What happened???

moochachip
moochachip Posts: 237 Member
in Motivation and Support
Due to my recovery process from an eating disorder, I do not own a weight scale at my own apartment. I am an active person, and run 4-5 times a week (5+ miles a day) and starting to squeeze circuit weights in there as well. I stick to my diary, and always log what I eat.

This morning I happened to wake up at my parents, and curiosity came over me. I weighed myself.

And I gained 4 pounds.

What happened??? How could I do this to myself? There was never a time that I went over the calorie count, and my size 4-6 clothing haven't seemed to get any tighter. Any ideas as to how I could have done this?

I am 5'6" and am currently at 137.

Replies

  • skinnylynnie74
    skinnylynnie74 Posts: 154 Member
    Congratulations! You gained four pounds of lean muscle mass!

    Or their scale is different than the last one you used. My friend's scale weighs me about 3 pounds lighter than mine. I like to weigh myself there ;-p

    Hang in there! You're doing all the right things to be healthy.
  • TheWiseCat
    TheWiseCat Posts: 297
    You said you gained 4lbs, but since when? Over the course of a week? Months? Or?

    Also, it depends when you weigh yourself. My weight fluctuates 5lbs throughout the day depending on a variety of factors. So if you aren't monitoring your weight frequently, I wouldn't take 1 number as the end all be all. Also, if you're lifting weights a lot or on your time, etc there will be obvious changes in your weight. Stick to a measuring tape instead of the scale. I'm sure your mind is just tricking you right now and you're reading far too much into one measurement.
  • dstevens19
    dstevens19 Posts: 233 Member
    Any number of things:
    Water retention
    Your parents scale is calibrated differently than your old scale
    TOM
    Heavier clothes
    More muscle now

    Or, you aren't eating enough, your metabolism is slow due to your former eating disorder and it has caused you to gain weight.

    I'm not a expert but these are the possibilities I'd consider.

    Since you don't weigh regularly, please measure yourself-- I do bust, waist, hips at largest point, thigh at largest point and just above my knee. Just measure once a month and keep track. Some months I only lost 3 lbs (painfully slow) but the real difference is in the tape measure. Good luck.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Your clothes haven't got any tighter, so it's unlikely that you've gained any significant amount of fat.

    I'm sure you know this, but it's always worth a reminder: weight fluctuates all the time. The issue could be:
    -different scales weigh differently
    -different clothes weigh differently
    -you will generally weigh more as the day goes on, your weight last thing at night, for example, will be more than it was first thing in the morning because of the meals you have eaten. That can definitely be as much as a few pounds.
    -more sodium than you normally have will make you retain water
    -more carbs than you usually have will make you retain water
    -eating a larger quantity of food than normal (for example if you have lots more vegetables on one day) will show up on the scale because of the pure weight of the food/waste in your system
    -hormonal fluctuations can make you retain water
    -a change in exercise type or intensity can make you retain water as your muscles repair themselves

    That's all I can think of right now, but any of those, or a combination, could be the reason you've gained. If you haven't gone over your calorie count, them it's extremely unlikely you've gained either fat or muscle. The fact that your clothes still fit the same would indicate you haven't gained any fat.
  • moochachip
    moochachip Posts: 237 Member
    You said you gained 4lbs, but since when? Over the course of a week? Months? Or?

    It's been 2-3 weeks since I last weighted myself.

    Thanks everyone for your feedback.It's just deeply concerning to me that this creeped up out of no where.
  • wllwsmmr
    wllwsmmr Posts: 391 Member
    Any number of things:
    Water retention
    Your parents scale is calibrated differently than your old scale
    TOM
    Heavier clothes
    More muscle now

    Or, you aren't eating enough, your metabolism is slow due to your former eating disorder and it has caused you to gain weight.

    I'm not a expert but these are the possibilities I'd consider.

    Since you don't weigh regularly, please measure yourself-- I do bust, waist, hips at largest point, thigh at largest point and just above my knee. Just measure once a month and keep track. Some months I only lost 3 lbs (painfully slow) but the real difference is in the tape measure. Good luck.

    THIS!
    Reason why I almost don't weigh. As long as you haven't gained inches/feel like your clothes are getting too tight for comfort, then I'm sure you're on the right track!!

    Also, did you start a new workout routine/upped your cals?
    Your muscles retain water to repair themselves!

    2-3weeks is too short to judge! at least 6 weeks for your body to adjust!
  • moochachip
    moochachip Posts: 237 Member
    Also, did you start a new workout routine/upped your cals?
    Your muscles retain water to repair themselves!
    I, for the first time in several months, did circuit weight training Wednesday morning for 30 minutes. Haven't done it since because my muscles have been so sore, but I continue to run.

    Does it really just take one workout to change weight so much?
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    You said you gained 4lbs, but since when? Over the course of a week? Months? Or?

    It's been 2-3 weeks since I last weighted myself.

    Thanks everyone for your feedback.It's just deeply concerning to me that this creeped up out of no where.

    Was it on that scale last time?
  • craigmandu
    craigmandu Posts: 976 Member
    Most likely, since you've been doing some circuit training with weights, you've seen some lean muscle increase (probably not much, but you don't need much)...or that scale is a different one than you used last time.

    You have to use the same scale every time you weight yourself, I've seen them as much as 10lbs off from each other in stores.
  • moochachip
    moochachip Posts: 237 Member
    I have been using the same scale though (really the only scale I have at my disposal.)
  • neacail
    neacail Posts: 228 Member
    Also, did you start a new workout routine/upped your cals?
    Your muscles retain water to repair themselves!
    I, for the first time in several months, did circuit weight training Wednesday morning for 30 minutes. Haven't done it since because my muscles have been so sore, but I continue to run.

    Does it really just take one workout to change weight so much?

    Yes, it will be mostly water weight. Your muscles absolutely WILL retain water if you've just started working out: particularly if you've worked out hard enough to be as sore as you say you are. Don't stop working out as a result of this. Once your muscles heal and adapt to what you're doing they'll drop the excess water. It took about three weeks for me to lose the "muscle-stress" bloat.
  • Horsezee
    Horsezee Posts: 22
    It's probably from lifting weights. Your body will hold water. Don't feel too bad, I put on 15lbs in under a month when I started weight training. Had a nervous breakdown, but getting back on track.

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