What'd I do wrong???

Klopford

I gained two pounds this week!

I know I was pretty good with the tracking and the exercise... I didn't track Saturday because I went to a convention so I called that an off day (probably my first ever since starting) and even then I didn't eat too much. Since I started tracking I've dropped two pounds a week but now I gained? The only thing I can think of that I did not do last week was drink lots of water (I ran out of Mio.) Does water really help with weight loss THAT much?

jealous_loser

If you didn't track Saturday, I am thinking you at a lot of processed foods. It's probably your sodium. Drink some water and weigh in in a few days.

MinnieInMaine

Sure it does! If you're dehydrated, you're retaining water. And I'll bet even if you made good choices at that convention, you were eating all prepared foods which are high in sodium so that's even more water retention. It's really important, especially when you're active, to stay well hydrated at all times. Stock up on the mio so it's no longer an excuse to skimp on the water and by the end of the week you should be back in balance.

Klopford

If you didn't track Saturday, I am thinking you at a lot of processed foods. It's probably your sodium. Drink some water and weigh in in a few days.

I know it wasn't a one-day gain because I weighed myself in the morning about mid-week or so just for the hell of it and the scale said the same thing... up two pounds from last weigh in.

I'm certainly going to drink my water this week though!

Koldnomore

Water helps with 'retention' (which can be perceived as slow rate of loss or false gains). Most individuals consume way more sodium than is required by their bodies for normal functions. All this extra sodium causes water in your system to be retained and sometimes when you have a day where you eat a lot of sodium you will not be able to get rid of the excess and thus you will register a false gain. You did not actually gain 2 lbs unless you went over your calories by about 7000 on the weekend (which I doubt)

When you go out to any restaurant or eat a lot of packaged foods, fast foods and just in general the 'typical diet' including things you don't cook from scratch you are at risk for water retention due to the excess sodium. The solution for this is to drink more water to flush out your system.

You may want to track Sodium as one of your nutrients - it may give you an insight.

jealous_loser

If you didn't track Saturday, I am thinking you at a lot of processed foods. It's probably your sodium. Drink some water and weigh in in a few days.

I know it wasn't a one-day gain because I weighed myself in the morning about mid-week or so just for the hell of it and the scale said the same thing... up two pounds from last weigh in.

I'm certainly going to drink my water this week though!

Just looking through your diary a little, it does look like you do eat out a lot. Take away is really bad for sodium. That is probably very much your problem. Drink more water and try less processed food.

Klopford

I'm kinda curious... if you're retaining water and you drink more water... how come your body doesn't retain that water too? Or retain what it was going to retain while you pee out the rest?

Code7526

Cut out all refined carbs (Bread, Cakes etc) and sugars. Have no more than 100grams of carbs a day. Before every meal drink 2 glasses of water. Follow a high protein, low carb diet and cut out all sugars. Protein and apples are appetite suppresors. Also remember diets by themselves don't work. People loose 5kg and then gain 6kg. They Yo Yo. You need to make positive changes in your life in small steps so that you can carry on with for the rest of your life. You need to have an regular exercise program with your diet. You need to exercise for an hour twice or three times a week where you actually build up a sweat.

Meal Plan 1:

Before Breakfast drink two big glasses of water.

Breakfast: 3-4 egg omelette + 1 apple + 300ml of milk to drink or to use in the omelette

Snack: 1 apple

Before lunch drink two big glasses of water

Lunch: Can of tuna + Salad

Snack: 1 Apple

Before supper drink two big glasses of water

Supper: 2-3 pieces of chicken + dark green vegetables.

Drink 2 litres of water a day.
No carbs
No Sugar in any form

Meal Plan 2:

Breakfast: Big bowl of oats with milk but no sugar

Snack: 1 fruit

Lunch: Protein(eggs, fish, tuna or chicken) + Salad

Snack: 1 fruit

Supper: Protein(eggs, fish, tuna or chicken) + dark green vegetables

Drink two litres of water a day.
No refined carbs
No Sugar in any form

Klopford

Dude... I didn't ask for that here.

It's all about calories in vs calories out. I know I'm doing good on calories. I'm just going to drink way more water to see if that helps.

I would still like an answer to my question about why the body doesn't keep retaining water if you give it more water though...

sannsk

Protein and apples are appetite suppresors.

Not for everyone :laugh: Apples make me violently hungry! If I have an apple after dinner at night, I know I'll be in the snack cupboard an hour later... also contains sugar, which you said to cut out alltogether...

Protein however, is the way to go! for example, eat the egg whites from a hard boiled egg (if you still have some spare fat to eat, eat the yolk too, it's healthy...)

MrsNANSEE

Dude... I didn't ask for that here.

It's all about calories in vs calories out. I know I'm doing good on calories. I'm just going to drink way more water to see if that helps.

I would still like an answer to my question about why the body doesn't keep retaining water if you give it more water though...

if you drink more water the body gets rid of it,because it knows its going to get more.If you dont drink a lot of water the body will hold onto it because it doesnt know when it will get more....thats how i look at it anyway xx

minkakross

don't sweat it. I can only speak from experience of having had a lot to lose and having my first goal in sight but this happens to me all the time. sometimes there was a cause that could be identified like too much salt (for me that means eating out), sometimes I had really been pushing it hard in my work outs and sometimes it was that curse women have once a month. Other times I could not figure it out, but it always passed and if I was staying on track through a gain or a stall I usually went right past the hiccup a week or two later. seriously my weight chart looked like a heart beat monitor for the first 50 pounds. This is a lifestyle change for most of us and consistency is the key. You are going to have ups and downs don't let them panic you, just keep making healthy choices and take one day at a time.

sannsk

I would still like an answer to my question about why the body doesn't keep retaining water if you give it more water though...

