I know it's only been three days but I am GAINING. HELP!

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matchbox_girl
matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
in Motivation and Support
My doctor put me on phentermine. Please no phen bashing, that's not what this is about. I'm very overweight and crave sugar constantly. I was also feeling so tired all of the time, no energy at all. I've been on this medication for a little less than a week and it has surely given me more energy. I love that. As far as appetite goes, some days it helps and some days it doesn't. That's fine, because it seems like the money i spent on the script almost motivates me more than before, whether it's really helping or not.

Anyway. Usually when I use MFP regularly I lose quite a few pounds of weight. (Water weight, surely, but the scale goes down nonetheless.) But the last few days not only have i been staying under my calories, I've also been up and moving very frequently thanks to having more energy. Now with that being said, not only is the scale not budging, but I seem to be GAINING. This is frustrating for someone who went from eating 2500-3000 calories a day on fast food binges to eating less than 2,000 a day and moving more. Now I know that we shouldn't base it on the scale, and definitely not on the fact that it's been such a short amount of time, but I would love to not be gaining. I guess i just need some wise words because at this point I feel like eating less is not helping at all. I was so excited to see my progress this morning and I am UP.

(I am easing into this, ready to add more healthy foods, but for now i eat what i crave so long as it stays in my budget, which i know also works.)

I just need some help. Anyone relate?
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    It's only been 3 days....

    Be more patient. Stick to a calorie deficit and you will lose weight.
  • matchbox_girl
    matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    It's only been 3 days....

    Be more patient. Stick to a calorie deficit and you will lose weight.

    Is it normal to gain though?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    matchbox_girl wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    It's only been 3 days....

    Be more patient. Stick to a calorie deficit and you will lose weight.

    Is it normal to gain though?

    Weight fluctuates, so yes.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    How much more active are you? If you're doing significantly more exercise, you may be retaining fluid for repair. Temporary gain is very common when people up their exercise.
  • matchbox_girl
    matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
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    I'm not doing intense cardio really. Rearranged the house, just essentially on my feet walking around and cleaning (lots of heavy duty cleaning) more than I'm sitting.
  • matchbox_girl
    matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
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    However, it's much more than I was doing. Before I barely had energy to get off the couch. So I guess in that regard I'm much more active regarding me personally.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    Are you muscle sore at all from the activity? That can be a good gauge.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
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    It's the weight trend over the weeks and months that matters. Each day is just a data point in your overall trend.

    You can look at your actual weight chart on MFP or get a weight-trend app such as Libra for Android or Happy Scale for iOS.
  • happyauntie2015
    happyauntie2015 Posts: 282 Member
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    Our bodies fluctuate daily. In my own experience I can be down a couple days then BAM the next morning the scale went up. I like weighing daily because I like to see how my body reacts to certain foods, meals, weight training and well just life. The daily trend so to speak isn't what matters it's more the long term say weeks and months and so on
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    If you are accurately logging and staying in a deficit you will lose, it just won't be as fast as you want it and it won't be in a straight line down:(.

    Higher sodium day - water retention
    TOM- water retention
    waste
    can make you go up on the scales even though your're in a deficit.

    If the scale upsets you maybe weigh once a week.








  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    Water retention is the first thing that popped in my head. Isn't that one of the big side effects of the diet drug you're taking? I Googled and there's a ton of instances where ppl on the diet drugs retain water and gain weight from it. Side effects are weird that way, sometimes we take a medication for one thing and side effects gives us the opposite effect. Everyone's body is different, you've been on them a week? It also specifies anyone with high blood pressure not taking it as it's a much higher risk and that can also cause even more water retention.

    You asked us not to bring your diet drug up but to comment on weight gain, looks like that might go hand in hand in this case.

    Do you exercise regularly? That may be what you will need to do to get the weight off and to keep it off. That and making healthier food choices staying in a deficit. You mentioned eating under your calories, why is that? You won't want to eat under your cals since that might increase the chance of a binge. You had mentioned you're prone to binge so getting all your daily calories in is as important as staying within a deficit.
  • shellyld2016
    shellyld2016 Posts: 288 Member
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    Hormones and salt can make a big difference in your weight. Drink lots of water and I would change some of your eating as well if you are eating junk. You can have treats, but the kind of food you fuel your body with does make a difference in how effectively you lose weight as well as how you feel while doing it. Tried and true for me it matters.
  • tjmillar
    tjmillar Posts: 2 Member
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    I've been through many cycles of motivation to exercise and lose weight over the years. I no longer feel bad about that, it's normal to go through cycles. I'm loving that I'm starting again after a few months of lost motivation and focus. I've also found that it's normal to initially put on a bit of weight or be stable at the start of a cycle, even though I'm working out like crazy and eating far less than I have been over the holiday period. I don't know about the physiology of that but I've seen it happen to me several times now. This time, after three days, it's happening again and I don't mind at all, I KNOW that if I stick with it and keep working and keep eating less there will soon enough be a sudden drop in my weight as my body "catches up", or something.
    Anyway, don't be at all concerned. Just keep working at increased activity and decreased calories, and over time you will get results. Its can be annoying when the scales go the wrong way for a day or two, but it's entirely normal. Weight fluctuates, and when you weigh yourself more often that becomes more obvious. You have to stick with it longer to see the downward trend that will follow inevitably if you keep it up.
    Good luck!
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
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    Are you weighing only first thing in the morning after using the bathroom and before eating or drinking? If you are weighing at any other time of day your results will be skewed due to food and water intake.

    Weight fluctuates especially for a woman throughout the month- you also need to be patient, ITS ONLY BEEN 3 DAYS. You should only be comparing your current weight to your weight from 1 month ago.

    Wait and get back to us on how it's going in a month from today.
  • avygyaru
    avygyaru Posts: 51 Member
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    This is what you do. Don't weigh yourself. Wait until you go for your check in at the doctor's office. You sound like me-- making yourself crazy over the scale. Just ride that energy wave and be active. Follow the diet plan. Then check in with the doctor. If you can't avoid weighing yourself, don't do it more than once per week. You can do this!
  • gfjazz
    gfjazz Posts: 285 Member
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    I eat only 1200 to1400 I am rejoining Jenny Craig half to lost 16 gained 14 I suffer depression no motivation so eating 2000 I would gain unless you are active
    Today 18 min trying for 15 more
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    IMHO, Jenny Craig is a program that set people up to fail - i've seen many many people do it over the years, to include members of my family, and one of them have kept the weight off when they have gotten off the program and in many instances they have gained more weight back
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    weight fluctuates on a daily basis - i can be anywhere from 152-158 depending on what time of day I weigh myself

    take a step back, a deep breath - and realize that this is not going to be a fast process - figure out your plan, stick to the goal and let things work out - in a month reassess where you stand - have you lost weight/gained weight/maintaned...then adjust as needed
  • getoffin1year
    getoffin1year Posts: 87 Member
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    I'm not sure how active you are but 2000 seems sort of high for a calorie deficit. And if you're still eating 2000 worth of high sugar it won't progress you as well as making sure you're focusing on protein IMO.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    getoffin1year wrote: »
    I'm not sure how active you are but 2000 seems sort of high for a calorie deficit. And if you're still eating 2000 worth of high sugar it won't progress you as well as making sure you're focusing on protein IMO.

    not necessarily...

    weight loss is calories in/calories out - so if 2000cal of sugar is still less than her daily calorie needs, she'll lose weight

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