Why does it go up and down!

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KellyBurton1
KellyBurton1 Posts: 529 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know this has ask before but I need a reason why your weight can go up and down. Meaning that I weight in yesturday and I lost 3.8 ponds in one week and today back up to where I started. Really can this be possible? Im so discourage today that I ended up eating like there was no tomorrow. I really feel like giving up. I have to wonder if MFP gives the right amount of calories burned. I wonder if I ate enough yesturday and I did leave over 250 cals. I drank 15 glasses of water and my sodium was a little on the high side at the end of the day. I did work out with weights yesturday being the first time in a couple of weeks. PLease help!

Replies

  • cflec124
    cflec124 Posts: 16
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    I don't know would be interested in the answer also. I was down two days in a row 5-pounds from start and then this morning was up 3. Maybe tomorrow I will be down 6 pounds. Well here is at least hoping.
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
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    You weighed in yesterday and lost 3.8 lbs, only to find that you are back to where you were today? If this is true, you were probably dehydrated, had an empty stomach, or whatever yesterday. Maybe you were more hydrated today? This happens! Also thinking about it, if it is a digital scale, it could be an error in the scale it's self. I don't use mine any more as my weight could change 10-20 lbs just by stepping off the scale and then back on again. All I can say is stick with the plan, work out, and you will lose weight.
  • beautyqueen1979
    beautyqueen1979 Posts: 151 Member
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    From what I know the body naturally changes weight throughout the day - for various reasons. I'm still fairly new to here and don't know all of them - but water retention is a big one. I personally do not weigh myself everyday as the scales can go up and down - I weigh myself once a week, at the the same time. i.e. Sunday morning, after toilet and before any food!
  • iambrandice
    iambrandice Posts: 157 Member
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    Yes try weighing yourself at the same time of day, I do it right when I wake up. I would avoid weighing yourself everyday though because your weight fluctuates. Try picking two days of the week when you will weigh yourself, like Tuesday and Friday for example.
  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
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    Something else I just thought of. If you are trying to lose 1 lb a week that averages to .143 lbs a day, do you really think you are going to see that change in the scale? Also remember that 16 oz of water is 1 lb, so just 1 glass of water can make a huge difference in a gain or a loss.

    I would say at most weigh yourself twice a week. I prefer to weigh myself once a week, though that is hard sometimes. Some people do every other week or even once a month! Don't let the scale get you down. Try going without weighing yourself for a while, you may find that you'll be surprised.
  • jdejre_k
    jdejre_k Posts: 54
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    Sodium levels, bowel movements, "time of the month", hydration, clothes and time of day can all play a part in current weight.

    It is common to have weight fluctuate by 5 pounds in a day and is NOT indicative of how well your diet is going. Try using measurements once a month or how well your clothes fit as better indicators of success.

    I know that it is extremely frustrating, and we have all been in your shoes. Just have faith that you are doing the best thing for your body and you will see the results in no time! :-)
  • KellyBurton1
    KellyBurton1 Posts: 529 Member
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    I did drink more than I usually do yesturday and I weight in in the morning after I use the bathroom. I normally only weight in on fridays but I saw such a big drop that I have to check again. I went 3 weeks without losing and last week I lost 2 pounds and I check again and it was still a loss of two pounds but when I weight yesturday there was more gone so I thought thank god I got pass my plateau. But I do feel the difference on my body. I can see a change so maybe I should focus more on that and forget about the scale. Thanks for the input.
  • dcholliday2
    dcholliday2 Posts: 36 Member
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    Hi,
    One thing I noticed in your post is you said you drank 15 glasses of water a day...that's just about 2 times the amount an average person drinks. That will definitely add to the weight change you're experiencing. Be careful with drinking too much water...you will super saturate your cells and they won't function as well as they should. Do you feel thirsty and that's why you're drinking so much water? If so, you may have an underlying medical condition. If not & you're just drinking water to feel full, my caution again is be careful to not damage your cells and how they regulate fluids. I am a science teacher, love biology/physiology, don't have all the answers but thought maybe that would help.
  • RominaSullivan
    RominaSullivan Posts: 42
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    Everyone says you should only weigh yourself once a week, but I can't do it! I have to do it everyday, it's what makes me feel good and what works for me personally...

