Weight gain from reintroducing alcohol?

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  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,154 Member
    emilysusana wrote: »
    Honestly I gave myself permission to slow my rate of loss to .5 lbs a week quite some time ago, but I didn’t adjust my calorie goal, I just gave myself permission to go over. But in that same stretch of time, I was also running a lot of miles (and not drinking alcohol), so I just didn’t need more calories than 1200 net with all the extras I earned from workouts.

    But you’re right that several things have changed. I was thinking alcohol was the main thing, but the exercise is different and my exercise data being tracked differently could have an effect, too. The adjustments seem similar to what I was getting from Fitbit, but maybe that’s a misperception.

    I also think maybe I’ve loosened tracking just a smidge (I think because I’m set to 1200 but have given myself permission to do more like 1450). I’ve not been expecting to lose a pound a week, but I certainly don’t think I’ve been eating over my TDEE to be gaining fat.

    Perhaps I need to tighten up those things and give it some time. Maybe, as several have said, the alcohol has caused water weight gains...

    There is nothing wrong with losing slower.

    YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL when you're consistently losing at 0.5lbs a week just by looking at your raw weigh ins.

    You can often have your weight higher at the end of the week or the end of the month and STILL have lost at your expected 0.5lbs a week rate.

    If you're not using a weight trend application, you may want to start using one soon.

    It is unfortunate that the number of changes is possibly messing with your numbers.
    Any reason you can't both wear your old Fitbit and your apple watch at the same time for a bit so that you can compare their TDEE numbers directly?
  • emilysusana
    emilysusana Posts: 416 Member
    edited May 2019
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    emilysusana wrote: »
    Honestly I gave myself permission to slow my rate of loss to .5 lbs a week quite some time ago, but I didn’t adjust my calorie goal, I just gave myself permission to go over. But in that same stretch of time, I was also running a lot of miles (and not drinking alcohol), so I just didn’t need more calories than 1200 net with all the extras I earned from workouts.

    But you’re right that several things have changed. I was thinking alcohol was the main thing, but the exercise is different and my exercise data being tracked differently could have an effect, too. The adjustments seem similar to what I was getting from Fitbit, but maybe that’s a misperception.

    I also think maybe I’ve loosened tracking just a smidge (I think because I’m set to 1200 but have given myself permission to do more like 1450). I’ve not been expecting to lose a pound a week, but I certainly don’t think I’ve been eating over my TDEE to be gaining fat.

    Perhaps I need to tighten up those things and give it some time. Maybe, as several have said, the alcohol has caused water weight gains...

    There is nothing wrong with losing slower.

    YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL when you're consistently losing at 0.5lbs a week just by looking at your raw weigh ins.

    You can often have your weight higher at the end of the week or the end of the month and STILL have lost at your expected 0.5lbs a week rate.

    If you're not using a weight trend application, you may want to start using one soon.

    It is unfortunate that the number of changes is possibly messing with your numbers.
    Any reason you can't both wear your old Fitbit and your apple watch at the same time for a bit so that you can compare their TDEE numbers directly?

    I use happy scale... right now my trending weight is right where it was a month ago.

    I did wear Fitbit and AW together for about a week... the numbers were similar (but AW was able to handle the bike rides and swims directly, whereas when I used Fitbit, I took off my tracker for those and entered them directly to MFP).

    I think you’re right that there are too many variables. I have about a week where I can fully control things before I head off to Senegal for 16 days, where I won’t be making my own meals, won’t be able to weigh food or self, won’t be able to maintain the same fitness routine. (I’m not super worried about gaining there... the diet is mainly fish and rice, there will be no pantry for me to raid, and I will walk a lot and take my running shoes!). So maybe I just need to get comfortable with unpredictability for the next little while. I can reestablish the old routine, and start gathering new data when I return.

    This week, though, I’m going to lay off the wine to see if I’ve been having onto any water because of it.

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    emilysusana wrote: »
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    You haven't got good data yet.

    You've changed too much too recently

    Fitbit to Pacer, new exercise, an activity level fluctuation, plus alcohol which may change your hydration slightly.

    You're also closer to goal and expecting to continue to lose like clockwork just as you were when starting out.

    Why had you picked close to this weight for starting to slow down your loss?

    Probably because it is a point where you expected to have not as many excess fat reserves available to lose.

    Seems just as likely that your body has decided just ahead of you that you were right and that the quick first pickings are now out the door and you will be showing slower losses and more weight fluctuations moving forward.

    Throw in the new exercise and less than two weeks worth of data and it is mostly the label alcohol as compared to kale that is making you question things as much.

    Honestly I gave myself permission to slow my rate of loss to .5 lbs a week quite some time ago, but I didn’t adjust my calorie goal, I just gave myself permission to go over. But in that same stretch of time, I was also running a lot of miles (and not drinking alcohol), so I just didn’t need more calories than 1200 net with all the extras I earned from workouts.

    But you’re right that several things have changed. I was thinking alcohol was the main thing, but the exercise is different and my exercise data being tracked differently could have an effect, too. The adjustments seem similar to what I was getting from Fitbit, but maybe that’s a misperception.

    I also think maybe I’ve loosened tracking just a smidge (I think because I’m set to 1200 but have given myself permission to do more like 1450). I’ve not been expecting to lose a pound a week, but I certainly don’t think I’ve been eating over my TDEE to be gaining fat.

    Perhaps I need to tighten up those things and give it some time. Maybe, as several have said, the alcohol has caused water weight gains...

    To the above bolded - Remember you don't really know that.
    You gained weight, that's all you know.
    Likely water weight.

    With running more, is it also hotter?

    Blood volume expands to aid cooling when body is constantly getting warmer - like increased exercise and warmer temp at same time.

    Besides all the other items PAV8888 is having you examine.
  • emilysusana
    emilysusana Posts: 416 Member
    @heybales
    True I don’t know my exact TDEE, but I did track meticulously for many months before changing things up and that was my average. I’m exercising as much, if not more, than I was during that period.

    Yes to the heat (and humidity). I ran a half marathon May 4 and it was chilly and rainy, which was great because that’s what I was used to. Now it’s hot and muggy. I hadn’t thought about my body responding differently to the heat on top of the other stuff. Good observation.

    There’s a lot in flux here. I’ll just keep on keeping on... I will feel much better when I have 6 weeks of “normal” data to go on... that is for the future.

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