Weight suddenly gone crazy
sofrances
Posts: 156 Member
A week ago I put my calories up by 50 calories. I have been putting my calories up by 50 or 100 every week or two for a while, to try and stop my weight from trending downward, as I hit my target weight a while ago.
Suddenly, after the last 50 calorie increase, my weight has gone crazy.
I tried not to panic the first day when it went up almost 1kg (more than 2lb). It was down the next day so I thought, ok, just a blip. But now its up even higher. I'm up 1.5kg (3.3lb) since a week ago.
I don't want to "over-steer" so I'm going to leave calories as they are until the end of this week. At the same time, I'm really struggling not to see doom on the horizon. Last time I lost serious weight (not through food logging) I put it all back on again and more, so this feels like history repeating.
I'm still really near the beginning of maintenance. And if maintenance means actually stopping the downward weight trend, then I'm only a week in. I don't know what to expect, or if this is normal.
Nothing has changed about my diet apart from the increase in calories as far as I can see. No wild increase in carbs or salt. I haven't been weighing or logging any less diligently.
Suddenly, after the last 50 calorie increase, my weight has gone crazy.
I tried not to panic the first day when it went up almost 1kg (more than 2lb). It was down the next day so I thought, ok, just a blip. But now its up even higher. I'm up 1.5kg (3.3lb) since a week ago.
I don't want to "over-steer" so I'm going to leave calories as they are until the end of this week. At the same time, I'm really struggling not to see doom on the horizon. Last time I lost serious weight (not through food logging) I put it all back on again and more, so this feels like history repeating.
I'm still really near the beginning of maintenance. And if maintenance means actually stopping the downward weight trend, then I'm only a week in. I don't know what to expect, or if this is normal.
Nothing has changed about my diet apart from the increase in calories as far as I can see. No wild increase in carbs or salt. I haven't been weighing or logging any less diligently.
6
Replies
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Others with more expereience will know more than I do about this, but like you I am starting to try to adjust for maintenance. I am finding that I need more than a week to see the effect of a clories adjustment, so my suggestion would be maybe to eat for a few weeks on your current intake and see what happens? I switched from the mfp calories for 0.5 kg per week to 0.25 kg per week several weeks ago and my body is still adjusting to that. (Admittedly that was a larger shift at one time.) I htink trends take a few weeks to show up properly.
However, I share your fear of the regain trend having lost to my goal weight four/five years ago and regained the whole lot by May this year. Well done for reaching your goal (again) and good luck! I will be intersted to see what the experienced maintainers advise.5 -
Our weight fluctuates a lot anyway, I can be up/down 3lbs in any one week (for a host of reasons from high sodium or high carb days which means I hold on to extra water) I'm petite and have been in maintenance for several years.
Keep on doing what you have been and give it another few weeks yet before you adjust your intake again - it takes a few months to really see what your maintenance calories looks like, and even then a bit longer if your daily activity varies a lot.4 -
All I can think about is Paul Davis.
Don't panic, Frances. You're beautiful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvf3rBgw1LU
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A wild swing in one day like that is never going to be fat gain, since you would need to eat more than 7000 calories over maintainence to gain one kilo. You are gaining water weight for some reason. Did you start eating different kinds of foods, such as higher sodium or carb? New exercise? Period coming? Weighing at a different time of day? Feel sick or out of sorts? Stress?
Also, not to freak you out, but a jump of more than a kilo in one day can be a sign of kidney issues. Just pay extra attention to things like ankles swelling, etc.7 -
Going up one or two pounds in a day is not really something to worry about if you've been tracking. Sometimes it's water weight due to salt or carbs or a hard workout, sometimes it's simply a bulky meal that hasn't been digested yet (i.e. chili). Give it a week or two and see what is happening.2
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A week ago I put my calories up by 50 calories. I have been putting my calories up by 50 or 100 every week or two for a while, to try and stop my weight from trending downward, as I hit my target weight a while ago.
Suddenly, after the last 50 calorie increase, my weight has gone crazy.
I tried not to panic the first day when it went up almost 1kg (more than 2lb). It was down the next day so I thought, ok, just a blip. But now its up even higher. I'm up 1.5kg (3.3lb) since a week ago.
I don't want to "over-steer" so I'm going to leave calories as they are until the end of this week. At the same time, I'm really struggling not to see doom on the horizon. Last time I lost serious weight (not through food logging) I put it all back on again and more, so this feels like history repeating.
I'm still really near the beginning of maintenance. And if maintenance means actually stopping the downward weight trend, then I'm only a week in. I don't know what to expect, or if this is normal.
Nothing has changed about my diet apart from the increase in calories as far as I can see. No wild increase in carbs or salt. I haven't been weighing or logging any less diligently.
