What??? Can someone explain?

Otsego7875
Otsego7875 Posts: 14 Member
in Motivation and Support
So the day before yesterday I had less than 1,200 calories and worked out. Hot on the scale yesterday... Gained half a kilo. Yesterday I felt like crap about it so I worked out double time and ate 1,300 calories and gained another half kilo. I drank a lot of water so I don't think it's water retention and I'm not too sore.

A couple of things to note: I have hypothyroidism so losing weight is climbing Everest. I can tell by looking in the mirror when I have gained even 100 grams . Whenever I fluctuate like this it NEVER is water weight be takes me an average of two weeks to lose. I just recently started using MFP to get help from other people because of the frustration with these often fluctuations.

If it were water weight or muscles retaining water I wouldn't physically look fatter in the mirror would I??
Any ideas what to do?
Any ideas why this happens?

Replies

  • refinedredbird
    refinedredbird Posts: 208 Member
    If you are eating 1,200 calories a day you should be eating your exercise calories back. Stop weighing yourself so much and wait a week or so. Water retention is still possible.
  • lswain1970
    lswain1970 Posts: 58 Member
    I am a daily weigher so I am very familiar with water fluctions on the scale. My experience is that water hides in places of our body that we don't necessarily see or feel. I "know" this (for me anyway) because if I go a day or two with high sodium and/or carbs, regarldess of my calories and exercise, I WILL gain 2-3 pounds. And I don't feel bloated or swollen or sore or look fatter or puffy. BUT, if I faithfully keep my carbs below 40% and sodium below 2000 for about 3 or 4 days and continue on with my exercise and proper food choices, that weight is gone and usually a little more.

    Again, not saying this is what happens for everyone, but I have about six months worth of watching the scales reaction to what I am eating that shows this happens for me so I think it is quite possibly water.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    If you are eating 1,200 calories a day you should be eating your exercise calories back. Stop weighing yourself so much and wait a week or so. Water retention is still possible.

    /thread
  • Otsego7875
    Otsego7875 Posts: 14 Member
    I am a daily weigher so I am very familiar with water fluctions on the scale. My experience is that water hides in places of our body that we don't necessarily see or feel. I "know" this (for me anyway) because if I go a day or two with high sodium and/or carbs, regarldess of my calories and exercise, I WILL gain 2-3 pounds. And I don't feel bloated or swollen or sore or look fatter or puffy. BUT, if I faithfully keep my carbs below 40% and sodium below 2000 for about 3 or 4 days and continue on with my exercise and proper food choices, that weight is gone and usually a little more.

    Again, not saying this is what happens for everyone, but I have about six months worth of watching the scales reaction to what I am eating that shows this happens for me so I think it is quite possibly water.

    But the thing is that I DO feel fat/bloated/puffy when I look in the mirror even BEFORE I weigh myself I I know that I've gained weight by just looking.

    And the weirder thing is if its water weight, fine then it should come off after a few days but it takes forever usually and it cancels out most of my progress making weight loss very slow for me. It took my a year to lose 30 lbs!!
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    1. If it were water weight, yes you would look bigger in the mirror- you could be bloated.
    2. Because you are only netting about 600-800 calories a day most days... you could be losing muscle and appear to be "fatter" because of it.
    3. You're not gaining a pound a day on 1200 calories. Sometimes it's not until I have a rest day that the weight loss shows up on the scale.
    4. If your muscles are sore... it's a safe bet that they are retaining water. It helps them recover. Make sure you are getting enough protein.

    I think you really need to readjust your calories and macros... How long have you been set at 1200 calories and NOT eating back exercise burns? It really does take a toll on the body.
  • Otsego7875
    Otsego7875 Posts: 14 Member
    1. If it were water weight, yes you would look bigger in the mirror- you could be bloated.
    2. Because you are only netting about 600-800 calories a day most days... you could be losing muscle and appear to be "fatter" because of it.
    3. You're not gaining a pound a day on 1200 calories. Sometimes it's not until I have a rest day that the weight loss shows up on the scale.
    4. If your muscles are sore... it's a safe bet that they are retaining water. It helps them recover. Make sure you are getting enough protein.

    I think you really need to readjust your calories and macros... How long have you been set at 1200 calories and NOT eating back exercise burns? It really does take a toll on the body.


    I've been at 1200 calories and exercising at least 5 days a week for years. If I eat back exercise burns or more than 1200 I gain weight. Period. Welcome to the world of a messed up thyroid. I will forever h e to be on a diet to even maintain weight.
  • refinedredbird
    refinedredbird Posts: 208 Member
    1 pound of fat = 3,500 calories

    That would mean you would have to eat your TDEE plus 3500 calories on top of that to gain a pound. That's at least 5000+ calories plus your exercise calories. There is no way at 1200 calories a day + exercise calories will cause you to gain weight. I really believe, even with hypothyroidism, that you need to be eating more unless your doctor says otherwise. Eating at such a deficit will kill your lean muscle.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    Stop using the scale so much. That thing comes straight from hell I swear!

    Start taking mesurements and pictures instead. Compare every couple of weeks.

