# Weight Loss and then Weight Gain

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss-and-then-weight-gain/672076>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 24, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss-and-then-weight-gain/672076 "2013-10-24T01:57:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![IceQube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@IceQube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IceQube)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss-and-then-weight-gain/672076/1 "2013-10-24T01:57:08Z")

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I lost 18 pounds in the last few weeks, but now I’ve gained a few pounds back for a net loss of about 13 pounds. What’s up with this? My diet has been fairly constant. I’ve been lifting weights, but I doubt I gained 5 pounds of muscle in a week of lifting 10 pound dumbbells. Also if anything my activity level has been rising; I’ve been running this past week more.

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**Author:** ![IceQube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@IceQube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IceQube)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss-and-then-weight-gain/672076/2 "2013-10-24T02:04:19Z")

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Dang it, wrong forum. Mods, please move this to IMHO and I understand I’m just soliciting opinions not med. advice. Whoops, sorry.

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**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss-and-then-weight-gain/672076/3 "2013-10-24T02:08:59Z")

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My weight varies by two pounds on either side, just from daily fluctuations (presumably mainly water weight), so I assume most of what your seeing is that.

Plus, I’ve found that a day or so after I work-out I gain three to four pounds. I’ve always assumed that my muscles are inflamed and retaining more water, though that’s just a guess.

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**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss-and-then-weight-gain/672076/4 "2013-10-24T02:57:51Z")

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^This. I’m pretty good about hydrating, but I see fluctuations of 2-3 lbs all the time based on water retention activity level, food intake. I wouldn’t worry about it.

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss-and-then-weight-gain/672076/5 "2013-10-24T05:21:55Z")

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> [@epbrown01](#):
>
> ^This. I’m pretty good about hydrating, but I see fluctuations of 2-3 lbs all the time based on water retention activity level, food intake. I wouldn’t worry about it.

Yep. I can see a spread of ±3 pounds typically, meaning 6 pounds or so total if I happen to weigh myself on the low end one day, and the high end the other day. Also, if I pig out one day and have lots of salty food, my body retains water like an SOB and it can add 3 or 4 pounds to my weight and take about 24-48 hours to work its way out.

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**Author:** ![IceQube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@IceQube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IceQube)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss-and-then-weight-gain/672076/6 "2013-10-25T03:53:01Z")

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Alright. Glad to see I haven’t been putting on pounds and that it’s just natural fluctuation.