Weight Fluctuations?

Cara2628
Cara2628 Posts: 64 Member
edited January 3 in Health and Weight Loss
I already know that the scale can fluctuate sometimes because of water retention. But I am just a little confused as to how this happens. The scale has been steadily dropping for a couple weeks now with no random days of fluctuation. 2 days ago I weighed .4 pounds more than the day before and brushed it off, but then today I weighed .6 more than I did yesterday! I did go over my calorie allowance by 400 yesterday but obviously that is not enough to affect the scale this much. I ate the same amount as sodium as always, so I am just confused. It is disappointing to see a gain two days in a row! What gives? How long can I expect this temporary gain to stay?

I just upped my calories by about 300-400 the past few days since I reached my goal weight. Can that be the cause?

Replies

  • Cara2628
    Cara2628 Posts: 64 Member
    bump
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    It's common to gain water weight by upping calories to adjusted maintenance. This is especially true when reintroducing more carbs back in to your diet. Your body responds this way after a length of calorie deprivation. As a means to reach equillibrium it wants to hold excess water. In addition, more water is needed to assist in breaking down an increased amount of food.The water gain stopped for me after 8 days because the difference in carb intake between a cut and maintenance for me is significant-100 to 130 carbs up to 325 or more. Just up calories by 100 every week or so. The closer to maintenance you ate in calories when you hit goal weight, the shorter the adjustment period. The bigger the deficit you maintained the longer the period and greater chance some fat will be regained.

    You want to keep an eye on not just eating more calories but also your exercise calories. If you are reducing cardio you thus need to take that in to account. So if you add 300 calories in food and decrease cardio by 100 calories, you decreased your deficit by 400. This was another reason I recommended a smaller deficit - with very little cardio - because it makes the adjustment period a lot easier.
  • theologynerd
    theologynerd Posts: 264 Member
    Also, don't discount hormones. TOM = instant water retention for most women.
  • BurkYoung
    BurkYoung Posts: 35
    Its a little gross but dont underestimate how long it takes bulk to be evacuated from your system... I also routinely loose a couple pounds at night (difference from night weight to morning weight) .
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    It's common to gain water weight by upping calories to adjusted maintenance. This is especially true when reintroducing more carbs back in to your diet. Your body responds this way after a length of calorie deprivation. As a means to reach equillibrium it wants to hold excess water. In addition, more water is needed to assist in breaking down an increased amount of food.The water gain stopped for me after 8 days because the difference in carb intake between a cut and maintenance for me is significant-100 to 130 carbs up to 325 or more. Just up calories by 100 every week or so. The closer to maintenance you ate in calories when you hit goal weight, the shorter the adjustment period. The bigger the deficit you maintained the longer the period and greater chance some fat will be regained.

    You want to keep an eye on not just eating more calories but also your exercise calories. If you are reducing cardio you thus need to take that in to account. So if you add 300 calories in food and decrease cardio by 100 calories, you decreased your deficit by 400. This was another reason I recommended a smaller deficit - with very little cardio - because it makes the adjustment period a lot easier.

    ^^^Listen to the big guy
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