So I gained back 10 lbs

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Francl27
Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
edited February 2017 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I went to the doctor yesterday and got a big wake up call, after avoiding the scale for a while... so I can't be in denial about that one (granted... it was 2 days after the Superbowl and I ate too much, but I weighed myself this morning and it was still 5 pounds higher than 3 weeks ago!).

But my clothes still fit the same and my measurements haven't changed (well, the two places I care about and where I typically gain fat first - waist and hips). Clothes still fit the same.

What gives? I'm still 6 lbs under the overweight range, but I'm just not happy. I've been way more active in the last two months, so I've been eating more (I went from 10k steps to 20k+ steps in a day, for example), I've been doing push ups pretty much every other day too... Thinking that this point that I've maybe been too lax by trusting Fitbit numbers too much (I got it 2 months ago and I've been trying to keep 15-20% under the number it gives me, but I had TOM last week so I've been eating over that pretty often).

I'm trying not to be too upset about it... but it's not really working. I know that I have to cut the treats (bread and sweets) down if I want to lose those 10 lbs, but it's depressing just thinking about it. And my LDL is still too high. And I have anemia too now. And I'm still always so hungry. And PMS is going to hit soon again.

Sigh.

Replies

  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    edited February 2017
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    You mentioned before that you try to eat at a deficit most of the month to make up for TOM. Are you unable to keep a deficit now? Sorry to hear you are having a hard time. Try maybe with a small deficit to see if that will help you get on track so that the 10 pound gain doesn't become 15-20. Good luck.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    leejoyce31 wrote: »
    You mentioned before that you try to eat at a deficit most of the month to make up for TOM. Are you unable to keep a deficit now? Sorry to hear you are having a hard time. Try maybe with a small deficit to see if that will help you get on track so that the 10 pound gain doesn't become 15-20. Good luck.

    Yeah I'm still trying, but my cycle has shrunk down to 3 weeks now... so I'm barely done with TOM that I'm starving to show signs of ovulation and I barely get any days when I'm not hungry.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    You often state that you try to eat in a small deficit all of the time...perhaps you've actually found your true maintenance calories and allowed your glycogen stores to be full which would add weight, but it isn't going to make a difference really in measurements or how your clothes fit...if you're chronically in a deficit, your glycogen stores are going to be depleted on some level...eating at maintenance (like actual maintenance) will fill them and the scale goes up.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited February 2017
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    Weigh yourself more often so you have more data points and can establish a trend. Weight fluctuates 5-10 lbs on any given day and week to week. Your monthly cycle causes a lot of fluctuation, for some people during ovulation and others at TOM.

    Most people find it helpful to set a 5-10 lb maintenance range, and to start eating at a deficit when they reach the top of the range. The doctor's scale is not representative and not comparable to your weight at home, first thing in the morning. At the doctor's office, I assume you were clothed and had probably eaten or drank liquid earlier in the day. You can compare the doctor's weight from one visit to the next, but not to other scales and weights at different times of day.

    I assume you know the drill, weigh all food with a digital scale and log everything in MFP to accurately track your calories. Set your goal at 0.5 lbs loss per week, because you have so little to lose. Eat back about half of your exercise calories. Push ups are a wonderful exercise, but won't make you lose weight.

    What did the doctor order for the anemia? You might be eating because of fatigue and if the anemia is addressed it might help with your feelings of hunger.

    Then you have to decide how badly you want to lose. We've all had to make changes is what and/or how much we eat. You just have to want it enough to make the hard changes.
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
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    3 week cycle? That doesn't sound normal - do the doctors know why? Could the hormones be throwing things out of whack?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Haha yeah I know the drill. I need to get more blood work to figure out the cause of anemia... just haven't got to it yet.

    But yeah... back to weighing more often. And trying harder to say no to cookies.
  • jlr_405
    jlr_405 Posts: 18 Member
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    Best of luck, you can lose it again. Weight goes up and down, also consider using the same scale to weigh yourself . I made the mistake of weighing in using 3 different scales one day at my gym and got 3 different results lol some scales could can be out of tune. Good luck
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,874 Member
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    I put on a bit in the last few months too.

    I had two ultra-long-distance cycling events, one in mid-August and one in early October ... and I tend to eat a bit more before, during and after those events. It's hard to do them on a deficit.

    Plus I was very, very sick in late August and the first couple weeks of September, and then again a week before my second ultra-long-distance cycling event ... so my eating and logging went right out the window.

    Then October was a blur of busyness with illness, the cycling event I just mentioned, three other cycling events, the last project in my university course, my final exam, and working full-time ... so I didn't resume logging or paying attention.

    And it kind of went downhill for a bit ... but I've been back at it again since about mid-January.

    So ... it happens. But as mentioned above, weight goes up and down and if we lost it before, we can lose it again. :)


    Oh and regarding hunger ... I find that I am ravenously hungry when I need salt. For example, last Sunday we cycled up the local mountain, and I absolutely soaked what I was wearing with sweat. I did take a few electrolyte tablets, but the next day I was starving hungry, and hungry for salty food. The following day it finally dawned on me ... I salted my lunch a little more than usual, and that took care of it. :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Hmm salt. You know, I often crave salty things actually at that time so maybe I should give it a shot? Thanks for the tip!!!

    I lost 1.2 lbs overnight (probably some of the water weight) so I'm feeling a little bit better. But hopefully this motivated me to lose the extra weight for good! Of course, I'm in my 'not too hungry' phase so it's easy to say.

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