Gained a pound

Hi all,

I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.
«1

Replies

  • Philtex
    Philtex Posts: 1,234 Member
    Congratulations on losing two pounds in two weeks. Think long term and watch the trend over time, not each weekly reading.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    I didn't trust mine when I first got it either. I've found that the longer I wore it, the more accurate it seems. Been losing at plan for months eating back approximately 90% of my calories, less some days if I'm just not hungry.

    That said, our scale weight fluctuates for so many different reasons that daily weighing can be a pain unless you understand that. I went up 1.6lbs from yesterday's weigh in. But I know that's partly water weight from exercise and sodium intake. And it's also partly food waste as I haven't gone to the bathroom yet.
    Time of the month also affects scale weight as our bodies tend to retain water during TOM and during ovulation. So if you're going to weigh daily, don't sweat the fluctuations too much, okay?
  • emmas434
    emmas434 Posts: 29 Member
    capaul42 wrote: »
    I didn't trust mine when I first got it either. I've found that the longer I wore it, the more accurate it seems. Been losing at plan for months eating back approximately 90% of my calories, less some days if I'm just not hungry.

    That said, our scale weight fluctuates for so many different reasons that daily weighing can be a pain unless you understand that. I went up 1.6lbs from yesterday's weigh in. But I know that's partly water weight from exercise and sodium intake. And it's also partly food waste as I haven't gone to the bathroom yet.
    Time of the month also affects scale weight as our bodies tend to retain water during TOM and during ovulation. So if you're going to weigh daily, don't sweat the fluctuations too much, okay?

    I did used to weigh daily, so was used to seeing fluctuations, but recently only been weighing weekly. Today stressed me I think because today is typically my weigh in day and it's the first time I've went up rather than down.

    I'm glad to hear about the Fitbit, I might apply the 90% to my calorie adjustments too
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    Weight loss is not linear. There will be weeks when you do everything right and the scale will show a gain. This won't be the last time you see the scale go up when you feel like it should've gone down, but it all evens out over time.

    A gain of a pound is nothing to stress over. Could be water retention from exercise, or if you're getting your period, or any number of things.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Indeed, if you are truly in a calorie deficit you truly will lose weight despite the various water-retaining effects of salt, stress, and mense. It is because women are so much more afflicted with this variation of water loading that they get frustrated and confused with weight loss. Stay in your calorie deficit every day. Don't cheat. Check your weight once a day if you want, but once a week or month is ok, too.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited August 2016
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    You've lost quite a bit. you know how much to eat.
  • emmas434
    emmas434 Posts: 29 Member
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    You've lost quite a bit. you know how much to eat.

    I'm not sure I understand your point, I'm not asking why I'm not losing weight because I haven't monitored my food correctly. I watch, weigh and measure what I consume.

    The weight I've lost, has been without the Fitbit HR, now that I'm allowing myself to eat more based on the corrections I'm recieving from the Fitbit, seeing a gain on a weigh in day just spooked me a little.

    Weight loss is not linear. There will be weeks when you do everything right and the scale will show a gain. This won't be the last time you see the scale go up when you feel like it should've gone down, but it all evens out over time.

    A gain of a pound is nothing to stress over. Could be water retention from exercise, or if you're getting your period, or any number of things.


    I will put this to memory, and try not to panic too much next time! As long as the scale goes down over the months I'm happy either way
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    emmas434 wrote: »
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    You've lost quite a bit. you know how much to eat.

    I'm not sure I understand your point, I'm not asking why I'm not losing weight because I haven't monitored my food correctly. I watch, weigh and measure what I consume.

    The weight I've lost, has been without the Fitbit HR, now that I'm allowing myself to eat more based on the corrections I'm recieving from the Fitbit, seeing a gain on a weigh in day just spooked me a little.

    Weight loss is not linear. There will be weeks when you do everything right and the scale will show a gain. This won't be the last time you see the scale go up when you feel like it should've gone down, but it all evens out over time.

    A gain of a pound is nothing to stress over. Could be water retention from exercise, or if you're getting your period, or any number of things.


    I will put this to memory, and try not to panic too much next time! As long as the scale goes down over the months I'm happy either way

    Sorry, this was pre-coffee. My point was: if you were losing well without the fitbit, why not kinda aim for that same calorie count, if you feel you've STOPPED losing with the fitbit. Does that make sense?
    But yes, weight loss isn't linear. I went back and looked at my own weight loss and it was quite a jagged downward line. Good luck.
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    Did I miss something? You said you lost 3 pounds. What gain are you referring to?
  • itsthehumidity
    itsthehumidity Posts: 351 Member
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    I have a Fitbit Surge (which has HR) and it overestimates my calories burned by 1000-1500 per day. It's so incredibly wrong that I simply ignore that aspect of it. My TDEE is more around 2200, and I verified that by steadily losing a pound a week eating 1700 calories per day. The Surge, however, says I burn anywhere from 3200-4000 calories per day.

