Weight fluctuations

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KellyJannine
KellyJannine Posts: 56 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My weight is so whacky. I weigh one week and i'm down. The next week I weigh and I am up 4 pounds. I refuse to change my weight on MFP on a gain, but it takes weeks to get back to the weight that I was down the week before. Obviously not a true gain but I'm discouraged seeing my weight stay the same for over a month. uggh!!!

Keeping it real, and maintaining the motivation... barely!
Kelly
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Replies

  • misskittyfantastico1991
    misskittyfantastico1991 Posts: 145
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    Are you doing a lot of exercise? Muscle weighs more than fat and that can lead to fluctuations.

    Otherwise, are you weighing same time each day?

    Don't let it get you down! It took you more than a month to put it on and it will take a while to get it off :)
  • jodie091
    jodie091 Posts: 46
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    Hi Kelly

    I am having the exact same problem hope you get some answers :)
  • atjays
    atjays Posts: 798 Member
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    Try to weigh yourself at the same time of day. I've got my food intake pretty constant day to day, and my weight doesn't move more than 0.5 of a lb from day to day as long as I don't eat late at night or have a bad day in general. I take my lowest weigh in of the week to log and go from there.
  • pinktina27
    pinktina27 Posts: 12
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    I'm having the same problem also. I work out consistently and I don't go over on my calories. I also try to watch my sodium intake. It is so frustrating to have it jump up and then creep back down. Any insight or tips would really be appreciated!
  • alanlmarshall
    alanlmarshall Posts: 587 Member
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    Take your scale and very carefully... Throw it in the trash.
  • Cher2686
    Cher2686 Posts: 94 Member
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    Sadly I think that its just how us women are created. Its like our bodies know that we need to have babies and become big human PILLOWS for them. It sux! I can gain up to 5 lbs in one day with water weight and for the life of me I cant get it to go away. I have to wait it out. I know that stress and that time of the month are big factors. Just try to keep moving forward and dont get discouraged. I know for me at times I just go off of measurement. maybe that will help.
  • trixiemou
    trixiemou Posts: 554 Member
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    When I look at my wieght chart it is like a mountain range. The general trend is down. We all know when we have over indulged as boy does that show. Other times it does nt matter how good you are up it goes. On a positive note you just have to go with it, make sure you are drinking plenty of water so even if it is down to sodium levels it will help a little. Make sure you are eating enough, that's another one which seems to upset out metabolism. You just gotta keep going, our body in general likes what we are doing.

    Good luck, you can do it!
  • haverfield2
    haverfield2 Posts: 3
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    The thing with weight fluctuations is that it's actually linked to mood. I've seen a lot of studies now that talk about how being stressed or angry or sad can make you gain weight. I mean, every movie has the scene with the sad girl eating a tub of ice cream, remember. So one of the most important things you have to do is keep a positive outlook. If you're gaining weight it's probably because you're not being happy enough.
  • KellyJannine
    KellyJannine Posts: 56 Member
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    I may be mistaken... but weren't yall supposed to respond with the ANSWER?? lol! kidding. :) I'm exercising, not sure if it is a lot.. but enough, i'd say. I'm on a salt restricted diet, and on two water pills ... (prescribed).. I'm just ready for the games to end, and some serious loss to start happening. My body needs to get with the program, and let go of the fat.

    I've heard that stress is detrimental to weight loss, and can even cause gains. BOOOOOO to that! I'm being good and not doing the emotional eating. Honestly, though.. who on earth grabs ice cream when they are crying? lame! I am definitely a cookies or french fries kind of emotional eater... although, if I ate ice cream when i was sad, I might not be fat LOL I can't eat nearly as much ice cream as I can other things.
  • CATindeeHAT
    CATindeeHAT Posts: 332 Member
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    My weight is so whacky. I weigh one week and i'm down. The next week I weigh and I am up 4 pounds. I refuse to change my weight on MFP on a gain, but it takes weeks to get back to the weight that I was down the week before. Obviously not a true gain but I'm discouraged seeing my weight stay the same for over a month. uggh!!!

    Keeping it real, and maintaining the motivation... barely!
    Kelly

    That's because you're a woman. You'd be SHOCKED how much water weight can mask true fat loss. Rule of thumb: take the expected results you'd see for a man on a given weightloss plan and add anywhere between 4-8 weeks to see those same results if you have two X chromosomes.
  • KellyJannine
    KellyJannine Posts: 56 Member
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    kat- this is terrible terrible news you are giving me!! dang..
  • CATindeeHAT
    CATindeeHAT Posts: 332 Member
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    kat- this is terrible terrible news you are giving me!! dang..

    You have the capability to lose just as much weight as any MANimal love...