    BUT I had to understand a lot of things first so I wouldn't go insane with the weight fluctuations. Here is a link with some info about this. Hope it helps!!

    http://www.ehow.com/how_4716731_understand-daily-weight-fluctuations.html
  • jessudd
    jessudd Posts: 133 Member
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    Lots of great advice here already, so I'll just remind you to remember that your weight is just a number, it's just a gauge to tell you where you are, but the real measure is your health, how you're feeling and the lifestyle changes that you're making.

    There are lots of times when I don't see the scale budge, but I fit into my clothes better, or I look in the mirror and think "Didn't I used to bulge a little more there??" or whatever. That number on the scale is just a part of the equation. If you're making choices to live a healthier life, then you're on the right track--use your weight to monitor your progress, but don't rely on it as the main source of motivation. You are changing your LIFE--and that's what's really important! So keep it up, and don't let a silly number discourage you enough to change your healthy eating. :happy: Good luck and stick with it!! I bet you'll continue to see good numbers! :smile:
  • KellyBurton1
    KellyBurton1 Posts: 529 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the information and encouraging words. It is truely appreaciated. it shows how much this site can really help when emotions and fusturations can play in this journey.
  • StarryEyedGirl
    StarryEyedGirl Posts: 585
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    Everyone says you should only weigh yourself once a week, but I can't do it! I have to do it everyday, it's what makes me feel good and what works for me personally...

    BUT I had to understand a lot of things first so I wouldn't go insane with the weight fluctuations. Here is a link with some info about this. Hope it helps!!

    http://www.ehow.com/how_4716731_understand-daily-weight-fluctuations.html

    Great article!!
  • sarahsmom1
    sarahsmom1 Posts: 1,501 Member
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    I agree with the way to much water. I remember when they tried to sue a radio station for a contest that they had and the contestants had to drink water and who ever drank the most won. After awhile one lady went to the hospital then died. I can't remember what it does to your system but it is bad. And a mother to punish her child made her drink lots of water and the little girl also died so be very careful. And also the 8 glasses a day was done as a trial for the military. so water is good for you don't over obses with it
  • mab0669
    mab0669 Posts: 29
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    I weigh myself every morning at the same time...however, I only log my weight once a week (I pick a good day). Some days I'm up most days I'm either the same or down. The days that I'm up motivates me to keep trying harder...I see a lot of people that get discouraged and eat like crazy. That just makes no sense to me. There are so many factors that affect weight on a daily basis that I just don't let it get to me at all. I know I'm eating right and at the end of the week it will pay off. Don't get so upset on a "not so good" day and go off the deep end. Because seeing that weight fluctuation gets you so upset, maybe you should just weigh in once a week or every other week.
  • naturebaby
    naturebaby Posts: 161
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    Okay now remember that in order to Gain 1 pound you would need to eat 3500 calories ( equals 1 lb) OVER & ABOVE your daily maintainence calories..(including your exercise cals) that equates to a heck of alot of pigging out..right..just sayin keep it in focus
  • blakejohn
    blakejohn Posts: 1,129 Member
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    here's what tell the people I train Stop weighing yourself put the scale away and in a month or two you can check your weigh. eat right, workout and your cloths will start fitting better you'll start feeling better and you won't be a slave to the scale.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
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    I know this has ask before but I need a reason why your weight can go up and down. Meaning that I weight in yesturday and I lost 3.8 ponds in one week and today back up to where I started. Really can this be possible? Im so discourage today that I ended up eating like there was no tomorrow. I really feel like giving up. I have to wonder if MFP gives the right amount of calories burned. I wonder if I ate enough yesturday and I did leave over 250 cals. I drank 15 glasses of water and my sodium was a little on the high side at the end of the day. I did work out with weights yesturday being the first time in a couple of weeks. PLease help!

    Fluctuations happen all the time and yes 3.8 pounds is possible too.

    This is one of the reasons why weighing yourself everyday is a bad idea, you notice every fluctuation, if you weighed once per week, you would not see all those and not get discouraged or eating because you feel pissed off due to the scales.
  • RominaSullivan
    RominaSullivan Posts: 42
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    mab0669:
    I do the exact same thing! The days that I'm up (even though I know it may be water weight, etc) encourage me to do better. Weighing myself everyday keeps me in check. :-)

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