    If you REALLY want to weight yourself, do it maybe every week? Not everyday, that will just drive you nuts.

    Also, as someone already stated, if you eat 1200 cals a day you should be eayting your exercise cals back.
  • Kim9598
    Kim9598 Posts: 8 Member
    http://untrainingthegirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/layne-norton-seminar.htmlhttp://untrainingthegirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/layne-norton-seminar.htmlttp://untrainingthegirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/layne-norton-seminar.htmlttp://untrainingthegirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/layne-norton-seminar.html
    1. If it were water weight, yes you would look bigger in the mirror- you could be bloated.
    2. Because you are only netting about 600-800 calories a day most days... you could be losing muscle and appear to be "fatter" because of it.
    3. You're not gaining a pound a day on 1200 calories. Sometimes it's not until I have a rest day that the weight loss shows up on the scale.
    4. If your muscles are sore... it's a safe bet that they are retaining water. It helps them recover. Make sure you are getting enough protein.

    I think you really need to readjust your calories and macros... How long have you been set at 1200 calories and NOT eating back exercise burns? It really does take a toll on the body.

    Eating 1200 calories is not enough every day. Your metabolism is getting damaged by the low cal and high workouts you are doing. Go out to utube and watch the video on metabolic damage by layne norton. You will learn more about the science behind what is going on. Ive lost a total of 70 lbs and have experienced this issue. I hit plateau when I was eating 1200. I jumped to 1800 and dropped 15 lbs quickly. Do some research and get off the scale.
    Google Layne Norton untraining the girl which has highlights of his seminar and some great links at the bottom...one is on metabolic damage.Hope that helps. Good luck!
  • lap012165
    lap012165 Posts: 24
    Water!!! I can weigh myself, go for a 15 to 20 mile run, drink water while I'm running, come back and have put on 2-3 pounds. It's very deceiving. Water is great for you, but people don't really see how much of it one retains. For one our bodies are made with over 60% of it. So don't let that get you down if you up a few pounds. Chances are they will be gone tomorrow.

    Also eat more. Your body is going into shut down mode and trying to hang on to every calorie, good and bad.
  • Otsego7875
    Otsego7875 Posts: 14 Member
    http://untrainingthegirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/layne-norton-seminar.htmlhttp://untrainingthegirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/layne-norton-seminar.htmlttp://untrainingthegirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/layne-norton-seminar.htmlttp://untrainingthegirl.blogspot.com/2013/04/layne-norton-seminar.html
    1. If it were water weight, yes you would look bigger in the mirror- you could be bloated.
    2. Because you are only netting about 600-800 calories a day most days... you could be losing muscle and appear to be "fatter" because of it.
    3. You're not gaining a pound a day on 1200 calories. Sometimes it's not until I have a rest day that the weight loss shows up on the scale.
    4. If your muscles are sore... it's a safe bet that they are retaining water. It helps them recover. Make sure you are getting enough protein.

    I think you really need to readjust your calories and macros... How long have you been set at 1200 calories and NOT eating back exercise burns? It really does take a toll on the body.

    Eating 1200 calories is not enough every day. Your metabolism is getting damaged by the low cal and high workouts you are doing. Go out to utube and watch the video on metabolic damage by layne norton. You will learn more about the science behind what is going on. Ive lost a total of 70 lbs and have experienced this issue. I hit plateau when I was eating 1200. I jumped to 1800 and dropped 15 lbs quickly. Do some research and get off the scale.
    Google Layne Norton untraining the girl which has highlights of his seminar and some great links at the bottom...one is on metabolic damage.Hope that helps. Good luck!

    I know that it is bad what I'm doing but I am so scared (honestly I think I have a phobia) of gaining weight ( because of how hard it is for me to lose it) that increasing my calories is actually physically distressing to me.

    At this point is psychological and I don't know what to do. My body problems consume my life.
  • refinedredbird
    refinedredbird Posts: 208 Member
    If it is getting to a point where you feel you are developing an eating disorder due to you constant fear of gaining weight, you should get some sort of counseling or speak with a doctor.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member

    I know that it is bad what I'm doing but I am so scared (honestly I think I have a phobia) of gaining weight ( because of how hard it is for me to lose it) that increasing my calories is actually physically distressing to me.

    At this point is psychological and I don't know what to do. My body problems consume my life.

    I really think you should see your doctor. She could prescribe some thyroid hormones to help, test your BMR so you know for sure how much you should be eating, and/ or get you the counseling you need for your fear of weight gain.
  • gagnon9691
    gagnon9691 Posts: 75 Member
    Are you on medication for you hypothyroidism? If not then you should see your doctor about medication. They could also help you figure out a weight loss plan.
  • Otsego7875
    Otsego7875 Posts: 14 Member
    No. Unfortunately I don't live in the US where it's a s easy as "if your doctor isn't cooperating with you, switch doctors." I have a high TSH (4.8) but that is in what my GP considers normal range (.5-5). She refuses to acknowledge the new ranges used in the states (.5-3.5) , where my TSH is def hypothyroid. So no. No medications.

    Unfortunately for me my weight struggles are just a tip of the iceberg. I have lots of other symptoms.

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