Sickness = 4 lbs heavier. Need some reassurance and motivation! :(

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ell_23
ell_23 Posts: 103
in Motivation and Support
I was quite sick for a few days. Ironically, I was physically feeling sick, put on anti-sickness medication and lost my appetite YET managed to gain weight.

This was due to my brain's general constant desire for food so whenever I made myself eat something, only high-carb and fatty foods appealed to me. So I would eat lots of bread, pasta, sausages etc just because otherwise I'd feel more ill or not eat at all.

Technically, 4 pounds in 4 days sounds impossible. I was eating around 1700-1800 calories per day and barely moved. That should really be 1 or, at a massive push, 2 pounds weight gain maximum when you work out the numbers (I'm quite short, BMR quite low etc).

So there's some dodgy water fluctuations perhaps going on or something, or my body panicking at all this carby food. However, from 118 lbs the other day to 122 exactly this morning (may have been like 121.5 as I weighed myself after a smoked salmon sandwich), it's a bit of a downer. I was so happy I finally made it under 120!

Just needed a bit of a rant and maybe some motivation and support. My diary goal is officially 1200 cals, but in reality anything thats 1200-1299 I'm happy with, and anything 1300-1399 I'm okay with. When I see 1400 upwards I panic.Today I've just got into the habit of having bread as snacks and wanting rice with my fishcakes and veg for dinner when I normally wouldn't have all three together. I think I have room for my dinner and still be under 1300, but rice takes me over 1400.

Someone convince me I have no more room for rice. No no no.

Replies

  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
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    Water weight...EAT :smile:
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
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    I vary more than four pounds in a single day...and you were sick. You're likely retaining water. It's not 4 pounds of fat, it's just how your body cycles.

    The fact that you ate mostly carbs has nothing to do with it. I eat carbs like it's my job and lose steadily.
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
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    it's water weight...

    besides... it's only 4 lbs! don't get discouraged...
  • hoyalawya2003
    hoyalawya2003 Posts: 631 Member
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    Agree with pp that it is mostly/all water weight. Just wanted to add that I tend to overeat when I am sick, especially comfort foods and sweets, in a (stupid) effort to make myself feel better. So unless I have a stomach bug, I do gain when I'm sick. But I get back on track once I'm well and get back to losing.
  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    It can take a couple of days for water weight to settle out. Assuming your BMR is 0 (aka you are dead) it would only be 2 pounds of fat.
  • Brooklyn703
    Brooklyn703 Posts: 18 Member
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    Water weight for sure. It's happened to me. Don't get discouraged. The weight normally disappears in about a week. In an odd way, when I do get water weight I like it because I know the pounds will disappear overnight. It feels good when I look at the scale and 3-4 pounds is gone.
  • ell_23
    ell_23 Posts: 103
    edited October 2014
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    My BMR is somewhere around 1280-1295 I think. TDEE for the past few days must not have been more than 1350.

    That aside, the point is I'm trying to get back on track. Please don't tell me to eat when I am eating, I just don't want to give in to eating more than my goals!?

    But thanks to others, I know you're probably right but it makes me feel depressed when I go back over 120, which I've tried for so long to go under.

    I never fluctuate day to day. If I have a binge-day or restaurant meal, then I'd be 1-2 pounds heavier the next day but that's it. Otherwise, "same" weight each morning, unless I'm losing then the scales slowly slowly go down each day. Evenings I'm only 2-3 pounds heavier.

    I know I have it good as others fluctuate by up to 8 pounds, couldn't imagine that.
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
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    ell_23 wrote: »
    My BMR is somewhere around 1280-1295 I think. TDEE for the past few days must not have been more than 1350.

    That aside, the point is I'm trying to get back on track. Please don't tell me to eat when I am eating, I just don't want to give in to eating more than my goals!?

    I'm not entirely sure what you're asking for? Are you looking for someone to tell you to stop eating? Dude, that's on you. Motivation from external sources only goes so far. I had two back to back awful days of binging eating candy...But it was my call to put a stop to it. If you want to get back on track, and it seems like you're looking for tough love, then you're the best person to motivate yourself.
  • ell_23
    ell_23 Posts: 103
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    shadowofender wrote: »
    ell_23 wrote: »
    My BMR is somewhere around 1280-1295 I think. TDEE for the past few days must not have been more than 1350.

    That aside, the point is I'm trying to get back on track. Please don't tell me to eat when I am eating, I just don't want to give in to eating more than my goals!?

    I'm not entirely sure what you're asking for? Are you looking for someone to tell you to stop eating? Dude, that's on you. Motivation from external sources only goes so far. I had two back to back awful days of binging eating candy...But it was my call to put a stop to it. If you want to get back on track, and it seems like you're looking for tough love, then you're the best person to motivate yourself.

    Support/motivation for getting back on track calorie-goal and health wise, and reassurance I haven't really put on 4 pounds in 4 days.

    I don't think you quite grasp the idea of the forum. Negativity unwelcome.
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
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    Given the effect water weight has on daily weight fluctuations, weighing yourself so often and focusing so much on scale weight is just asking for unnecessary anxiety...don't worry about it so much. Also, given the fact that you're considering discounting half a pound from your last scale weight due to eating a sandwich, you are probably thinking about it way too much. If you're logging accurately and meeting your goals, then in the long run, all is well.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    You're good enough, you're smart enough and doggone it.....People like you.

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