How Much Weight Gain Would You Tolerate?

by Fitz K. (Subscribe to Fitz K.'s posts)
Dec 19th 2008 12:00PM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment

I just read an article in People magazine about that morbidly obese lady Ruby who's losing weight on her television show. She once weighed more than 700 pounds, and I think she's now down to almost 400. This is fabulous news, and I congratulate her on her triumphs. She made a statement in the article that intrigued me, though, and I'm curious about how it translates for the rest of you.

Ruby basically said that knowing she was "almost one thousand pounds" made her put her foot down. At that point, she knew she needed to lose weight. I'm thrilled she made that decision, but why wasn't she shocked when she closed in on 500?

I've seen her interviewed and she seems like a lovely lady ... who just happens to have a very high breaking point. What is yours? What amount of weight gain is or would be acceptable to you? When counseling my clients, I encourage them to monitor their weight a few times a month. If they've gained more than two pounds, I suggest they quickly return to their healthier habits so they can maintain their ideal weight. Ten pounds is hard to lose, three is not so tough.

Most of us have gained a bit of weight (including me) and have had to hustle to get it off. At what point do you put your foot down? Are you fighting weight gain now and wondering how you gained so much? It's an interesting topic and we'd love to have your feedback.

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Comments (7)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Roxanne 12-19-2008 @ 12:26PM

I was up over 400lbs at one point and am now down to 220lb..still working on the last 40!!...and I can honestly say that the # when I was 400, didn't mean anything because I couldn't see it in the mirror! My "breaking point" was not being able to walk up a porch step without holding on to the wall. Sad that THAT did it and not the # on the scale, but like I said - I couldn't see it in the mirror so it's like it wasn't true.

Now that i've literally worked my butt off, I weigh myself a couple times a week and keep close track of the actual # so that I NEVER see the higher numbers again.

UH2L 12-19-2008 @ 6:14PM

Looking heavy in photographs and frequently checking weight on the scale are great indicators that you need to do something to stop weight gain. But it's important to get one of those scales that measures body fat. This way, if you gain muscle weight, it will not be discouraging. I also have a weight tracking spreadsheet which really helps me notice trends. To negate day-to-day weight fluctuations, it's best to use a 7 day average.

My personal bogey is not to get above 180 lbs. I have averaged around 176 lbs over the last 5 years but have gone as low as 172 and as high as 185. As a 5'8"+ male, I want to get to 165 if possible, but it's been difficult. Right not I'm 179. Recent sports injuries and the holidays haven't helped.

andrea 12-19-2008 @ 7:38PM

I weigh myself fairly frequently just to keep track of things, but I'm not as interested in the number on the scale as I am in how my pants fit. If I notice any pudge over my waistband that wasn't there before, I kick it into a higher gear, regardless of what the scale says. Most recently I was wearing scrubs every day (you can fit an elephant in those things, even the xsmalls), so I had no concept of how much I'd gained. One day I felt my thighs touching, so I weighed myself AND tried on old jeans and yeah, time to put down the fork and hit the treadmill.

Julianne 12-19-2008 @ 6:19PM

I'm about 5'3 and at my heaviest, I weighed almost 200 lbs. That was MY breaking point. Even now at around 145 lbs, I want to lose a few more lbs! Whenever I creep up to 150 lbs, I know it's time to do something.

run4change 12-24-2008 @ 7:44PM

For me, 307.6 was the breaking point. I just felt so bad about how much I weighed. I couldn't breath well, I couldn't tie my shoes. I lost 133lbs because I hit that point, but I don't think I could have made it if I were to be up there around 500.
I also like your weight maintenance advice at the bottom of the post. I am trying to keep off the 130. I have done so for a year now.

Thanks for your great post.
http://run4change.wordpress.com

fitzness 12-24-2008 @ 10:01PM

Thanks everyone for your fantastic feedback; I knew you'd have a lot to say. Congratulations as well, on all of your success learning to control and manage your weight. Our lives shouldn't revolve around our weight, but our weight certainly does effect our lives! I'm proud of you all. Fitz

Madyson 1-23-2009 @ 1:33AM

I know at the 7 lb. mark. My weight can flux as much as 5 lbs. a day in water weight alone due to my thyroid. So I weigh daily and check for edema in my extremities, face and shoulders.

Any rapid weight gain that can't be explained means I need to see my endo.

The largest I ever got was 180 (I'm 5'7") and that was when my hypothyroidism was completely out of control and I was on Zyprexa. I vowed that I would never ever let that happen to me again. It took me nearly a year to get back down to 125 lbs.

I realize that I may not tolerate as much weight gain as others, but I think it's reasonable.