Rapid weight increase

[Fitnessfreak17]

Hello All, sorry in advance for the essay.

I have joined this group in hope someone can give me an insight.
I am a 36 year old woman who exercises 6 days a week and eats a calorie controlled diet 95% of the time on 1900 calories a day.
I run on average 35-40k a week as well as weighted hit sessions.

My dilemma… I have put 6 pound weight on in 3/4 weeks! Nothing has changed in my lifestyle, all that has changed is the weather. This happens every year, as soon as it warms up I put weight on and feel bloated. I am taking water tablets, increased my water intake to around 4l a day and even tried a lymphatic massage, but nothing has changed!

Has anyone experienced this and what can I do? I am going out my mind 🤯 Thank you for any advice.

I'm not sure how true this is I've heard alot lately about not eating enough to be able to lose weight. Something about calorie deficits below maintenance eventually becoming the new maintenance level so you have to decrease further in order to lose again.

Hopefully someone will be able to confirm or debunk this.

I'm in a similar position..scales seem to he going up yet I strangely have almost visible abs and clothes feeling looser..not quite sure how that works 😂

ruled out pregnancy?
maybe do less in case it's inflammation related.

Decrease my calories ? It’s crazy and driving me crazy. My resting heart rate has reduced too and sits about 52BPM which doesn’t normally happen when putting on weight.
its such a ’mind field.
if your clothes feel better then I would try and ignore the scales but I know it’s hard. My clothes feel tighter, even my bras towards the end of the day 🤯

Definitely not pregnant! Lol
I have read about this “do less” in the warmer weather, I’m just not sure how I would deal with that mentally lol x

I’m not sure you should be taking water tablets and drinking 4l of water a day

Muscles weigh more than fat so that will put the weight on but I'm pretty sure 1900 kcal will not put you in deficit to start losing excess fat especially if you have a sedentary type job. Depends how much you want to lose, by when, and your height to weight ratio. But to lose weight gently I'd generally aim for 1,500 kcal and intermittent fasting, with last meal around 7PM latest. Also don't start breakfast with carbohydrates. Go for protein rich food.

1500 is pretty low for who appears to be an active 36 year old woman isn't it?

Why do people still insist that muscle weighs more than fat?

Common sense tells us a pound of muscle and a pound of fat have to weigh the same, but they do differ in density. This means if you look at five pounds of muscle and five pounds of fat side by side, the fat takes up more volume, or space, than the muscle. That’s important when you’re on a diet and part of your goal is the lean look of muscle, not the flabby look of fat.

Any chance you are more stressed then usual or not sleeping as well?
Either of these things can raise your cortisol levels and affect weight.

I considered this, but I’ve been getting in extra sleep and I don’t feel too stressed. My resting heart rate has dropped to around 52BPM and from what I’ve read with cortisol the heart rate would rise? It’s such a mind field 🤯

It’s not a mine field at all.

its a possibility that you’re really doing too much. You’re probably at athlete level if you are working out 6 days a week but also a lot is high impact.

A slower recovery run and no water tablets would be a start. See how your body responds to that.

have you been to your gp at all? Especially if you think it is bloat rather than actual weight.
this is where I think upping your fluid AND taking water tablets is a mistake. And if you are healthy, which you clearly are, you really don’t need water tablets.

Post Covid insulin resistance is real but if it happens every summer probably not that, especially as you don’t mention being ill.

Have you tried taking electrolytes and/or salt tablets?

I would probably monitor for another 3/4 weeks then possibly see a gp to book some routine bloods in case of thyroid issues

Also - any change in contraception or any other regular meds?

Ah - sorry ignore my last, I missed that you wrote it happens every year!

Not this again. Don’t be daft. The OP has not gained 6lbs of muscle in 3 weeks unless she’s on anabolic steroids.

If this happens every year and is clearly nothing serious if it then goes away once the weather drops again, why are you downing 4 litres of water a day and taking water tablets?

OP, it’s probably fat and fluid retention. In the 5% of the time where you’re not calorie controlled you can easily eat enough to create an overall calorie surplus.

Stand on the scales then drink a litre of water and weigh yourself again and you’ll be 1kg heavier. 4l of water a day and water tablets is ridiculous as you may be messing about with your electrolyte balance

Perhaps you’re over training, you only have one rest and recovery day. All that running may be making you hungrier so you eat more.

If you think you have an unexplained weight gain then you need to see your GP.

And actually the water tablets could attribute to your HR lowering.

Other than weight has your size increased at all? What are your bowel movements like? Have you started taking any supplements like Creatine?

So, I would start to track your food, all of it.

Track your steps and activity,

Weigh in at the same time daily.

Track over 2 weeks.

If nothing out of ordinary I would change my exercise to a different sport for a while to shock my body- so rowing / swimming / hiking / weight training

Ditch the scales and get a tape measure out.

Depending where I am in my menstrual cycle I can gain 5lb overnight. Could you be showing signs of early perimenopause? Are your periods regular?

I track my calories and all exercise on my Apple Watch.
I burn around 2300 calories a day and eat 1900 calories. The 5%, this isn’t normally a meal but maybe a few biscuits or an ice cream at the weekend.
my confusion is that from January-June I was probably more social and didn’t put on any weight and was around 8stone 13/9stone, nothing has drastically changed and I am now 9stone 5 and I can’t work out why. Workouts are the same, food isn’t any different.
Clothes feel a tad more snug than they did prior to the weight gain.

I am going to stop the water tablets as never knew they lowered my heart rate. Thank you 😊
I will see what happens over the next week and then book a doctors appointment.

How often do you weigh yourself? If you have a good relationship with the scales then weigh yourself every morning after the same routine. Eg wake up, pee, weigh. Your weight will fluctuate which is entirely normal but it’ll be more accurate than random weighings ir weekly. You can track it on an app.

IMO it’s better to weigh daily than say once a week or randomly.

Fitness trackers aren’t very accurate is my understanding. Have you calculated your TDEE?

Do you run more in the summer?

Why’s on earth are you taking diuretics / water tablets. They are for people with heart failure or high blood pressure.
It really worries me that a fit young woman would be using them ( and drinking large amounts of water at the same time) . Makes me suspect that you are obsessive about your body / appearance.

Reasons for water retention hormonal changes , eating more salt in your diet eg crisps, travel by air . I put on 4/5 lb every month the week of my period.