9 pounds of water weight in a day

JordanS9592
JordanS9592 Posts: 94 Member
edited July 2019 in Food and Nutrition
So a week ago, I weighed 337. Saturday, I weighed in at 332. Yesterday was my day off after 6 days of hard exercise. Last night I weighed in at 341! Now, I understand that night time makes you gain a couple, and I drank 2 gallons of water and ate all my calories. However, I drink and eat that much every day. I track my food scrupulously and stay under my original calories for the day, even though I lose 1000-2000 calories per day with exercise. Was I misled by my Saturday weigh in, and am I doing something wrong?
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Replies

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    So probably neither the 332 weight nor the 341 weight is your "real" weight. Especially a night time weight after drinking two gallons of water and eating. You're probably somewhere south of 337. Keep eating at a deficit, but not too great of one. If you're burning 1k-2k calories a day with exercise, how many are you eating?
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    ^^this, and why so much water and exercise? How sure are you about calories burned?
  • JordanS9592
    JordanS9592 Posts: 94 Member
    ^^this, and why so much water and exercise? How sure are you about calories burned?

    So much water because I’m 6 3 and over 300 pounds, so much exercise because I want to lose weight and I enjoy it. To give an example, last Friday I swam 60 laps in 75 minutes, lifted weights for 30, and ran a mile in 11 minutes.
  • JordanS9592
    JordanS9592 Posts: 94 Member
    Thanks for all the advice and support. Much appreciated.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Weighing in at the same time every day is a must. In the morning after the bathroom, before you eat, is usually the most recommended time because it is the most stable as it is not as affected by food and water intake. 2 gallons of water weights 16 pounds. Plus your food intake. So weighing at different times can show a wide range of scale fluctuations. I am not surprised at all by 9 pounds.

    Even if you are weighing at the same time in the morning daily, scale fluctuations are still to be expected, so I wouldn't be surprised if it changes a few pounds daily given the large water intake you have. The important thing to do is track the overall trend downwards, not the daily fluctuations.
  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
    It has really helped me to weigh in everyday. It can be really hard for some people, and at first its really confusing. But it might be worth a shot for you. I have been weighing in nearly every day for almost 5 months and it has really helped me understand fluctuations and how MY body loses weight. For example, I usually lose majority of my monthly weight in week 3 of each month. I have gotten to see how my weight reacts to different weather (humidity, etc) and how it reacts to different types of food and eating schedules like a normal routine, versus vacation eating, versus holding water weight from really salty foods.

    It's not for everyone, but I highly suggest trying it. Some people use a trending app, I think one is called Happy Scale (?) but I just use MFP and my calendar on my fridge to track it.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    ^^this, and why so much water and exercise? How sure are you about calories burned?

    So much water because I’m 6 3 and over 300 pounds, so much exercise because I want to lose weight and I enjoy it. To give an example, last Friday I swam 60 laps in 75 minutes, lifted weights for 30, and ran a mile in 11 minutes.

    I'm still not clear on why you drink 2 gallons of water every day. Are you sweating a lot due to your workout and/or the weather? If you're sweating so much that you need 2 gallons of water every single day, then you probably need to be thinking about replacing electrolytes rather than drinking plain water.

    If you're not sweating a lot and you're just going by things you've read or heard about water intake, try going by the color of your urine instead. If it's pale yellow, you're properly hydrated. If it's dark other than first thing in the morning, drink more water.

    If you're not sweating a lot and you're so thirsty that you must drink 2 gallons of water a day, then you should check with your doctor, since excessive thirst can be a symptom of diabetes.
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    2 gallons of water? That's INSANE.
  • JordanS9592
    JordanS9592 Posts: 94 Member
    Maybe it’s a lot for you, but I’m 340 pounds and I sweat about a gallon of water with every workout.
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    Maybe it’s a lot for you, but I’m 340 pounds and I sweat about a gallon of water with every workout.

    How do you know you sweat a gallon?
  • JordanS9592
    JordanS9592 Posts: 94 Member
    I don’t see how the exact measurement is relevant. I sweat an abnormal amount of water during a workout, which I’ve weighed to be about 3-5 pounds, oftentimes equaling close to a gallon. Drinking 2 gallons of water has not had an adverse effect on my abnormally large body thus far. However, if someone has research to show that it would be harmful on someone my size and height, I’m open to adjusting that.
  • nooboots
    nooboots Posts: 480 Member
    How many litres is a gallon?
  • JordanS9592
    JordanS9592 Posts: 94 Member
    @PAV8888 Thanks for the thorough response. I will take these things into consideration. I’m thinking of consulting a nutritionist to devise a personalized plan.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    nooboots wrote: »
    How many litres is a gallon?

    3.785