Weight gain frustration

Weight loss isn't linear. Sodium intake, TOM, added/increased exercise, stress levels, and other factors come into play. It's best to look at the long-term trend to make sure you're losing.

Weight loss isn't linear. You will quite likely not lose everytime you weigh - too many factors impact weight (i.e. water retention, female stuff). Be patient!

Weight loss is not linear, you will gain and lose, it is the trend you need to look at. as long as the trend is going down you are golden.

keep at it

Hi there! First, are you weighing yourself at the exact same time (you should weigh yourself right before you wake up) and with the same clothes or no clothes. Second, it's most likely water weight, and I know, it's really annoying. Sometimes you'll retain water based on things like having too much salt in your food (not so much the salt you add to your food but the salt that is in things that are processed - even if it's under the cal goal the sodium could be really high so make sure this is on your track list); or being about to get or having your period; or just because your body feels like it. I would continue to be patient, fluctuations of 1-3 lbs is normal, even within any given day. I bet if you weighed yourself tomorrow first thing you would notice it was back down.

There could be a few things factoring into the fluctuations you're seeing on the scale. One culprit mentioned above is sodium. Another could be due to a combination of eating certain types of carbs and increasing your water intake. This can have an impact on how much water is retained in your body. And, finally, if you are increasing your workouts, even cardio, there can be a certain amount of muscle gain that takes place. Over the longer term, though, the muscle gain will help increase your BMR.

those are called natural body weight fluctuations. You don't weigh exactly XXX Lbs...you have ever changing levels of fluids and waste in your body among other things. Weight loss isn't a linear function...weight maintenance isn't static. You have to look at trends over time.

07DeadlySins wrote: »

Malibu927 do you know much on the stress factor? I do work a stressful job, but I don't start eating to make up for it... If anything I get an upset stomach and don't eat (that would be on the worst of days). But is there chemical factors that get released during stress that gain weight? Or is it just roughly on how the person copes?

stress messes with your hormones, particularly your cortisol levels. in and of itself it isn't going to cause weight gain...but hormonal fluctuations do impact fluids and other things that show up on the scale.

07DeadlySins wrote: »

Malibu927 do you know much on the stress factor? I do work a stressful job, but I don't start eating to make up for it... If anything I get an upset stomach and don't eat (that would be on the worst of days). But is there chemical factors that get released during stress that gain weight? Or is it just roughly on how the person copes?

Cortisol level can increase with stress (cutting calories, physical exercise, any stress really) and cortisol can have an effect on water retention, which is why you may see an increase in weight.

Normal weight fluctuates +- 5 or so lbs a day so progress should be determined from multiple data points, not just day to day or even week to week. There are too many factors that effect your weight to determine what is and is not contributing to weight gain, or loss for that matter. Other measurements that can indicate movement in the right direction include body fat measurements (accuracy dependent on method), physical measurements like waist, thighs, arms, hips, and chest. Even if the scale isn't moving (or is bouncing around), if you see a loss in inches/cm or BF%, you can take that as a positive shift in body composition and the scale will eventually even out and the trend will be downward.

Hey there,
I hope you don't beat yourself up with the scale. If you take measurements and you take before and after pictures, it is a much better gauge than using the scale. A scale won't tell you if you're retaining water or if you have gained muscle while losing fat. A scale can definitely be a useful tool, but not a definitive tool for progress.

A couple tips:

*If you chose to weigh yourself- be consistent as to when you weigh yourself and keep it to a maximum of once of week. Weight can fluctuate throughout the day so it is best time to weigh yourself first thing in the morning.

*Reduce your sodium intake

*If you have a stressful work environment- try using yoga. To answer your question: The body does produce more cortisol when it is under stress, and that can contribute to increased difficulty in weight loss.

If I had to guess, I would say that is not your issue. It seems that your body is holding onto excess water weight since it has been fluctuating. A couple things that can help naturally is making sure you are drinking plenty of water. I drink about 4-6 24oz bottles a day and more on my workout days. Try adding vegetables like asparagus, cucumber, and celery, they tend to naturally help release water weight. Lastly, anytime you shock your body with by doing something new like substancially adding/decreasing calories or starting a new exercise regiment, your body will hold onto water weight. It's pretty normal. Stay consistent and your body will adjust.