Put on weight..?

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Gel_W
Gel_W Posts: 20
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been eating on/around my calories just fine, I've been hungry but knew the first couple weeks would be hard anyway.
Lost 7lb in the first couple weeks, and now yesterday get on the scales and had gained 2lb, ok, gutted so I had a slightly bad day not major, I ate around 100-200 cals over maintenance and weighed this morning now up an extra lb, so 3lb.

I haven't eaten anything high in sodium no more than usual and have been drinking plenty of water, between 8-10 cups more than the 0 cups I was drinking just 2 weeks ago. So I don't believe it is water weight, but I don't see how it can be actual real weight either (if that makes sense)

I'm just so gutted and I know it's not all about the number on the scale but that is what keeps me motivated so I can't help but feel a bit annoyed by it. I previously lost 57lb and never had this happen once?

Any advice/ideas. Thanks

Replies

  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
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    Could be related to your cycle. But I'd say continue eating & exercising according to MFP recommendations. However, I would suggest only eating back your cardio calories. When I did as they recommended & ate back my cardio AND strength training cals, I ended up barely losing anything. But for me, just eating back cardio seems to give me optimal results. If you do what they recommend & still don't lose for 2 weeks in a row, then I'd drop your calories by 200 (but no lower than 1200) & see if that helps. If it doesn't and you TRULY are being completely honest on your account w/what you're eating & your workouts, then it's obviously time to see a doctor to check for things like hypothyroidism, which can usually be fixed w/an inexpensive med. You might also want to read the post at this link for a little encouragement...

    http://weightloss-forlife.com/ezine-11214_422.html
  • Gel_W
    Gel_W Posts: 20
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    Thanks for the reply. My cycle is all over the place constantly but usually have lots of signs when I'm coming on and haven't had any this week.

    I haven't been doing any exercise other than walking at the moment so that's not an issue and I am 100% certain that everything that has entered my mouth has been logged!

    The only thing I can think of that is different to last time I used the site is I drink one can of Monster energy drink a day, so I suppose the sugar isn't doing me many favours but, I'm not sure that could make me put on weight or mess with any losses?

    Thanks again for the reply! I'll keep on keeping on for now & hoping for the best. :)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    unless you ate 10,500 calories over maintenance in two days it is probably temporary..

    do you weigh everything, log everything, use food scale,etc?
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
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    You say you are logging everything, but are your weighing everything? I was amazed how different my 'eyeball' judgements were to REAL judgements!
    Also, it has only been a couple of weeks... give it time for these things to happen. As you said you have 'done it before', but that highlights that it didn't really work last time I guess (if you have regained the weight that is)? This is a lifestyle change, so you need to make gradual changes that fit in with your time, money, wants and needs. I have had times where I felt the weight melt off then other times where nothing happened for what felt like months!

    You won't put on 1lb from eating 200 calories - 1lb of fat is 3500 calories alone! Even if you did eat 5000calories in 1 day, there is no way you could make that into weight overnight. Your weight depends on if you've just gone to the bathroom, when you last ate, how much water you're drinking etc. I always leave the gym 1lb heavier but I don't freak out, it's simply water I was drinking :)

    Try weighing weekly, but in general scales are simply scales. This is your health, your life - that is much more important!

    Patience is a virtue as they say! Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • Gel_W
    Gel_W Posts: 20
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    unless you ate 10,500 calories over maintenance in two days it is probably temporary..

    do you weigh everything, log everything, use food scale,etc?

    Yep everything is weighed and logged, I log before I eat as well so always know what I can and can't have.

    I'm sure it's not "actual" weight, but I don't see how it's water weight either. I hope it comes off soon, it's a bit dissapointing because I haven't had anything naughty where I was expecting a gain/holding onto water weight.
  • Gel_W
    Gel_W Posts: 20
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    You say you are logging everything, but are your weighing everything? I was amazed how different my 'eyeball' judgements were to REAL judgements!
    Also, it has only been a couple of weeks... give it time for these things to happen. As you said you have 'done it before', but that highlights that it didn't really work last time I guess (if you have regained the weight that is)? This is a lifestyle change, so you need to make gradual changes that fit in with your time, money, wants and needs. I have had times where I felt the weight melt off then other times where nothing happened for what felt like months!

