Gained 2lbs in 2 days?

I understand I may be about to get a slap around the old head for starting a topic that's probably appeared a hundred times, but I think everyones different so thought it'd be best to start one for my own situation.

I began my weight loss with a smoothie/liquid detox for a couple of days before moving on to a very low calorie diet. A couple of weeks ago I was only eating around the 500 calorie mark, my starting weight was 192 lbs and I'm only 5'5 so this low calorie stage was supposed to boost my weight loss in the first few weeks since I was very inactive because of a roller derby injury. I've recently increased a little and I'm regularly eating under the 1000 calorie mark.

I've lost 11 lbs so far, but in the past two days I've gained 2lbs, I would appreciate if no one mention the starvation mode issue, as I sincerely doubt that is an issue in this case since I've not increased my calories a large amount etc.

I'm looking for help/advice, my diary is open to the public so feel free to check it out...
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Replies

  • siany01
    siany01 Posts: 319 Member
    Regardless of calories or eating or anything else your weight can fluctuate by 5lbs a day. It could be down to a number of things, water retention to name just one.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    eat more and dont weigh yourself every 2 days.....
  • whooter
    whooter Posts: 47
    eat more and dont weigh yourself every 2 days.....

    ^^^^
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
    I understand I may be about to get a slap around the old head for starting a topic that's probably appeared a hundred times, c.

    On the contrary!! I've never actually seen a thread like this before, this is all new to me!

    wink, wink. Nudge nudge ;-)

    J/k

    Good luck reaching your goals, you'll do fine!
  • eat more and dont weigh yourself every 2 days.....

    I'm slowly trying to increase my calories up to the recommended 1200, I just didn't want to do it too quickly in case my body had some kind of hissy fit haha. As far as the weighing myself every two days...I actually weigh myself every day, I'm absolutely terrible for it, all the women in my family are the same, it's like an addiction!
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    Nope.
  • I understand I may be about to get a slap around the old head for starting a topic that's probably appeared a hundred times, c.

    On the contrary!! I've never actually seen a thread like this before, this is all new to me!

    wink, wink. Nudge nudge ;-)

    J/k

    Good luck reaching your goals, you'll do fine!

    Hahaha very sly! Thanks for the support :P
  • Nope.


    Can I invite you to expand on that maybe just a little?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I'm slowly trying to increase my calories up to the recommended 1200, I just didn't want to do it too quickly in case my body had some kind of hissy fit haha. As far as the weighing myself every two days...I actually weigh myself every day, I'm absolutely terrible for it, all the women in my family are the same, it's like an addiction!

    i'm hoping you mean working your way up to NET 1200 cals, not just 1200?
  • babydiego87
    babydiego87 Posts: 905 Member
    Nope.


    Can I invite you to expand on that maybe just a little?
    500 calories and then 1000 calories...that is just not enough and is unsustainable. it is also impossible to gain 2lbs in 2 days. little common sense here... up your calories NOW to at least NET 1200. That means, if you exercise, eat your calories back so you hit 1200 or at least around it.
  • geddyp
    geddyp Posts: 94 Member
    At 5'5, 140 lbs, my body needs 1440 calories so that my organs can function... I don't think 500 calories is enough for you, you will lose fast but then gain most of it back. Try the TDEE-15% calculation, worked for me :)

    I too weight myself everyday but you have to expect your weight to go up and down daily.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    dont worry about it. weigh your self once a week onlly
    you also need more calories
    u a re 192
    u need 1920 calories or less.
  • Lysander666
    Lysander666 Posts: 275 Member
    Just took a look at your diary... you are eating WAY too little. Seriously, 800kcal a day? Your body is going into starvation mode and retaining fat.

