Lost 35 lbs...Or maybe not?

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jelleigh
jelleigh Posts: 743 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all. Started using MFP last August with a SW of 215. At 5'8" that put me at my biggest weight ever. Decided to take a long term view of things and have been really happy that I have consistently been losing 1 lb per week. I regularly calculate my "days logged in" against my current weight lost to make sure I'm on track.

Here the weird part. Im living in a foreign country and on a tight budget. At first I was using the scale at the local 7-11 once a week but later was given a scale From a friend. It was seeming to be consistent ao I've started weighing in (daily and tracking on Libra but posting once a week to MFP). Recently my weight loss seemed to be slowing so I dropped my calories to1300/ 1400 and added in some exercise. (swimming, riding , my first day of Stronglifts!). I was feeling so proud of myself but I went away for a weekend (tracked normally - didn't go overboard. At worst maintained a few days) and the scale has been saying I'm up 10 lbs! Now I have been through the water retention /TOM cycle enough to not be put off by a few days of fluctuation but now it's getting to be over a week at this number. So now I'm worried that my scale has been wrong and I HAVENT lost the weight I thought I did and it's super discouraging. Which has led to me eating a few days at maintenance or slightly over cause I'm self destructive life that. Lol. Just feeling discouraged and whiny and confused.
What do you do when you feel this way?

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  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,677 Member
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    Are you weighing yourself on a stable surface? If your scale is on carpet, it can throw your weight off. Did you make sure it was at zero before you stepped on the scale? Are you constipated or retaining water?
  • jelleigh
    jelleigh Posts: 743 Member
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    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    Are you weighing yourself on a stable surface? If your scale is on carpet, it can throw your weight off. Did you make sure it was at zero before you stepped on the scale? Are you constipated or retaining water?

    Ya I keep my scale in the exact same place. When I first got it I tried it in a bunch of different places (all hard floor) and was shocked by how much a difference it made. So I chose a location where the reading was closest to what I had been getting at the pay scale and have kept it there. I've changed the batteries. Im not sure if I'm retaining water still? But seriously 10 lbs? Seems a crazy amount! And it's been like way too long.
  • spiffychick85
    spiffychick85 Posts: 311 Member
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    It is discouraging, this I know from experience...but just keep going. Get back to your deficit and give it time and this will just become a speed bump in your journey.
  • jelleigh
    jelleigh Posts: 743 Member
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    OK not to harp on this but I just weighed in at the gym and it has me at the 10 lb heavier weight. Which means that I either a) have been getting false readings off my scale of 1 lb loss per week for the last 2 months or b) have somehow mysteriously eaten 35000 EXTRA calories without realizing it over the last few weeks (both of these options sound pretty unlikely don't they?) . Im trying not to obsess over this but I'm worried that this means that my tracking has actually been way off all this time . I'd rather figure that out sooner than later. So just to eliminate all other possibilities - how many lbs of water retention could I factor in for a new work out routine and possibly TOM?
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    jelleigh wrote: »
    OK not to harp on this but I just weighed in at the gym and it has me at the 10 lb heavier weight. Which means that I either a) have been getting false readings off my scale of 1 lb loss per week for the last 2 months or b) have somehow mysteriously eaten 35000 EXTRA calories without realizing it over the last few weeks (both of these options sound pretty unlikely don't they?) . Im trying not to obsess over this but I'm worried that this means that my tracking has actually been way off all this time . I'd rather figure that out sooner than later. So just to eliminate all other possibilities - how many lbs of water retention could I factor in for a new work out routine and possibly TOM?

    Probably 10#.

    It sounds absolutely nuts, but it could be 10# of water.

    I can retain water gained during my ToM for 10-14 days.
  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
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    I know how discouraging this can be! I'd bet my last penny it's a mix of bloating and water retention due to the increase in activity. And, yes, it can hang around for a couple weeks. Try adding lemon to your water over the next few days and see if that helps. It may not work, but it usually helps me drop water weight. Dandelion tea may help, too. Dandelion leaves are a natural diuretic. (But as with all diuretics, don't overdo it.)

