"Gained" 8 pounds in 2 days

hi there folks, There is a lesson in here, so read carefully. I wish I had the same strength around the scale that I have around food!!!! I stood on the scale tonight and I am up from 240 to 248. I don't blame the scale, I blame myself!!!!! I shouldn't step on that thing, especially when I know that there is something going on with me. Let me explain. I went to the doc who told me I have an enlarged uterus. He said it was the size of a 12 week pregnant woman's!!! This is apparently what is causing my water retention. If you remember I was posting the past couple of weeks that I wake up with my fingers swollen!! I also have a tightness in my knees. Now I know why. So I am retaining water. No matter how much I drink or urinate, this water is not disappearing. I am also very tender in my abdomen. The doctor has given me pills that will bring on a very heavy period and hopefully reduce the swelling of my uterus. But in the meantime I didn't lose last week and now I am up 8 pounds. I almost wish I could explain it. Not that I could ever possibly explain an 8 pound weight gain in 2 days. I don't think anyone could consume that much food!!! Nothing has changed for me other then adding one extra day of working out and I have also tried to add a couple hundred calories a day to my intake. I am only consuming around 1000 a day. Soooooooooooooooo the lesson you ask??? Well, the scale can be both our friend and our foe. I know that I have stepped on and "lost" 5 pounds overnight. I know also that number isn't realistic, at least for me, and usually the next day it fluctuates a few pounds up and then down and then up and on and on. I try not to measure my success by the numbers on the scale. But I don't want to be stuck at 240 something for the rest of my life. My very realistic goal of 200 is where I want to be. I promised myself that I won't step on the scale until I am finished with these meds, and have this heavy heavy period the doctor guaranteed me. I think I am going to have to stick to that, or really lose my mind. Thanks for listening!!! Donna

Hi Joyce, I started to have some problems with swelling about 5 years ago. My ankles would swell, just my ankles, and sometimes my fingers. I went for all kinds of heart tests, nothing. Then when I just kept getting heavier my feet would swell. Gosh they would look awful, like little sausages. Finally after the weight loss I have "normal" feet again. It too****il I was down about 60 pounds before it happened. Funny thing is before this I never had a real problem with water retention. I already "lost" 7 of the 8 pounds, so I am breathing a sigh of relief. I upped my water today and I have began the pills that will help me hopefully shrink my uterus. I just hate seeing the numbers go up, whatever the reason!!! Thanks for the encouragement. Donna

Hey Donna... Sorry to hear about what you're going through... Yes, the scale does fluctuate on a daily basis... usually depending on several factors -- time of day, what you ate/drank before bed, pre or post bathroom trip, how much/little sleep you got the night before etc etc... I would advise not stepping on the scale more than once a week. Seriously, when I do that, I get very frustrated because it does jump up and down. But when you work out one day, your body doesn't "act" on it until a day or two later, do you know what I mean?? Sooo... pick one day and weigh yourself on that one -- hence, the "weekly weigh-in" thing I started. Saturday's my day.. basically because it's the day I get the best night's sleep... and for some reason, I've found that the scale is most accurate and consistant when you're well rested. It's true that stress adds pounds! -CJ

Hi CJ, No matter how much I know that stepping on the scale every day is not a good thing, I just can't seem to stop myself. I am usually pretty calm about the small fluctuations. This one, 8 pounds, well it is a big number even for the most seasoned weigh****cher!!!! I have already "lost" 7 of the 8 pounds, I drank a lot of water today. I already started the pills that will help with my condition. I actually only count the Saturday morning weigh in as my "legal" weigh in. I think I truly enjoy getting on the scale now, having really avoided it for almost 20 years. And about the stress, yeah I've had a bit of that in the past weekend due to all the medical stuff I was going through!! Thanks for the reply and I will try my hardest to stay off the scale. I fear I will probably fail at that. Donna

Donna, As long as you are eating right and exercising, don't be afraid of the scale. You know why the extra pounds are there. They will be gone soon. I gain about 2 pounds right before my normal period. I weigh about 4 - 5 times daily. I weigh more in the evening than morning, more on Tuesdays (?). I have learned the patterns that my weight follows. I usually go by my Saturday morning weigh in at LA to track my "official weight". I don't let those normal fluctuations worry me. Lynette

Hi Lynette, Thanks for the response. I usually don't take the small 2-3 pound fluctuations too hard, but 8 pounds just made me want to scream. I guess it's because I don't know what is going on with my health at this point, and it scares me to imagine that I will just gain it all back just because. I have figured out my scale patterns as well, and as I told CJ I only count my Saturday morning weigh in. I just freaked when I saw the number and I had already been a bit frustrated at how much more slowly I am losing. I find it amusing that in the end, regardless of the medium we use, the weight loss truly ends up being maybe 1-2 pounds a week, 3 for the very lucky. Thanks again, I am more calm now after "losing" 7 of the 8 pounds. I'm just continuing doing what I'm doing. As you said, as long as I know what I am doing is right then I shouldn't be worrying. Donna