My attempt to trick the scale failed!

I do my weigh-ins every Sunday morning on my Wii Fit.  I really try and not be a slave to the numbers, because I understand how weight fluctuates throughout the day and I don't want to be discouraged.  To my DISDAIN however, it appears that I gained 1.5 lbs this week and I honestly don't see how that is possible.  After seeing this number, I decided to do my step aerobic workout for 30 minutes and then re-weigh.  I was thinking, "surely my body must just be retaining water so I'll weigh less when I'm finished."

After my sweaty workout, I got back on the scale and was told I had GAINED .9 lbs!!  I couldn't believe it.  I did drink a few ounces of water after 15 minutes of constantly moving, but I hardly see how that could equate to a gain since I was also sweating the whole time.  What the heck?

Anyhow, I have been exercising at least 45 minutes a day 5-6 days a week (religiously) and have been logging my cals throughout the week.  Even on days when I go over my calorie target (usually weekends), it is not enough (from what I can see on paper) to cause a gain.  I am getting somewhat discouraged... I currently weigh 148, am 37 years old and have a goal weight of roughly 130-135.  I started my journey the second week of January and have lost a total of 11 pounds.  My calorie target is between 1200-1300 a day and this is what was recommended by CC.  Any suggestions to kick my weight loss in gear would be appreciated.

With something like that I'd be tempted to purchase a new scale, because that doesn't seem logical to me, either.

I was getting a bit discouraged a few weeks ago and decided to eat maintenance for a week or two. Now that I'm back on, looking for a 400-700 deficit, the weight is coming off again like when I first started back in January. Sometimes your body needs a little break.

Others will also recommend increasing your calories and mixing up your type and intensity of workout, because your body may be too used to your routine or you might have calorie deficits that are causing you to hold on tight to every last calorie.

Honestly, I'd probably get a different scale. Even if it's new, it might be shoddy craftmanship or defective.

I am not an expert concerning weight fluctuations, but I do have a Wii Fit. Have you compared yours with a real scale? Because I did, and my balance board is actually the one with the fluctuations. I tried letting the Wii weigh me and then weighing myself on a regular scale, and the Wii was always higher than the scale, sometimes 2-3 lbs, once as much as 7 lbs!

it's probably going to be extra hard for you to lose weight because you don't have a lot of weight to lose

i would do really INTENSE interval training so that your body continues to burn calories long after you've stopped working out

and lift weights so your muscles will start eating your fat

when you gain muscle mass because muscle is more dense than fat and will weigh more, you'll see a gain on the scale, but those muscles are gonna eat your fat, pretty soon you'll have a lot less fat and a really lean looking body

Thanks so much for the quick responses.  I am really starting to feel a little "blah" about it and I know better.  I mean really-- any time anyone posts to the board about feeling down about "gaining", I try and encourage them to NOT be discouraged.  I'm trying really hard to follow my own good advice, but it is a little tough.

werethylacine-- it is a Wii Fit balance board and not an actual scale.  Since I really am "anti-scale," I haven't purchased one, but after what redselene said, I just might have to!!  LOL.  I did read somewhere redselene that the Wii Fit was slightly off and it usually shows a slightly higher number than a person's actual weight.  That never bothered me too much as I figured if anything, I'd be a couple of lbs. lighter, but you saw a 7 pound fluctuation???  Wow-- that is a huge difference.  So, a scale is something I will consider.

Thin-girl- yeah, I feel sort of like my body is plateu-ing in a horrible way.  Adding more weights to my routine will probably do me some good as mostly what I do now is cardio and calisthenics.  Thank you for the advice!

i just re-read my response

i realize the last part of what i said made absolutely no sense, but i think you got the general jist of it hahah

but yes, don't get discouraged

remember this isn't a quick fix

this is a fix for life, your ultimate goal shouldn't be to lose the weight, but the keep it off for good

and you are young and have many many years to reap the benefits of your healthy lifestyle

Thank you for your encouragement and your post made total sense .

If you're looking to purchase a scale you might consider one that also reads your body fat percentage.  That way if you are up a pound but down in fat you'll know and you won't beat yourself up over it.  I have a Tanita scale, and even though my trainer gets a more accurate body fat read when he does my body fat, I can at least watch the trend on my scale go down!

I find that i weigh 1-2lbs more the day after i exercise hard, the opposite to what youd expect. I think my body retains a little water, which i guess makes sense as you have caused tiny tears to your muscles so they retain water whilst healing.

I weigh myself daily first thing in the morning. If you do it often enough youll learn your fuctuations with exercise, totm etc and then wont be stressed when you gain a little.

Mchilman, several years ago I had one of those body fat scales and I actually did enjoy watching even the slightest percentage decrease in the body fat area.  I'll probably get another one of those since this fiasco.

