due to starting a new workout program.

mabear74

First use one scale to track your weight journey. Scales can differ greatly so the best thing you can do is use the same one for consistency. If this is the end of your first week you probably aren't going to have gained 6lbs in muscle, your body is learning to deal with what is happening to it, muscles will retain water to help repair themselves. A lb. of muscle does not weigh more than a lb. of fat. A pound is a pound. I wouldn't worry about it.......which I know is so much easier to say than to do. Give it a little more time, and match your next weigh in to the one you just took on the new scale. Hang in there!

speediejane

dont go off the rails -carry on

Jorra

It is impossible to gain 6 pounds of muscle in one week. It is nearly impossible to gain any muscle at all on a calorie deficit.

TeresaC79

So, it might be because I'm using a different scale, but I just bought a new scale that says I've gained 6lbs... This is my first week with MFP, my first week really changing my diet and working out.

Today is day 4 of doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and I've been really pushing it and I was super pumped for my weigh in day because my clothes are fitting better.... and I've GAINED 6lbs!! In a week!!

I'm super discouraged and don't know what's going on.

You have to remember that muscle weighs more. If you are exercising hard and your clothes fit you better....................... that is not weight gain............... it is muscle. Muscle raises your metabolism which is half the battle. With a new scale, you need to forget what you weighed prior. Today is a new day. Do not get discouraged! You are doing GREAT!!!! :bigsmile:

no no no.

muscle does NOT weight more then fat.

a pound is a pound is a pound. muscle is denser. but a pound of fat is the same as a pound of muscle.

vettle

you didn't gain 6 pounds. think about how many extra calories that would be.

scales are relative. You have to pick one and stay with it. if you got a new one and will be sticking with it, sorry to say but you gotta enter your new weight and go with it. If it really bothers you, then adjust your starting weight on here so it will show you have lost the same amount of pounds.

MandyMarie01

water weight is most likely the culprit.

i bought a new scale and said i was 4 pounds less so i returned it (wow i know)

you will gain weight when you start a new exercise program just stick with it, and find you a good measuring tape

vettle

I'm pretty sure you didn't gain it in fat, so don't stress . To gain 6 lbs of fat in a week, you would have had to have eaten about 21000 calories more than your maintenance calories over the course of the week or 3000 per day over all of the calories you burned through BMR, normal daily activity and exercise.

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Even with eating my earned calories (and I don't even eat near them all) I'm still less than my BMR...

I can't check on my other scale until tomorrow night. I've never owned a scale of my own so I've been using my mom's up until today. But I'm not expecting it to be much different if any... I'll stick it out for another couple weeks, hopefully things will change. It made me feel like all this work was for nothing.

By the way - never EVER eat below your BMR...EVER!!! that's eating less than your body needs when it's in a coma laying in bed all day. and that's just silly. you want to eat below your AMR, which is your BMR+ the calories you burn doing daily activities, PLUS your exercise calories that you have earned (as MFP doesn't build that into your daily goals)

redlion45

I'm pretty sure you didn't gain it in fat, so don't stress . To gain 6 lbs of fat in a week, you would have had to have eaten about 21000 calories more than your maintenance calories over the course of the week or 3000 per day over all of the calories you burned through BMR, normal daily activity and exercise.

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Even with eating my earned calories (and I don't even eat near them all) I'm still less than my BMR...

I can't check on my other scale until tomorrow night. I've never owned a scale of my own so I've been using my mom's up until today. But I'm not expecting it to be much different if any... I'll stick it out for another couple weeks, hopefully things will change. It made me feel like all this work was for nothing.

You answered your own question. Scale differences aside- and there can be big diferences - keep in mind that scales are helpful tools, but they don't tell you everything. If you know you didn't over eat by 3500 x whatever the scale said, it's not added fat. Working muscles take in water to repair themselves; digestive and female changes add water weight that isn't really weight gain.

Muscle can be added that is actually heavier than fat, so you can shrink in size but not weight. There are lots of reasons not to get hung up on the scale.

Stay the course if you think you are on track and you will get results! Good luck! :bigsmile:

Kellysmom78

It's enough to drive you mad and it almost had me totally discouraged today! In two months all I have lost is 3 lbs, (ands that's working at the gym, 5 days a week for 2 hrs) but that doesn't count the 4lbs I added back, about to take a hammer to the scales! Thanks for posting this because I needed to read all of it also! Keep at it!

ElHombre23

My scale is up a bit but I lost another half an inch from my stomach keep trucking forward you'll get there...BTW I use to stress over scale readings I'm learning to just understand fluctuations...

devonette

I don't know if it's true of all scales, but I think most are still adjustable. If you want to weigh yourself based on what you've been weighing on Mom's scale, you need to get your scale synched with hers. If possible, weigh yourself on your mother's scale just before you go back to your own house (if she lives relatively nearby). Then weigh yourself on your own scale when you get home. Most importantly, don't eat or drink anything, don't use the bathroom, and make sure you are wearing the exact same clothing at both weigh ins. If the weight is different on your new scale, then either a) use the adjustment feature on your scale to make the weights agree if it has one, b) just manually subtract the difference each time you get weighed (the difference between the scales will always be the same), or c) accept the weight on your new scale as it is for a new starting point and don't use your mom's scale going forward.

majordlite

Hang in there...it sounds as if you're making great headway. Forget the scale and concentrate on how your clothes are fitting better!