    If these don't help, see a doctor. Sudden unexplained weight gain can be a warning sign.
  • Chadxx
    Chadxx Posts: 1,199 Member
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    jelleigh wrote: »
    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    Are you weighing yourself on a stable surface? If your scale is on carpet, it can throw your weight off. Did you make sure it was at zero before you stepped on the scale? Are you constipated or retaining water?

    Ya I keep my scale in the exact same place. When I first got it I tried it in a bunch of different places (all hard floor) and was shocked by how much a difference it made. So I chose a location where the reading was closest to what I had been getting at the pay scale and have kept it there. I've changed the batteries. Im not sure if I'm retaining water still? But seriously 10 lbs? Seems a crazy amount! And it's been like way too long.

    I was working out of town and staying in a mobile home provided by the company. I took my scale there to get more data points and ran into the same issue with inconsistent and incorrect weights which were low. After that, i left my scale at home which is on a concrete slab and haven't had any more issues.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
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    I honestly think it's fairly easy to gain 5 pounds or more of water weight, in a very few days. And 5 pounds is also easy to pack on quickly. Get yourself back on track. Stop focusing on this last week and get back to focusing on your success so far. Get back to it!
  • jelleigh
    jelleigh Posts: 743 Member
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    xxbrimstonexx wrote: »
    I need to get this story out...

    Last summer, my digital scale went insane. I went from 192 to 214.8 overnight. I never moved it, it just went crazy. I changed the batteries, kicked it, yelled at it and it still read "214.8". I moved it to the kitchen and it read "134.6". I guess I could just stand by my kitchen table for the rest of my life... anyhoo, I went out and bought an old school analog and put it in the same spot in the bathroom and it read "190" and I decided the analog was my new best friend. The whole point is: maybe the scales you are using have lost their damn minds...

    Yes! This may very well be a thing! It's been a bit wonky all along but I chalked it up to needing new batteries. After I changed the batteries it seemed to be OK but then its back to this! Mind you...That doesn't explain the scale at the gym. Sigh. So much easier to just have it be my stupid scale. Lol
  • jelleigh
    jelleigh Posts: 743 Member
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    Thanks all. I will try to flush out some of the water retention and also not be so neurotic. ;):D
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    Did you keep a pair of jeans (not stretchy pants) from when you were 215? How many sizes are you down? I went down a size and a half or two sizes in the same brand and model of jeans when I lost 35 pounds.
  • jelleigh
    jelleigh Posts: 743 Member
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    Good idea @kshama2001 but unfortunately pretty much all my clothes at that size had some stretch . ;):p I do know I've lost inches and have gone down. Im more concerned with the rate of loss -not because I have some date in mind to lose weight by but because it means that my calculations are off. Which means I'm tracking wrong and will just stop losing. I just want to be as accurate as possible with the limitations that I have. Frustrating thing is that there aren't any stores here from home that I could compare sizing. And the average size of the local is like 00 so even finding clothes that I could fit is hard.
  • Makeitso39
    Makeitso39 Posts: 51 Member
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    Would taking measurements and or progress photos help you? That way, if you gain some water/TOM weight you could reassure yourself it's temporary
  • JuliahK1987
    JuliahK1987 Posts: 39 Member
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    You gained muscle! ;) that's what I keep telling myself every time my numbers go up a little. Otherwise I'd get really discouraged and binge eat. Good luck!
  • jelleigh
    jelleigh Posts: 743 Member
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    Lol I wish I gained that much muscle ! Im pretty sure it take a while (and a lot of effort) to gain 10 lbs of muscle. ;):) But you're right - sounds like a way nicer explanation.
    Still haven't figured out what's up - I've fluctuated up and down by 5 lbs before but it normally works itself out in a week. This time around not so much. Anyone else find it harder to stick to calorie goal if you think you are gaining? Doesn't make sense really - if anything I should feel MOTE motivated to be strict.

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