I don't understand.

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bowserette
bowserette Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It takes 3500 calories to make a pound, right? So why, if I slip up one day and eat maybe 300 calories over my limit, does my scale show I gained a pound the very next day?

Sure, it helps me to not slip up, but it also makes me feel horrible. I finally got down to 30 pounds lost, and now I'm back to 28 pounds -- back to obese.

I understand there's some natural fluctuation involved, sure. But this has been a consistent pattern. It's probably why I gained weight so quickly in the first place.

Any ideas?

Replies

  • willdbill0712
    willdbill0712 Posts: 83 Member
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    The body fluctuates on much more than daily calorie intake. Especially for a woman. You have water weight, sodium levels that help retain water, what time of the week/month it is.
    Just keep up the good work of diet and exercise and you will continue to see the good results!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    Not sure what you ate to go over 300 calories but I know when I do, it's usually something like take-out chinese which is also high in sodium - which would lead to water weight gain.
  • channa007
    channa007 Posts: 419 Member
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    Agreed... it's probably too much sodium which makes you retain water weight.
  • TMcBooty
    TMcBooty Posts: 780 Member
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    where is your food diary :)
  • LoveHoodies
    LoveHoodies Posts: 65
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    Could just need a good poop too ;)
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    Water weight
  • TMcBooty
    TMcBooty Posts: 780 Member
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    Could just need a good poop too ;)

    indeed you are correct! Think that was my problem today.
  • pixlamarque
    pixlamarque Posts: 312 Member
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    Could just need a good poop too ;)

    Yep. It's not pretty, but there it is. And the sodium gets me. Sometime you need to back off the scale and give it a day or two. It takes a bit to process the food and get rid of it.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,088 Member
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    You're not "different". You see 300 caloires as having made you "gain" a pound. Not true. Those two pounds are just normal fluctuation fro hormones, sleep, exercise, salt, any number of things. You did not gain two pounds because of the 300 cals.
  • terrellc1
    terrellc1 Posts: 231 Member
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    There are times when my weight will fluctuate easily 4-6 pounds from morning to morning or even morning to night! But I know that it isn't 4-6 pounds of fat. When it happens, I simply drink a little more water than I normally do....and my weight returns to normal.
  • dannylives
    dannylives Posts: 611
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    Dont worry, girl! 30 pounds is awesome!
  • Chainsaw_Flowerchild
    Chainsaw_Flowerchild Posts: 65
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    Sorry to jump on the water weight band wagon... Water weighs about 8.3 pounds per gallon, which works out to slightly more than an ounce per fluid ounce. So remember that a single 8 fluid oz. glass of water will add just over half a pound.
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
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    Is it fruits and veggies that made you go over, or is it something u splurged on? Higher sodium can make u temporarily, over night, go up several pounds. Also if u excercise, u can go up pounds too, because ur body pulls in water to heal broken cells. Also, being a girl, ur weight fluctuates throughout the month; I go up a couple pounds before my TOM and drop alot of weight during TOM and a decent amount the week after, where alot of girls go up during or right before...

    are you getting enough water? U need half ur body weight in ounces a day, just for a normal day, and then if u have higher sodium, excercise, or drink caffeine you need to drink excess water to replace water you've depleted...never look at ur daily fluctuations, look at a total at the end of the month..I have weeks go by with a pound or two gain, or staying the same weight, but if I were to look at my month total and see 10lbs instead of focusing on that specific week or day, then there'd be much less stress... stress is another one that makes u gain false pounds...

    Lastly, sleep is another thing..if u got 9hours of sleep yesterday, and then last night only got 6hours, that alone will give a false scale reading.or takin a crap day 1 and day 2 u hadn't...


    Its water weight, its not pounds of fat..
  • bowserette
    bowserette Posts: 36 Member
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    Thanks, everyone.

    I've been trying to drink enough water, though the past couple days I admit I haven't done so well. It is right before my TOM, so that could contribute.

    I'll just keep exercising and drinking water, and I'll stick to my calorie range. (I've found that I actually lose more if I up my calories a bit, so I try to stick to 1200-1400 calories a day.) Luckily, I just moved to a town where biking is the way to get around, so I'm hoping that will help me shed the pounds, too!

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