Weighed in this morning and I am up 3 lbs!!!!! Why?

I worked out four times last week. I also didn't go over my calories for meals. Why did I gain??? Any thoughts
I am not going to panic and change things. I am going to stay the course. Hoping the scale will pay me back in the next couple of weeks.

Replies

  • YoungDoc2B
    YoungDoc2B Posts: 1,593 Member
    Water retention
  • mandy5135
    mandy5135 Posts: 67 Member
    Water retention
    EXACTLY
    especially if that was the first week you worked out
  • What kind of scale do you have? Does it measure your muscle mass? Were you dehydrated?

    Don't freak out over one weigh in - don't celebrate one weigh in either. It's all about which way you are trending.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Scales are a-holes. They do that.

    It's probably fluid. Weight can fluctuate as much as 5 pounds from day to day, even from morning to afternoon.

    Recently I was so sick that I was running to the bathroom at least once per hour 24/7 for 2 days, and my weight went up 3 pounds. I don't know how that's even possible. I DEFINITELY wasn't retaining water; I was losing it! So who knows? The scales went back down again (now back up again).

    We're after long-term trends so try not to let these ridiculous fluctuations mess with your mind too much.
  • lamby284
    lamby284 Posts: 167 Member
    I will gain up to 4 lbs in a few days for some odd reason, and then one morning will wake up to find that I am lighter than I was evev BEFORE that gain. So I have to wait a few days to see my real weight loss. Probably water retention. If you use up all the glycogen stores in your muscle from working out a lot, it somehow makes your muscle tissue retain water. Google glycogen and water retention
  • QueenBeenita
    QueenBeenita Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks guys for responding. Yes it was my first week working out. Sounds like it may be water retention. :)
  • QueenBeenita
    QueenBeenita Posts: 14 Member
    I have a GNC scale that I ordered from Groupon. It actually talks to you. "Are you ready? Stand Stil, Your weight IS" LOL It probably is not as accurate as it should be. But i would just like to see a downward trend that's all. Maybe I shouldn't weigh every week. Thinking of doing every two weeks.
  • lamby284
    lamby284 Posts: 167 Member
    I have a GNC scale that I ordered from Groupon. It actually talks to you. "Are you ready? Stand Stil, Your weight IS" LOL It probably is not as accurate as it should be. But i would just like to see a downward trend that's all. Maybe I shouldn't weigh every week. Thinking of doing every two weeks.

    That's awful, a scale that talks. Burn it. 1-2 weeks weigh in is a good amount if time
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    I used to weigh in once per month, but that messed with my mind even more. A WHOLE MONTH of effort and my weight is up? Now I weigh myself ever 2-3 days, and it's up/down/up/up/down/down. I only record the weight when it goes down now because that's what I'm looking for. The ups can bite me!
  • DanceForever904
    DanceForever904 Posts: 611 Member
    I have a GNC scale that I ordered from Groupon. It actually talks to you. "Are you ready? Stand Stil, Your weight IS" LOL It probably is not as accurate as it should be. But i would just like to see a downward trend that's all. Maybe I shouldn't weigh every week. Thinking of doing every two weeks.

    That's awful, a scale that talks. Burn it. 1-2 weeks weigh in is a good amount if time

    lol im all in for a bonfire!!!
  • I have a GNC scale that I ordered from Groupon. It actually talks to you. "Are you ready? Stand Stil, Your weight IS" LOL It probably is not as accurate as it should be. But i would just like to see a downward trend that's all. Maybe I shouldn't weigh every week. Thinking of doing every two weeks.

    I only weigh myself on the first of every MONTH. Also, your weight can fluctuate up to five pounds in the course of a day, so be sure to weigh yourself at a given time of day each time.
  • QueenBeenita
    QueenBeenita Posts: 14 Member
    I have a GNC scale that I ordered from Groupon. It actually talks to you. "Are you ready? Stand Stil, Your weight IS" LOL It probably is not as accurate as it should be. But i would just like to see a downward trend that's all. Maybe I shouldn't weigh every week. Thinking of doing every two weeks.

    That's awful, a scale that talks. Burn it. 1-2 weeks weigh in is a good amount if time



    LOL @ Burn it :) Yes every two weeks may be better
  • dblaacker
    dblaacker Posts: 153 Member
    I have a GNC scale that I ordered from Groupon. It actually talks to you. "Are you ready? Stand Stil, Your weight IS" LOL It probably is not as accurate as it should be. But i would just like to see a downward trend that's all. Maybe I shouldn't weigh every week. Thinking of doing every two weeks.