    What kind of "hissy fit" will your body have? You are too paranoid. You need 1200 kcal a day minimum regardless of your goal. Remember it is 1200 NET. Hit 1200 min and you will start to lose weight.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    smoothie/liquid detox arent a good idea
  • zoe871
    zoe871 Posts: 22 Member
    It takes over 5000 calories to gain a pound, so unless you ate 10,000 in 2 days. Nope. It's just normal weight fluctuation.
  • StaceyJ2008
    StaceyJ2008 Posts: 411 Member
    As a woman, your weight will fluctuate daily, best advice is to only weigh yourself once per week on the same scale and at the same time.

    And I won't comment on the low calories because it won't be nice.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    500 calories is too l;ittle u will be in starvation mode
  • Sevio
    Sevio Posts: 181 Member
    Can be a number of things~ water retention, good old Aunty Flo coming to town....but I agree with everyone else you are definitely not eating enough. You may think it's working right now but in the long run; you are messing with your metabolism and that's just not healthy. Eating that low of calories is most likely going to make you feel tired, sluggish, headaches, etc.

    Go and eat something! You didn't gain weight overnight; you certainly won't be taking it off overnight. It's a permanent journey that you have to stick with and BE PATIENT!
  • Lysander666
    Lysander666 Posts: 275 Member
    Can be a number of things~ water retention, good old Aunty Flo coming to town....but I agree with everyone else you are definitely not eating enough. You may think it's working right now but in the long run; you are messing with your metabolism and that's just not healthy.
    Go and eat something!

    What this person said.

    Additionally, you seem to think 1200 is a max and going underneath it is good. That is not the case. It is your goal - i.e. you should reach it.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    You need to eat more!!!
  • JessicaRobin67
    JessicaRobin67 Posts: 275 Member
    It takes 3500 calories to gain a pound... you haven't done that. Weight goes up and down... many factors, water weight is many times the culprit. I would be eating 1200.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    It takes over 5000 calories to gain a pound, so unless you ate 10,000 in 2 days. Nope. It's just normal weight fluctuation.

    actually a pound of fat is around 3500 cals
  • Thank you for the replies, although I may not want to hear it - I understand I should be eating at least the 1200 calories that MFP recommends. It's the fear of gaining any weight/not losing it quick enough that stops me from eating up to that 1200, silly, I know! But I'm under a lot of pressure at the minute to lose weight + stress of exams and feel like my appetite has literally disappeared. I will however take the advice you've all given, try and ignore the small weight fluctuations/stop weighing myself everyday and try and eat more.
  • FlannelMothman
    FlannelMothman Posts: 193 Member
    Hi.

    Your topic is just like me, or was just like me, a few weeks ago. I ate very little, and exercised a lot, and it was very effective. I wanted to up my calories as well, and started off by upping 100 cals a week(per day - if I was at 1200 before, next week I'm at 1300, the week after 1400, until I reached something that worked for me for energy, mood, and weight loss, or until my TDEE thing is met. I don't eat exercise calories back). Initially there will be some weight gain, as you body isn't in starvation mode (it's actually a myth) but just is so used to operating at such low numbers it doesn't quite know what to do with the "surplus". This weight gain is temporary.

    I know I'm probably sounding like a hypocrite because people told me to eat my TDEE for MONTHS and I just ignored them, until I wanted to become serious about muscle gain. Now here I am telling others to do the same and it feels ... Weird, lol.
    I wish you luck in your journey and try not to get too frustrated on the trolls or the replies that tell you what to do and not really any research or anything to back it up. That stuff made me bonkers.
  • Lysander666
    Lysander666 Posts: 275 Member
    Thank you for the replies, although I may not want to hear it - I understand I should be eating at least the 1200 calories that MFP recommends. It's the fear of gaining any weight/not losing it quick enough that stops me from eating up to that 1200, silly, I know! But I'm under a lot of pressure at the minute to lose weight + stress of exams and feel like my appetite has literally disappeared. I will however take the advice you've all given, try and ignore the small weight fluctuations/stop weighing myself everyday and try and eat more.

