Shock of the scales

Dancingdobby
Dancingdobby Posts: 8 Member
in Getting Started
I only joined MFP yesterday evening so this is the first day I have filled in the diary and eaten within my calories. Because I didn't have access to scales when I joined I put the weight I was before Easter..........Today I thought I had better check my actual weight (thinking of maybe a couple of pounds difference either way) I had gained 5 pounds!!!!!!!!!! No wonder my clothes are stretching themselves to the limit.
Anyway instead of getting sad about it I am thinking thank goodness I joined MFP and can watch what I'm eating and exercise more. Im on a mission and feeling determined. Please help me achieve my goal. Thank you and all the best to all of you
xx

Replies

  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    Yes- you may have just caught yourself on a bad day. Particularly if you are a woman, it's not unusual to have weight fluctuate 5 lbs or more without having anything to do with fat gain/loss. Just stay calm & get yourself more data :)
  • Katzedernacht
    Katzedernacht Posts: 266 Member
    Don't sweat it, weigh is never the same, I weigh myself daily and the average difference I take note of on the Sunday. ;)
  • Dancingdobby
    Dancingdobby Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you guys, I've decided just to weigh in once every two weeks, this will then give my body a chance to benefit the changes.
    Hope you are all doing ok
    x
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    Dancingdobby wrote: »
    Thank you guys, I've decided just to weigh in once every two weeks, this will then give my body a chance to benefit the changes.
    Hope you are all doing ok
    x

    You can weigh however often you like, however, weighing infrequently actually makes the data more prone to error, because if you weigh on a "bad" day, you may not see your true progress. Many like to weigh daily and use a trending app that tracks the overall trend, this way they can get a sense of their overall progress without being unduly disturbed by day-to-day fluctuations.
  • norcalskater
    norcalskater Posts: 194 Member
    I like to weigh first thing in the morning each day when cutting weight. Water weight can fluctuate a lot. It can depend on sodium consumption, and dehydration among other things. For instance the next day after celebrating Easter I gained 4lbs. When you see large jumps like that it's just water retention. It took about 3 days to lose that 4lbs.
  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
    try2again wrote: »
    Dancingdobby wrote: »
    Thank you guys, I've decided just to weigh in once every two weeks, this will then give my body a chance to benefit the changes.
    Hope you are all doing ok
    x

    You can weigh however often you like, however, weighing infrequently actually makes the data more prone to error, because if you weigh on a "bad" day, you may not see your true progress. Many like to weigh daily and use a trending app that tracks the overall trend, this way they can get a sense of their overall progress without being unduly disturbed by day-to-day fluctuations.

    I subscribe to this method now also. I've been through a few weight loss cycles over the years on MFP. I used to weigh only once a week on Friday mornings. I'd invariably would go through frustrating plateau weeks semi-frequently. Then I switched to weighing daily and recording the average once a week. What I found is I don't really plateau much anymore. What I discovered is the plateau's were most likely because I was weighing on a fluctuation day that went the wrong direction. I probably lost weight that week, but it was being disguised by the fluctuation. Then I'd be waiting a full week again before seeing a drop in the scale.

  • Sheluvsbread2much
    Sheluvsbread2much Posts: 85 Member
    you have a great attitude and that's half the battle. I have a feeling you will be successful.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    raindawg wrote: »
    try2again wrote: »
    Dancingdobby wrote: »
    Thank you guys, I've decided just to weigh in once every two weeks, this will then give my body a chance to benefit the changes.
    Hope you are all doing ok
    x

    You can weigh however often you like, however, weighing infrequently actually makes the data more prone to error, because if you weigh on a "bad" day, you may not see your true progress. Many like to weigh daily and use a trending app that tracks the overall trend, this way they can get a sense of their overall progress without being unduly disturbed by day-to-day fluctuations.

    I subscribe to this method now also. I've been through a few weight loss cycles over the years on MFP. I used to weigh only once a week on Friday mornings. I'd invariably would go through frustrating plateau weeks semi-frequently. Then I switched to weighing daily and recording the average once a week. What I found is I don't really plateau much anymore. What I discovered is the plateau's were most likely because I was weighing on a fluctuation day that went the wrong direction. I probably lost weight that week, but it was being disguised by the fluctuation. Then I'd be waiting a full week again before seeing a drop in the scale.

