I just dont understand my weight gain...help what should I do?

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I have only been back at this for 2 weeks, the first week was great a 5 pound loss, but this weeks been terrible. Sunday through Thursday was about and average of 1200 calories per day, Friday and Saturday really low, an average of 700 per day because I had dental surgery on Friday and cant really eat much. So I thought with my good eating for 5 days and low calories for 2 I would lose pretty good.....I gained 2.6 pounds.....how the hell did I gain???? I dont understand it. Its like my body said she lost too much the first week lets give it back this week and thats not fair or realistic. If you eat less than you burn you should lose so why did I gain. This is why I give up so many times, my body betrays me. I dont have any issues per the Drs that would cause me not to lose (I do have Hashmoto's disease but my Dr says that is not a reason not to lose) I need help or encouragement as I feel like crap. Hurting from the dental surgery and now gaining. I could stand the dental pain had I see a loss. it would have balanced out. I am so frustrated and down and about to give up again. I dont want to give up as I am going to die from this weight but I also dont feel anything is working to help me lose. Feeling frustrated in Florida :(

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Water weight.

    Weight loss isn't linear.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    2.6 pounds would be 9,100 calories over maintenance. If you ate 9,100 calories over maintenance, then those 2.6 pounds are fat.

    If you didn't eat 9,100 calories over maintenance, then this is water weight gain. It's temporary, it's not fat, don't worry about it.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10702290/the-importance-of-this-phrase-weight-loss-is-not-linear
  • jeedsjds13
    jeedsjds13 Posts: 58 Member
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    Agree completely with the 2 above. Water weight, it is NEVER linear (the body seems to do weird things when it's in an adjustment phase), AAAAAND - you just had something happen to your body which created an inflamed/healing state requirement. The energies in your body are focusing on good healing instead of dropping weight at warp speed. It's a whole body thing even if the pain is localized.

    Patience, the system will work itself out in the end if you keep your focus :) Keep on keeping on! We got you <3
  • RAinWA
    RAinWA Posts: 1,980 Member
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    In addition to what everyone else said, if you just had dental surgery you may be retaining water for healing. Plus if you are taking pain medication you could be constipated.

    Have patience and things will get back to normal.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    teemix1 wrote: »
    I have only been back at this for 2 weeks, the first week was great a 5 pound loss, but this weeks been terrible. Sunday through Thursday was about and average of 1200 calories per day, Friday and Saturday really low, an average of 700 per day because I had dental surgery on Friday and cant really eat much. So I thought with my good eating for 5 days and low calories for 2 I would lose pretty good.....I gained 2.6 pounds.....how the hell did I gain???? I dont understand it. Its like my body said she lost too much the first week lets give it back this week and thats not fair or realistic. If you eat less than you burn you should lose so why did I gain. This is why I give up so many times, my body betrays me. I dont have any issues per the Drs that would cause me not to lose (I do have Hashmoto's disease but my Dr says that is not a reason not to lose) I need help or encouragement as I feel like crap. Hurting from the dental surgery and now gaining. I could stand the dental pain had I see a loss. it would have balanced out. I am so frustrated and down and about to give up again. I dont want to give up as I am going to die from this weight but I also dont feel anything is working to help me lose. Feeling frustrated in Florida :(

    Understand that a lot of that 5lb loss was likely water weight loss as well as some fat loss. As others said your weight will fluctuate, it happens to all of us. If your tracking is accurate (weighing everything, saving cups and spoons only for liquids) give yourself 4-5 weeks before deciding whether what you're doing is working or not. Some people use weight trending apps on their phones and find it helpful to see that overall downward trend. Your body is not 'betraying' you, it's just doing it's thing. Give yourself some time.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,455 Member
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    Water weight. Certainly there'll be some from the dental surgery: Swelling & imflammation related to healing are both causes of water retention . . . and that's a good thing, because it needs to happen so you can heal.

    Further, your profile says you're female. If you're premenopausal, that can involved fluctuations of several pounds (I've seen women cite up to 10 pounds, and they weren't necessarily heavier women, either), and those can happen at one or more of various points in your cycle.

    You really should not be severely restricting calories while doing major healing (I understand about the dental surgery, and not eating because of pain). I kept a calorie deficit after a laparoscopic surgery, and it wasn't really a good idea. Fortunately, my body prioritized the healing, but I lost energy (so decreased my daily-life activity burn by doing less), and it took some time to recover: Counter-productive. (I had several pounds of water retention post-surgery, BTW: It dropped after a week or two. Happily, I was expecting that, having read about it here beforehand.)

    Try to hang in there on a healthy routine for 4-6 weeks - at least a full menstrual cycle plus a bit if premenopausal - then assess how you're doing. The first couple of weeks of weight loss is always a little whacky in terms of water weight fluctuation and changes in average digestive contents in transit, then it takes time for the trend to show up against that backdrop.

    If your logging is accurate, you'll be fine (be sure to get enough calories, and especially protein, while healing!).