    You won't put on 1lb from eating 200 calories - 1lb of fat is 3500 calories alone! Even if you did eat 5000calories in 1 day, there is no way you could make that into weight overnight. Your weight depends on if you've just gone to the bathroom, when you last ate, how much water you're drinking etc. I always leave the gym 1lb heavier but I don't freak out, it's simply water I was drinking :)

    Try weighing weekly, but in general scales are simply scales. This is your health, your life - that is much more important!

    Patience is a virtue as they say! Good luck :flowerforyou:


    Yeah I have lost weight before over the course of a year but, I split up with my partner, lost my job, moved 300miles just me and my son ect ect and I kept up lots of what I did learn but in the end lots crept back on and now I've got my life sorted it's time to lose it again, well thats the plan!

    I don't usually weigh daily but, I have the last 2 days because I was slightly angry/confused, and it just made me more so this morning.

    Thank you for the reply!
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
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    If you're logging the energy drink, then it shouldn't make a big difference. Although I'd get away from that & into healthier drinks/sources of energy. Stop weighing daily & limit it to 1 day/week. Get a scale that does body fat percentage & focus on that more than the weight. Also, what the other poster said about actually measuring (w/measuring cups/spoons, scales to weigh things) food, rather than estimating, makes a huge difference as well.

    Stress caused by moves, lack of sleep, crazy schedules, or other things, can all slow the metabolism where losing is hard.

    Bottom line...IF you are truly getting the right number of calories/exercise to lose weight, and you are not, then you need to see a doctor, because something is wrong. But this is only if it continues, not a week here or there.
  • crazylucky
    crazylucky Posts: 27 Member
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    Also, maybe you didn't really lose 7 pounds to start? Maybe you were dehydrated one of those days?
  • Gel_W
    Gel_W Posts: 20
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    Thanks Sharon & Crazy for the replies!


    I'm listening and taking it all in. I do weigh food and measure ect. I also own scales that do BF but I don't understand how it all works, maybe I'll google and try work it out. Giving up the pop is something on my list of things to do as I know it's crazy bad for me and I will be concentrating on that sometime over the next couple weeks.

    I have been extremely stressed this week so, that is a possible cause (wasn't aware it could affect weight loss)

    And crazy it was over the course of a couple weeks, lost 4lb in the first week (water weight?) then 2lb then 1lb and last weighed that in about 10-14 days ago! Weighed last week had stayed the same, weighed yesterday had gone up, weighed again this morning up some more. If that all makes sense!

    Thanks again
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
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    On the body fat percentage, most people use scales to measure, because it's more accurate than the skin fold measurements. BUT when & how you do the scales can affect your body fat % reading quite a bit, especially being dehydrated. To make it as accurate as possible...do it at night before you go to bed, when you'd be the most hydrated. But also these guidelines were given in the scale we use for our First Place (sort of like a Christian Weight Watchers) group...

    1. Do not work out 12 hours before getting on scale (another reason to do it only weekly).
    2. Do not eat/drink 4 hours before getting on the scale,
    BUT
    3. Hydrate like crazy up TO that 4 hour cut off.
    4. Get on the scale before showering, as even a small amount of moisture can affect the reading.

    There will always be a bit of variety in measurements from scale to scale, but the main thing is to see the direction you're heading. Remember, some weeks you can do everything wrong & lose, and other weeks do everything right & gain. The only 100% accurate way to measure body fat percentage is w/an immersion tank, or air displacement pod.

    But as I said, if you continue to do everything right & don't lose, see the doctor. Hypothyroidism is a common problem, especially for overweight women. Do you have any of the other symptoms...very dry skin, dry/brittle/thinning hair, fatigue/tired a lot, feel cold a lot of the time?
  • Gel_W
    Gel_W Posts: 20
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    Fantastic, thank you for all that information. I'm gonna do mine tomorrow night!

    And unfortunately, I'm tired alot but that is because I rarely get more than 5/6 hours sleep, my body has never liked sleeping, and I have psoriasis on a few parts of my body caused by dry skin, had that for around a year though. So not much help there. I've not found myself cold without reason so far & my hair seems in OK condition.

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