Increasing calories by "just" 50-100 is really hard. That is such a small calories boost. It could be more or less calories than your hoped increase. I would suggest you track your weight for a month or more and see what your trending weight is. If you are coming out of a long caloric deficit, you are most likely storing some of the carbs as glycogen. Remember, 3 grams of water storage for each gram of glycogen. So, you could be storing storing 2kg as water weight. There is also the issue of stomach contents. More food in belly, equals more weight on scale. I also suspect that you are stressing about this issue. Stressing can also increase weight dt water retention. Bubba, trust the process and relax. If your trending weight is up quite a bit over the next 4-6 weeks, then readdress. JMHO.9 -
Thanks all. I'll try to stay calm then.7
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@sofrances Excellent.2
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Trend appears to be steepening rather than evening out. I understand now why people quite weighing themselves. This is super-stressful. But if I quit that's definitely the beginning of the end. I'm not going to quit. But I think if something doesn't change by the end of the week I am going to cut calories. I need to see that trend line flattening out.3
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Trend appears to be steepening rather than evening out. I understand now why people quite weighing themselves. This is super-stressful. But if I quit that's definitely the beginning of the end. I'm not going to quit. But I think if something doesn't change by the end of the week I am going to cut calories. I need to see that trend line flattening out.
Dear sofrances, please read this post again:rheddmobile wrote: »A wild swing in one day like that is never going to be fat gain, since you would need to eat more than 7000 calories over maintainence to gain one kilo. You are gaining water weight for some reason. Did you start eating different kinds of foods, such as higher sodium or carb? New exercise? Period coming? Weighing at a different time of day? Feel sick or out of sorts? Stress?
Also, not to freak you out, but a jump of more than a kilo in one day can be a sign of kidney issues. Just pay extra attention to things like ankles swelling, etc.
Now, are your ankles and legs swelling, or kidneys hurting? Or are any of these other questions the answer?
Please don't panic and jump to the worst conclusion and cause yourself even more stress.8 -
If nothing dramatic happened to activity level or calorie intake, fast gain is water weight, period. Stress can make it worse.
Don't do anything dramatic: Not necessary.
Maybe take a nice walk in a pretty place outdoors. Listen to good music. Do some yoga or stretching, deep breathing exercises. Relax, be patient - more than a few days.
It'll be OK. Bodies are weird. 😉4 -
Trend appears to be steepening rather than evening out. I understand now why people quite weighing themselves. This is super-stressful. But if I quit that's definitely the beginning of the end. I'm not going to quit. But I think if something doesn't change by the end of the week I am going to cut calories. I need to see that trend line flattening out.
Well logically you know that 50 cal increase is not going to cause you to trend up and up and up and keep going so it's been less than a week right? Hang in there. Worst case next week you just stay at the same level. How close is it to what your TDEE or MFP or whatever calculations you use is to your maintenance input?
Here's hoping that things at least level out in the next few days as stress is not good. And you already know overcorrecting is not going to help.
You will figure it out. Let us know.3 -
sofrances, your whole journey has been fraught with over-thinking and anxiety.
Stay the course. You know your own calorie needs. Trust the process.
Maybe talk to someone who is a professional counselor?4 -
Trend appears to be steepening rather than evening out. I understand now why people quite weighing themselves. This is super-stressful. But if I quit that's definitely the beginning of the end. I'm not going to quit. But I think if something doesn't change by the end of the week I am going to cut calories. I need to see that trend line flattening out.
Dear sofrances, please read this post again:rheddmobile wrote: »A wild swing in one day like that is never going to be fat gain, since you would need to eat more than 7000 calories over maintainence to gain one kilo. You are gaining water weight for some reason. Did you start eating different kinds of foods, such as higher sodium or carb? New exercise? Period coming? Weighing at a different time of day? Feel sick or out of sorts? Stress?
Also, not to freak you out, but a jump of more than a kilo in one day can be a sign of kidney issues. Just pay extra attention to things like ankles swelling, etc.
Now, are your ankles and legs swelling, or kidneys hurting? Or are any of these other questions the answer?
Please don't panic and jump to the worst conclusion and cause yourself even more stress.
No kidney symptoms. No increase in carbs or salt. Just body weirdness I guess. Thanks for you reassurances.3 -
cmriverside wrote: »sofrances, your whole journey has been fraught with over-thinking and anxiety.
Stay the course. You know your own calorie needs. Trust the process.
Maybe talk to someone who is a professional counselor?
Not a bad idea. I'll give it some thought.3 -
Diatonic12 wrote: »All I can think about is Paul Davis.
Don't panic, Frances. You're beautiful.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvf3rBgw1LU
Hahaha "Don't Panic, Frances" sounds like the name of a song. I love this post, Paul Davis tune and all.1 -
By way of thanks, and for the benefit of any other anxious types who find themselves in a similar situation, I thought I would post an update.
After a few weeks, it looks like things have more or less stabilized.
Thanks again for all of your reassurances, and apologies for my previous hysterics.6 -
By way of thanks, and for the benefit of any other anxious types who find themselves in a similar situation, I thought I would post an update.
After a few weeks, it looks like things have more or less stabilized.
Thanks again for all of your reassurances, and apologies for my previous hysterics.
The fluctuations are normal. Alarmed reactions to them are also normal, as part of the process of getting used to them. 😉
Wishing you continuing success, psychological as well as physical!
ETA: Thanks for coming back to let us know how it worked out!3 -
By way of thanks, and for the benefit of any other anxious types who find themselves in a similar situation, I thought I would post an update.
After a few weeks, it looks like things have more or less stabilized.
Thanks again for all of your reassurances, and apologies for my previous hysterics.
I am glad to have this reassurance, as my graph is currently behaving rather like yours was. Good luck!
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