The scale is lying...I think lol

Nysportsred
Nysportsred Posts: 224 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
I am thinking it is (hopefully) water retention, but last Tuesday I was 184.6. Today I am 190.6. The weight is up, but the waist is the same size (as is the little spare tire- yes I measure that too to make sure it isnt going there).

I try to keep to 2100 calories a day to lose weight, but I usually have around 2500 and maintain. U exercise 4 times a week for 70-80 minutes each session. I have lost 51 pounds in the last 4 years so far so I have had some success losing.

I don't believe I went far enough over to even gain 2 pounds the last week let alone 6. How many calories would I have had to go over the 2100 to gain?

Replies

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    i was 154 on Turkey day, 156 day after and now back to 154...but my 5 day weight trend is down
  • coffeethencardio
    coffeethencardio Posts: 27 Member
    1 pound= 3500 calories

    I bet it's not actual fat gain but water weight. Give it a little more time.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited November 2016
    I'm up 7 pounds this week, too much food :D

    ETA: chin up!
  • red99ryder
    red99ryder Posts: 399 Member
    I'm thinking lots of salt in Turkey ..
  • Nysportsred
    Nysportsred Posts: 224 Member
    edited November 2016
    coffeethencardio wrote: »
    1 pound= 3500 calories

    I bet it's not actual fat gain but water weight. Give it a little more time.

    3500 a day=1 pound or 3500 a week= 1 pound? or is it 3500 over what you need to maintain? This always confused me.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    1lb = 3500cal - you can spread that out how you want for weight loss - i.e. if you are aiming for a 2lb per week goal, then 7000cal less; 1lb - 3500; .5lb 1750 less in a chosen time period
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Nysportsred wrote: »
    coffeethencardio wrote: »
    1 pound= 3500 calories

    I bet it's not actual fat gain but water weight. Give it a little more time.

    3500 a day=1 pound or 3500 a week= 1 pound? or is it 3500 over what you need to maintain? This always confused me.

    -3500 a week or -500 a day
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,787 Member
    3500 extra calories (roughly) translates to a pound of extra weight. It doesn't really matter whether it's all in one day, or a week, or a month -- or even a year, which is how so many people find themselves slowly putting on a couple pounds per year until they're 20 pounds overweight. Extra calories are extra calories; 3500 extra calories you do not use translate to (about) a pound on the scale.

    This is why a lot of us here on MFP focus on our weekly or even monthly calorie goals, instead of sticking precisely to the daily goal. We know that as long as we're overall eating less than we burn, we will lose weight even if one or two specific days are high-calorie. :)
  • Unknown
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  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,749 Member
    My weight is up too, a combination of too much Thanksgiving pie plus dinner out last night with too many calories and too much salt. All I can do is start over again today, and try to do better this week.
  • Fayga
    Fayga Posts: 13 Member
    edited November 2016
    Could be a couple factors:
    1. Did you use the same scale and weigh yourself at the same time from the week before?
    2. Water weight from salt retention over the holidays
    3. Did you weigh yourself after using the Lou or before? I'm serious.

    It is unlikely to gain 4 lbs of "fat" in just one week.
    However, muscle weighs more than fat.
    So it's possible it's a combination of two factors.
    I wouldn't sweat it. Or maybe you should...see what I did there ;)
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,799 Member
    in the morning i'm 169 then it fluctuates up to 5lbs more during the day. I think it's the extra salt this past week
  • lauramdx4
    lauramdx4 Posts: 33 Member
    Nice to read I'm not the only one up 5 pounds this week....
  • Nysportsred
    Nysportsred Posts: 224 Member
    Always_Kriss wrote: »
    its 3500 over maintenance, but it can be gained in any fashion, day, week, month.. Etc

    so if my maintenance is 2500 I'd need to eat 6000 calories to gain a pound?

