Fluctuations?

rawegman
rawegman Posts: 18
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys
I have been doing pretty well with losing weight this week but today I gained a pound back and I didn't go over my calories for the day, I actually have been going under most days (100 cal or so under). Is it normal to fluctuate or is my body trying to store the calories I take in? Should I try to eat the recommended calories calories for the day?
Thanks,
Rachel

Replies

  • icklecyberfairy
    icklecyberfairy Posts: 56 Member
    If it's only a pound don't worry about it. Could be excess salt retaining water in your body.
  • mfp_junkie
    mfp_junkie Posts: 359
    Rachel,

    I am 209 on Friday mornings, my lightest day. I tend to eat a few more salty foods on the weekend, and can be as high as 212 on Monday. It's not fat, but extra water retained because of too much sodium. I'll be back to 209 on Friday again, almost without fail.

    I can go up and down 2 pounds in a day because of what I ate. I wouldn't worry about a pound, and the best way to weigh is once a week, at the same time, so things like a weekend out, or one day over calories, doesn't cause you a lot of concern.
  • natalie412
    natalie412 Posts: 1,039 Member
    It is very normal!! Some days you just retain more water - especially after a vigorous workout, or if you have had more sodium. I fluctuate around 2-3 pounds throughout the month. You have to look at your progress over several weeks - especially when you don't have much to lose.

    Also, I weigh every day, and just log the loss when it is over .4 -.6 pounds. I don't obsess about it. I found that if I picked a particular weigh in day, if I happened to be up that day, it was very frustrating!!!
  • ChrisFitPro
    ChrisFitPro Posts: 32 Member
    Hi,

    I'm always a fan of eating the calories that I have budgeted. If your plan is accurate, then stick with it.


    Realize that the activity in your day can vary throughout the week, so while you may burn 1700 Monday you might burn 1530 on Wednesday - and this isn't even considering workouts. Just general activity can vary and impact metabolism. Also, how about water retention. I see you are a lady....


    I think that so long as your week-to-week weigh ins show progress, you should stay the course. When you stall, examine you inputs and adjust accordingly.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,251 Member
    Me:

    mornings 133
    night 135

    normally 133
    ovulating 136

    normally 133
    pms 136

    normally 133
    after i fly 136

    normally 133
    after wine 135

    normally 133
    after chinese food 135

    normally 133
    after wine 135

    normally 133
    after a hard workout (and for 2 days after that) 136
  • Melampus
    Melampus Posts: 95 Member
    How often are you weighing? If daily the fluctuations due to the amount of water in your body will likely exceed the amount you are losing on average each day so you really need to look at the graph and confirm whether the trend is downwards.
  • SammyKatt
    SammyKatt Posts: 363 Member
    Its normal.

    I can "gain" 3 pounds over night for just going over on salt or if I've done a really hard core workout the day before.
  • dsc32209
    dsc32209 Posts: 40 Member
    The daily fluctuations are the danger of weighing every day. The time of day matters also. Be careful about eating too few calories. I find I am more successful when I eat all of my allocated calories but not my exercise calories.
  • alladream
    alladream Posts: 261 Member
    You've gotten a lot of good advice here, and I also wanted to mention that some people can be sensitive to foods--if I eat pasta or bread with gluten in it, *my waist gets 2 inches fatter within hours*, whereas if I eat that many calories or even a lot more with no gluten, it simply does not get bigger. I suspect the same would happen to the weight if I had scale and weighed myself often.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I can fluctuate up to 5lbs in a day. I've learned that this is normal for me by weighing everyday. I also know that energy drinks make me retain water (and therefore weigh more on days after I've had them), but that eating asparagus will lower it back down quickly.


    It's all about learning YOUR body and how different things affect YOU.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    i can also fluctuate by as much as 5 pounds a day... sodium.. sugar.. carbs.. tough workouts... all those things are water retainers for me.
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
    Me:

    mornings 133
    night 135

    normally 133
    ovulating 136

    normally 133
    pms 136

    normally 133
    after i fly 136

    normally 133
    after wine 135

    normally 133
    after chinese food 135

    normally 133
    after wine 135

    normally 133
    after a hard workout (and for 2 days after that) 136

    Relieved to see someone else gains after working out. I never gained after hours of cycling, but when I recently started doing elliptical and running, I gained 2 Ibs and it somewhat put me off gym workouts, lol.
  • rawegman
    rawegman Posts: 18
    Thanks for the advice everyone! I do weigh myself every morning before I eat anything. I usually work out on the days I don't work. This is yesterdays info if that helps : (I did not work out yesterday)

    Totals : Carbs : Fats : Proteins :
    1,170 210 38 66
    Goal :
    1340 184 45 50
    Remaining :
    170 -26 07 -16

    So I did go over carbs and proteins..
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,251 Member
    Me:

    mornings 133
    night 135

    normally 133
    ovulating 136

    normally 133
    pms 136

    normally 133
    after i fly 136

    normally 133
    after wine 135

    normally 133
    after chinese food 135

    normally 133
    after wine 135

    normally 133
    after a hard workout (and for 2 days after that) 136

    Relieved to see someone else gains after working out. I never gained after hours of cycling, but when I recently started doing elliptical and running, I gained 2 Ibs and it somewhat put me off gym workouts, lol.
    It's just water. No need to stop working out.
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