Is it possible

Is it possible that within a week I can gain 6 pounds? I uped my calories from 1200 to 1500-1800. I am 47, 5'2 and weigh as of today 282. I was at 276 about a week ago. Yesterday I was 280 and seems the weight just keeps going up even though I am eating good. Will miralax cause weight gain? If it is water retention what can I do to get rid of it? Thanks.

It's possible but highly unlikely on a diet of 1500-1800. My best bet is that you are retaining water and generally the larger your body is in the first place, the more significant the water retention will be, as there's more space in and around cells for all the water to go!

Are you constipated? The miralax wouldn't make you gain weight as fat - but if you were really packed up and now you're holding alot of fluid and poo in your intestines then that would account for a couple of kgs!

It's probably hormonal/ constipation and I reckon you should just carry on as you have been and see if it settles. Hope that helps x

I was taking the miralax for constipation, I do not believe I am constipated atm. I however did not take it today because now I am so depressed. I can not even stop crying. I work really hard to lose weight and then all of a sudden I stop losing weight and start gaining. I do not have periods anymore so I know its not TTOTM. I have increased exercise but not by alot as I am wheel chair bound, but I can stand for bits at a time and so I have been doing kinda a running/walk in place until my doctor okays me to do more. I do this for 5 minutes at a time every hour usually 4-5 times a day. I do not believe that this  could of been enough to make me gain muscle tho. I am trying so hard not to just binge and eat everything. Today was my weigh in and something I look forward to every week and now thats blown.

I used to get like that when I saw fluctuations when I knew that I had been following my plan.  But you can relax and definitely don't beat yourself up.  Mathematically you could not have gained 6 pounds of fat.  It takes 3500 calories to make 1 pound of fat.  So you would have had to been eating at your maintenance level PLUS an additional 6x3500 calories to gain 6 pounds of fat.

Search the forums as there are many discussion on this very topic.  The likely culprit is water retention.  The only way to get that down is to really watch your sodium content.  It should be max 2400 mg/day - look at the sodium content of any packaged or canned foods as its usually very high.  Drink lots of water - this will help to flush the excess sodium and fluids from your body.  It won't happen over night so you have to be patient. 

Other possible causes - undigested food (if you're constipated this could be part of it too).  You said you added in some new exercises and your muscles could be retaining some water.  You metabolism could also be adjusting to your change in calories.  1200 calories would have been pretty low for you before so you may have been actually undereating so now your body has to adjust to the new calorie level as well.

Good luck - keep up with your program and you will see this 6 pounds gone and probably then some.

Also I notice when I first step on the scales it says 273.4 but quickly goes up to 282 anyone know whey this happens or if it happens to them.

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Original Post by kissy61:

Also I notice when I first step on the scales it says 273.4 but quickly goes up to 282 anyone know whey this happens or if it happens to them.

Quickly like 5 minutes later? That night? The next day?

If your scale is changing by 8 lbs within minutes, it's time for a new scale.

If you are weighing yourself multiple times during the day, you need to cut it back to just once in the morning (or less often).

It happened right away..hit 273 then right away went up 282, I did not step off the scales. The scales is new about 2 months.

Is ithe old style scales?

If so i remember mine doing about the same.


If there digital i realy dunno then mine works great.

Dial or digital scale? If it's digital, have you tried clearing it (tap it with your toe, but don't stand on it, let it go to zero, then get on)?

Clearly you didn't gian 9 pounds while standing on the scale, and there's no way to know which weight was "right"

Other things - is it on a solid surface (not carpet), and have you moved, kicked, picked it up, etc?

It is digital. It is on a solid floor.I had moved the scales but put them back at same spot. It is weird because the 273 is where I should be, but it only registered once when I first got on at 273 but quickly moved up to 282.

I've never had a digital scale change on me like that - mine gives a 0 moving from left to right, then displays a weight - once it shows the weight, it stays there.

Once had a scale that you could see it counting up as you stepped on it, and if you shifted, it might shift by half a pound. But never 9 lb (unless the dog jumped on you while weighing)...

6 pounds of fat?  Impossible.

6 pounds of water and muscle?  Possible.

6 lb of muscle gain in a week, das? No, not possible.

Original Post by kissy61:

It is digital. It is on a solid floor.I had moved the scales but put them back at same spot. It is weird because the 273 is where I should be, but it only registered once when I first got on at 273 but quickly moved up to 282.

 Did you shift your weight slightly while standing on it?  My scale tends to be tempermental if I don't stand perfectly still while weighing. Mine is rather old though. I usually step weight 3 times in the morning and average it out cuz even with new batteries it still doesn't read the same number

Original Post by amethystgirl:

6 lb of muscle gain in a week, das? No, not possible.

WATER AND muscle.  Muscle is approximately 600 calories/lb.  Combined with water and whatever is sitting in her intestinal tract, and yes, 6 pounds is possible, and unless she is lying, I'm right based on the premise that she is telling the truth.

is your scale a weight watchers scale?  I have a WW scale and it messes up all the time, and I also have to deduct 4 lbs off my weight to get my actual weight because I alway weight 4 lbs less at my doctors and the gym.

No its just a regular digitel scales Taylor brand. This is how it acts.... I get on it goes up kinda stops at 273 then moves up to 282. I did however drink about 8 8oz of water weighted myself again 3 hours later and its back down to 279.6.

Miralax may cause temporary water gain - it works by drawing water to the bowel, so you can "go". That is why it is safer then most laxatives, it doesn't irritate the bowel walls, it just adds water to it.

What does cc say you are burning in a day? And are you adding in a bit of exercise? You could have additional temporary water gain if you are lifting weights (your muscules puff up a bit temporarily while they are repairing and rebuilding.)

Original Post by tomuch4yoo:

is your scale a weight watchers scale?  I have a WW scale and it messes up all the time, and I also have to deduct 4 lbs off my weight to get my actual weight because I alway weight 4 lbs less at my doctors and the gym.

 That's what mine is!!! Boo to WW scales!

If you recently upped your calories after a period of undereating, the weight gain could easily be reflective of your metabolism adjusting. Please give it some time and keep eating healthy, balanced calories and reasonable amounts of fibre/sodium (especially if you are concerned about water retention/constipation)... the weight gain is likely not going to be permanent, and once your metabolism adjusts it will all even out... or your scale might just be really f***ed up...lol.