Chelseagirl, if I weighed myself everyday I think I'd be a big stressball.  I can see how it would help some people gauge their progress/fluctuations better though.

Muscles expand when you work out, sweetie.  Weigh after peeing/doing #2 or whatever it is you do in the AM, before eating or drinking anything, and I'd suggest doing it once a week or less.  I know what it's like to freak out over a number--it sucks.  But you know what?  It's not permanent.  Don't give that mindless, souless piece of machinery too much power, okay?

I really needed to hear that sarahbluebelle.  I know it's not permanent and all I can do is keep my goals in mind and keep on plugging away. :)  Slow and steady wins the race.

There are few things that could have happened. If you lift weights, it could be muscle weight. Make sure you take your measurements. Since muscle ismore dense than fat, the same amount of muscle is smaller than an equivalent amount of fat. I also seem to "gain" weight after a workout so I would not worry about it. Just make sure you weigh yourself at the same time and on an empty stomach (food in you belly weighs too).

You also may have hit a plateau. You have lost a good amount, congrats! Kicking up the intensity of your workouts with interval training is a great idea. Also don't buy into the less is more principle with regards to your eating. the best weightloss progress is seen when your calories in only differs from calories out by about 500 calories. Sure you may lose weight like crazy in the beginning but after a while your body thinks it's starving and you hold onto weight so make sure you are eating enough. (A great example of this was seen on the Biggest Loser this season when a contestant's weight loss was slowed because he didn't eat enough). Hope this helps.

Good Luck!

I hear that!  Honestly, I have written poems about the relationship I have with my scale.  They're quite funny.  The scale, my best friend, my enemy, my love, the evil hell beast that sits in the corner of my bathroom and mocks me.  haha...  What have I learned about the scale?  Day to day, the number DOESN'T MATTER!  It doesn't, I swear. The number is not a reflection of the extra bounce in my step, or how every physical movement feels so much easier! For me, the number is a goal post (and its often the YIPPEEE goal post), but it isn't the goal.  I repeat LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT THE GOAL.  We all think it is, but its not.  It is the goal post. Getting healthier, and hotter, those are the goals!

If you are working out at least 45 minutes a day 5-6 days a week, you are getting healthier, and probably firmer, slimmer and sexier too. You are probably also not eating enough on 1200-1300 Kcal a day, though I didn't see your height.  I started my journey Jan. 27 (8 weeks today!) and have lost 35 lbs.  I was eating between 1450-1600 daily, am 5'7 do an hour of cardio 6 days a week, and walk an hour 5 days a week.  I've dropped 35 lbs (I started at 252 lbs and am 27 yrs old).  Losing weight too quickly, I upped my caloric intake, and lost even more weight!  SO CONFUSING... OH SCALE, can you explain this bizarre behaviour???  So the scale, my friend, my foe, is erratic.  The she-beast has a mind of her own, and simply LOVES to mess with my head. 

I hit a plateau for two weeks, and was feeling pretty glum about it.  Finally, after a day of being fed up with my frumpy oversized clothes, I went shopping and bought new pants.  Turns out, I'd gone from an 18 to a 14 in 6 weeks!  The scale couldn't tell me that.  I was soooo excited.  So, then I started measuring myself.  Those numbers often come off when scale numbers don't, because of building muscle, and it might make you feel less frustrated, because you can see progress!  It certainly helped for me. 

What they said! But I bet you will get the best response from changing up your routine.  Buy a jump rope, get a real hula hoop (its just enough different from the wii), Instead of just walking, jog-walk.  Jog a little walk a little. 

Also switch your diet around.  If you normally have cereal, change to an egg and toast.  AND Add some days where you eat more.  I seem to have the best result if I aim to have a full maintenance calorie day once a week.  Don't let your body think it knows what you are doing.  Mix it up and keep your system "on it's toes"

I think that "shocking" my system may just be what the doc ordered.   I think HIIT will probably be the way I go for a while.  Even done in smaller chunks of time (ie- 20 minutes of HIIT vs. 40 minutes of straight cardio) seems to be more effective for fat loss- for my body anyway.  I may also try and incorporate a maintenance day and see how that works. 

I'm 5'8" and even when I inputted all my info into CC, it reccommended 1200-1300 daily to meet my goals.  I was surprised by that.  I even played around w/my activity levels to see if that would impact the recommendation and it didn't. 

Aislign- I guess I have done well so far.  My clothes fit a heck of a lot better and I feel and look firmer.  I have increased energy and stamina as well.  I just thought my slow/steady weight loss of 1-2 lbs a week would continue so seeing that gain when I really didn't do anything differently threw me for a loop!

I have measured my body and to my surprise, I haven't seen a reduction since the last time I measured on 2/4.  That was also discouraging b/c I actually FEEL smaller.

I really appreciate all of your encouragement everyone .