    ...you just need a bit more faith then they do that's all.


    :wink:
  • m11ekd
    m11ekd Posts: 46 Member
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    I.sorry to say ladies that for once your are not unigue! The difficultes you are experiencing in weekly weight gan despite maintaining you calorie count, exercise, water retention, physical activity etc is the same for me. When I gain a low weight I record it, however, a week later and I find that I may have put on as much as 5 pounds, it can take me a month or more before I can record another loss. All I can say is to keep at it and you WILL succeed. keep positive, keep recording your food, Keep up with your activites and you will win. Yes it is a Battle, but its the same for us guys too:)
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    My weight is so whacky. I weigh one week and i'm down. The next week I weigh and I am up 4 pounds. I refuse to change my weight on MFP on a gain, but it takes weeks to get back to the weight that I was down the week before. Obviously not a true gain but I'm discouraged seeing my weight stay the same for over a month. uggh!!!

    Keeping it real, and maintaining the motivation... barely!
    Kelly

    Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

    Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

    The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.
    What is the exact number of calories for you?

    We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

    In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
    per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
    the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
    that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
    calculators and text books say otherwise.

    This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
    was just a bit off.

    -John Barban (The Body Centric Calorie Guide from the Venus Index and Adonis Index Manuals)
  • TeamSETT
    TeamSETT Posts: 2
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    Everyone will fluctuate weight every single day. However there are ways around that mental block by simply keep doing what your doing but weigh yourself first thing in the morning once a week. Such as every sunday morning, since you burn about the same amount of energy every night, this beats any water weight to the punch!
  • lynz4589
    lynz4589 Posts: 389 Member
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    I have this problem too here's what I now do.....

    Weigh in at the same time every week (every morning after a pee and before dressing or eating) I weigh in at around 8am / 9am depending when I get up. I have the misfortune of needing to weigh in everyday (i know you shouldnt but it keeps me motivated)

    Take measurements. For example last month I only lost 4lbs (yes healthy at 1lb a week but was hoping for more) however I had lost 4.1 inches around the waist which meant within a month I was able to get the next size down in jeans! MAJOR for me!

    Upped my calories. Exercise combined with my 1300 cal diet meant I was eating far too little. The scale hadnt moved in months and if it did it often floated around the same number give or take 2lbs each way. Ive increased to 1700 (my bmr) and dropped 4lbs last week alone.

    Keep at it and remember the scale isnt the end of the road, if it doesnt work take measurements!
  • KellyJannine
    KellyJannine Posts: 56 Member
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    lynz, I just recently increased my calories from 1200 to 1800.. I haven't hit 1800 yet because it is hard to want to increase calories knowing that i want to lose.. it seems like that'd be the opposite of what I should be doing.. but I had considered I was eating too little. I've been eating more since saturday or sunday, I can't remember exactly. I weigh everyday, but I don't take it too seriously until my actual weigh in day which is Monday. I haven't lost any weight in a month or so. I also have not lost any inches in my waist because I measure that once a week or every other week.. not consistent, but I do measure.. i'm the same.. my clothes aren't fitting any better either. I've always lost weight doing crash diets, and I do not want to go that route... because it's a huge yo yo... you lose, you gain it all back, you lose, you gain... I heard on the radio a couple weeks ago that women lose an average of 9 times their body weight over their lifetime... they were talking about ME! I don't want that to be me.. i'm ready to lose for GOOD! So i'm being realistic.. you know? i'm not trying to just lose, and then go back to my old habbits.. whatever I do has to be sustainable or I will end up being heavy again..
  • karlyelindsay
    karlyelindsay Posts: 25 Member
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    do you drink much water? I didn't see any recorded but I know not everyone records it. I know if I don't get at least 8 glasses each day then there is very little chance I lost any weight. also it seems you eat some meat but very little if any lean protein I try to make chicken early in the week that lasts a few days. I'm by no means an expert but these things help me!
  • sarahpetway
    sarahpetway Posts: 27
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    Eat clean! It helps - try to only eat complex carbs 1 serv = 1/4 cup( oatmeal, rice, sweet potato ), if you eat meat make sure it's lean and white ( fish, chicken, turkey, egg whites). For dairy - Greek yogurt & cottage cheese. Eat veggies with every meal and snack only of fruits (no fruit in the evening) and veggies. Doing this works!! I swear!
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
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    I'm surprised no one mentioned water. Considering the body is 70% water we fluctuate about 5lbs per day just on that. Now throw in fluctuating sodium and carb intake will alter that as well. Also women have this thing called a menstrual cycle that contributes to water weight.

    Weigh yourself with consistency: Same day, time, clothing... And try only doing it once a week if not less. The scale is a mindf*ck.

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