Staying within my kcals but up 2lbs
DeButterflyx
Posts: 41 Member
Please can someone tell me is it normal I have been exercising and staying within kcals the last 3 days taking my steps from only around 2000 to 5000/6000 a day so an improvement and yet I'm up 2lbs this morning
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Replies
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You are up because your body is not a machine but a living thing. Weight constantly fluctuates. This can be due to holding onto a bit more water or more or less waste in your intestines. Water weight can go up from exercising more to promote muscle healing. You seem to have done that. It can happen due to eating a bit more salt, especially hormonal fluctuations, moving more or less, traveling, thousands other reasons. It's normal. Serious, relax: 3 days is nothing. Wait it out for 4-6 weeks, at least one full circle to see results. and relax5
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Yup, as said above, weight fluctuations are normal and exercise can cause water retention for muscle repair.
This might be interesting to read:
https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/
It's important to look at the longer term trend (minimum 4 weeks), don't let short term fluctuations mess with your head. Some find it helpful to use a weight trend app like Libra or Happyscale.3 -
Thanks for the replies I felt so put off this morning2
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I drank a small bit of water and weighed myself again and I was down 1lb can't believe it must be water retention. I had a Chinese takeaway yesterday I went for a healthier option chicken and mushroom but still probably loaded in sodium with the soy sauce in it0
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xDaniellexsh wrote: »I drank a small bit of water and weighed myself again and I was down 1lb can't believe it must be water retention. I had a Chinese takeaway yesterday I went for a healthier option chicken and mushroom but still probably loaded in sodium with the soy sauce in it
If you drank some water and had a lower weigh-in, then either:
- You have un unreliable scale
- You also went to the toilet, or perhaps changed clothes as well?2 -
xDaniellexsh wrote: »I drank a small bit of water and weighed myself again and I was down 1lb can't believe it must be water retention. I had a Chinese takeaway yesterday I went for a healthier option chicken and mushroom but still probably loaded in sodium with the soy sauce in it
If you went on the scale, drank a bottle of water and went on the scale again without doing anything inbetween and the weight was down then your scale is unreliable. Which isn't unexpected, as most scales are. Also, an uneven floor (carpet?) will also cause funny scale results, as sometimes does holding the phone, etc.2 -
xDaniellexsh wrote: »I drank a small bit of water and weighed myself again and I was down 1lb can't believe it must be water retention. I had a Chinese takeaway yesterday I went for a healthier option chicken and mushroom but still probably loaded in sodium with the soy sauce in it
Bingo! Chinese food is high in sodium and that is the likely culprit. Drink lots of water and it will be gone in a day or two.
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If you are weighing daily, my suggestion would be to get a weight trending app like Happy Scale or Libra if you don't already have it. Hyper focusing on daily weight flunctuations is going to make you nuts and discourage you, but if you start tracking the trend and learning to see longer term, you'll start noticing the trends and the daily stuff won't matter as much. My phone won't let me post a screenshot of my trends but I'll see if I can do it on my iPad. Hormones, water weight, waste, etc..can cause weight shifts almost daily. Your weight never truly stays the same..it's more of a range, if that makes sense.
It's kinda cool, too, because you learn about your body and see what kinds of things can affect it (excess sodium, water, hormones, etc..)6 -
I'm guaranteed to go up after a Chinese meal, whatever I choose.3
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SnifterPug wrote: »I'm guaranteed to go up after a Chinese meal, whatever I choose.
Yes, me too.
Also, lately I've been going up at least 5 pounds when I ovulate. I used to go up a few pounds premenstrually, but as I get closer to menopause that is no longer reliable.2 -
I feel like it's slow compared to the past which I know is silly. I'm 28 now and had a c section only 7 weeks ago 3rd baby0
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xDaniellexsh wrote: »I feel like it's slow compared to the past which I know is silly. I'm 28 now and had a c section only 7 weeks ago 3rd baby
Postpartum, there are hormonal changes that can make water fluctuations more unpredictable for a while. (Quite a while.) Post-surgically, healing can make water fluctuations more unpredictable (if major, could still be some healing 7 weeks later). Are you breast feeding, too? That would make it 3 unusual things that can affect bodyweight via water fluctuations.
It's water weight, 99.425% probability . . . just my opinion on the exact percent, though. 😉4 -
xDaniellexsh wrote: »I feel like it's slow compared to the past which I know is silly. I'm 28 now and had a c section only 7 weeks ago 3rd baby
Postpartum, there are hormonal changes that can make water fluctuations more unpredictable for a while. (Quite a while.) Post-surgically, healing can make water fluctuations more unpredictable (if major, could still be some healing 7 weeks later). Are you breast feeding, too? That would make it 3 unusual things that can affect bodyweight via water fluctuations.
