Struggling

What's your height/weight & how many calories are you eating per day? Do you always weigh at the same time and under the same conditions (i.e. first thing in the morning with nothing on or wearing the same thing, before eating and after using the restroom)? The human body can fluctuate several pounds per day due to things such as what you ate or drank the day before, so it's entirely possible that you're just retaining water.

Hi all

I am about 3 weeks into this program and so far have pretty much been loving it. I not only started to diet and exercise, but quit smoking as well. I lost 4 and 1/2 pounds in the first 2 weeks. I am scheduled to weigh myself again Fri, but have been feeling so good that I decided to weigh myself today. I gained 2 1/2 pounds....how is that even possible. I am exercising everyday, eating under the calorie goal everyday....HELP! Any advice or guidance would be awesome.

thanks
Laurie

Can't really help you unless you open your food diary for us to see.

Are you lifting???? it could be muscle

This is not correct. You wouldn't gain 2.5lbs of muscle like that.

Most likely it's a couple things.

#1. Water Weight
#2. Food weight.
#3. glycogen stores in the muscles getting refilled if you ate some carbs yesterday and those stores where low from use.

Assuming you're a woman, where are you in your cycle? Just before and in the early stages of a period, I pick up several pounds, very reliably, and they're very reliably gone by the end of the period.

I weigh in daily and my weight sometimes varies wildly. I have "gained" as much as 4 pounds overnight. In the past 10 days I have a 5 pound range, but from 30 days ago to today I am down 4 pounds, so averaging 1/week, which is what my goals are set for. There are tons of factors that can effect our weight - water, sodium, stress, menses. I don't even know what all. Assuming that you are weighing in at the same time of day (first thing in the morning is best) and in the same clothes or naked, and on point with your calorie counting, it is more likely than not just a fluke. Don't give up! It is unlikely that the number today represents a true gain, and you will probably drop tomorrow or the day after and lose whatever you expect to weekly when that weigh in rolls around.
Stick with it!!!

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!! Quitting smoking and working on your fitness!! You're my new hero!! Keep up the good work and don't worry about the 2.5 lbs. It's probably just muscle.

D2footballJRC - I can't be food, I am eating under the calorie goal every day and I also have tried to not eat the packaged items to cut down on the sodium. Maybe I am drinking too much water.

BTW - I am happy to share whatever you all need to see. Just friend me! I could use the support

Not talking about gaining fat but the actual weight of food itself. Example. I EAT A LOT of protein.. That weight is still in my stomach, I may be under calorie goal BUT there is still food weight.. (waste weight would be another way to say it but it doesn't sound as pleasant)

Laurie - you and I weigh about the same. My weight has been up and down and up and down, and I went 5 whole weeks without losing an ounce. Here's what I'd suggest. Look at the makeup of your daily eating. I managed to get my scale moving again by cutting down on carbs...not crazy, no-carb foolishness, but around 100-120g a day. Another thing - I used to do only weekly weigh-ins because I tend to make myself nutty if I see a gain in the middle of the week(!), but I recently started weighing every day, to see what my food from the day before did to my weight (which is how I figured out the carb effect). The daily weigh-in helps, because you start to see the ups/downs and you know that they aren't permanent, but it's just what our bodies do. And the most important thing to do is KEEP doing what you're doing. My loss has been amazingly slow, but here I am about 3 1/2 months in, and have lost about 17 pounds. If I had stopped during my five weeks of no loss, I would've end up gaining it back. Keep taking care of yourself, being healthy, and it will come. This isn't a race...it's the rest of your life.

Laurie - you and I weigh about the same. My weight has been up and down and up and down, and I went 5 whole weeks without losing an ounce. Here's what I'd suggest. Look at the makeup of your daily eating. I managed to get my scale moving again by cutting down on carbs...not crazy, no-carb foolishness, but around 100-120g a day. Another thing - I used to do only weekly weigh-ins because I tend to make myself nutty if I see a gain in the middle of the week(!), but I recently started weighing every day, to see what my food from the day before did to my weight (which is how I figured out the carb effect). The daily weigh-in helps, because you start to see the ups/downs and you know that they aren't permanent, but it's just what our bodies do. And the most important thing to do is KEEP doing what you're doing. My loss has been amazingly slow, but here I am about 3 1/2 months in, and have lost about 17 pounds. If I had stopped during my five weeks of no loss, I would've end up gaining it back. Keep taking care of yourself, being healthy, and it will come. This isn't a race...it's the rest of your life.

Great post, also remember time that you weigh yourself matters. I'm very OCD about this stuff and I weigh myself several times daily. I have a 4-5 pound swing in how much I weigh during the day. Ex. Yesterday Morning I weighed in at 271.8 pounds, last night after supper I was 274.2 pounds, this morning I was 271.6 pounds. Timing is important as well.

D2 is right, alot of people have the idea that if you gain weight it means you have put on muscle, which is possible but really difficult on calorie deficit and you have said you are not lifting so it CERTAINLY is NOT that.

As others inc D2 have said, likely water weight, I saw you say about cutting down on it - Do not do this, drink plenty and plenty of water it is absolutely key.

Personally I would say dont weigh in too often, like others have said weight really does fluctuate a lot throughout the day, stick to once a week and get a good average, wear the same, do it before breakfast and BEFORE a workout for most accurate idea.

Lastly, dont put your results down solely to the scales. Weight is simply an indication of health and body shape, use the tape measure along side the scales and most likely when you dont see one result you will likely see the other.

If you are in it for the "lifestyle change" then a mid week weigh in really is not a substantial factor, keep going at it and we can all guarantee that after 2 or 3 months (rather than days) you will definitely see the difference in both ways.

After looking at the past week on your diary (hi new friend!) you seem to be in a good calorie range on most days. I say you give it a week or two and see where you are then.

Just started today, but I will help you in anyway I can!