What's going on here?! So upset...

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EdgeChic
EdgeChic Posts: 75
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, I haven't been tracking my food because I've been packing & cleaning. We're moving back to Tucson, AZ on Friday. I haven't been eating terribly, but I get on the scale and somehow I've GAINED 9lbs in less than a week?!?! I HAVE NOT been drinking enough water (I usually drink a gallon, but I've been lucky to get in 1.5QT a day). Could this be it, is my body holding water because I'm not getting enough? I'm on the verge of a breakdown...I worked hard for those 9lbs for them to just reappear in a few DAYS!

I'm just not sure what's going on. I haven't been eating GREAT, but by no means have I been eating horribly.

I just have SO much weight to lose (close to 200lbs) and to see the scale go back up it depresses me so much.

Ideas? Thoughts?

Replies

  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    You have 200 lbs to lose? It doesn't look like it if that's you in your picture. If you do have a lot of weight to lose, then yes, you could be holding 9 lbs of water weight. Not just from NOT drinking, but from eating things high in sodium (you may not realize it - anything processed, in a package, or salty will be high in sodium - fish, crackers, etc). Have you drank any alcohol recently? Alcohol can cause you to gain as the body burns alcohol off before fat, which temporarily stalls your body fat/weight loss. Get back tracking your food and exercising, drink LOTS of water (find your sweet spot - mine is 120 oz which may seem like a lot but I can drink it easily and it helps me lose weight and not retain water for too long if I do go over on sodium). Drink at least half your weight in ounces of water. If you're 160, drink at least 80 oz.
  • misc02u
    misc02u Posts: 25
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    Are you weighing first thing in the morning? I always weight first thing in the morning. Increase your water & you see if you loose it again. I don't think it's possible to gain that much in just a few days. one pound is 3500 calories so you would have to be doing some MAJOR eating to gain 9 pounds in just a few days. Don't get too discouraged-something is not right!
  • cynditoney
    cynditoney Posts: 90
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    Also, GIRLIE ISSUE, is it close to that time of the month? I sometimes gain almost 10 lbs around the time I start my menstrual cycle. That could be part of the cause.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    To gain a pound, you have to eat 3500 EXTRA calories, so to gain 9 pounds of fat, you would have had to ate 31,500 extra calories on top of what you normally should eat just in a couple of days. If that were true, that would be pretty impressive (jk, but seriously that's how many calories I eat in 23.5 days, just to put it into perspective).

    So no, you didn't gain 9 pounds of fat. Maybe one or two pounds, but the rest is retained water from not drinking enough water or eating high sodium foods (which is just about everything it seems). Relax, go for a long walk, drink plenty of water and get back on track as soon as you can. Also, when are you weighing in? In the morning, before food and water, after using the bathroom and naked? If not, so many things (like eating, having to use the bathroom etc) can affect what the scale says.
  • lina1131
    lina1131 Posts: 2,246 Member
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    YOU have 200 lbs to lose? Looking at your picture, there is no way in heck!

    9lbs is most likely water retention. I went for 3 days to Sea World and gained a little over 2 lbs. It happens. It will come right back off!
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
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    Stress can also help to gain weight. If you are moving I can only imagine the stress in your life right now. I moved once across the country and do not want to do it again! Get some exercise, track your food, and make sure you drink water. Good luck with your move.
  • EdgeChic
    EdgeChic Posts: 75
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    Thank you everyone so far for your replies.

    Couple things. That picture is VERY old. I was about 180lbs there, it was when I first met my husband (4.5 years ago). I am currently 331lbs (that's what I'm going by, if I go by the what the *NEW* weight says, it'd be 340).

    I am making sure I keep track of my water from here on out. It's been hard with the packing, cleaning, taking care of a 4 month old and just everyday stress (husband is deploying very soon for a year :( )

    I am weighing in the morning first thing. No food, no drink, after I use the restroom, etc.

    I also wonder if my scale's battery is on the fritz. It's been a while since I changed it and when I weighed later this afternoon (for ish and giggles), it said I was down to 329...SOOOO I might change the battery and see if it gets better.

    My time of the month was a couple weeks ago, but I have endometriosis as well as PCOS. Plus I had a baby 4 months ago, so things still aren't normal quite yet.

    amymeenieminyn (I think), thank you for putting that in prospective, there is NO way I ate an extra 3.500 calories a day, I probably was on my calorie allotment (1870) or POSSIBLY 200 or so over, no way I was way over.

    Again, thank you everyone up to this point who has replied. It helps put things in prospective and I'm feeling less discouraged, just wanting to get this move and stress over with so I can feel super charged again.
  • AmyLynn4321
    AmyLynn4321 Posts: 30 Member
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    Also if you're moving and packing - if you moved your scale - it could need recalibrated. but sounds like replacing the battery may help.
    Good luck with everything!
  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
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    It's amazing what food gets by when you are not tracking it.
  • Allibaba
    Allibaba Posts: 457 Member
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    It is scary when the scale goes up like that, hopefully once everything settles down it will sort itself out. It is probably a combination of everything, sodium, not enough water, and the scale being a bit finicky from being moved.

    Keep at it and you will see results again soon!
  • misslizz6958
    misslizz6958 Posts: 124 Member
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    Dnt worry girl I'm sure its water
  • cindyangotti
    cindyangotti Posts: 294 Member
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    Drink at least half your weight in ounces of water. If you're 160, drink at least 80 oz.

    THAT is a LOT of water! If I did that I'd be in the bathroom all day. However, studies show you can lose weight without drinking a ton of water... thank God! lol

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