It's water weight, 99.425% probability . . . just my opinion on the exact percent, though. 😉
I started off breastfeeding but baby's on formula now. Sleep deprivation doesn't help my will power wasn't great today. Iv 2 kids under 2 they sleep well some nights and not others1 -
Weight management is not a one week and done thing. Not to mention that you're still heeling and are STILL experiencing hormonal upheavals and are STILL quite possibly retaining water weight. And that's independently of Chinese food and increased exercise and LACK OF SLEEP. Come on. Self care includes MORE than just weight management. And successful weight management includes more self care than just cutting calories increasing exercise and demanding a weight drop!!! Don't get me wrong, you'll get there in no time; but Ann is totally wrong. It is NOT 99.425%. Just NOPE. It is at least a 99.575% probability that you're dealing with water weight variations!6
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Weight management is not a one week and done thing. Not to mention that you're still heeling and are STILL experiencing hormonal upheavals and are STILL quite possibly retaining water weight. And that's independently of Chinese food and increased exercise and LACK OF SLEEP. Come on. Self care includes MORE than just weight management. And successful weight management includes more self care than just cutting calories increasing exercise and demanding a weight drop!!! Don't get me wrong, you'll get there in no time; but Ann is totally wrong. It is NOT 99.425%. Just NOPE. It is at least a 99.575% probability that you're dealing with water weight variations!
You say more than cutting calories and exercise am I maybe just expecting too much too soon or is there something else I should do? I am down 2lbs today on yesterday so definitely agree with the fluctuation in weight right now3 -
xDaniellexsh wrote: »Weight management is not a one week and done thing. Not to mention that you're still heeling and are STILL experiencing hormonal upheavals and are STILL quite possibly retaining water weight. And that's independently of Chinese food and increased exercise and LACK OF SLEEP. Come on. Self care includes MORE than just weight management. And successful weight management includes more self care than just cutting calories increasing exercise and demanding a weight drop!!! Don't get me wrong, you'll get there in no time; but Ann is totally wrong. It is NOT 99.425%. Just NOPE. It is at least a 99.575% probability that you're dealing with water weight variations!
You say more than cutting calories and exercise am I maybe just expecting too much too soon or is there something else I should do? I am down 2lbs today on yesterday so definitely agree with the fluctuation in weight right now
Yes, weight constantly fluctuates in either direction. Patience is key when trying to lose weight:
* not expecting too much too soon - those diets that shout from magazine covers and cheap adverts really don't work, but we somehow keep in our head that it's possible to lose 10lbs in 3 days. Which of course isn't possible
* And knowing that weight will fluctuate from day to day. A weight trending app really is a good thing to have here, and the right mindset. Weight really doesn't go down a pound a day out of nowhere. It's always water weight.3 -
Sorry, I forgot to come back to post this yesterday. As you can see, I weigh daily, and while those pinpoints appear all over the place, the general trend is downward. That’s why it’s good to do this if you weigh daily and find yourself stressing over fluctuations. There are a few upward peaks that correspond with my cycle, and one in January due to some experimenting with my BP meds, causing water retention. Of course, I'm not post partum either, which will definitely carry its own causes for fluctuations:
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xDaniellexsh wrote: »Please can someone tell me is it normal I have been exercising and staying within kcals the last 3 days taking my steps from only around 2000 to 5000/6000 a day so an improvement and yet I'm up 2lbs this morning
Do you understand the math? To gain 2 Lbs of actual fat you would have to consume 7,000 calories over your maintenance level of calories...you would know if you did that. Bodyweight fluctuates...it isn't some static thing...as such, weight loss isn't a straight line, linear function. It looks like this...for EVERYBODY...
Weight loss, and weight management in general is about long term trends, not individual data points...especially not individual data points from a couple of days.3 -
xDaniellexsh wrote: »Weight management is not a one week and done thing. Not to mention that you're still heeling and are STILL experiencing hormonal upheavals and are STILL quite possibly retaining water weight. And that's independently of Chinese food and increased exercise and LACK OF SLEEP. Come on. Self care includes MORE than just weight management. And successful weight management includes more self care than just cutting calories increasing exercise and demanding a weight drop!!! Don't get me wrong, you'll get there in no time; but Ann is totally wrong. It is NOT 99.425%. Just NOPE. It is at least a 99.575% probability that you're dealing with water weight variations!
You say more than cutting calories and exercise am I maybe just expecting too much too soon or is there something else I should do? I am down 2lbs today on yesterday so definitely agree with the fluctuation in weight right now
He's saying to take care of yourself in general...weightloss isn't the be all and end all of everything. There is a lot more to being a mentally and physically healthy person than a number on a scale.5 -
xDaniellexsh wrote: »You say more than cutting calories and exercise am I maybe just expecting too much too soon or is there something else I should do?
