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MyFitnessPal Community

Help! Weight is not going down, it's going up!

pattilindley

I have stuck to my 1230 calorie allowance religiously. I am usually below that. This weekend I had a crazy schedule so I wasn't able to eat three meals, just snacked on fruit and nuts until I had a good meal at about 4pm. My total calories were only 1,000-1100 Saturday and Sunday. When I weighed Monday the scale showed I had gained two pounds. I tried not to freak out but today it shows the same thing. How is it possible to gain when I have eaten off my program at all! Not once in three months. I had lost 26 pounds Friday, now it shows 24 pounds. Help!!!

Replies

janejellyroll

2 pounds is a pretty normal weight fluctuation -- it could be caused by water retention (related to increased exercise, sodium intake, hormones) or food that is still in your digestive system. I wouldn't freak out about it at all, it happens to just about everyone at some point when they are losing weight.

Pay attention to the long term trend, not your daily fluctuations.

Silentpadna

pattilindley wrote: »

I have stuck to my 1230 calorie allowance religiously. I am usually below that. This weekend I had a crazy schedule so I wasn't able to eat three meals, just snacked on fruit and nuts until I had a good meal at about 4pm. My total calories were only 1,000-1100 Saturday and Sunday. When I weighed Monday the scale showed I had gained two pounds. I tried not to freak out but today it shows the same thing. How is it possible to gain when I have eaten off my program at all! Not once in three months. I had lost 26 pounds Friday, now it shows 24 pounds. Help!!!

I can fluctuate up to 5 pounds in a single day. Obviously that's not fat, it's fluid. Time is your friend and your daily fluctuations are likely larger than the fat loss you would achieve in a week or two (or more). You may have actually lost more fat, but your scale isn't telling you that because fluid retention cycles based on your body's needs.

LessCookiess

Weight loss isn't linear dear op

dawnna76

2 pounds fluctuation is normal. if you feel the need to weigh daily find a trending app for putting in your weight so you can see the long term trends. were the nuts salted? water weight? when I don't drink enough water I gain a bit.

example this weekend I ate saltier foods than normal so my weight difference between Friday and Monday was 2 pounds however my body fat percentage was lower on Monday than it was Friday. so I knew I was just retaining water. by this morning I'm down .3 from Fridays lowest reading.

point is one or two days is not a trend and you have to look over the long term.

Lesscookies

You're eating more than you think.

janejellyroll

Lesscookies wrote: »

You're eating more than you think.

This isn't a useful way to approach a temporary weight fluctuation.

deannalfisher

snacking on fruit/nuts can be deceptive...are you sure you only ate 1000-1100 (even if 2lbs is a weight fluctuation)

malibu927

Lesscookies wrote: »

You're eating more than you think.

If it were three weeks, likely...but three days?

OP, as others have stated weight loss isn't linear. Have you recently had a meal high in carbs or sodium? Are you at or nearing TOM? Did you increase your exercise?

pattilindley

I'm very careful about what I eat. I measure out 10 almonds and put them in a separate snack bag. I'm 64 years old so no longer have TOM. One reason I try to stay at about 1100 calories is to allow for error in calorie measurements. I definitely don't drink enough water. Not even close. I have asthma so my only exercise is walking because anything strenuous leaves me gasping for breath. So far it has taken 15 months to lose 24 pounds. I am very discouraged. At this rate it will take this week to re lose those same two pounds.

mph323

pattilindley wrote: »

I'm very careful about what I eat. I measure out 10 almonds and put them in a separate snack bag. I'm 64 years old so no longer have TOM. One reason I try to stay at about 1100 calories is to allow for error in calorie measurements. I definitely don't drink enough water. Not even close. I have asthma so my only exercise is walking because anything strenuous leaves me gasping for breath. So far it has taken 15 months to lose 24 pounds. I am very discouraged. At this rate it will take this week to re lose those same two pounds.

Listen to the posters who are telling you it's water weight. Even if you were wildly off on your calorie count (and I'm assuming not) there's no way you gained any appreciable amount of fat. Give it a few days for the water to work it's way out and you'll find that you're right back on track.

Silentpadna

But those two pounds are not likely real weight gain. Even when you are at your ideal weight you will still fluctuate. You have very little to no control over that.

Congratulations on losing those 24. I'm betting you haven't actually gained any fat....but again, time is your friend. Fluctuations happen. When we are not conscious of our weight day to day we would rarely notice our fluctuations. Don't sweat it in the short term.

pattilindley

Just read my post and it's been 15 weeks not months. I just keep telling myself that as long as I'm following my eating plan it's not possible for me to have gained two actual pounds. I need to stop weighing every day. I am giving the scale control over my thinking. The answers everyone gives me are very helpful. I'm learning a lot.

janejellyroll

pattilindley wrote: »

Just read my post and it's been 15 weeks not months. I just keep telling myself that as long as I'm following my eating plan it's not possible for me to have gained two actual pounds. I need to stop weighing every day. I am giving the scale control over my thinking. The answers everyone gives me are very helpful. I'm learning a lot.

24 pounds in 15 weeks is amazing progress. You're doing great!