Diary help

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wenkell22
wenkell22 Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know a lot of people have this request, but would someone take a look at my diary to help me figure out where I'm going wrong?
I was losing weight fairly steadily but then suddenly gained 3 lbs and I don't see why that would happen.
I'm tracking my meals strictly and I am hooked up with a Jawbone UP2 for my exercise/steps.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • talismanicmagic
    talismanicmagic Posts: 36 Member
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    Your diary isn't showing, you may need to open it to public in your settings.
  • acheben
    acheben Posts: 476 Member
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    Are you using generic "home made" entries or did you enter recipes for the things like "tuna noodle casserole - 1 serving," "Home Made - Grilled Cheese on Whole Wheat Bread, 1 sandwich," and "Homemade - Chicken Fried Rice (Made With Baked Chicken Breast, Brown Rice, Vegetable Oil,), 1 portion."

    If you're just picking generic entries that someone else entered, you really don't know what they put into that specific entry so its doubtful that it matches what you actually ate.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Her diary is open. You need to use a food scale, first and foremost. Lots of generic entries and the one that caught my eye was the yellow cake one piece. Nothing wrong with cake but how do you know how large it was from the database.
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
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    agree with everyone else. Also, if you start using a food scale and make your entries more accurate, plz make sure you eat more than 1000 ish calories, at least eat back a portion of your exercise calories.
    **I don't think OP is really eating under 1200 cal right now** obv she would be losing weight otherwise.
  • wenkell22
    wenkell22 Posts: 25 Member
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    Thanks very much for the help! Most of the recipes I've entered in myself so I know what's in them, but I do estimate some things for sure. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong. The weighing food thing is daunting and unpleasant. It made sense to me that because I was steadily losing weight then I was doing it right. I haven't changed anything so why the gain? Do we ladies gain weight during our monthly? Could that explain a 3 lb gain? Thanks again for the help. :-)
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
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    wenkell22 wrote: »
    Do we ladies gain weight during our monthly? Could that explain a 3 lb gain?

    Sometimes... and yes

    Weight fluctuates all the time. A one time 3 lb swing is neither unusual nor uncommon. Now if it doesn't swing back, or your trend continues up over a longer term (as in weeks), then it might be time to tweak your program.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    wenkell22 wrote: »
    Thanks very much for the help! Most of the recipes I've entered in myself so I know what's in them, but I do estimate some things for sure. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong. The weighing food thing is daunting and unpleasant. It made sense to me that because I was steadily losing weight then I was doing it right. I haven't changed anything so why the gain? Do we ladies gain weight during our monthly? Could that explain a 3 lb gain? Thanks again for the help. :-)

    Things like "Grilled Cheese on Whole Wheat Bread" and "Chicken Fried Rice - 1 Portion" look like database entries, not recipes (recipes built by users will typically have "1 serving" as the size. Those things can vary so widely from person to person that choosing a generic entry is almost worthless (what type of bread did the other person use, how much butter/fat, how much cheese, etc?).

    We can certainly gain weight related to our cycle and that could be what is happening here. But given your logging, it could also be that you are gaining weight from food.
  • wenkell22
    wenkell22 Posts: 25 Member
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    Hmmm. That's something to think about. Maybe I *am* being a lazy logger. I guess I'll try to tighten up there and also do as juggernaut1974 suggested and see if there's a trend. I didn't realize that weight can fluctuate so much. As long as I'm asking, if I eat 800 calories one day and 1800 the next day do they average out? I mean, is it the day by day or the month by month that's most important? Just curious.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    wenkell22 wrote: »
    Hmmm. That's something to think about. Maybe I *am* being a lazy logger. I guess I'll try to tighten up there and also do as juggernaut1974 suggested and see if there's a trend. I didn't realize that weight can fluctuate so much. As long as I'm asking, if I eat 800 calories one day and 1800 the next day do they average out? I mean, is it the day by day or the month by month that's most important? Just curious.

    Averages for the week work. Some eat light all week long so they go out on the weekends.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    Weight loss isn't linear. Even if you do everything perfect, some weeks you will lose, some you will maintain, and some you will gain. You can't change what you are doing every week your loss isn't typical. There are many other factors other than your body fat weight that contribute to the number on the scale.

    Having said that, there is never a bad time to tighten up your logging. Good luck!
  • wenkell22
    wenkell22 Posts: 25 Member
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    Thank you! :-)
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    If this is a one time gain, or a gain over a short time period like less than a few weeks, it is too soon to panic. Do you weigh less now than 30 days ago? If so, that's a good start. Look at your weight loss trend over time.

    It certainly is normal for many women to gain 3-5 pounds around TOM. Or from having a high sodium meal, being stressed about something, getting a poor night's sleep, starting a new workout routine, increasing intensity of a workout routine, changing things up in terms of what macros you're eating, etc. (Actually those apply to guys also, except for the one about hormones/TOM!) Its water weight, and is temporary.

    As has been mentioned, improving your logging accuracy never hurts. But it is also ok to use the logic: if I'm losing, my approximations must be close enough. If your weight stalls for 4-6 weeks or more, then its a SURE sign to re-evaluate.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I weighed myself daily for over a month to get a sense of my fluctuations and I found out two things.

    1. I could fluctuate 2-3 pounds in a single day.
    2. I gain weight just before my monthly, then drop off in the week following.

    I now worry less and weigh myself weekly.
  • wenkell22
    wenkell22 Posts: 25 Member
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    I started this effort on 10/25 and weighed 173. I got down to 164 last week, but back up to 167 this morning. I'll take the advice to keep on keeping on, log better and see where I am at the end of the month. My mom always says: Patience is a virtue. Lol.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    That is a good one. Another one to fall back on: Trust the science.

    I am also a daily weigher. If you can detach yourself from the emotional roller coaster of the scale, there is nothing wrong with it. Log or note somehow (pen and paper is fine) the daily #s for 90 days. You'll likely see a trend. I always gain a little the day following my start. Then hold onto it, and after 7-10 days start dropping the extra. Within 2 weeks I'm back to where I was, and then within a week whoosh as 'new' weight loss shows up on the scale finally.
    wenkell22 wrote: »
    I started this effort on 10/25 and weighed 173. I got down to 164 last week, but back up to 167 this morning. I'll take the advice to keep on keeping on, log better and see where I am at the end of the month. My mom always says: Patience is a virtue. Lol.

  • wenkell22
    wenkell22 Posts: 25 Member
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    That would be awesome! :-)
  • mysteps2beauty
    mysteps2beauty Posts: 493 Member
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    No water was logged. Need water.
    Too many calories left (if it is accurate logging), need to eat back at least half of exercise, esp. if it's new to you.

    I had a 3 lb drop in one week after I started eating some of my exercise calories....
  • VykkDraygoVPR
    VykkDraygoVPR Posts: 465 Member
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    mysteps2beauty wrote: »
    No water was logged. Need water.
    Too many calories left (if it is accurate logging), need to eat back at least half of exercise, esp. if it's new to you.

    I had a 3 lb drop in one week after I started eating some of my exercise calories....

    Not everyone logs water. I can assure you that they still drink.

    Eating more calories will not cause a drop in weight.

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