gaining 3lbs overnight weight fluctuation while on low carbs???

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  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    123juliaj123 wrote: »
    Thankyou for your reply thunder. I ate at the usual time yesterday or at least within an hour and didnt drink more fluids than usual yesterday night.

    I have got so that I dare not just rely on getting weighed once a week because if my weight is up for some reason I am stressed that I have gained when I have stuck with my diet for a whole week til I get weighed again. I would prefer to just weigh weekly and hope to do that soon but atm it seems unreliable and leaves me not really knowing how Im doing

    OP one thing that jumps out at me is you refer to this as "sticking with your diet" which to me tells me that the changes you've made you are looking at as temporary? If that is the case, and you don't intend to continue with the low carb approach forever, I think at some point you could be looking at a big jump back up anyway which may really be upsetting to you based on your reaction to the normal day to day fluctuations.

    Also wanted to chime in that I find it helpful to accept that my weight is going to fluctuate within a certain range based on the time of day, day of week, and week of the month that I am weighing myself. I do weigh myself daily, sometimes twice daily, because in doing so I've identified these predictable patterns, and now I can tell you pretty much which day of the month and what weighing I am going to see the lowest point. But even with that, there are days when I'm just like, "huh - that doesn't make sense" and I make a mental note of it and move on. More often than not, even without a concentrated adjustment from me, the ship rights itself in a matter of a day or two.



  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    123juliaj123 wrote: »
    Thankyou for your reply thunder. I ate at the usual time yesterday or at least within an hour and didnt drink more fluids than usual yesterday night.

    I have got so that I dare not just rely on getting weighed once a week because if my weight is up for some reason I am stressed that I have gained when I have stuck with my diet for a whole week til I get weighed again. I would prefer to just weigh weekly and hope to do that soon but atm it seems unreliable and leaves me not really knowing how Im doing

    OP one thing that jumps out at me is you refer to this as "sticking with your diet" which to me tells me that the changes you've made you are looking at as temporary? If that is the case, and you don't intend to continue with the low carb approach forever, I think at some point you could be looking at a big jump back up anyway which may really be upsetting to you based on your reaction to the normal day to day fluctuations.

    Also wanted to chime in that I find it helpful to accept that my weight is going to fluctuate within a certain range based on the time of day, day of week, and week of the month that I am weighing myself. I do weigh myself daily, sometimes twice daily, because in doing so I've identified these predictable patterns, and now I can tell you pretty much which day of the month and what weighing I am going to see the lowest point. But even with that, there are days when I'm just like, "huh - that doesn't make sense" and I make a mental note of it and move on. More often than not, even without a concentrated adjustment from me, the ship rights itself in a matter of a day or two.



    I agree with this person whole heartedly. It shouldn't be seen as something you're doing for a certain timeframe and then you get to stop. That's why I'm not a big fan of the low carb diets. Unless of course you plan on eating low carb forever. Otherwise you should train yourself to eat like you're going to be eating forever. As far as the weight fluctuations....If I know I'm sticking to my plan I don't let the fluctuations bother me at all. Like she said the ship eventually right itself. If I know I've been messing up and haven't been sticking to my plan than it encourages me to get back on track.
  • lc355
    lc355 Posts: 91 Member
    Thank-you 123juliaj123 for this post. I really needed to read all of these replies right now.
    At the end of last week I ate way over my normal calories (+450) for two days in a row as well as doing a lot of extra walking and seemed to gain 2lb after having been constantly losing for three months.
    I know the 2lb weight gain is mostly due to achey muscles and normal fluctuations and can't possibly be a 2lb fat gain but it's hard not to feel panicked. I'm also feeling really thirsty which I think is down to having saltier foods these last few days.
    I will breathe a huge sigh of relief when those 2lb are gone again.
  • 123juliaj123
    123juliaj123 Posts: 76 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    123juliaj123 wrote: »
    Thankyou for your reply thunder. I ate at the usual time yesterday or at least within an hour and didnt drink more fluids than usual yesterday night.

    I have got so that I dare not just rely on getting weighed once a week because if my weight is up for some reason I am stressed that I have gained when I have stuck with my diet for a whole week til I get weighed again. I would prefer to just weigh weekly and hope to do that soon but atm it seems unreliable and leaves me not really knowing how Im doing

    OP one thing that jumps out at me is you refer to this as "sticking with your diet" which to me tells me that the changes you've made you are looking at as temporary? If that is the case, and you don't intend to continue with the low carb approach forever, I think at some point you could be looking at a big jump back up anyway which may really be upsetting to you based on your reaction to the normal day to day fluctuations.

    What I meant by sticking with my diet is that I had not had more calories than I intended. I will be staying on low carb and have changed my lifestyle quite a lot in general and dont crave carbs anymore or even want them really.

    Also wanted to chime in that I find it helpful to accept that my weight is going to fluctuate within a certain range based on the time of day, day of week, and week of the month that I am weighing myself. I do weigh myself daily, sometimes twice daily, because in doing so I've identified these predictable patterns, and now I can tell you pretty much which day of the month and what weighing I am going to see the lowest point. But even with that, there are days when I'm just like, "huh - that doesn't make sense" and I make a mental note of it and move on. More often than not, even without a concentrated adjustment from me, the ship rights itself in a matter of a day or two.
    thanks for your advice :) I am working on my attitude to what the scale says and its reassuring to know that others are managing this very logically and well
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Fluctuations happen. If they bother you, start weighing once a week or monthly.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    edited October 2015
    lc355 wrote: »
    At the end of last week I ate way over my normal calories (+450) for two days in a row as well as doing a lot of extra walking and seemed to gain 2lb after having been constantly losing for three months.

    This is probably two things:

    1. When you increase your caloric intake, your body will store more glycogen, its short-term energy storage molecule (basically the animal equivalent of starch). When you're at a modest deficit, at least some of your glycogen stores are likely depleted at any given time, except perhaps just after meals. Your body has about 1 to 1.5 pounds of maximum glycogen reserves. Each pound of glycogen, though, causes you to retain four pounds of water to maintain osmotic balance (so your cells don't explode or implode - kinda important!).
    2. Muscle tissue swells a bit as it repairs itself from strenuous exercise. That swelling - which again is about osmotic balance - is water retention as well.

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