    I am down to 189.0 so some has come off already lol.
    Fayga wrote: »
    Could be a couple factors:
    1. Did you use the same scale and weigh yourself at the same time from the week before? - Yes
    2. Water weight from salt retention over the holidays- this is my guess
    3. Did you weigh yourself after using the Lou or before? I'm serious.- always after

    It is unlikely to gain 4 lbs of "fat" in just one week.
    However, muscle weighs more than fat.
    So it's possible it's a combination of two factors.
    I wouldn't sweat it. Or maybe you should...see what I did there ;)- lol, I like that.

  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,130 Member
    Sodium = water retention. Give it three days and drink lots of water.
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    Nysportsred wrote: »
    Always_Kriss wrote: »
    its 3500 over maintenance, but it can be gained in any fashion, day, week, month.. Etc

    so if my maintenance is 2500 I'd need to eat 6000 calories to gain a pound?

    Eating 6000 calories in one day would see you gain a pound.
    Eating 4250 calories/day for two days would see you gain a pound.
    Eating 3000 calories/day for seven days would see you gain a pound.
    Eating 2600 calories/day for thirty five days would see you gain a pound.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Fayga wrote: »
    Could be a couple factors:
    1. Did you use the same scale and weigh yourself at the same time from the week before?
    2. Water weight from salt retention over the holidays
    3. Did you weigh yourself after using the Lou or before? I'm serious.

    It is unlikely to gain 4 lbs of "fat" in just one week.
    However, muscle weighs more than fat.
    So it's possible it's a combination of two factors.
    I wouldn't sweat it. Or maybe you should...see what I did there ;)

    1lb of muscle weighs the same as 1lb of fat. Muscle is denser so takes up less room. OP isn't a newbie lifter and is eating at a deficit, so highly unlikely to be making any muscle gains and certainly nothing significant enough to mask fat losses on the scale.
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 339 Member
    Fayga wrote: »
    Could be a couple factors:
    1. Did you use the same scale and weigh yourself at the same time from the week before?
    2. Water weight from salt retention over the holidays
    3. Did you weigh yourself after using the Lou or before? I'm serious.

    It is unlikely to gain 4 lbs of "fat" in just one week.
    However, muscle weighs more than fat.
    So it's possible it's a combination of two factors.
    I wouldn't sweat it. Or maybe you should...see what I did there ;)

    A ton of rocks or a ton of feathers, what weighs more? :);)

  • Lucy1752
    Lucy1752 Posts: 499 Member
    It is a conspiracy. Mine lied too, but 'fessed up after almost a week now since turkey day. Just be more stubborn than your scale and wait (or weight as the case may be) it out.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    Not just salt. More food than usual will mean more water retained, especially more carbs. Give it a few days and don't panic.
  • Nysportsred
    Nysportsred Posts: 224 Member
    SusanMFindlay wrote: »
    Nysportsred wrote: »
    Always_Kriss wrote: »
    its 3500 over maintenance, but it can be gained in any fashion, day, week, month.. Etc

    so if my maintenance is 2500 I'd need to eat 6000 calories to gain a pound?

    Eating 6000 calories in one day would see you gain a pound.
    Eating 4250 calories/day for two days would see you gain a pound.
    Eating 3000 calories/day for seven days would see you gain a pound.
    Eating 2600 calories/day for thirty five days would see you gain a pound.

    Ok this works. I never go over 3000 in a day (and that's very rare- once a month). Usually if I am over my 2080 it is by 550 or less and the 4 days a week I exercise I am usually under by 70-100 or, if I am over, it is by less than 100.

    I did cardio last night and I am 187 today. The day after a workout I am usually lighter so I will have to see tomorrow for a more accurate weight. Usually I only myself the once a week though.

    I don't do any lifting. I have had issues with my neck and it is feeling a lot better, but the neuro and the doctor said not to lift weights as it can easily undo what they've done to fix it and once that happens they don't think they can fix it again.

    Is there a way to change your daily summary on the home page from daily calories to weekly?
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