I've gained over 10lbs in 2.5 weeks

[twoforj0y]

I'm really fed up and flabbergasted.

I stood on the scales yesterday expecting to possibly see something good - no! Total opposite. I had been hovering over the 11 and a half stone mark, and now I am 12st 3lb

I KNOW some is water retention, but seriously, ?? It's a lot. I'm so confused.

I just spent a week cycling the most aggressive days I've ever done on the bike overseas. I then went from that to A&E with my dc for four days (so crappy food but I didn't go too nuts). I expected to see loss. I was burning off about 2k calories a day and definitely not over eating on the cycling trip.

I'm 49 and on HRT.

I was about 10st 7 my whole adult life up until about three years ago and this creep started but now it's making big JUMPS. Please can someone give context to what is going on??

Well just from your description I would say its very likely water retention

Aggressive cycling, water retention around the joints to protect from hard exercise

Eating probably higher carb foods than normal, plus lack of sleep, plus stress = water retention

Get back to normal, dont weigh yourself for a couple of weeks and it should settle down

Did you even read my post? I have moved MORE than ever, and not binged.

It's water. Don't be hard on yourself it happens.

Ten pounds of fat is something like 36,500 additional calories. That's not four days of eating of diet calories

Weigh yourself at the weekend and I bet al lot of that weight will have shifted - as PP has already said, with all that aggressive cycling you without doubt have gained fluid.

Thanks. But this amount on water sounds mad to me! Is it even possible? The stress part, I haven't considered that. Why does stress make us "hold" though. Ugh. I have been very worried for my dc with the whole A&E admission thing.

I wonder if it's hormones too.

I'm far from a good eater and have been consciously making improvements, so was quietly optimistic to see a small visual cue of encouragement! Plus my period has finished and this was the "safe" time to weigh myself...

I'm keeping an eye on it. I can actually see myself as puffy - my socks leave a big indent on my leg, for examples which I was noticing.

Thanks for your reply!

Stress does mad things to your body. It makes you retain weight as you are in a danger response.

Also the cycling is high stress. More exercise doesn't necessarily mean weight loss as it spikes cortisol. It sounds like yours was intense.

@theforeverPm

I summarised my movements down without huge detail. I Cycled twice here since getting out of hospital (did another 100km on the weekend) and when in hospital I took the stairs up and down as they had pictures by the lifts suggesting people availed of "the free gym" (5th floor) - it worked.

I ate little in hospital. It might not have been the finest food, but no mindless bingeing.

:( I hadn't thought of that and the stress my body feels.

My HR data is showing improvement, under pressure I can maintain pace at a lower heart rate, so my heart health is definitely showing improvements. Maybe I'll cling to that!

Are your scales accurate? Mine started to play me up a few months ago so I replaced them I was getting mad wild weigh ins

I would suggest it’s water rather than fat, you may have been eating rather salty food the last few days too.

Have been craving salty foods yes.

Maybe it's the scales. I could not believe it when it went over 12!

I'll give it a few days and see if it settles. Thanks :)

Do you take electrolytes when you are cycling? I would assume your body is craving what it has lost in your sweat, I always weigh more after the days I work out due to water retention.

@Menora I do yes, i take loads, as I'm so scared of bonking on the bike I am careful with fuelling.

But thinking back, I drank a truck load of Starbucks lattes in hospital, not good.

Anyway. I'll keep going. Annoying as I am hoping the cycling shifts some weight.

You'd have to drink 146 lattes, in addition to what you normally eat, to gain ten pounds.

It's not the lattes

😆😆😆😆😆

I agree, it's not the lattes 😂

Could some of it be muscle mass if you've been aggressively cycling? Better to measure then weigh as that's a true indication of whether you're shrinking and losing bodyfat.

Your posts sound stressed as I read them. The puffiness sounds like odema (might be misspelled) and that's a sure sign of water retention. Sounds as though there are a few things going on. Could be electrolyte imbalance. Drink plenty of water, get some rest. Eat nourishing food. How's your blood pressure and are you on any meds?

Came back this day last week.

I think you should see a doctor.

Sounds like abit too much of everything to me! Stress, hard exercise, then sitting around drinking lattes! Added water retention from poor diet.
Were you sleeping properly? that can also affect weight loss.

TBH I think at this age (which is my age bracket too) its better to have a 'less is more' approach.
So stick to a healthy diet, drink enough fluids, keep a small calorie deficit (200-500 max) and dont hammer the exercise (no need to kill yourself with cardio, just do a decent amount and make sure you are doing that all important strength training).
oh, and sleep! Really make sure you get enough sleep.

Then its just being consistent and try not to panic if you get the odd blip. Ive put weight on before with no contributing factors at all, and gone a month or more without losing anything....
Ive still lost 7st in the last 2 yrs though, just by plodding along!

@henlake7 that's an amazing amount to lose! Well done you.

I feel funny about my post now. I was initially bewildered by the weight gain, but stepping back a bit, I know I'm very worried about my son, and fearful. So I fixate on exercise. And there is next to no sleep while I'm worried :(

I think a good bit of it is from flying - I always pick a bit of puffiness up, then going to a hot country to exercise - so I went from 7 degrees to 25 degrees. My garmin kept telling me updates like "you are now 21% acclimatised!"

I drank massive amounts of water and i suspect I'm holding it.

I think this will all settle when my head settles.

I'm on HRT, and thyroxine for hypothyroidism. I've no problem with blood pressure or anything.

Thanks for the replies, they have for me thinking.

I hadn't picked up that you'd flown recently. I find it can mess with my digestive system.