Help. Suddenly gaining weight.
azampino1
Posts: 29 Member
I have been on a diet for about a year. My goal is 200lbs. I started at 250lbs, I got down to the 205-209lbs range.
I am having a problem, I am gaining weight, pretty rapidly. I track my weight on a fitbit scale, looking at the graph, I was at 206lbs on 3/25/17. After that I started gaining weight. I am now at 221lbs as of this morning.
I have been eating the same amount, exercising and drinking the same amount of water. I just started a running program on Monday.
The only thing that changed, is my shift at work switched from nights to days on 3/28. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. If anything it should be making me lose more weight because with the day shift I have to walk twice as much. I was averaging 10,000 steps on nights, I am now doing 20,000-25,000 steps.
How is it possible to gain almost 15lbs in less than a month.
I am getting worried because I am training for a fitness test. I need to be at a certain weight.
I am having a problem, I am gaining weight, pretty rapidly. I track my weight on a fitbit scale, looking at the graph, I was at 206lbs on 3/25/17. After that I started gaining weight. I am now at 221lbs as of this morning.
I have been eating the same amount, exercising and drinking the same amount of water. I just started a running program on Monday.
The only thing that changed, is my shift at work switched from nights to days on 3/28. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. If anything it should be making me lose more weight because with the day shift I have to walk twice as much. I was averaging 10,000 steps on nights, I am now doing 20,000-25,000 steps.
How is it possible to gain almost 15lbs in less than a month.
I am getting worried because I am training for a fitness test. I need to be at a certain weight.
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Replies
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Some could be water weight from the increased activity.
Since your schedule changed, how are you sleeping? Any trouble? I've found that when I don't sleep well for an extended amount of time, my weight goes up in general.1 -
Monday, as in April 17?1
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If your work shift changed from night to day does that mean you changed when you weigh yourself? Or if you're weighing at the same time of day is that now closer to when you eat/drink?
My weight fluctuates a lot during the day. If I switched from weighing in the morning after sleeping all night (and not eating/drinking) to weighing in the evening after eating all day it would look like I have gained weight.
If you are training for a fitness test make sure you weigh yourself at the same time of day as your test... and wearing the same clothes you'll be wearing for that test. It doesn't matter if you weigh 206 buck naked at 6am if your test is wearing full clothes and shoes at 6pm.2 -
Well, the good news is that unless you're eating an extra 1600+ calories a day every day, it's unlikely to be an actual gain. My guess is a combination of water weight from the extra exercise and shift change stress.
First thing, are you weighing in on the same scale, and is it still accurate? Seems obvious but I only ask because this happened to me once and it turned out it was my scale batteries going bad.
Also, you're eating about the same amount but have you changed what you're eating at all? If you open up your food diary people here can give you more specific advice.1 -
Have you decreased your calorie goal since you started?
As you lose weight you need fewer calories to sustain a lighter body. It is good to reasses your calorie goal every 10lbs, 5 when close to goal.
We all think we are consistent in our logging, we aren't. Over time we get confident in the procedure and this can lead to errors. Re focus on your weighing and logging of food. It could be just a couple of small errors a day.
One of my worse ones is putting a glut of oil, that looks like a tbs, in the pan, instead of measuring it out. Another is fruit, I use an average. Both these are fine unless I am having problems, then I measure and weigh.
The stress af work and sleep time changes could have a water retention effect.
The extra walking and starting a running programme could cause water retention too.
Oh and check the batteries on your scale.
Cheers, h.3 -
twistedingenue wrote: »Some could be water weight from the increased activity.
Since your schedule changed, how are you sleeping? Any trouble? I've found that when I don't sleep well for an extended amount of time, my weight goes up in general.
I'm getting about 7 to 7 1/2 hours of sleep.0 -
mburgess458 wrote: »If your work shift changed from night to day does that mean you changed when you weigh yourself? Or if you're weighing at the same time of day is that now closer to when you eat/drink?
My weight fluctuates a lot during the day. If I switched from weighing in the morning after sleeping all night (and not eating/drinking) to weighing in the evening after eating all day it would look like I have gained weight.
If you are training for a fitness test make sure you weigh yourself at the same time of day as your test... and wearing the same clothes you'll be wearing for that test. It doesn't matter if you weigh 206 buck naked at 6am if your test is wearing full clothes and shoes at 6pm.
I am now weighing in first thing in the morning, about 45 minutes after I wake up. I used to do it about 3 hours after I woke up.0 -
Well, the good news is that unless you're eating an extra 1600+ calories a day every day, it's unlikely to be an actual gain. My guess is a combination of water weight from the extra exercise and shift change stress.
First thing, are you weighing in on the same scale, and is it still accurate? Seems obvious but I only ask because this happened to me once and it turned out it was my scale batteries going bad.
Also, you're eating about the same amount but have you changed what you're eating at all? If you open up your food diary people here can give you more specific advice.
It is the same scale. I guess it is still accurate I don't have another one to test. I will put new batteries in.
Yes food is basically the same. I have just changed the times. I have to keep up with my log better.0 -
middlehaitch wrote: »Have you decreased your calorie goal since you started?
As you lose weight you need fewer calories to sustain a lighter body. It is good to reasses your calorie goal every 10lbs, 5 when close to goal.
We all think we are consistent in our logging, we aren't. Over time we get confident in the procedure and this can lead to errors. Re focus on your weighing and logging of food. It could be just a couple of small errors a day.
One of my worse ones is putting a glut of oil, that looks like a tbs, in the pan, instead of measuring it out. Another is fruit, I use an average. Both these are fine unless I am having problems, then I measure and weigh.
The stress af work and sleep time changes could have a water retention effect.
The extra walking and starting a running programme could cause water retention too.
Oh and check the batteries on your scale.
