This Whole Water Weight Thing Is Pissing Me Off

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cari4jc1
cari4jc1 Posts: 233
in Health and Weight Loss
When I started this whole thing in May I lost 2 pounds a week for 3 weeks getting me all happy and excited. Then the 4th week I supposedly "gained" 2 back, but by the weekend I was back down to where I was. By Monday I had "lost" an additional 2 pounds and then by the end of last week I had lost another pound putting me at a total of 9 pounds. This week, however, I'm "gaining" again. Supposedly I "gained" a pound overnight in addition to the "pound" I gained earlier this week. So I'm guessing/hoping that next week it'll go back down. It's so frustrating though...why does this happen??? I know it has to be water weight because there's no way I have overeaten by that many calories. I stick to my goal pretty closely and I exercise 4-5 times a week. Does the whole water weight thing ever balance out?
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Replies

  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    You will always have fluctuations in your weight. As long as you are losing fat, the general trend should be downward.
  • sgmomma
    sgmomma Posts: 299 Member
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    Only weigh once a week. There is really no reason to weigh more than that. Your body weight naturally fluctuates from day to day...You could logically weigh five pounds heavier in the evening then you did that morning. Also if you have a high sodium diet with low water intake thats going to cause fluctuations also
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    I don't think we ever just weigh the same all the time. Our bodies will always vary by several pounds throughout the day and the week and the month.

    It IS annoying. If you weigh so frequently you see the blips (we all do) can you focus on a long term average weight instead of the daily number? I've heard of scales you can set to display the average but most of us probably need to log it in a spreadsheet or app that gives it to us. Or can you focus on another metric, like how your certain jeans fit or your waist circumference?

    I focus on the inputs. How many days can I hit my activity and calorie goal? I can't directly control the scale so I try to ignore and focus on what I can control instead.
  • stfuriada
    stfuriada Posts: 445 Member
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    Then stop measuring your progress via scale.

    Use measuring tapes/ clothes to gauge how much you lost. Say your size 6 pants were super tight 3 weeks ago, and now it isn't. YAY you lost inches!
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    How would only weighing once a week be helpful? You might be in an upward fluctuation on your weigh-in day. If you weigh every day, you can see the trend.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Some people weigh every day to monitor how their body is working. If that frustrates you, I agree with only weighing once a week. I dont weigh more than that because I dont want to be a total slave to the scale. I am using my clothes as a measuring tool just as much. :)
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
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    I actually weigh every day so that seeing a 3 lb jump doesn't freak me out. I only record "new lows". I told myself if I ever had a jump that stuck around for more than a week, I would record it as a gain. In 95 days it hasn't happened. The most I have ever gone without seeing the same number or a new low number is about 5 days.
  • Abrandnewme36
    Abrandnewme36 Posts: 47 Member
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    How would only weighing once a week be helpful? You might be in an upward fluctuation on your weigh-in day. If you weigh every day, you can see the trend.


    I agree! If I only weighed once a week and saw a big jump it would case major problems. Weighing every day, I can see a trend.
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
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    If you log your weight on MFP, you can click the Reports tab and see a graph of it. Ignoring all the short-term ups and downs, you can see the overall trend more clearly.

    Don't sweat the little gains / losses. You will be doing that all your life, many times per day; no one's weight is constant.
  • korinastern
    korinastern Posts: 55
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    I cant stop weighing i gave the scale to the hubby and he lets me have it every morning it flucuates but i only record new lows also. it is going up and down but mostly down and i havent seen some weights at all any more thank god
  • cari4jc1
    cari4jc1 Posts: 233
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    I totally agree with not weighing too much. My weight from morning to night can sometimes be a difference of 3 pounds so I don't let that bother me. And I do measure and am seeing progress there and my clothes definitely don't fit anymore...in a good way. haha I think I'm just scared that I'm going to do a repeat of 2009 when I first started exercising and eating better. I lost major inches and dropped sizes, but lost no weight. By March 2010 I still hadn't lost any weight and then I got pregnant. I worked so hard those months and saw no scale movement. I am just scared I think that that is going to happen again.
  • juliedozier
    juliedozier Posts: 184 Member
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    Super frustrating, I agree. Having said that ... I started my new way of life on Jan 2 and there are times I gain, and plateau but now that it's been several months I can see a pattern in it. Seems to be hormonal, and even though I still get frustrated I know that if I just stick with it next week will be all better. Hang in there and keep up the good work!
  • becsks
    becsks Posts: 12
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    I've pretty much decided I won't weigh myself during my PMS, due entirely to water weight and bloating. It makes me feel bad, but it doesn't reflect on my real progress. Our bodies fluctuate naturally. Maybe you ate some sodium, maybe it's that time of month, maybe anything. So long as the overall trend is down, you're okay!
  • cari4jc1
    cari4jc1 Posts: 233
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    I actually weigh every day so that seeing a 3 lb jump doesn't freak me out. I only record "new lows". I told myself if I ever had a jump that stuck around for more than a week, I would record it as a gain. In 95 days it hasn't happened. The most I have ever gone without seeing the same number or a new low number is about 5 days.

