Huge fluctuations on scales

Karen100

Hi, I just have a quick question about weight loss. I have been at the gym for five months now, three times a week and following a healthy eating plan. In the first month I lost 10 pounds but not a pound since (although I have continued losing inches all over). Last week I started Grenade workout pills and was delighted to see the scales finally begin to move- 9lbs in the first week (I know this was mostly water as it is impossible to lose that much fat in one week) However, I stepped back on the scale today (first thing in the morning- the same as the last time) and to my astonishment and disappointment I had put on 11lb!!!! Is this water retention or what?! I know I have lost 1.5inches from my tummy in the last week so what on earth is going on with me for the scales to be jumping like this? I do drink loads of water (about 10 pints a day). Any help would be much appreciated and if anyone has any suggestions to help me get the weight down that'd be great. Thanks

cmyk

Karen100 wrote: »

Hi, I just have a quick question about weight loss. I have been at the gym for five months now, three times a week and following a healthy eating plan. In the first month I lost 10 pounds but not a pound since (although I have continued losing inches all over). Last week I started Grenade workout pills and was delighted to see the scales finally begin to move- 9lbs in the first week (I know this was mostly water as it is impossible to lose that much fat in one week) However, I stepped back on the scale today (first thing in the morning- the same as the last time) and to my astonishment and disappointment I had put on 11lb!!!! Is this water retention or what?! I know I have lost 1.5inches from my tummy in the last week so what on earth is going on with me for the scales to be jumping like this? I do drink loads of water (about 10 pints a day). Any help would be much appreciated and if anyone has any suggestions to help me get the weight down that'd be great. Thanks

Hi Karen, you're most probably bang on the mark with your guess at water retention.

A few questions, what's your age/height and weight?...and what does your healthy eating plan look like? (You can PM me the personal details if you don't feel comfortable posting them)

KTRIC

Are you using the same scales each time ??

the groutch

you don't need to drink amount of water unless you're doing huge amounts of cardio imo.
and unless you're using the same scales at the same time every day, you're only fooling yourself as water weight will seriously skew any weight loss or gains.
also stop wasting your money on those Grenade things, there is no "magic pill" to make you lose weight.

Glitter

Sounds like your scales might be broken. Seriously.

A fluctuation of up to 5lbs max. is about normal for women over the course of a week I'm fairly sure, taking things like the eating of an especially salty meal or your TOM into account.
Weigh yourself once a week at the same time every week.

Having said that I know nothing about these pills you're taking but my advice would be that all 'diet' pills are a bad idea.

If you were consistently losing inches while training and eating clean focus on that and not the number on the scales.

rubadub

Glitter wrote: »

Sounds like your scales might be broken. Seriously.

Or a low battery, or just a cheapo scales in the first place. Mine is crap & if you stand in different areas you get different readings. If you have a heavy object(s) you would stick it on the scale each week to check if its the same.

Karen100

The pills aren't weight loss pills, they're just pre-workout pills for an energy boost so I was using them in the hope of a more intense workout (I wouldn't complain if they aided any weight loss though!). If only there was a magic pill!! As for the scales, I use the same ones and weigh myself at the same time every week. I think they're pretty decent, that's the only fluctuation I've really had on them. Will try the heavy object idea over the next week to see if they're as reliable as I think they are, thanks.

CMYK- I'm 30yrs old, 5ft 6' and weigh bang on 13st. My healthy eating plan looks like this:
Breakfast: a bowl of fruit with fat free natural yoghurt or a bowl of porridge
Lunch: chicken or ham salad wrap
Dinner: stirfry or pasta with sauce I make myself or else chicken with sweet potatoes
Snacks: Fruit, fat free yoghurt, rice cakes. If I'm really suffering with a craving I'll have a treat size milkyway or a biscuit with my tea (about once a week).
Having said all that, I relax it a bit at weekends and will allow myself popcorn/minstrels on a fri night with a movie or else a few (too many!) drinks. I know this isn't advisable when trying to lose weight but I see my weight loss journey as a lifestyle change and I would rather it took me twice as long to lose the weight and enjoy myself while doing it rather than slim down quicker and be miserable!
Thanks for all the comments, I might just throw out the scales and keep going by the measurements.

grames_bond

Fat free yoghurt needs to go - most opf the time they "reduce the fat" by taking out all the nutrients and addiung in a boat load of sugars to make it taste better - so while it may be "only 90 calories per pot" - the simple carbs and sugars are through the roof - so you will be doing yourself a disservice by eating them!

Look at the ingredients - if one of them ends in -ose (glucose etc) - thats a pretty good indicator that it is a form of sugar!

cmyk

Karen100 wrote: »

B: a bowl of fruit with fat free natural yoghurt or a bowl of porridge
L: chicken or ham salad wrap
stirfry or pasta with sauce or else chicken with sweet potatoes
S: Fruit, fat free yoghurt, rice cakes. If I'm really suffering with a craving I'll have a treat size milkyway or a biscuit with my tea.
Having said all that, I relax it a bit at weekends and will allow myself popcorn/minstrels on a fri night with a movie or else a few (too many!) drinks.

Ok Karen, I've highlighted a few bits on that diet, carbs in red, protein in green, alcohol (I assume) in blue. If it serves no other purpose it's just to show you how skewed you are towards carbs. I'd add in some proteins/fats and be honest with yourself on just how much in the way of 'treats' you're having at the weekend too.

