Bloating, Ugh

Congrats on your loss so far!! The temporary weight gain can be due to a number of different factors.

First of all, unless you consumed an additional 25,000 calories above & beyond what you normally eat in the last 5 days (cheesecake binge, anyone?) it is not possible that the 7pound weight gain is "real".

Instead, it is likely a fluctuation in your bodies natural retention of fluids.

We can retain fluids, or "water weight" for a number of different reasons. If you have a propensity towards swollen feet/ankles & hands (called edema) it is not unusual for your weight to vary by 5+ pounds day by day. I have this issue, & take a water pill to keep it under control.

Hormonal shifts can also cause this, so when you are a week out from getting your period, your body can have a tendency to hold fluid, giving us the bloated feeling.

Sometimes what you eat will also cause a water retention, when you consume overly salty foods, such as chips, lots of processed foods, pizza (there is a lot of salt in the cheese!), chinese food is notorious. Bodies like to stay in equilibrium, and so if you bring in salty foods, the body grabs the salt to bring the cells to the same concentration as the passages the food are travelling in. Then, when you have finished eating, your body holds onto water to help equalize the cells that became extra "salty".

Since you've been working out, it is possible that your body is reacting to the changes you are putting it through physically. Muscles need to have water in order to perform the biochemical processes that give us energy, so when you begin working out, or change your workout routine, they may grab onto water to stay prepared for the activity they aren't used to yet. And this can take a while before your body settles into your "new" rhythm.

It is recommended to drink plenty of water when you are working out, so that your body has it available at all times, & will be less inclined to store it for the future. Each person is different in their needs, but to replenish what you lose in exhalation, sweat, normal daily activities, etc. usually requires about 48-64 oz, more so if you are going to work out, or drink caffeine.

Now, if you are having swelling in your hands/ankles/feet, & this is new, you should see a doctor to make sure it isn't a symptom of something more serious. But if not, hopefully one of the reasons above is the cause of your scales demoninc response this morning, & if that's the case, know that it's only temporary.

Keep on doing what you're doing (unless its eating salty foods, then cut back *smile*), and good luck on your future healthy weight! T. =-)

Consider both water retention AND feces (gross, I know, but that adds a few pounds too).

When I am retaining water, which is usually in conjunction with a need to poop, I will hold onto about 5-6 extra pounds. As soon as I "release", I am back to my regular weight.

Sounds like one of 2 things...lol.

Either you need to go poop OR you have to figure out that muscle weighs a lot more than fat so if you're building muscle you're going to gain weight.

Two thoughts - initial weight loss is usually water! So it's easy to put it back on, and it wasn't really weight loss to begin with in the sense of losing fat. Also, the more you exercise, the more muscle you build, which weighs more than fat. Third, if you're cutting back calories too much, your body is going to go into starvation mode, and convert as much as possible to fat - it's an evolutionary response to famine when our bodies had to hold on to everything for future use.

I'd get off the scale, make sure you're eating multiple small meals a day so your body doesn't get hungry, and worry more about what your clothes and the mirror say! Don't weigh yourself more than once every 2 weeks, and just keep up your regimen. You're doing good things for your heart even if it's not showing on the scale all the time!

Well, I start out relatively small (129 lbs) and I can gain 3-4 lbs the week before my period, or if I eat something salty like pizza the night before. So, I think 7 lbs could actually happen.

Before menopause it was typical of me to be up by 5 lbs right before my period and then lose it all again by the time my period was over.
Drink more water and reduce your salt intake (try not to give in to salt cravings before your period - I had a hard time with that).
Salt can be sneaky - it's in processed foods more than you think.

Salt in general when you are trying to lose weight is not your friend.
It can stress your liver and it affects your metabolism.
So if you carefully count those calories but you are eating ham as a protein source - the salt will cause you trouble - where as eating turkey or some other less salty protein will not.
You have to have some salt to keep your electrolytes balanced but what we actually need is way less than the amount we usually take in.

I was watching Dr. Oz a couple days ago, and he suggested that you take a bath in Epsom Salts to alleviate bloating. I don't know how much he said to use, sorry, but I bet you could find out. If this is what caused the gain, then they should help. They will also help with muscle soreness and dehydration too. Good job losing! I know how hard it can be, especially when it feels like your body is fighting back. Remember that everything is change, including body weight.