Just a little confused.

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LosingWeightKate
LosingWeightKate Posts: 39 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Yesterday was a hard day for me. I was feeling extremely depressed. (Got called fat by total strangers in Walmart). I was also extremely busy trying to keep my mind off of everything.

I didn't eat a lot. I had a big lunch, but it was definitely low in calories (not on purpose, but, it's what I had in the house before shopping today.) And then had a Subway sandwich for dinner while I was out Christmas shopping. Again. Very low calories. I always go to bed around 10-10:30 and so I stop eating around 8. It was 8 by the time I got home. I was exhausted and tired and just wasn't hungry.

I felt like I should have eaten something to up my calorie intake a little, and I usually let myself go get some lighter fast food on pay days, but I didn't want fast food. I absolutely wasn't hungry. And I felt that if I ate after 8, it would be just as dumb an idea as being that far under my calorie goal. (I had 721 calories.) So I just held it off and went to bed at 10.

I also didn't work out because I had been out shopping so late. I was just too tired. I usually work out every day for at least half an hour, taking a rest day once during the week if I feel like I need it. (it varies.) And so, I just used yesterday as my rest day. My pedometer said in total for the day I walked over 7 miles. So I wasn't too upset.

This morning I had gained 7 pounds on my scale. That's half of the weight I've lost, back again. Can starvation mode really kick in that fast? What about when I really wasn't feeling hungry? Can my body really tell me it's full and STILL pretend it's starving? I'm so confused and discouraged. I just need some help. Please and thank you.
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Replies

  • mynameiscarrie
    mynameiscarrie Posts: 963 Member
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    You didn't gain 7 pounds overnight. That's mathematically impossible to do if you were 700 calories under. I'd say something is fishy with the scale.
  • Pencilberry
    Pencilberry Posts: 57 Member
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    You can't gain 7 pounds from one day to the next just because you ate low calorie the day before (or for any sane reason). It's probably a lot of retained water from eating salty foods (subway is high sodium many times).
  • Goosiesnougs
    Goosiesnougs Posts: 420
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    Nope, reweigh yourself in a couple of days. We all have this happen sometimes. Sodium maybe?
  • ihad
    ihad Posts: 7,462 Member
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    Nothing you do in one day will cause that much real weight gain. Part is likely water retention. Give it some time, keep a reasonable deficit, and don't worry about any one bad day - look to longer term trends and building consistent habits.
  • littlebutcurvy
    littlebutcurvy Posts: 35
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    bump
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
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    In the simplest terms, your body functions.
    1. It loses and stores glycogen (carbs and sugars and its the primary source of energy for your body)
    2. You gain and lose water, and if you're a bigger size that can be ALOT (even 7 lbs worth). Sodium (aka fast food) can make you retain water.
    3. Your menstral cycle and hormones can play with your weight on the short term.

    Relax, keep eating right (and most certainly up your calories), and you will lose over the long term. Losing weight, living healthy isn;t a short term fix. It's a lifestyle change.

    Use calculators on the internet to figure your BMR (what you need to eat to live -- as if you were comatose) and your TDEE (based on your regular activity level, what you need to maintain). Then adjust that TDEE calories down, and factor in your exercise. That's what you should be eating.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    7 pound delta between yesterday and today? Sorry to be gross, but go urinate and defecate and weigh yourself again. In order to gain 7 pounds in body fat you would've had to eat 24,500 calories over your TDEE yesterday, and even then, your body could not have metabolized that much food; you'd have just passed it through. You would've noticed that binge.

    Be patient and consistent. There will be peaks and valleys.
  • athenaheim
    athenaheim Posts: 496 Member
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    It could have been water weight. Dont get discouraged just remember the scale dont matter. You can do this. Keep up your good work. And you did exercise with all that shopping that you did.
  • LosingWeightKate
    LosingWeightKate Posts: 39 Member
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    7 pound delta between yesterday and today? Sorry to be gross, but go urinate and defecate and weigh yourself again. In order to gain 7 pounds in body fat you would've had to eat 24,500 calories over your TDEE yesterday, and even then, your body could not have metabolized that much food; you'd have just passed it through. You would've noticed that binge.

    Be patient and consistent. There will be peaks and valleys.

