water weight?

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Im getting a little frustrated..Been using this program since early jan and eat between 1300-1400 cals a day, exerciding 5 days a werk for 40 to 60 mins. For 2 weeks now I havent lost any weight in fact gained 4 pds! What Im wondering is should I chalk it up to water weight and how much water can you gain and how can I get rid of it? Im 51-5'5" and 186..I do low and high impact aerobics ..any help would be so appreciated!

Replies

  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    As you say, most likely water weight. To get rid of water weight drink more water, then your body doesn't hold onto it as much. Even doing that though, we all fluctuate everyday, it's just a fact of life. Also weight loss isn't linear - some weeks we lose, some we stay the same, some we gain, don't let 2 weeks put you off.

    How often do you weigh? If you weigh once a week, there's a chance that the one day you weigh you're fluctuating. I regularly weigh 2-3lbs higher one day than I do the day before & after. So you may well have lost weight, but just weighed on a day you're fluctuating if you're weighing once a week. Not everyone likes weighing everyday of course, but if you do, you at least don't run this risk.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    1 - First your calories seem too low for 5x a week exercising.

    Go here and get your calories: http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    I found it to be the most accurate for a lot of people.

    2 - Are you tracking EVERYTHING you eat? Make sure to count condiments, coffee creamer, Splenda (there are calories in Splenda/ Sweet N Low/ etc.) Also, make sure you weigh it out on a cheap food scale because a lot of packages are really wrong in their food measurements.

    3 - Unless you consumed an extra 14,000 calories to gain 4 lbs. then it's definitely water weight. I fluctuate nightly about 6-9lbs. because I eat a lot of junk at night to fill my calories, carbs. mostly.

    4 - Water flushes out additional water weight and sodium. Don't overdose on it, but don't shy away from it either.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    if you open your diary you might get more useful help

    1. are you sure you are loggin accurately - if you are not weighing your food then the answer is no
    2. how are you getting your calories burned, if it is from MFP they are too high
    3. when did you start exercising, is it a new routine? Often times your muscles will retain water while recovering when getting used to a new routine, if you are sore from the workout this might be the case for you.
    4. how consisitante is your sodium intake, large fluctuations in that will lead to large fluctuations in water retention and show up on the scale
    5. make sure you weight yourself the same time of day under the same conditions (clothes or lack thereof) on the same scale
  • Sandybran62
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    Thanks everybody for replying so fast!
    I used a calculator online to find how many cals to eat to lose 1-1.5 pds a week. I'll try the link that you posted. I could dec be taking in too little cals.
    Im pretty much going by the cal calculator here to log everything and I do log everything right down to condiments..the non cal sweetener, no..I didnt think there were cals in it! I use 4 packs a day. I guess I have some tweaking to do!
  • Sandybran62
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    I weigh myself more than I should lol..meaning, I try to do it every sunday hut lately since I gavent lost anything I have been every morn..mornings are when I always weigh myself before eating/drinking..