Ok, so I have been around the block enough to know that when you fluctuate a few pounds up and down it's almost always water weight. This is my question... I have been dieting (1300-1400) a day and working out 5-6 days a week (HIIT and strength training) since beginning of April. I am currently down 10 pounds, trying to lose 10 more. I have a scale that measures your water weight and BMI and all that crap... I got on it for 4 days in a row and it read 135.4, all the sudden it goes up to 136.6, then the next day up to 137.8. Today I am back down to 135.4. The trend i have noticed is that I weigh more when my water mass is lower. On the days I was 136-137 water % was at 50-51.5%, when I'm down at 134-135 my water is around 53-54%.

I don't get it. Am i dehydrated and my body begins to go into starvation mode? I do not drink anything besides water (havent for 5 years). Just wondering if anyone can give me an answer on why this may be occuring? TIA

Bear in mind your sodium levels could vary with what you eat.  On the days it's going up, are you eating more sodium than usual?  On the days it's oing down, are you eating less sodium than usual?

It could also be the amount of water you drink, and it will flush out a lot of that stuff that'll make you retain water weight.

I don't think you have to worry about going into starvation mode, and I don't think you're dehydrated.  Unless you admittedly don't drink a whole lot of water throughout the day or eat water-rich foods.

I'm pretty sure it's going to vary because of sodium.

Thank you so much for the input... after looking at my logs and my estimated sodium intake i did realize on those days i was taking in a lot of salt. Also yesterday when my weight went down I ate less salt and drank more water to help flush out my system. I dont think i was drinking enough water either.  My last question is, what is the correct level of sodium I should be eating? I can give up everything else but salt seems to be my biggest weakness, i put it on everything! haha what can I use instead?

Current average around 2200-2500mg of salt a day

 

 

I'm having pretty much the same issue with my weight fluctuations.  A few months ago, my weight would stay the same for weeks at a time. I'd gain 3-5 right before TTOM, but it would go right back down afterwards. For the last several months, my weight hasn't been the same two days in a row. It varies anywhere from 1-4 lbs. It's so frustrating, as I don't know what my "real weight" is anymore. I eat pretty much the same things from day to day, and drink lots of water. I really watch my sodium intake also.

My scale measures hydration, body fat, etc. also, and like you, I weigh more when my water % are lower. I know the less you have to lose, the harder it gets, but like you, I'm getting discouraged. I eat from 1250-1350 calories per day, and workout 7 days per week at a high level. If you are eating 1300-1400 calories per day, I don't think either of us is in starvation mode!

Sorry I don't have any answers - just wanted to let you know that you're not the only one with this problem.

jansherman... I'm sorry to see someone else going through this too. I was lucky enough not to gain any weight before TOM came to town but then right after I went up a pound then lost it all. My "real" weight is 134 -135 i take that to be true because my weight keeps staying at those numbers - and this was the only week i have "gained" any weight. Are you an everyday weigher? I do it every morning at pretty much the same time then again at night to see how much it's gone up with my food intake.

My rule is that I have to stay the same weight on the scale for 3 consecutive days before i count it as a weight loss... luckily I have been steadily decreasing. How much more do you have to lose? I have never been smaller than 131 even when i did the zone diet but I have also never done this much work before so I'm hoping I can get past that number and keep going. Good luck to you!!

Yep, I weigh every morning - after using the bathroom before I do anything else. Technically I guess my weight is where it should be. I feel best at about 105, but I've been between 105 and 108. Not a huge difference, but it's just weird that it won't stay the same. I like your rule about the weight having to stay the same for 3 days for it to count as weight loss.

Good luck to you too! Sounds like you're doing awesome!

I have been monitoring my calories - not eating as little as this site tells me to - but less than I would normally eat. I have been exercising for at least 40 minutes and many days up to 1hour and 45 minutes for 5 days a week for 5 weeks. I have not lost 1#. Well that is not true, I have gained and lost the same 1# multiple times in the last 5 weeks. I did lose 4 inches in the first 3 weeks - but I am so frustrated. I need one of those scales - where did you find that?

