Grrrrrrr :/

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maura5880
maura5880 Posts: 346 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So frustrated!!! Somehow gained .5 this week, haven't had any loss since 10.23. I feel like I do everything right, I exercise every day & stay within my calories 95% of the time. The other 5% I may go over by a few 100 cals, nothing major.

Now last week was challenging food-wise, I had some good news so ended up celebrating a bit & then of course Halloween activities over the weekend. However, I never went over & was still eating at a deficit. Sooo, how is this even possible? I easily had a 3500 deficit this week yet the scale goes UP?! I am really discouraged.

So, not giving up, but today I am going to have a calorie spike day--maybe I need to shake up my metabolism? Also gonna skip the gym, I can't even remember the last time I took a day off!

Any advice?

Replies

  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    it happens I've had a bad week where I gained 5 lbs. measure yourself with measuring tape. and toss the scale out. also patience.
  • meldickman
    meldickman Posts: 38
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    I know that I can gain 5-10 pounds in a week when I am bloated before I start. I think most women have a problem with this monthly water weight gain. Try tracking it and not weighing yourself at that time if you think this could be the problem. Best of luck to you!
  • meldickman
    meldickman Posts: 38
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    I know that I can gain 5 pounds in a week when I am bloated before I start. I think most women have a problem with this monthly water weight gain. Try tracking it and not weighing yourself at that time if you think this could be the problem. Best of luck to you!
  • Crystal_R84
    Crystal_R84 Posts: 88 Member
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    I workout 4-5 times a week and eat pretty healthy (I do love some candy here and there) but usually do fluctuate 5-6 pounds during the week. It could be numerous things that add fluctuation weight...stress, water retention, ect. Don't beat yourself up over it! We all naturally gain 5-10 pounds daily...OH THE JOYS OF BEING A WOMAN! =-)

    P.S. (off topic) I don't have any friends on here lol if you want request me! I could use som buddies!
  • msgsarah
    msgsarah Posts: 53 Member
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    Metabolsim is not an exact science, sometimes it will plateau for no obvious reason, even though you did everything right and the maths all add up......try not to beat yourself up...you sound like you're doing amazingly well.

    Perhaps try mixing up the cardio you do, the body can get used to certain exersizes and then they are not effective any more.

    Also, do you do weights at the gym? You should try upping them. Women always say they don't want to get muscly, but we haven't really got the hormones to get too pumped (unless we take artificial ones). As muscle burns more calories than fat, you want more muscle....if you have been doing this and have put on some muscle, maybe that also explains it.

    Overall though, you sound like your doing so well - please don't be discouraged. It will pay off in the end :)
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,239 Member
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    Without being able to see you food and exercise diary it is sort of difficult to comment beyond saying that weight gain is likely water weight. It is well within the normal fluctuation for body weight in a person who is not actually getting fatter.
  • sweetiebelle
    sweetiebelle Posts: 332 Member
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    Did you have any alcohol?
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
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    "One of the most frustrating moments for many dieters is the weekly weigh-in. Sometimes, the results on your scales seem to bear very little relation to the week you've just had. Maybe you've been really good - but not lost anything. Or you've had a couple of meals out, and eaten more than a few candy bars - and yet you've dropped a pound.

    What's going on?

    If you weren't dieting and weighed yourself every day, you'd still find that your weight wasn't steady: it might fluctuate by as much as several pounds. These fluctuations in body weight are commonly due to:

    Water retention
    Glycogen stores
    The amount you've eaten

    Water Retention

    Water retention is caused by drinking too little water, or eating too much salt. If you don't drink enough water, your body will cling onto its water supplies; make sure you're drinking enough. And if you eat too much salt, your kidneys hold onto water instead of excreting it.

    Women commonly retain water during the few days of the month just before their period. This "phantom" few pounds will drop off as quickly as it went on. Some medications can also cause water retention.
    Glycogen Stores

    Glycogen - sugar - is carbohydrate stored in the liver and muscles; usually more than a pound in total, along with three or four pounds of water. This is your body's energy reserve, and gets used up during the day if you're not taking in enough carbohydrates to supply your energy needs.

    When you eat, your body replaces the glycogen store and the water that goes with it - leading to a weight gain on the scales, even if you've only eaten a moderately-sized meal. This is absolutely normal and should not put you off eating carbohydrates!
    The Amount You've Eaten

    Don't think about the meal you've just eaten in terms of calories - think in terms of weight. You could stuff yourself with pounds of fruit or salad for under a few hundred calories - but these pounds will show up if you stand on the scales straight after a meal. (Just imagine weighing yourself with all that food in your hands.) Once your body's had a chance to digest it, that food will disappear. The same applies with water - which has 0 calories, but definitely weighs something!"
  • maura5880
    maura5880 Posts: 346 Member
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    Thanks for the replies!

    It's not TOM--that just ended. I rarely drink, and if I do it's one glass of wine. I think that I do have too much sodium, and not enough water & I'm going to make a better effort on those 2 things. However, I still have SO much to lose, I just feel like I should at least be losing a pound a week!
  • erinrose07
    erinrose07 Posts: 140
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    I was told by a physical trainer that if you reach a plateau, to try and increase your calories by 200 one day, followed by a random decrease the next day, such as 300 and fluctuate the calories by going over and under calories like this for a week. It should kick your metabolism into gear. Your body may be getting too comfortable with you calorie intake :) Good luck buttercup!
  • Maura5
    Maura5 Posts: 30
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    Hi 'my' Maura!
    I find that if I consume salt &/or sugars even a bit more than usual, I bloat up & feel terrible. That's why my weight progress has stalled. Knowing that you'd think I'd behave myself! Haha, yet another obstacle to add to the list. Anyhow, what works for me when I work for it is bumping up protein levels & eating salad first. Also, interval training is great for a metabolism boost.
  • Maura5
    Maura5 Posts: 30
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    Also have a look at this slideshow from WebMD:
    http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/ss/slideshow-30-minute-workout-routine
  • maura5880
    maura5880 Posts: 346 Member
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    Thanks Maura! I looked at that slideshow, I do pretty much all of those exercises :)

    I workout & vary my workouts a little bit, so I think whatever's going on is food-related...hopefully next week will be better!

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