Need advice, gaining instead of losing
serenity1097
Posts: 135 Member
I tell myself to stay away from the scale, but for some reason I won't listen to myself. I weigh every Monday morning for an office weight loss competition, that should be the only time I weigh every week. Except today I jumped on & see that I've gained 2 POUNDS in the last 4 days. How is that even possible?? I have been going to the gym about every other day (cardio & weight machines) and exercise at home on my Treadclimber & treadmill as well. I log everything that I consume & almost always end with a deficit. I do have a glass or 2 of wine almost every evening, but I make sure it fits into my calories. I do eat a lot of protein (over my allowed amount almost every day), is there any way I am building muscle & screwing up my lbs lost percentage? I welcome any advice!!
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Nope its water retention and it sucks. Best advice is to wait it out then be prepared for a massive drop when your body finally sheds the water.0
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It's a fluctuation. We all fluctuate day to day, sometimes by several pounds, usually due to water retention. It'll be gone in a couple of days.
This is why I weigh every day - so that I know exactly where are I am. There are loads of times where I've been one weight one day, 3lbs heavier the next, then back down to the same weight the day after. If I only weighed once a week I'd think I was 3lbs heavier and would get disheartened, but because I weigh everyday I know that it was just a fluctuation, and that I'm actually 3lbs lighter than that.0 -
Thank you, I hope that's it...I can deal with water retention, I can't deal with working so hard & getting negative results!!0
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Drink some green tea it will expedite the shedding process and its good for you too.0
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Likely causes for the gain:
-7000 caloric intake over your TDEE (which is highly unlikely)
-excess sodium intake
-hormones, especially if you're nearing TOM (I always gain two pounds about five days before it)0 -
Likely causes for the gain:
-7000 caloric intake over your TDEE (which is highly unlikely)
-excess sodium intake
-hormones, especially if you're nearing TOM (I always gain two pounds about five days before it)
Deff not 7000 calories over, I am under almost every day. My sodium is always way under, and I don't add salt to anything. And I've had a complete hysterectomy so the TOM is not a factor (thank goodness).0 -
Going to the gym doesnt equal weight loss. Calorie deficit = weight loss.0
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I dont weigh myself. I look in the mirror and pinch in various areas as my method of seeing where im at with body fat. The scale doesnt seem to equate to where i am at body fat wise.0
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For some people weighing every day leads to madness. I'm one of them.
![:\](https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/resources/emoji/confused.png ":\")
I did a mid-week check today and found out I gained a pound. It can't be fat, because I'm hitting my calorie goal, pretty much. So it must be water. I KNOW this. But it still made me sad.
I know that next week I'll have lost a pound, and if not, the week after, I'll have lost two. Stick to your plan, and you'll see the scale move eventually.0 -
Thank you, I am going to chalk it up to water weight & hope for a better weigh in next time!!0
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DemoraFairy wrote: »It's a fluctuation. We all fluctuate day to day, sometimes by several pounds, usually due to water retention. It'll be gone in a couple of days.
This is why I weigh every day - so that I know exactly where are I am. There are loads of times where I've been one weight one day, 3lbs heavier the next, then back down to the same weight the day after. If I only weighed once a week I'd think I was 3lbs heavier and would get disheartened, but because I weigh everyday I know that it was just a fluctuation, and that I'm actually 3lbs lighter than that.
That's exactly why I weigh every day.0 -
Weighed again this morning & I'm back to Monday's weight plus 6 oz. So I guess maybe I will try weighing every day for awhile & see just how much it fluctuates. That way the big changes won't be such a shocker.0
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Normal daily fluctuations.0
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Weighing daily is a really good idea so you don't have surprises from normal fluctuations. For example, I'm up 3 pounds today from DOMS. Not worrying in the least about it.0
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i will just ask the standard question ….OP - do you use a food scale to weigh all solid foods?
I agree with others on water retention, normal fluctuations, etc…weight loss is not linear...0 -
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mamapeach910 wrote: »Weighing daily is a really good idea so you don't have surprises from normal fluctuations. For example, I'm up 3 pounds today from DOMS. Not worrying in the least about it.
Wait, DOMS can cause weight fluctuations as well? Sorry, still new to all of this (I had to google DOMS). I was in excruciating pain on Tuesday & Wednesday from a Bootcamp class Monday night, I could barely walk or stand. Could that have caused some of the gain I experienced?0 -
serenity1097 wrote: »Likely causes for the gain:
-7000 caloric intake over your TDEE (which is highly unlikely)
-excess sodium intake
-hormones, especially if you're nearing TOM (I always gain two pounds about five days before it)
Deff not 7000 calories over, I am under almost every day. My sodium is always way under, and I don't add salt to anything. And I've had a complete hysterectomy so the TOM is not a factor (thank goodness).
