Possible Explanations for this Slight Gain?

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  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    we talkin bout quarter pound gains in the middle of the month? really? REALLY?



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    Quarter pound gains? What thread are you reading? Might want to read that again.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Weight tends to fluctuate more and more as you become leaner. So even if these fluctuations have not been normal for you in the past, as you progress they will become the new normal and will likely get much worse. When I was fat I would reliably lose weight each week. As I got leaner I started stalling or gaining for no apparent reason but the overall trend was still downward. As I got very lean there would be points where I wouldn't lose weight for several weeks and then almost overnight several lbs would vanish. Here is the best article as to why this happens: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

    My advice to you is to continue weighing daily but stop paying attention to day to day changes. Weigh daily right after you wake up after you pee, record those weights in a log. After 7 days, take an average. This number is slightly more meaningful then your daily weights but again, pay little attention to it. After a month start comparing the averages. This is much more significant and will show your actual progress. The advantage of averaging is if you happen to weigh in on a day where water retention is unusually high or low due to sodium or glycogen or any of the MILLION different things that cause fluctuations, you don't have to freak about the massive shift in weight. The averages will account for the high days and the lows days and give you an idea of what you really weigh. After a month goes by, your averages should go in the downward direction, if they do not then you need to either reduce calories, increase exercise, or both.

    Thank you for posting the most helpful answer on this thread. I appreciate it. :)
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member

    Quarter pound gains? What thread are you reading? Might want to read that again.
    His point is still valid. Even if it's a few lbs of flucuation, it's not even worth thinking about. Day to day fluctuations are ALWAYS water relate. It takes eating 3500 calories above maintenance to lose a lb of fat and it takes a caloric deficit of 3500 calories to lose a lb of fat. Neither of those things are happening to you in the matter of a day or two so stop worrying about it. There are literally a million reasons your weight could be fluctuating. Sodium intake, hydration level, amount of food in stomach, time of last bowel movement, glycogen saturation, and countless other things could be the issue. If you understand cals in vs cals out as you said you did in your original post then you know it cannot be fat gains or losses. Knowing that, I must ask, why does it matter why you had a temporary shift in weight?
  • SeptemberLondon
    SeptemberLondon Posts: 151 Member
    Weight tends to fluctuate more and more as you become leaner. So even if these fluctuations have not been normal for you in the past, as you progress they will become the new normal and will likely get much worse. When I was fat I would reliably lose weight each week. As I got leaner I started stalling or gaining for no apparent reason but the overall trend was still downward. As I got very lean there would be points where I wouldn't lose weight for several weeks and then almost overnight several lbs would vanish. Here is the best article as to why this happens: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

    My advice to you is to continue weighing daily but stop paying attention to day to day changes. Weigh daily right after you wake up after you pee, record those weights in a log. After 7 days, take an average. This number is slightly more meaningful then your daily weights but again, pay little attention to it. After a month start comparing the averages. This is much more significant and will show your actual progress. The advantage of averaging is if you happen to weigh in on a day where water retention is unusually high or low due to sodium or glycogen or any of the MILLION different things that cause fluctuations, you don't have to freak about the massive shift in weight. The averages will account for the high days and the lows days and give you an idea of what you really weigh. After a month goes by, your averages should go in the downward direction, if they do not then you need to either reduce calories, increase exercise, or both.
    ^^Listen to this guy. I always do!

    To add my 2 cents: Doesn't muscle building involve water retention in the muscle? I'm not being sarcastic or snarky, but honestly posing the question, because I'm fairly new to strength training. It seems I've read that before.

    I love the idea Vismal suggested of weighing yourself everyday but not concerning yourself about it until there's enough information to develop a true trend. I also weigh myself daily, but only log it once a week. This gives me a lot of valuable information to correlate with my diary & exercise logs.

    With that said, I totally get why this is bugging you. I would NEED that "logical explanation" as well and I'd drive myself crazy by hypothesizing about it until I had at least narrowed it down to a few reasonable possibilities. This is how my logical brain works & it sounds like you're the same way.

    Hopefully you'll figure it out & then you'll be able to advise the next person in your shoes. Good luck! :drinker:
  • peanut1967
    peanut1967 Posts: 52 Member
    I agree with the theory of water storage due to weight lifting. I made a similar experience some years ago - 1-3 lbs plus after working out. It was more noticeable after strength training, but also with heavy cardio training. Each time 1-2 days without working made my weight drop, even without a calorie deficit.

    According to your images you have ideal weight. Weightloss happens a lot slower if you are not overweight. At this stage, you body will defend every ounce of fat. The weight loss curve, if you draw it for the dates you told us, still is pointing downwards. Weight differences between one day and the next have no meaning at all, it's the long-term trend that counts. Look at the results of 1 month, 2 months or more.

    Are you aware of your body fat percentage? If not, observing that might give you much more more motivation and sense of achievement than weighing in.
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
    I don't think you are overreacting. No weight loss isn't linear, but we know the difference between bloated one day and lingering higher than normal. Especially when you are near your goal.

    Weight lifting not only causes water retention in muscles, but also inflammation. Are you sleeping your normal amount of hours? Higher stress than normal? (Not stressed out, just higher than normal). Allergies? Recovering from the flu? There are so many things than can cause lingering but temporary weight gain (not fat gain).

    To answer your question, yes, this happens to me sometimes. And without changing a thing, it just disappears, and I'm back to my normal weight or even a pounf down from normal. Keep hydrating, stick to your calorie/macros goals, get sufficient sleep, and maybe go for a massage or try some light yoga that is concentrated on stretching. It will work itself out.

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