    Some say it's accurate; some say it's not. There are enough people who say it's not to indicate you shouldn't trust it unless you verify it with other means.
  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
    I personally compare my Fitbit "calories remaining" and my MFP calories remaining and usually by the end of the day they are very close. Maybe about 20-75 calories off.
    Considering I usually have about 400+ calories LEFT in my daily budget - I don't worry about it.
    But I agree with the others who say it is good to compare - gives you a better average if you are looking at 2 programs that sync.

    As for your weight TREND - you can try weight grapher... it helps me NOT freak out over every gain. like now with TOM - I have gone up about 5-8lbs depending on the month. As I can see what my weight was 28 days ago on weight grapher compared to my current weight, I can see the trend is always down - and where my TOM was last time - if I see it go up on BOTH lines - I KNOW it will sort itself out based on the last month results.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,512 Member
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    I have a Fitbit Surge (which has HR) and it overestimates my calories burned by 1000-1500 per day. It's so incredibly wrong that I simply ignore that aspect of it. My TDEE is more around 2200, and I verified that by steadily losing a pound a week eating 1700 calories per day. The Surge, however, says I burn anywhere from 3200-4000 calories per day.

    Some say it's accurate; some say it's not. There are enough people who say it's not to indicate you shouldn't trust it unless you verify it with other means.

    Really? Are you very sedentary? I'm curious because I'm a 42 year old woman and my TDEE is also about 2200, but I am fairly active.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    leejoyce31 wrote: »
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    Did I miss something? You said you lost 3 pounds. What gain are you referring to?

    In the thread title (but not her OP) she says she gained a pound.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    weight loss is a trend over time...you're not going to lose every week...weight fluctuates up and down...you will have weeks with no loss, weeks with gains, and weeks with smaller or larger losses...you have to look at the overall trend over time and the bigger picture.

  • emmas434
    emmas434 Posts: 29 Member
    I have a Fitbit Surge (which has HR) and it overestimates my calories burned by 1000-1500 per day. It's so incredibly wrong that I simply ignore that aspect of it. My TDEE is more around 2200, and I verified that by steadily losing a pound a week eating 1700 calories per day. The Surge, however, says I burn anywhere from 3200-4000 calories per day.

    Some say it's accurate; some say it's not. There are enough people who say it's not to indicate you shouldn't trust it unless you verify it with other means.

    My TDEE for today from my Fitbit is 2450 cals, for ~12000 steps. I have mfp set to sedentary for a calorie intake of 1600 cals a day for a loss ~0.5 pound a week and the Fitbit is giving me an adjustment of 600. I don't know if this seems realistic or not.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    edited August 2016
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    I have a Fitbit Surge (which has HR) and it overestimates my calories burned by 1000-1500 per day. It's so incredibly wrong that I simply ignore that aspect of it. My TDEE is more around 2200, and I verified that by steadily losing a pound a week eating 1700 calories per day. The Surge, however, says I burn anywhere from 3200-4000 calories per day.

    Some say it's accurate; some say it's not. There are enough people who say it's not to indicate you shouldn't trust it unless you verify it with other means.

    2200 is quite low for a man, unless you're very small or very sedentary. My TDEE is around 2900 on a normal day and I'm not super active (I'm counting days where I don't hike - there my TDEE is much higher still).
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    You lost 3 and fluctuated up 1. Don't worry!
  • I have MFP set for 1 pound per week and eat my entire Fitbit adjustment most of the time. Here's the last month's weekly weigh-ins:

    196.2, 198.8, 197.6, 196, and 191.8 this morning.

    I have averaged 1.1 lbs per week. This pattern (which included a gain for no apparent reason) has been repeating itself for a few months. It's just how weight loss works sometimes. Can't let one week or even a few weeks bother you too much.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited August 2016
    I'd recommend tracking your weight as a 7-point moving average with 2x standard deviation rather than as a scalar value. Should cancel most of the noise and give you a better idea of tour actual weightloss. Been meaning to post about that on forum but keep forgetting.
  • Philtex
    Philtex Posts: 1,234 Member
    edited August 2016
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    I'd recommend tracking your weight as a 7-point moving average with 2x standard deviation rather than as a scalar value.

    A simple line graph has worked fine for me. While in losing mode I found that the number did not matter, only the trend.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Philtex wrote: »
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    I'd recommend tracking your weight as a 7-point moving average with 2x standard deviation rather than as a scalar value.

    A simple line graph has worked fine for me for years.