Looking at your diary from yesterday you have 0mg sodium for Homemade American Chop Suey, that is most likely incorrect. If you added any sort of seasoning to that, you can assume there is sodium in it. Your sodium intake is probably higher than you think it is. Drink more water, continue what you're doing and you'll be fine.0 -
Absoultely. Sore muscles hang on to water to repair the muscle breakdown. For example, after leg day I can see the scale move up significantly. Call me crazy but I acutally like when the scale moves up after a serious weight session because I know my muscles are working and happy!0
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FitFitzy331 wrote: »serenity1097 wrote: »Likely causes for the gain:
-7000 caloric intake over your TDEE (which is highly unlikely)
-excess sodium intake
-hormones, especially if you're nearing TOM (I always gain two pounds about five days before it)
Deff not 7000 calories over, I am under almost every day. My sodium is always way under, and I don't add salt to anything. And I've had a complete hysterectomy so the TOM is not a factor (thank goodness).
Looking at your diary from yesterday you have 0mg sodium for Homemade American Chop Suey, that is most likely incorrect. If you added any sort of seasoning to that, you can assume there is sodium in it. Your sodium intake is probably higher than you think it is. Drink more water, continue what you're doing and you'll be fine.
I will look at that, I chose an entry from the database so maybe I need to go in and create my own entry so that I know the measurements are accurate.0 -
Yep, when you use muscles that aren't used to exercise, you cause tiny little tears in the tissue (that's normal). So to repair itself, it draws fluid into the tissue as inflammation. Once the tissue is repaired you lose that inflammation and pee it out. That's why your weight goes up when you're first working out.
I only weigh myself once a month these days because it's not worth it to me. I know my weight is going to fluctuate ridiculously every day no matter what I do.0 -
serenity1097 wrote: »FitFitzy331 wrote: »serenity1097 wrote: »Likely causes for the gain:
-7000 caloric intake over your TDEE (which is highly unlikely)
-excess sodium intake
-hormones, especially if you're nearing TOM (I always gain two pounds about five days before it)
Deff not 7000 calories over, I am under almost every day. My sodium is always way under, and I don't add salt to anything. And I've had a complete hysterectomy so the TOM is not a factor (thank goodness).
Looking at your diary from yesterday you have 0mg sodium for Homemade American Chop Suey, that is most likely incorrect. If you added any sort of seasoning to that, you can assume there is sodium in it. Your sodium intake is probably higher than you think it is. Drink more water, continue what you're doing and you'll be fine.
I will look at that, I chose an entry from the database so maybe I need to go in and create my own entry so that I know the measurements are accurate.
ANY meat - pork, chicken, beef, etc. - has natural sodium, whether you add any more to it or not!0 -
Even eggs have natural sodium!0
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serenity1097 wrote: »FitFitzy331 wrote: »serenity1097 wrote: »Likely causes for the gain:
-7000 caloric intake over your TDEE (which is highly unlikely)
-excess sodium intake
-hormones, especially if you're nearing TOM (I always gain two pounds about five days before it)
Deff not 7000 calories over, I am under almost every day. My sodium is always way under, and I don't add salt to anything. And I've had a complete hysterectomy so the TOM is not a factor (thank goodness).
Looking at your diary from yesterday you have 0mg sodium for Homemade American Chop Suey, that is most likely incorrect. If you added any sort of seasoning to that, you can assume there is sodium in it. Your sodium intake is probably higher than you think it is. Drink more water, continue what you're doing and you'll be fine.
I will look at that, I chose an entry from the database so maybe I need to go in and create my own entry so that I know the measurements are accurate.
Unfortunately anything with an * next to the entry was member entered and not all of them are accurate. When things say "homemade" they are usually the most inaccurate. If you make something yourself, you will be much better off using the recipe creator in MFP and verifying all the ingredients. Also, when you are making the recipe yourself, you can weigh it by grams or oz instead of "1 cup" which the other user listed as a serving. I usually weigh the entire recipe, list the grams as the number of servings the recipe made then give myself X grams of the recipe and count that as how many servings I'm eating.0 -
I created my own recipe for the chop suey, that was incredibly easy & now I have the right amounts of sodium etc. I'll make sure to do that for now on so that I am logging everything correctly. Thanks!!0
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serenity1097 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »Weighing daily is a really good idea so you don't have surprises from normal fluctuations. For example, I'm up 3 pounds today from DOMS. Not worrying in the least about it.
Wait, DOMS can cause weight fluctuations as well? Sorry, still new to all of this (I had to google DOMS). I was in excruciating pain on Tuesday & Wednesday from a Bootcamp class Monday night, I could barely walk or stand. Could that have caused some of the gain I experienced?
Yes. When you work out like that you cause small tears in your muscles, and as they repair, there's fluid retention involved. Someone else can explain this better than I can for sure.
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OMG, thank you so much for the sodium comments!! Going back & looking at past logged days, I realized I have omitted entries. Like the Montreal Steak Seasoning that I coat my grilled chicken with (that I eat every day, sometimes 2x a day), or the salt I sprinkle on my boiled egg EVERY day. Just in seasoning my food, I have been missing out on logging 500+ sodium every day. Tightening up the logging process starting today!!!0
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Its either the logging (weigh your food), natural fluctuation or the water retention. You are looking for a downward trend. If you chart what you weigh then tiy will eb able to see the fluctuations and that should reassure you.
You arent weighing. get some kitchen scales and weigh.
Personally I wouldnt eat back exercise calories at that level, unless you are confident your burns are accurate. Alternatively eat no more than 50% back.0 -
Down .6 lbs this weigh in...working on controlling my sodium intake & weighing/measuring everything that goes in. Thanks for the advice everyone
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