    Good girl. Hit that 1200 and not less.
  • This happens all the time!! I can gain/lose 2-4 lbs in one day. I know a lot of this is water weight and if you really stick to your plan, in a few days, you will be back to your regular weight (or loss if you are losing). I have been maintaining for 8 months and if I go out, have a few glasses of wine and eat food that is probably higher in sodium, the scale shows it the next few days. I get right back on plan and voila - in a few days I am back to normal.
  • Sevio
    Sevio Posts: 181 Member
    Stick to a healthy diet and exercise and you will lose the weight. You will be fine! Just don't panic because the scale went up. I bet tomorrow morning you wake up and weight yourself and that 2 lbs will be gone.
    My best advice to you in regards to that scale ~ is not to worry about that # so much; you should take measurements and keep track of those. Your body composition may be changing gaining muscle, etc. I think that is a better way to see your progress that "The Evil Scale". I weigh everyday but only log it once per week. I can go weeks without losing but I know things are changing by the fit of my clothes and things I see about my body changing physically in the mirror.
  • So how many calories is enough? I have been on here 100 days today. (Started My Actual diet Nov 16th) I Only lost about 6 lbs! I did better before i found this site when i didn't know my exactly calories. I have tried going from 1200 to 1000, 2 lbs that mth, I have taken it back up to 1200 and even added a cheat mean once a mth, still just gaining and losing the same lbs! I'm so frustrated i could cry. Plz can someone help me. I have a back injury so I cant exercise, and I am faithful to my menu that i plan each morning. I drink over a gallon of water each day. I am about to be 54 in a few weeks, am 5'5" with alot of muscle from when I was a Bodybuilder. Am I still eating too little? About ready to give up. I was at 26 lbs down which was snail slow, and only 1/3 of my goal weight. Should I be eating more? Maybe I don't know as much about this starvation mode as I thought?
  • Lysander666
    Lysander666 Posts: 275 Member
    So how many calories is enough? I have been on here 100 days today. (Started My Actual diet Nov 16th) I Only lost about 6 lbs! I did better before i found this site when i didn't know my exactly calories. I have tried going from 1200 to 1000, 2 lbs that mth, I have taken it back up to 1200 and even added a cheat mean once a mth, still just gaining and losing the same lbs! I'm so frustrated i could cry. Plz can someone help me. I have a back injury so I cant exercise, and I am faithful to my menu that i plan each morning. I drink over a gallon of water each day. I am about to be 54 in a few weeks, am 5'5" with alot of muscle from when I was a Bodybuilder. Am I still eating too little? About ready to give up. I was at 26 lbs down which was snail slow, and only 1/3 of my goal weight. Should I be eating more? Maybe I don't know as much about this starvation mode as I thought?

    You should be hitting 1200 minimum whatever your weight loss goals. Never lower than that or your body will start to retain weight.

    Do the Harris Benedict equation and find out how many calories your body burns a day based on your lifestyle. Then work below that to lose weight, but never below 1200.

    Look at this link, it should tell you what you need to know

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    So how many calories is enough? I have been on here 100 days today. (Started My Actual diet Nov 16th) I Only lost about 6 lbs! I did better before i found this site when i didn't know my exactly calories. I have tried going from 1200 to 1000, 2 lbs that mth, I have taken it back up to 1200 and even added a cheat mean once a mth, still just gaining and losing the same lbs! I'm so frustrated i could cry. Plz can someone help me. I have a back injury so I cant exercise, and I am faithful to my menu that i plan each morning. I drink over a gallon of water each day. I am about to be 54 in a few weeks, am 5'5" with alot of muscle from when I was a Bodybuilder. Am I still eating too little? About ready to give up. I was at 26 lbs down which was snail slow, and only 1/3 of my goal weight. Should I be eating more? Maybe I don't know as much about this starvation mode as I thought?

    i am 5ft 5 and i lose on NET 1600.