    That's awful, a scale that talks. Burn it. 1-2 weeks weigh in is a good amount if time

    Haha, I'm just imagining a scale that chastises you whenever your weight creeps up a little. I would hate that scale, and would indeed want to burn it.
  • ApexLeader
    ApexLeader Posts: 580 Member
    throw away your scale and measure your hips, waist, biceps, thighs, etc
  • I weigh every two weeks now..one week just doesn't cut it. 3 pounds could easily be water retention.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Try and take the view that you are doing everything you can in terms of eating and exercise, for your health, and the scale will take care of itself. Better to focus on health,the mirror and how you feel physically, than on a number on a manmade machine.
  • "Burn it."
    HA! :D Try and drink as much water as possible, I can be 5lbs heavier when dehydrated!! Don't get discouraged, get some water in you!! :)
  • syrklc
    syrklc Posts: 172 Member
    Hey queen,Our bodies are adjusting to all these lifestyle changes. I weighed at doctor today - im forgetting that number ;) i started with number on my scale and I'm sticking to it :tongue:
  • ashlensmomma
    ashlensmomma Posts: 124 Member
    I posted this exact same question a week after I had started on here lol. I freaked out, but I eventually learned how much salt was in my diet, and cut it back. I still fluctuate 2-3 lbs daily, but I know in the morning it will be gone.
  • Sloth_TurtleGirl
    Sloth_TurtleGirl Posts: 79 Member
    I weigh myself every night and morning. I've learned a lot about my body. I look for downward trends. When I have a three pound or even one pound uptick, I know it isn't real because I know I haven't gained a pound in 12 hours!
  • Rhozelyn
    Rhozelyn Posts: 201 Member
    Does the scale say "tut tut" when you gain or "yay" when you lose?
    I measured my weight daily for 8 months. In my premenstrual week I gain around 6 pounds then it drops off very quickly after a day or 2 due to water retention from cyclical hormonal changes. So hang in there and keep going.
  • binknbaby
    binknbaby Posts: 207 Member
    Not to be invasive, but for women, weight can fluctuate anywhere between 1-5 pounds in the two weeks leading up to their period. So if you're in that window, that's another possibility. But water retention is very common in the first week(s) of working out, while your body adjusts to the new activity. Keep it up for another week and see what happens. And don't be too frustrated by the scale. Look also at how you feel and how you look to determine progress. In my first week, I gained 2 lbs, but then lost 2 inches, so... go figure. Now I'm on the decline, so it can only be good things from here, right?
  • COH1
    COH1 Posts: 1 Member
    This may be a little OCD, but I weigh myself in the am and pm, everyday. That way I can track trends. I allow 3-5 pound variance from am to pm and day to day. I weigh more at night. Once you start to see the scale consistantly moving in one direction or another, I feel like that's when the scale is telling me the truth :)

    This probably isn't a good habit for someone who can't accept that variance, or for someone who stresses over every ounce.
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    Measure your progress in a variety of ways:

    Scale
    Body Measurements
    Profile Pictures
    Calipers/Body Fat Percentage

    Whether you do it frequently or more spread apart depends on your reaction to normal variances.
  • QueenBeenita
    QueenBeenita Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond. it seems like most of you are weighing pretty regularly but are realistic about that 3-5 lb fluctuation that sometimes occurs. I want to make a lifestyle change that will enable me to lose the weight and keep it off. Honestly the talking scale is not a bad thing for me. I just can't allow the scale to totally dictate my success. I am going measure myself and just keep trying to eat a healthy and lower sodium diet
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
    The scale is a fickle beast. I saw your diary and it doesn't look like you're tracking your salt intake, but saw some things that might have high salt content. So, I agree with those suggesting watter retention. Sometimes the work you put in shows up a week later too. Stay on track and see what your next weigh in says....
  • baileysmom4
    baileysmom4 Posts: 242 Member
    throw away your scale and measure your hips, waist, biceps, thighs, etc


    That is exactly what I plan to do! And use body fat calipers too, but only monthly!
  • I weigh in on a weekly basis, every Sunday morning first thing. I find my weight fluctuates considerably in relation to what stage I am on my menstrual cycle. Maybe it could be a could be a combination of different factors?
  • baileysmom4
    baileysmom4 Posts: 242 Member
    I started looking at my salt intake after reading all the posts and I was shocked by my numbers. Cut it back one day and lost 3 pounds and 2.5 inches overnight!!!!! Amazing how much water you can hold onto. Oh, and I drank a ton of water that day too to flush out the sodium.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Having stuff in your small bowel and colon will also make your weight go up.