Hey amk, I'm sorry to hear that... are you keeping your deficit between 500-1000 calories  a day? And are you tracking your exercise in the burn meter? If you're not eating in that deficit then you wont lose. I typically keep mine around 600-900 calories a day. The scale i actually got from target for like 60 bucks but it was worth it! good luck to you :-)

I also got my scale at Target - it's a Taylor brand, and was on sale for around $25. I hardly ever use the body fat function anymore - I've read that measuring body fat this way is extremely inaccurate, which I found to be true. One day I would be 10%, the next day 4%, then 27%, then 15%... It just made me laugh. One thing I do check is the hydration percentage. I'm noticing that if my hydration level is under 70% or so, then my weight is usually up a little. I guess it just reminds me that I didn't drink enough water the previous day.

Also, losing inches and not losing weight is still progress. It indicates that you're losing fat and maintaining muscle.

Ok week 1 my deficit for the week was -551

week 2 -2560

week 3 -1540

week 4 -3256

And so far this week I am at about -3200. Tomorrow is going to be super hard because we are going out with friends to dinner and a ball game BUT I am going to the gym.

 

What do you think of my numbers?

 

At a deficit of 600 - 900 how many calories are you eating / burning?  How much weight do you lose a week?

 

I do track on the burn meter and I write down what the machines say and they are usually pretty close.

 

I am going to Target right now!!

I just got back from Target - I go the Taylor scale with the Fitness Minder technology. I am so excited!!

Hey glad you got the scale!! I don't pay attentiont to the fat thing either as the OP said because it's just not right but I do pay close attention to the water, i'm supposed to be around 50-60% water. As for your numbers I think I see the problem, you have have a weekly deficit of 3500 to lose a pound of fat. By what you're writing down you arent making that, so that is probably why you aren't losing any weight. I would suggest cutting down the calories or stepping up the exercise. What kind of things do you do at the gym?

That 600-900 deficit is daily so I have a weekly deficit of 4200-6300. My eat meter says I should be eating 1443 but I usually come in around 1300-1400, rarely do I go over that. It isn't hard for me to stay in that range. On non-workout days I burn 1980 and on work-out days I burn anywhere from 2130-2300. I am steadily losing 1-2 pounds a week for the past 5 weeks.

I work out 5 days a week and for an hour to an hour and half and I walk my dog 3 times a week for 30-45mins each time. I put my activity level as "light" because I do a desk job all day.

At the gym I usually burn 250-450 calories each time. Depends on what I do. I also lift weights quite a bit. I hope this helps let me know!!

 

That is super helpful. You know my husband, lovingly might I add, has already told me that I am still eating too much. I guess I was hoping it would all even out. It helps to have an outsider tell me what is right in front of me, really - thank you.

I think I do pretty well at the gym. I use the website iTrain.com and have downloaded workouts to my iPod. It is like having my own personal trainer for less than $20 a month. I use the elliptical and the treadmill and it is almost always an interval workout. I spend no less than 40 minutes on the cardio with that. If I am just not feeling it I make myself walk on the treadmill at home for 30 minutes - at least for something. I lift weights too - but I have not been consistent. I need to work on that.

Thank you so much for your help. I am so focused now! I know that I am going to make it happen today and make the 3500 goal!!

 

Haha, I wish my fiance even cared about his weight and mine doesn't notice what I eat at all :-) I'm glad I could be of service to you, I am in no way the know-it all but what I'm doing seems to be working.

I want to check out that website it sounds awesome, I need something like that to keep me motivated and your workouts sound great. Lifting is my favorite thing because I always feel so powerful afterwards. It gives me a good rush but I in no way want to be a bodybuilder or anything.

Good luck with your weight loss and I sincerely hope you get to where you want to be! You can do it just stick with it and I swear eating less gets easier :)

 

When you work out you muscles want to retain even more water. I had the same issue. SPent too much time at the low calorie. So I bumped up my cals to under 1800 and worked out 3-4 days instead of my 5-6. I was able to break my plateau. I think my body just needed to be shook up.