    Uh...okay, but I was speaking to the person who is expressing concerns that fluctuations in their weight was causing them anxiety. But good for you.
  • itsthehumidity
    itsthehumidity Posts: 351 Member
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    I have a Fitbit Surge (which has HR) and it overestimates my calories burned by 1000-1500 per day. It's so incredibly wrong that I simply ignore that aspect of it. My TDEE is more around 2200, and I verified that by steadily losing a pound a week eating 1700 calories per day. The Surge, however, says I burn anywhere from 3200-4000 calories per day.

    Some say it's accurate; some say it's not. There are enough people who say it's not to indicate you shouldn't trust it unless you verify it with other means.

    Really? Are you very sedentary? I'm curious because I'm a 42 year old woman and my TDEE is also about 2200, but I am fairly active.

    I have averaged 11,000 steps a day for the past 18 months, and I lift weights 3-4 times per week. My lifts are all at the early stages of the "advanced" category based on common metrics.

    But, I'm only 5'7 and weigh 150 pounds at about 12% fat. I carefully weigh and measure my food, and I only lose a pound a week if I eat around 1700 calories per day. I've validated that with months upon months of data. I use a digital food scale and understand how to correctly track nutrition. Given all that, 2200 appears to be my TDEE.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    rankinsect wrote: »
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    I have a Fitbit Surge (which has HR) and it overestimates my calories burned by 1000-1500 per day. It's so incredibly wrong that I simply ignore that aspect of it. My TDEE is more around 2200, and I verified that by steadily losing a pound a week eating 1700 calories per day. The Surge, however, says I burn anywhere from 3200-4000 calories per day.

    Some say it's accurate; some say it's not. There are enough people who say it's not to indicate you shouldn't trust it unless you verify it with other means.

    2200 is quite low for a man, unless you're very small or very sedentary. My TDEE is around 2900 on a normal day and I'm not super active (I'm counting days where I don't hike - there my TDEE is much higher still).

    Uh, how much do you weigh and how tall are you?
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    emmas434 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I recent obtained a Fitbit charge HR just under three weeks ago, I have been trusting the calorie adjustments it has been giving me despite sometimes feeling they are too high. I lost 3 pounds last week so don't know if this is just a fluctuation, or a real gain as I typically only weigh weekly.

    I have mfp set to sedentary, I'm 5' 6" and CW 173 pounds, SW 196 pounds.

    I have a Fitbit Surge (which has HR) and it overestimates my calories burned by 1000-1500 per day. It's so incredibly wrong that I simply ignore that aspect of it. My TDEE is more around 2200, and I verified that by steadily losing a pound a week eating 1700 calories per day. The Surge, however, says I burn anywhere from 3200-4000 calories per day.

    Some say it's accurate; some say it's not. There are enough people who say it's not to indicate you shouldn't trust it unless you verify it with other means.

    Really? Are you very sedentary? I'm curious because I'm a 42 year old woman and my TDEE is also about 2200, but I am fairly active.

    I have averaged 11,000 steps a day for the past 18 months, and I lift weights 3-4 times per week. My lifts are all at the early stages of the "advanced" category based on common metrics.

    But, I'm only 5'7 and weigh 150 pounds at about 12% fat. I carefully weigh and measure my food, and I only lose a pound a week if I eat around 1700 calories per day. I've validated that with months upon months of data. I use a digital food scale and understand how to correctly track nutrition. Given all that, 2200 appears to be my TDEE.

    This sounds correct.
  • HFreymuth
    HFreymuth Posts: 13 Member
    I read an article that the downfall of using fitbit adjustment is that MFP doesn't subtract the calories you are alloted for being sedentary. It's the same issue with manually entering exercise calories. The calories burned may be correct but what about the 70-100 calories or so per hour that MFP allowed for just doing nothing?

    I used to stick with the calories before exercise and "use" my exercise calories for occasional indulgences like wine or birthday cake or error margin in guessing how many calories in had eating out at a restaurant without nutrition data.
  • tracymayo1
    tracymayo1 Posts: 445 Member
    HFreymuth wrote: »
    I read an article that the downfall of using fitbit adjustment is that MFP doesn't subtract the calories you are alloted for being sedentary.

    doesn't allowing the negative adjustments take care of this? If you aren't where MFP thought you would be at that point in time, you will get a - adjustment.
    In the morning, I usually have 1600 calories + (-) 80 = 1520 calories allowed (for example) because I havent done anything yet to boost my fitbit adjustments...
  • HFreymuth
    HFreymuth Posts: 13 Member
    I don't really know because I don't use fitbit but I recall reading an article about it. It definitely does not adjust for regular exercise. It's something to look into.
  • TerriMcElrath
    TerriMcElrath Posts: 7 Member
    I started using the Happy Scale app for just this reason. I went nuts when the scale went up a pound. After I started using the app I could see that I was still on a downward trend and my sanity was back. One pound is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. But totally understand the mental trips this journey can cause.