I've gained this week :-(

shazland
shazland Posts: 63 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
Sorry, but this is going to be a bit of a moaning post, but I'm feeling pretty miserable this morning. I've been 'on a diet' counting calories for a month. I have steadily been losing weight over the last few weeks, but I got on the scale this morning and I have actually gained a pound :-( I am gutted about this as I haven't been cheating, I've stuck to 1200 cals a day, no alcohol for a whole month and I was even ill last week. What on earth have I done wrong? I only had 7 pounds or so to lose before Christmas and I have lost 4 in total. It's so disheartening when you think you are on the right track, you've been really strict with yourself hoping to be rewarded with a loss and you've bloody gained weight. I've got friends who lose 5lbs in one week through slimming world etc, but I can't stand the slimming world plan (I don't mean to *kitten* about it, it just isn't for me). Does anyone have any ideas as to why this has happened? I weigh myself once a week at the same time each morning. It's weird because I totally expected a loss this morning as I feel slimmer. Agghhhh. Sorry.

Replies

  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    If nothing else changed, then it's likely to be water weight.

    Did you start working out (healing muscles retain water)? Are you getting towards that time of the month (I can personally gain 2kg overnight due to hormones)? Did you eat more volume (i.e. there's more food waste in your digestive tract)? Maybe a bit more sodium than usual (more water retained)?

    If any of the above happened (then happened together) chances are it will show as more weight on the scale even if in all actuality you lost fat. The scales only shows the current situation: lean body mass + fat + water + waste. That's a lot of variables that have to align on time for your weight in.

    Just keep doing you're doing, because the rate of 4lbs in 4 weeks (1lbs per week) is a pretty darn good rate for someone with as little to lose (maybe even a tad bit aggressive). For some it's going to be closer to 0.25lbs per week...
  • kristikitter
    kristikitter Posts: 602 Member
    Could be water weight (if it's your TOM), or just an error in your calorie logging/weighing.

    Your faster-losing friends probably have more weight to shed, which is why a lot of (mostly water) weight came off in one week.
  • shazland
    shazland Posts: 63 Member
    Thanks for replying! I really needed some advice this morning. I'm pretty good with my calorie logging, I weigh everything (even melon). My TOM is actually coming up, but I thought this would just maybe result in my weight plateauing not an actual gain. I've really struggled to lose weight this year as I suffer with chronic migraine, which is brought on by various triggers, unfortunately one of those triggers is exercise. I'm okay with walking etc but can't run or do aerobics like I used to. I do eat alot of salty food too, which might also be making me retain water, which is something I hadn't considered.
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    There you have it! TOM + salty food can wreck havoc on weight. :smile:

    Walking is fine as exercise. It can be hard to admit that the body can't do what it used to do (my back is currently doing a number on me so walking is all I can do), but in the end you need to listen to it and not push too much too fast. Migraines are no laughing matter and avoiding your known triggers is a pretty good strategy in my opinion. This means that intake control will be even more important to you to create your deficit. Just make sure your goal is not too aggressive to sustain over the time you need to keep it.

    You might not reach your goal by your chosen deadline and that's fine. What's important is that you reach goal weight healthily so that you can maintain that loss long term.

    Best of luck! :smiley:
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    1) It's probably water weight
    2) Weight fluctuates
    3) 1lb is well within normal fluctuations
    4) Weight loss is not linear
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    shazland wrote: »
    Thanks for replying! I really needed some advice this morning. I'm pretty good with my calorie logging, I weigh everything (even melon). My TOM is actually coming up, but I thought this would just maybe result in my weight plateauing not an actual gain. I've really struggled to lose weight this year as I suffer with chronic migraine, which is brought on by various triggers, unfortunately one of those triggers is exercise. I'm okay with walking etc but can't run or do aerobics like I used to. I do eat alot of salty food too, which might also be making me retain water, which is something I hadn't considered.

    I can 'gain' 5lbs in a single day and it has nothing to do with actual fat gains. The scale can be up for all sorts of reasons -sodium intake /water retention, hormones /tom/pms, digestion timing, constipation, batteries on the scale getting old, water retention from exercise, weighing yourself after eating or drinking something, weighing yourself at a different time of day etc etc. It's very normal to see fluctuations on the scale :)
  • EDollah
    EDollah Posts: 464 Member
    It's as likely a poo issue as anything.

    My 2 cents (or pence or whatever is your currency), expand your timeframe for when to worry about progress. Personally, I use 2 weeks to get "alarmed", 3 weeks to make a change. Meaning after 1 weeks I'm completely unconcerned, after 2 weeks I'll take notice and think about what changes to make, after 3 weeks I'll make a change of some sort.
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