I'm so confused! Weight going up??

Alyssawinter1221
Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
in Health and Weight Loss
A few days ago I weighed in at 169.4, yesterday I was 170.2, so I tried harder last night, and this morning I'm 170.4!! What in the world! Am I doing something wrong?

Plus I don't even log the fact that I walk to all my classes on my giant university campus, usually about 40 min of walking + carrying textbooks + walk fast.

And I always overestimate food by about 1/4 serving and underestimate my calories by about 20 min each workout just to be safe to compensate for any err by MFP.

Anyone feel free to add me on MFP! Love new friends.

Replies

  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    Weight can fluctuate up to 3-5lbs per day(for a woman). I doubt very much you're doing anything wrong. Something you ate 3 days ago could have had high sodium, you could be having a hormone dump, or perhaps you exercised and your muscles are retaining water to repair themselves.

    All these things can easily explain 3-5lbs, let alone 1lb.

    Relax and stop weighing yourself everyday.
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
    Get yourself a food scale and weigh everything you eat. No more estimating.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Could it be natural weight fluctuation? Weight loss/gain does not happen in a day, it happens over time depending on how much under/over your total daily energy expenditure you eat.

    How long have you been trying to count calories and exercise? If you started recently, give it time.

    Oh, and don't estimate food or exercise anymore. Strive for accuracy. In other words, weigh solids and measure liquids and log everything you put in your mouth. As for exercise, get a heart rate monitor if you can afford it. If not, log the MFP exercise calories BUT only eat about 50-75% back.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    Your weight fluctuations up and down. If you can't handle seeing it, stop weighing daily and try just once a week.
  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
    Could it be natural weight fluctuation? Weight loss/gain does not happen in a day, it happens over time depending on how much under/over your total daily energy expenditure you eat.

    How long have you been trying to count calories and exercise? If you started recently, give it time.

    I have been since Dec 27. I've lost 12 pounds. Which I'm happy with! I just don't want it to turn and go the other way now :(

    I would get a food scale if I actually cooked ever. Almost everything I eat is packaged (which I'm working on) or I measure it in a cup.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Another thing-did you just start calorie counting in December 2013 (join date) and you have lost 12 pounds (ticker shows this) since then? If so, that's quite a lot in a short time. It usually comes off quickly and first and then slows down.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    I would get a food scale if I actually cooked ever. Almost everything I eat is packaged (which I'm working on) or I measure it in a cup.

    Weighing your food is much more accurate than measuring it.

    ETA: Whether you're cooking or eating packaged foods...
  • katylil
    katylil Posts: 223 Member
    Weight can fluctuate up to 3-5lbs per day(for a woman). I doubt very much you're doing anything wrong. Something you ate 3 days ago could have had high sodium, you could be having a hormone dump, or perhaps you exercised and your muscles are retaining water to repair themselves.

    All these things can easily explain 3-5lbs, let alone 1lb.

    Relax and stop weighing yourself everyday.

    ^^ THIS!!!!
  • katylil
    katylil Posts: 223 Member
    Your weight fluctuations up and down. If you can't handle seeing it, stop weighing daily and try just once a week.

    AND THIS!!!!!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    Yeah, in addition to what they said ^ stress and lack of sleep or lack of proper hydration can also affect weight.

    You're fine. I don't ever worry unless I gain more than three pounds and it sticks for over a week.
  • beerey05
    beerey05 Posts: 80 Member
    Water weight. Happens to me too!
  • jenna808
    jenna808 Posts: 79 Member
    Don't worry about it! Happens to everyone. Your weight will fluctuate here and there, hormones, sodium, water, lots of different things can cause this but it doesn't mean what you're doing isn't working. And as others have suggested, stop estimating. Know exactly what you're putting into your body, log your exercise according to mfp and just don't eat back all the calories. You've lost 12 lbs already and that's awesome, and if you're consistent you will get results, regardless of what the scale says sometimes. The scale is not the best indicator of improving your health either.
  • hoosierxheart
    hoosierxheart Posts: 14 Member
    I'm with everyone else. Don't stress over it. I often find that closer around the time of my menstrual period, my weight will go up. It's natural....
  • mmcdonald700
    mmcdonald700 Posts: 116 Member
    Hey girl :) it's just water weight. If you're eating at a deficit and working out you can't be gaining weight, and you especially wouldn't notice an overnight weight gain. That isn't even a ton of water weight to gain. I notice serious water retention the week before my period - I usually gain 2-4 lbs of water within a day that slowly comes off over the course of a week to 10 days where it ends up looking like I lost 5 lbs but most of it was water and 1-2 was actual fat :) - so it can definitely be hormonal (menstrual cycle, stress) or recent sodium intake.Don't stress out! Give it a couple weeks. Best ways to decrease water retention is to drink MORE water (I know, weird) and consume less sodium.
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
    Yeah, you can't judge anything by the change in weight in just a few hours. That's just normal fluctuation. If you're gaining instead of losing, you're not maintaining a calorie deficit. Either eating a little more than you think or exercising a little less. Can't agree strongly enough with the food scale suggestion. I realized I was off quite a bit when I got one. Do you "eat back" your exercise calories? I typically don't and still don't always see the weight change MFP forecasts.
  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
    I am most definitely eating at a deficit. Some days I feel like I hardly eat anything (that might just be because I'm a fat kid), and I KNOW what I eat, I just log a little extra just in case. I'm not estimating! I will get a food scale. I'm just not exactly sure what a food scale is or how it works, and how I'd use it when I eat mostly canned vegetables and prepackaged food that's already measured.

    Thanks for all the input! I'm sure y'all are right, this just has never happened to me before.

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