Cheers, h.
I should update the intake, I haven't done that in a while. I have been using the calculation that the app gives me when I answered the questions . Is the app pretty accurate or should I use a different calculator.
I also have the fitbit calories burned calculations.
I have to start keeping a better food log. I got used to earing the same stuff every day I haven't been keeping up with the log to well.0 -
How can I get rid of water retention? I try to drink 12-16 cups of water a day. I avoid most other drinks except tea and coffee, both with nothing in them.0
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Have you tried weighing yourself on a different scale? It could be your scale.0
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That makes more sense. In that case, some or all of it could be water retention from the new exercise. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do to get rid of it other than stopping the exercise; you just have to wait it out. Do you know how big your normal weight fluctuation range is?0 -
If the scale needs batteries that can cause issues. Do you measure yourself? Do your clothes fit the same?0
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middlehaitch wrote: »Have you decreased your calorie goal since you started?
As you lose weight you need fewer calories to sustain a lighter body. It is good to reasses your calorie goal every 10lbs, 5 when close to goal.
We all think we are consistent in our logging, we aren't. Over time we get confident in the procedure and this can lead to errors. Re focus on your weighing and logging of food. It could be just a couple of small errors a day.
One of my worse ones is putting a glut of oil, that looks like a tbs, in the pan, instead of measuring it out. Another is fruit, I use an average. Both these are fine unless I am having problems, then I measure and weigh.
The stress af work and sleep time changes could have a water retention effect.
The extra walking and starting a running programme could cause water retention too.
Oh and check the batteries on your scale.
Cheers, h.
I should update the intake, I haven't done that in a while. I have been using the calculation that the app gives me when I answered the questions . Is the app pretty accurate or should I use a different calculator.
I also have the fitbit calories burned calculations.
I have to start keeping a better food log. I got used to earing the same stuff every day I haven't been keeping up with the log to well.
Your last sentence tell a lot. Start logging.
Depending on what your initial loss goal per week was, after losing 50 lbs there should be a change in deficit.
Don't complicate things, use the app.....
Use either-
your MFP goal which should be either active or very active because of the steps involved at work, it doesn't include exercise, and eat back the excess cals Fitbit gives you.
Or
Set MFP to sedentary and letting Fitbit take care of all calories
Do you know if it was accurate while you were losing before your shift change, work step increase, exercise increase?
I think getting your logging back on track and keeping consistent will make a huge difference.
Remember all numbers you are given are best estimates when applied to the masses. As an individual you have to monitor your particular numbers and adjust them so they work for you.
I have little experience with tracking devices, they are more trouble than they are worth to me, and have always used MFP for calories burnt through exercise.
I have found it pretty accurate for what I do, but others I know have found it over estimates by a large percentage. This is why people often get told unless they are sure of the calorie burn a website or device is giving them, to eat back 50or75% and adjust so their loss is what they are expecting from their initial MFP goal.
Monitor everything for a month then adjust as needed.
Cheers, h.1 -
That makes more sense. In that case, some or all of it could be water retention from the new exercise. Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do to get rid of it other than stopping the exercise; you just have to wait it out. Do you know how big your normal weight fluctuation range is?
How long does it take to adjust to the extra activity and lose the water?
My normal fluctuation was less than 5lbs.0 -
middlehaitch wrote: »middlehaitch wrote: »Have you decreased your calorie goal since you started?
As you lose weight you need fewer calories to sustain a lighter body. It is good to reasses your calorie goal every 10lbs, 5 when close to goal.
We all think we are consistent in our logging, we aren't. Over time we get confident in the procedure and this can lead to errors. Re focus on your weighing and logging of food. It could be just a couple of small errors a day.
One of my worse ones is putting a glut of oil, that looks like a tbs, in the pan, instead of measuring it out. Another is fruit, I use an average. Both these are fine unless I am having problems, then I measure and weigh.
The stress af work and sleep time changes could have a water retention effect.
The extra walking and starting a running programme could cause water retention too.
Oh and check the batteries on your scale.
Cheers, h.
I should update the intake, I haven't done that in a while. I have been using the calculation that the app gives me when I answered the questions . Is the app pretty accurate or should I use a different calculator.
I also have the fitbit calories burned calculations.
I have to start keeping a better food log. I got used to earing the same stuff every day I haven't been keeping up with the log to well.
Your last sentence tell a lot. Start logging.
Depending on what your initial loss goal per week was, after losing 50 lbs there should be a change in deficit.
Don't complicate things, use the app.....
Use either-
your MFP goal which should be either active or very active because of the steps involved at work, it doesn't include exercise, and eat back the excess cals Fitbit gives you.
Or
Set MFP to sedentary and letting Fitbit take care of all calories
Do you know if it was accurate while you were losing before your shift change, work step increase, exercise increase?
I think getting your logging back on track and keeping consistent will make a huge difference.
Remember all numbers you are given are best estimates when applied to the masses. As an individual you have to monitor your particular numbers and adjust them so they work for you.
I have little experience with tracking devices, they are more trouble than they are worth to me, and have always used MFP for calories burnt through exercise.
I have found it pretty accurate for what I do, but others I know have found it over estimates by a large percentage. This is why people often get told unless they are sure of the calorie burn a website or device is giving them, to eat back 50or75% and adjust so their loss is what they are expecting from their initial MFP goal.
Monitor everything for a month then adjust as needed.
Cheers, h.
Thanks for the detailed response.
I logged yesterday, with my fitbit integration that adds exercise calories, I still had a deficit of over 1000 calories.
I am logging today accurately. I am halfway through my work shift, I am all logged up till dinner and it shows I have 1,877 calories remaining, it took off 1,256 calories from fitbit. I still have more walking at work plus have to add dinner.0 -
do you use a food scale?
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