    Not to be gross, but I did that already.
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
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    Fluctuations are natural, but that's usually 2-3 pounds. Seven pounds overnight just isn't really possible. Either something was off yesterday or something is off today. Or did you do the silliest mistake that we all make, and weight yourself after your shower while wrapped in a wet, heavy towel and with wet, heavy hair?
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,735 Member
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    1) don't ever think about starvation mode. it's nonsense. you will NEVER have to worry about real starvation mode in your entire life. real starvation mode is what happens to people literally starving to death in Africa or people in the concentration camps during WWII. the only thing you'll ever have to worry about is if chronic undereating leads to your metabolism slowing down somewhat. that takes many weeks (according to some) or many months (according to others) of chronic undereating to occur. i personally think it takes months and months before that will happen in a noticeable way.

    2) scales. don't trust them! they are not high precision instruments. uneven surfaces and heat/cold affect their accuracy. if it's old, or if its suspect, then get a new one or weigh yourself on a friends scale to check the accuracy of yours.

    3) 1 gallon of water weighs a little more than 8lbs. if you eat alot of sodium and drink alot of fluids without peeing it out the day before, then you really can see a large upswing on your scale the next day. it'll take a couple of days for your body to release it. don't worry about it. it happens all the time.

    4) don't weigh yourself every day. it's insane! daily weight fluctuations mean nothing. weigh yourself once a week, or better yet, once a month. put the scale in the closet so you're not tempted to jump on it 2 or 3 times a day.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    probably water weight from all the walking and Subway (it's not exactly water retention friendly)
  • babyblooz
    babyblooz Posts: 220 Member
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    Does your scale run on batteries? If so, might be time to change them. :wink:
  • hellraisedfire
    hellraisedfire Posts: 403 Member
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    water weight, sodium.

    do you weigh yourself with sneakers/clothes on? usually I'm a good 10 extra pounds thanks to clothes/boots.

    have you moved your scale AT ALL recently? if they get moved in the slightest, they sometimes need to be calibrated (even the digital ones). the old piece of crap I used to have would insist that gravity increased about tenfold from the left side of my kitchen to the right. -.-
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,871 Member
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    Yesterday was a hard day for me. I was feeling extremely depressed.

    And here you are anyway, ready to go again. Good for you! This in itself is a major victory over the long term. You are displaying a winning attitude, which is much more important than what the scale fluctuates in a day.
  • lbaileyjohannsen
    lbaileyjohannsen Posts: 133 Member
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    Especially at the beginning, my weight fluctuated like crazy. Up and down five pounds or more in a day. The best thing for me to do was to ignore the scale at first, set up a consistent eating habit, and drink lots and lots of water. So many factors affect your weight day to day. It's possible both your meals had a lot of sodium, you didn't drink enough water to flush it through, you're retaining water around this time of the month, etc. Also, after someone engages in a long period of physical activity (even just walking A LOT, which you did) your muscles retain water to fix themselves a little. If you just started, your body isn't really used to that kind of stuff yet. So, keep these things in mind for the next couple of weeks (yes it might take that long) and you may begin to see a real drop in weight.
  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
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    Yesterday was a hard day for me. I was feeling extremely depressed.

    And here you are anyway, ready to go again. Good for you! This in itself is a major victory over the long term. You are displaying a winning attitude, which is much more important than what the scale fluctuates in a day.

    That was a lovely response!
  • jono2970
    jono2970 Posts: 71
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    Kate - I think it's more about the actions of the people yesterday that is upsetting you. Weight changes all the time. For all my effort today, I will be lucky to lose a pound this week! But I will keep trying. Please keep your strength up, and when you are feeling low, that's why your friends at MFP are here. Do take care of yourself!
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
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    The more body fat I've had. . .the more water I retain approaching TOM. And, as I get older, that "lead up" time seems to get longer. SO, even 2 weeks ahead of anticipated TOM I may bloat. Now that I've lost some of that body fat, I find I retain less. Instead of a 5 lb weight gain in 36 hours. . .it's like 2 or 3ish. Annoying? YES. But it comes and goes. Also, high sodium will get ya! I went out to eat with the hubby last night and had steak, shrimp, salad, bread, spinach artichoke dip (CLEARLY over on my cals for the day) and a lovely peppermit Kaluha white russian for a night cap. Woke up soooo puffy this morning. . .eyes, fingers, even my belly. It irritates me, but that's what happens. I'll be back to normal tomorrow and my eating will get right back on track as well. No need to panic!
  • BunnyBabyDoll
    BunnyBabyDoll Posts: 132
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    I would try a different scale of you can but yeah like the other people said sodium can be a real ***** with the water weight. Don't be discouraged :] just keep on going. You know your eating better and exercising. exercising usually take a long walk somewhere peaceful if possible to improve my mood.

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