Minor setback

Marthy101

Ok, I know it may sound silly, but I'm a little sad, discouraged and frustrated. I've been losing 1-2 lbs every week, but last week I was UP 1 lb!!! I hesitantly got on the scale this morning, only to discover that the pesky extra pound is still there! I was hoping it would be gone + 1 or 2 more! I've gained before, but it doesn't usually stay!!! I hope this isn't indicative of the future! I think my diet and exercise have been consistent...

Sued0nim

Sodium, TOM, Ovulation, Change-up in exercise

After the initial weight loss your pathway can settle down in a different fashion and you mustn't get psyched out by stalls, increases for a few weeks providing you are doing everything right

cheats can slip into your logging without noticing, continue to focus on weighing and logging properly
don't overestimate your exercise - eat back 50%

My own personal weight loss journey settled down to lose 2-3lbs .. then go up and stay within 2lbs of that weight but not dropping below lowest number for a couple of weeks, then drop the bottom weight and repeat .. I figure it's my cycle

Marthy101

Thanks! I think I've been eating a little more than I should lately, after reviewing my food log. Still....Grrrr! I will keep at it and do better!!

Marthy101

Wow! You've lost a lot! Way to go! I don't know what "TOM" means, and, alas, I fear ovulation may not be a factor

Christine_72

Marthy101 wrote: »

Wow! You've lost a lot! Way to go! I don't know what "TOM" means, and, alas, I fear ovulation may not be a factor

TOM== Time Of Month

blankiefinder

Marthy, the only thing I could suggest is really being diligent about logging accurately, and recalculate your goals occasionally. I do this every 5 lbs.

Marthy101

Oh!!! Ha ha. Nope... I think that's history for me :

Marthy101

Thanks, B. I'm not exactly sure what my calorie goal should be. MFP assigned me 1400 something, but I changed it to 1350 (worked before). Well, I go over any way..

futuremanda

Eat what MFP tells you to. If you're going over your goal, then you should take a look at what your maintenance calories should be. You can temporarily set your goal to "maintenance" and it will show you. So let's say maintenance is 1900. You'll only gain fat if you are eating over that, so if MFP says 1400 and you eat say 1600, it'll slow down your progress a bit, but you'll still progress because it's under 1900. (Also making sure you're logging as accurately as you can, or you could easily be eating over and not knowing.)

Hopefully that helps!

And yes, what others have said. Don't trust any one reading on your scale, or even like a week's worth of readings. YOU are not made up entirely of fat, so it isn't measuring your fat, so changes in weight can be any number of things.

segacs

Read this: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1

Kfrase83

I am in the same boat - lost 18 pounds in 24 weeks, now I'm bobbing up and down with one/two pounds. SW: 162, CW: 145. I'm feeling frustrated, and after reading everything here, I am torn between eating back less of my workout calories, or going into Maintenance and staying below the daily calorie goal.

blankiefinder

Kfrase83 wrote: »

I am in the same boat - lost 18 pounds in 24 weeks, now I'm bobbing up and down with one/two pounds. SW: 162, CW: 145. I'm feeling frustrated, and after reading everything here, I am torn between eating back less of my workout calories, or going into Maintenance and staying below the daily calorie goal.

@Kfrase83‌ If you're logging accurately and diligently and not losing, then I would go with eating back less of your exercise calories. Your diary is closed so I can't see what you're eating or burning to comment in a more helpful way.

segacs

blankiefinder wrote: »

@Kfrase83‌ If you're logging accurately and diligently and not losing, then I would go with eating back less of your exercise calories.

She is losing, though. Being up a pound on the scale for a week after losing 1-2 pounds per week for a while is not a plateau; it's just fluctuation.

blankiefinder

segacs wrote: »

blankiefinder wrote: »

@Kfrase83‌ If you're logging accurately and diligently and not losing, then I would go with eating back less of your exercise calories.

She is losing, though. Being up a pound on the scale for a week after losing 1-2 pounds per week for a while is not a plateau; it's just fluctuation.

Good point. @Kfrase83‌ - how long have you been bobbing up and down that pound? Though either way, I wouldn't go with the switching to maintenance. I would either switch to eating back a bit less exercise calories if it's been more than 2 weeks, or continue on with what you are doing if it's been less than 2 weeks, and give it another few weeks.

SueInAz

Marthy101 wrote: »

Thanks! I think I've been eating a little more than I should lately, after reviewing my food log. Still....Grrrr! I will keep at it and do better!!

Be sure, too, that you aren't logging less calories than you are actually eating. When you don't have a lot of weight to lose accurately logging your food will become more and more important. If you haven't yet, invest in a kitchen scale and use it as often as possible to weigh your food portions.

Marthy101

Thanks everyone! I know I should eat more 'clean', whole foods, protein, etc. and less processed, etc. But that's a lot of work (and math!). I also have a bad habit of snacking in the middle of the night- after being "good" all day! I don't need it...,but I don't know how to break the habit!
- Also, I need more "friends" here I guess!

Liftng4Lis

Relax, normal daily fluctuations. Did you know at time of ovulation you can retain water for up to 36 hours? Or TOM up to a week?

Marthy101

Thx! But I've held on to the extra pound for a week!! Also, I suspect my days of ovulating may have ceased already

Kfrase83

blankiefinder wrote: »

segacs wrote: »

blankiefinder wrote: »

@Kfrase83‌ If you're logging accurately and diligently and not losing, then I would go with eating back less of your exercise calories.

She is losing, though. Being up a pound on the scale for a week after losing 1-2 pounds per week for a while is not a plateau; it's just fluctuation.

Good point. @Kfrase83‌ - how long have you been bobbing up and down that pound? Though either way, I wouldn't go with the switching to maintenance. I would either switch to eating back a bit less exercise calories if it's been more than 2 weeks, or continue on with what you are doing if it's been less than 2 weeks, and give it another few weeks.

Here's the scale the last few weeks:
Jan 23 - 146.8
Jan 30 - 145.6
Feb 7 - 146.2
Feb 13 - 144.6
Feb 20 - 145.6
Being that it's been a solid 4 weeks of not finding traction, I will try not eating back the exercise calories. Thanks for your help!!