You have to unpack a lot in what I said and which I re quote below and currently, between children and lack of sleep, you're too laser focused.
"Self care includes MORE than just weight management."
"And successful weight management includes more self care than just cutting calories increasing exercise and demanding a weight drop!!!"
Weight management is a long term thing.
less than 2 months ago you gave birth and had surgery. The removal of a baby lump near my eyebrow still gets the occasional scratch in that same time frame, and it was closer to the size of one of your baby's tiniest toes!
The mechanics of what you're doing are more than enough to see results over time. But you sound as if you're currently on overdrive and approaching this as something to just power through.
Self care, you time, doing something FOR YOU, is not the same as powering through and pounding the problem (in this case your own body) into submission.
If yet to meet the people who claim lack of sleep and stress help with weight loss.
So lose the expectations, and if dealing with a normal pregnancy level of weight gain just concentrate on creating a 250 to 500 Cal deficit MOST days while not going nuts over during the rest of them and you will be there well before your baby's first birthday.
Also at 28 and with three babies you are going through this bulk/cut cycle/yo yo quite often in a relatively small time frame. While perfectly natural and normal, I somehow doubt that it's easy on your body!
Be kind to the amazing you! (and use reasonable deficits and a weight trend app)4 -
xDaniellexsh wrote: »xDaniellexsh wrote: »I feel like it's slow compared to the past which I know is silly. I'm 28 now and had a c section only 7 weeks ago 3rd baby
Postpartum, there are hormonal changes that can make water fluctuations more unpredictable for a while. (Quite a while.) Post-surgically, healing can make water fluctuations more unpredictable (if major, could still be some healing 7 weeks later). Are you breast feeding, too? That would make it 3 unusual things that can affect bodyweight via water fluctuations.
It's water weight, 99.425% probability . . . just my opinion on the exact percent, though. 😉
I started off breastfeeding but baby's on formula now. Sleep deprivation doesn't help my will power wasn't great today. Iv 2 kids under 2 they sleep well some nights and not others
I don't want to go totally off topic here, but please give your body and your mind some time to adjust to this huge life change. Having a baby is HARD! Having a baby with other children at home is even harder! I know its tempting to want to lose it all so fast, but you are healing and its a stressful time. You are doing a great job by tracking your food and giving your health some consideration already! In the coming months it will get easier and the will power part won't be impacted by crappy sleep as much. You got this, just take it slow! Also - hormones are a huge factor in water weight...even during my normal cycle I gain 3-5 lbs during my TOM.
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xDaniellexsh wrote: »xDaniellexsh wrote: »I feel like it's slow compared to the past which I know is silly. I'm 28 now and had a c section only 7 weeks ago 3rd baby
Postpartum, there are hormonal changes that can make water fluctuations more unpredictable for a while. (Quite a while.) Post-surgically, healing can make water fluctuations more unpredictable (if major, could still be some healing 7 weeks later). Are you breast feeding, too? That would make it 3 unusual things that can affect bodyweight via water fluctuations.
It's water weight, 99.425% probability . . . just my opinion on the exact percent, though. 😉
I started off breastfeeding but baby's on formula now. Sleep deprivation doesn't help my will power wasn't great today. Iv 2 kids under 2 they sleep well some nights and not others
I don't want to go totally off topic here, but please give your body and your mind some time to adjust to this huge life change. Having a baby is HARD! Having a baby with other children at home is even harder! I know its tempting to want to lose it all so fast, but you are healing and its a stressful time. You are doing a great job by tracking your food and giving your health some consideration already! In the coming months it will get easier and the will power part won't be impacted by crappy sleep as much. You got this, just take it slow! Also - hormones are a huge factor in water weight...even during my normal cycle I gain 3-5 lbs during my TOM.
Yes, please please!
I get it, as soon as my body is externally healed I usually want to jump right back into what life was like before I was pregnant, and the reality, frustrating though it is, is just that it doesn't work like that. For both babies and our bodies, the rule of thumb I've always heard is "nine months in, nine months out." Some people call the first three months postpartum "the fourth trimester." You're only halfway through that now! It's hard, but please be gentle with yourself.
I found three little kids the hardest. The oldest were not old enough to help much, and still pretty needy, and then the littlest still had all their needs. You can still practice self-care, and I would argue you absolutely should, but what that looks like at seven weeks postpartum is going to look different than at seven months postpartum or after a year.
Congratulations on the birth of your baby!3 -
Thank you all for the replies very helpful am taking it all in 😊5
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