Struggling to keep up spirit

Don't fret about fluctuations! They can go up or down by 5-10 pounds sometimes. Just trust in the math and wait it out. It's possible that you had some high-sodium meals and now you're retaining a lot of water, or that you've been working out pretty hard and your muscles have retained water to repair themselves... Or so many other reasons! If you're logging accurately (weighing solids and measuring liquids, not using generic database information for recipes but making your own instead, etc), then it will go back down soon. All the best!

That big of a swing in a short space of time is fluid retention, not fat storage.

Most likely, you either a) ate some food's higher in sodium than you normally would, or b) changed your workout style, intensity, volume, etc.

Just keep going and it'll flush out.

Use a tape measure to track something like your waist measurement. Take photos periodically in the same pose/lighting conditions for comparison. And track trends in the scale rather than individual data points. This will give you a whole picture rather than single aberrant snapshots that freak you out.

TL;DR: It's a long-game. Track multiple qualities. Adjust when the data tells you to. Be patient.

alexwilden wrote: »

Good morning all,

I'm trying to get some advise here, I'm 29, 5ft 10", currently 206lb, body fat percentage of 20.4% and I'm eating a calorie deficit of 1,650.

I started out being 210lb back in March 2015 tracking what I ate and making a real effort to change eating life-style. However something strange happened to me over the last week (start of the week I weighed 204), I found myself on Friday weighing in at 202lb and I weighed myself on Sunday again and I was still 202lb. But on Tuesday I weighed myself again as I felt lighter but I came in at 204lb and today I am 206lb.

So as of today I am 2lb heavier then I was last week and I'm 4lb heavier then I was at the weekend. That seems like a high fluctuation to me.

I weight train on Mon & Thurs, run 1.1 mile 2 times a week and one 4 mile run once a week.

Can anyone help me at all, I've really been struggling the last couple of days now to keep positive.

Al

You cna fluctuate 1-5lbs in a day easily. Fluctuations are isleading to those who just look at weight without understanding what they are looking at. Have you eaten 14000 extra caloies 4x3500? to put on those 4lbs?

If not then its no really going to be an increase in real weight then is it?

Drop focusing in the short term. If you are going to weigh and you cnat deal with flutuations hen use an app o soemthing like trendweight to log it and show you the trend to iron out fluctuations.
Exercise, drinking, eating, not having been to the toilet can all be causes of why you might be heavier.
Knowledge is your friend and a way to stop being disheartened. If you want to get to the end of your journey, then you need to focus and have some resolve. Uoi will hit bumps along the way so you need to be able to deal with them. this isnt even a bump its just showing you that weight loss isnt linear and it jumps around.

Whats been said above- long journey- think 1lb a week, track multiple measurs, dont just obssess on weight, be patient and avoid stress because its a long journey.

Are you sure your bf% is corrct? How did you calculate it?.

if you find yourself obsessing over the number on the scale... stop weighing. I weigh and log on friday mornings.

You are still at the beginning of your journey, so there may be a lot of water weight fluctuations, and in general, weight fluctuates widely for most people ANYWAYS. Muscle repair from weight lifting causes water retention for a few days and can affect weight, as well. My weight has about a 5 pound range throughout the day, on any given day. Sometimes more if its TOM or I'm retaining a lot of water.

Make sure you are weighing your food accurately, and logging accurately.
If you are eating back exercise calories, don't eat them ALL unless you are confident in your food logging and calories burned (most people eat back about half. Don't forget MFP exercise estimates are WAY high)
Watch sodium and fluid intake