I wonder about that too :-/

LeidaPrimal

Your body retains water by a number of different reasons. Swelling of the musucle when you workouts, salt, inner methabolic workings. There is no guarantee that if you drink an ocean that the water will flush through you. That's why you have the whole water 'releasing' substances, like green tea, dandelion tea, cranberries, a world of supplements, sauna.

Weight and fat loss is not an engineered process, when if you get your inputs correct, you get the same desired output.

debbiefaragher

Hi hun, you are doing really really well. Half a stone already and I bet you can feel it.

Water I am told is they key and the more you drink the better it is 2 ltres is about right but take care not to drink too much expecially if you are doing lots of cardio work outs.

I'm sticking to the calories I'm aloud and walking fast a few times a week and its working for me.

Well done, keep it up

mizzie1980

When you eat a lot of sodium, it's dehydrating. The human body is an amazing organism and it's main goal is self preservation. Since one of the basic needs is water, it does what it can to make sure there is enough. When there is a shortage (less water or more sodium, or both), your body will hold on to anything it gets, because it doesn't know how long the shortage will last. Once you start providing water regularly, it will dump the extra. Think of it like people stocking up on groceries before a big storm. Once the storm passes, they go back to shopping like normal.

Oh, and when I gain water weight, it can take up to a week for me to drop it. So, even if it doesn't drop right away, that doesn't mean it's not water weight. Give it time, it will come off again.

MinnieInMaine

I would still like an answer to my question about why the body doesn't keep retaining water if you give it more water though...

if you drink more water the body gets rid of it,because it knows its going to get more.If you dont drink a lot of water the body will hold onto it because it doesnt know when it will get more....thats how i look at it anyway xx

Yup, this is right. If you're not getting enough water, either through foods (eating a lot of raw foods helps with hydration too) or drink, your body is holding on to what it can. When you drink enough and keep your hydration levels fairly stable, the body is better at processing everything and therefore will release more water. Think about it - the more you drink, the more you pee right?! This is why.

Speaking of pee, it's a great way to tell your hydration level. Assuming you're not on meds that effect your urine... Dark yellow, especially with an odor, means you're dehydrated. Clear means you're overhydrated. Somewhere in between (light or very light yellow) is ideal.

A good guideline is to try for 1 oz of water for every 1/2 pound of body weight. Say you weight 180, that's 90 ounces or about 11 cups per day. Add at least 2 cups per day if you're active. Or make sure you're getting in some raw fruits/veggies for extra hydration through food.

Christine1110

It's probably mostly sodium....and not drinking lots doesn't help. You need to drink even more and flush the sodium out!

SherryR1971

I have found that it does...when I don't drink it I stop losing, start drinking it again, and I start losing again...drink it up!!!

mhouston2011

When you eat a lot of sodium, it's dehydrating. The human body is an amazing organism and it's main goal is self preservation. Since one of the basic needs is water, it does what it can to make sure there is enough. When there is a shortage (less water or more sodium, or both), your body will hold on to anything it gets, because it doesn't know how long the shortage will last. Once you start providing water regularly, it will dump the extra. Think of it like people stocking up on groceries before a big storm. Once the storm passes, they go back to shopping like normal.

Oh, and when I gain water weight, it can take up to a week for me to drop it. So, even if it doesn't drop right away, that doesn't mean it's not water weight. Give it time, it will come off again.

This is absolutely the best explanation...thank you!!

Brunner26_2

Cut out all refined carbs (Bread, Cakes etc) and sugars. Have no more than 100grams of carbs a day. Before every meal drink 2 glasses of water. Follow a high protein, low carb diet and cut out all sugars. Protein and apples are appetite suppresors. Also remember diets by themselves don't work. People loose 5kg and then gain 6kg. They Yo Yo. You need to make positive changes in your life in small steps so that you can carry on with for the rest of your life. You need to have an regular exercise program with your diet. You need to exercise for an hour twice or three times a week where you actually build up a sweat.

Meal Plan 1:

Before Breakfast drink two big glasses of water.

Breakfast: 3-4 egg omelette + 1 apple + 300ml of milk to drink or to use in the omelette

Snack: 1 apple

Before lunch drink two big glasses of water

Lunch: Can of tuna + Salad

Snack: 1 Apple

Before supper drink two big glasses of water

Supper: 2-3 pieces of chicken + dark green vegetables.

Drink 2 litres of water a day.
No carbs
No Sugar in any form

Meal Plan 2:

Breakfast: Big bowl of oats with milk but no sugar

Snack: 1 fruit

Lunch: Protein(eggs, fish, tuna or chicken) + Salad

Snack: 1 fruit

Supper: Protein(eggs, fish, tuna or chicken) + dark green vegetables

Drink two litres of water a day.
No refined carbs
No Sugar in any form

No sugar in any form but have an fruit as a snack?