First week and I GAINED 3.5 pounds. Help!

gloriann1
gloriann1 Posts: 27 Member
edited October 7 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello MFP world. I started my diet a week ago, and I've had some distressing results so far. In the past, I'd at least lose a couple of pounds of water weight in my first week. Come to find that a few days in my scale crept up .5 pounds, and now this morning come to find I am up 3 more pounds.

Now, I have a body fat scale that said I was down .5% body fat after the first .5lb gain. However, the 3 extra pounds came out of nowhere (and it isn't near my tom.) I did eat about 1500 extra calories on New Years, but that should only account for less than a pound. I know intellectually that this gain can't be fat, but it baffles me. Anyone experience this before? Feel free to check out my diary.

Thanks!

Replies

  • scubagirl319
    scubagirl319 Posts: 115 Member
    If you drank alcohol on NYE, more than likely this is a water retention gain. Alcohol causes me to retain fluids. Up your water intake and lower your sodium for a few days an you should see it disappear if that is what caused it
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    A high sodium day will put me up 2 or 3 pounds for a couple days. Just be patient!
  • sonjawi
    sonjawi Posts: 46
    I just had the same surprise on New years day, I upped 4 pounds over night. And I did not even go that badly overboard, only about 500 kcal over my MFP limit. But the two glasses of Bubbly, the shrimp ring, and apparently the high sodium salami/cheese hormel party tray did not help the issue. Its a bit hard on the motivation, but I hope I will go down soon again. Drinking some Green Tea usually helps me get rid of water pretty fast.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,030 Member
    It's water weight. 3lbs equates to over 10,000 fat calories. Unless you ate that much, it's water weight.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Gatorjrm
    Gatorjrm Posts: 54 Member
    I agree! Add sodium to your diary so we can see what you are consuming. Sodium is the devil! Drink LOTS of water- at least 8 glasses or so and I find that lemongrass tea helps with water retention. Also potassium does- so eat a banana!
  • writtenINthestars
    writtenINthestars Posts: 1,933 Member
    Sounds like a bit of water weight.

    Be prepared for ups and downs on the scale during the first few weeks....these gains do not define your journey, your body does need to get use to the changes you are making.

    Flush out your system with lots of water and keep going forward..

    I know everyone is different about this but one of the best things you can do, in my opinion, is make a deal with yourself to only weigh once a week, every other week, once a month, etc.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    Calm yourself.
    Just keep at this for a month, and let's see where you are.

    You are doing fine!
  • Leannek74
    Leannek74 Posts: 374 Member
    Your monthly cycle will effect results.... and water weight.
  • geekymom57
    geekymom57 Posts: 176 Member
    I am one of those people who weigh themselves pretty much daily, so I see these sudden weight gains regularly. It is definitely not "real" weight. As others said, it's probably due to something else you that caused you to retain fluids. I also find that if I go off my regular weekday food routine that's high in fiber (lots of fruit and vegetables) my digestive system slows down, if you know what I mean, and I "gain" weight for a couple of days.

    If the weight "gain" alarms you, you might want to consider my weigh-in mind game. I weigh myself pretty much every day, sometimes a couple of times if I happen to be home and in the master bathroom where the scale is located. As long as I have been honest and logged everything, if my weight is up, I don't log the increase. If it's down, I log it. It's my non-scientific way of accounting for the up/down weight variation, and by tracking my lowest weight, I track longer-term progress rather than short-term variations.
  • gloriann1
    gloriann1 Posts: 27 Member
    Thanks for the calm-down everyone! I know you guys could get my mind in the game.

    Geekymom- I love that weigh in method. I have found that daily weigh-ins keep me motivated, but logging that 3lb gain was discouraging. I think I will adopt your method! It make a lot of sense, there is no reason to log a gain when you know you didn't "earn it!"
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    It could be poop.
  • Bankman1989
    Bankman1989 Posts: 1,116 Member
    Do yourself a FAVOR and put the scale away for a week or even a month. If you stay true to your regimen you will be ok. Don't put a lot of stock in your lbs if your bf % is down. Weigh yourself again Jan 15th or Feb 1st and see the results.
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