    Yeah... we don't want to be slaves to the scale, but it can be a bummer to have to go a week or more with no positive input.

    Another post that will likely be helpful sooner than later:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1
  • timeforwork
    timeforwork Posts: 114 Member
    I log weekly and use the reports on mfp to look at progress, not as detailed as some apps you can get but a good one to start with as your already on here x
  • Jungley
    Jungley Posts: 23 Member
    Wow this is such a great thread - it's happened to me a lot regarding fluctuations and only yesterday i was thinking that at least overall i seem to be on a downward trend. What a great idea to get a tracker and record an average - might seem obvious to some but as a newbie i really appreciated this tip!!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Loving your positive attitude, that will get you places :smile:
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    Dancingdobby wrote: »
    Thanks all for your advice, this is exactly what I need to keep me going......and as it happens I have weighed myself again this morning and I'm happy to say I'm 4 pounds down. I didn't realise how much weight can fluctuate.

    Ah, good! Just remember- those big swings are water, not fat. No need to let them faze you :)
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    Get a tape measure and measure yourself. There is a place here for your measurements.
  • beckyjmax
    beckyjmax Posts: 7 Member
    I don't remember the name of the app, but there is an app available that takes your daily weight and averages it for you. The scale used to often dictate how I felt that day, I like the idea of averaging your wt once a week.
  • kdbulger
    kdbulger Posts: 396 Member
    Aww I can relate! When I started exercising and tracking loosely in August, I thought I weighted 207lbs (it was my last known weight). When I finally did weigh myself, I was 219lbs. It was an awful shock. You've got this though! You're here, making changes, and you had the courage to start!
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,121 Member
    beckyjmax wrote: »
    I don't remember the name of the app, but there is an app available that takes your daily weight and averages it for you. The scale used to often dictate how I felt that day, I like the idea of averaging your wt once a week.

    Happy Scale (iOS), Libra (Android) or weightgrapher.com (Web) will do this.
  • Dancingdobby
    Dancingdobby Posts: 8 Member
    Just downloaded Happy scale - looks great and just what I’m after. Thanks
    Feel good today
  • jaxsmama123
    jaxsmama123 Posts: 165 Member
    After a day or 4 of crappy eating and no exercise I notice I'm almost 7-10 lbs heavier than usual (enter panic mode), but I kick myself into gear and notice my weight is back to normal after a few days.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,121 Member
    jaxsmama123 wrote: »
    After a day or 4 of crappy eating and no exercise I notice I'm almost 7-10 lbs heavier than usual (enter panic mode), but I kick myself into gear and notice my weight is back to normal after a few days.

    The most important thing to remember when you see a massive spike on the scale is MATHS.

    A pound of fat is equivalent to approximately 3500 calories.

    Your calorie goal is your maintenance intake less a deficit based on your chosen rate of loss (1lb loss/7 days = 500 calorie deficit)

    So to gain a pound of fat you'd have to eat up to your maintenance intake and then another 3500 calories.

    So if your calorie goal is say 1300 calories and you're set to lose 1lb per week, you'd have to eat 5300 calories in one day or 2300 calories every day of week to gain a pound.

    If you didn't hit near these numbers then the weight you have gained is mostly water retention.

    https://instagram.com/p/Beh8ciYgOTB/embed/


  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    jaxsmama123 wrote: »
    After a day or 4 of crappy eating and no exercise I notice I'm almost 7-10 lbs heavier than usual (enter panic mode), but I kick myself into gear and notice my weight is back to normal after a few days.

    Weight gained after 4 days of "crappy eating" is primarily water retention from extra carbs & sodium in your diet and extra volume in your intestinal track. A small amount could actually be fat (.5-1 lb) if you ate *thousands* of calories over your maintenance calorie level over those 4 days. Thus no need to panic :)
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    ^ You beat me to it, @tinkerbellang83 , and as always, in a more comprehensive way ;)
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,121 Member
    try2again wrote: »
    ^ You beat me to it, @tinkerbellang83 , and as always, in a more comprehensive way ;)

    Only by seconds ;);)

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