By no means do I think carbs are the devil and you should banish them forever, just try to balance them according to your energy output. That is, if you sit at a desk most of the day and have little movement you don't really need that much. Build your meals around a good protein source, think meats/fish/eggs, add more vegetables and you should see improvements in fat loss and energy levels etc.

Karen100 wrote: »

I know this isn't advisable when trying to lose weight but I see my weight loss journey as a lifestyle change and I would rather it took me twice as long to lose the weight and enjoy myself while doing it rather than slim down quicker and be miserable!

There is a balance to be found for sure, but weight loss is about creating an energy deficit, hunger is a part of that no matter what way you cut it or who sells a diet as being 'effortless' so as I said be honest with yourself in terms of food and drink, at your height and weight you should be aiming to see the scales come down slightly each week, with measurements still being important too obviously.

What does your exercise look like?

Karen100

The thing is, when I do Slimming World on its own, I lose about 2lb per week. However, this wasn't improving my fitness so I decided to add the gym to the mix. All of a sudden I stopped losing weight. Maybe these two things don't go hand in hand. I had heard about the fat free yoghurts being full of sugar but I couldn't think of an alternative that was as tasty and as convenient! What could I replace them with? And the carbs!!! If I didn't eat therm I'd be STARVING!!!!!!! To be honest, I was pretty proud of myself for cutting out sliced bread!!
As for my exercise, I'm on my feet running around all day five days a week. I have a personalised gym programme designed by a gym trainer. It's based on attending three sessions a week. Each session includes about 40 mins cardio and 40 mins free weights/stability ball/ab workout etc. I get a new programme every six weeks so my body doesn't become too accustomed to it. My fitness level has improved massively. In fact, there's been a dramatic improvement in EVERYTHING (my sleep, fitness, energy levels, cravings, size-I'm down two dress sizes already), everything except the scales!!

Stench Blossoms

Karen100 wrote: »

In fact, there's been a dramatic improvement in EVERYTHING (my sleep, fitness, energy levels, cravings, size-I'm down two dress sizes already), everything except the scales!!

If you are down two dress sizes then why do you care what the scales displays?

cmyk

Karen100 wrote: »

And the carbs!!! If I didn't eat therm I'd be STARVING!!!!!!!

You've misread what I said...balance it out with some more protein and fat sources and not have your diet so skewed towards carbs, this just means playing with your macros a little.

Karen100 wrote: »

As for my exercise, I'm on my feet running around all day five days a week.

Again, this makes a big difference in comparison to someone who sits at a desk for 8hrs a day, and then another 3 in front of the tv in the evening, along with another hour in the car.

Karen100 wrote: »

I have a personalised gym programme designed by a gym trainer. It's based on attending three sessions a week. Each session includes about 40 mins cardio and 40 mins free weights/stability ball/ab workout etc. I get a new programme every six weeks so my body doesn't become too accustomed to it.

Excellent...this makes a difference with regard actually changing your body shape and composition.

Karen100 wrote: »

My fitness level has improved massively. In fact, there's been a dramatic improvement in EVERYTHING (my sleep, fitness, energy levels, cravings, size-I'm down two dress sizes already), everything except the scales!!

It sounds like you're on the right path, and as stench blossom said, if you're down in measurements and clothes then ignore the scales. Keep on doing what you're doing, making those adjustments in diet over time.

LuckyLloyd

Karen100 wrote: »

The thing is, when I do Slimming World on its own, I lose about 2lb per week. However, this wasn't improving my fitness so I decided to add the gym to the mix. All of a sudden I stopped losing weight. Maybe these two things don't go hand in hand. I had heard about the fat free yoghurts being full of sugar but I couldn't think of an alternative that was as tasty and as convenient! What could I replace them with? And the carbs!!! If I didn't eat therm I'd be STARVING!!!!!!! To be honest, I was pretty proud of myself for cutting out sliced bread!!
As for my exercise, I'm on my feet running around all day five days a week. I have a personalised gym programme designed by a gym trainer. It's based on attending three sessions a week. Each session includes about 40 mins cardio and 40 mins free weights/stability ball/ab workout etc. I get a new programme every six weeks so my body doesn't become too accustomed to it. My fitness level has improved massively. In fact, there's been a dramatic improvement in EVERYTHING (my sleep, fitness, energy levels, cravings, size-I'm down two dress sizes already), everything except the scales!!

:eek:

So many indicators of positive progress and you're choosing to focus on the one area that isn't going like you'd expect!!

Sounds like you're making great progress and working hard. I think there is good diet advice above from cmyk regarding your diet composition but, really, if you look and feel substantially better why do the scales matter at all!!

Karen100

Thanks for all the tips. I know I shouldn't be so worried about the scales, its just I want a healthy BMI and if my weight isn't changing then this is going to remain unhealthy. It's the same as everything in most aspects of our lives though, like with work, you could hear 10 positive things and one negative thing during a feedback session, and you only ever really remember the negative, well I do anyways! I'm gonna ditch the scales now for a month and just focus on my eating and exercise plans. I'll try to balance out my meals more and see how I get on with adding more protein and healthy fats and tweaking the carbs. Thanks a million guys for all your help, its refocused me now on getting healthy and fit and to stop obsessing with the scales!!