    That's a good rule to go by. I do only record new lows as well. I know I didn't actually gain any actual weight so I won't log it as that. That would be horribly depressing. And there's no way I ate 3500 calories in a day. I just have to find a way to not let my brain get wrapped up in the scale and somehow overcome the fear of failure. It's a difficult thing to do.
  • terrirz
    terrirz Posts: 53
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    try drinking MORE water to flush out your system more..I went several weeks only loosing a pound here and there then I started drinking more water this week on top of not eating back my work out calories and Ive lost 9 pounds! Granted most of it is just the water Ive been holding but I feel better and less bloated and sluggish.. Im thinking (not sure if its possible?) that my body was use to my daily water intake (which is already 12 or more glasses a day) so it needed more. I spend alot of time peeing but it if keeps my system cleaned out and my body loosing weight Im cool with it..:)
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    When I started this whole thing in May I lost 2 pounds a week for 3 weeks getting me all happy and excited. Then the 4th week I supposedly "gained" 2 back, but by the weekend I was back down to where I was. By Monday I had "lost" an additional 2 pounds and then by the end of last week I had lost another pound putting me at a total of 9 pounds. This week, however, I'm "gaining" again. Supposedly I "gained" a pound overnight in addition to the "pound" I gained earlier this week. So I'm guessing/hoping that next week it'll go back down. It's so frustrating though...why does this happen??? I know it has to be water weight because there's no way I have overeaten by that many calories. I stick to my goal pretty closely and I exercise 4-5 times a week. Does the whole water weight thing ever balance out?

    yeh if you eat the same amount of carbohydrates each day, at the same time of day... its not bad water weight its glycogen that goes to ur muscles and liver... if you dont eat carbs you will have less glycogen (water within cells), if you eat more carbs your body will hold more glycogen... sodium is overrated for water retention it wont have much of an effect especially from an aesthetic perspective its mainly from carbs... keep eating carbs just understand if you want consistent results you have to eat consistently... dont rely on the scale anyhow just look in the mirror.
  • rainwalkerSK
    rainwalkerSK Posts: 81
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    I actually weigh every day so that seeing a 3 lb jump doesn't freak me out. I only record "new lows". I told myself if I ever had a jump that stuck around for more than a week, I would record it as a gain. In 95 days it hasn't happened. The most I have ever gone without seeing the same number or a new low number is about 5 days.

    I love this idea
  • BlondeQtTexas
    BlondeQtTexas Posts: 97 Member
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    I've found that drinking "Sassy Water" every day helps with water weight. The only time I get now it is if I eat something very salty.

    Here is the recipe for Sassy Water. I love it and think it's delicious. It also aids in digestion.


    Ingredients

    2 liters water
    1 tsp fresh, grated ginger
    12 mint leaves
    1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
    1 lemon, thinly sliced

    How to make it

    Combine all ingredients in pitcher.
    Drink all in one day.
    (if you let it sit overnight, the flavors are stronger...personal preference)
    Enjoy!
  • Blasescorso
    Blasescorso Posts: 8
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    When I started this whole thing in May I lost 2 pounds a week for 3 weeks getting me all happy and excited. Then the 4th week I supposedly "gained" 2 back, but by the weekend I was back down to where I was. By Monday I had "lost" an additional 2 pounds and then by the end of last week I had lost another pound putting me at a total of 9 pounds. This week, however, I'm "gaining" again. Supposedly I "gained" a pound overnight in addition to the "pound" I gained earlier this week. So I'm guessing/hoping that next week it'll go back down. It's so frustrating though...why does this happen??? I know it has to be water weight because there's no way I have overeaten by that many calories. I stick to my goal pretty closely and I exercise 4-5 times a week. Does the whole water weight thing ever balance out?

    I understand totally! My weight has gone down minimally if any, i am not even sure what i weigh..yesterday i was 4 lbs less than i am today! I would gain weight even if i was in a coma!
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
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    I have no understanding why weighing once a week is considered good. Yes weight fluctuates from day to day and will usually go up and down as the day progresses, but weighing once a day will let you see the average and show. you true gains and losses. Ideally why first thing in the morning, after the bathroom and before dressing.

    If you only weigh once a week and happen to do it on the days that you were above average - that would be depressing - since it gave you the wrong info.

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