Weight loss plateau already? slowed right down

lisaw19855

Docbanana2002 wrote: »

I think you just need to be more patient. The first weeks are always fun, as you lose water weight and are still motivated. The "honeymoon" phase, so to speak. You've just moved to the hard part--the long slow slog of daily living with a new lifestyle....with gradual losses, some weeks you don't lose, setbacks, etc. This is where people get bored or discouraged and give up. So don't give up. You are losing a pound a week on average which is a good rate. I'm at a half pound per week and your loss sounds great. I am happy with my loss rate too though because it is what I can sustain without going nuts after a year and a half of this and over a hundred pounds lost! A loss that slow doesn't show up on the scale quickly the way a 3 pound loss will, it is obscured by water weight and normal daily fluctuations and must be seen over time. Just hang in there. Enjoy life. Let it become your new normal and trust that you are doing the right thing (while continuing to learn and tweak as needed). Even if you never lost another pound (which you will!) you are still doing healthy things for your body that shouldn't be quit.

As for the water weight, I have experienced a gain or plateau for sometimes several weeks at a time while starting an increased exercise regimen. It happened when I got fitbit because I was eating a little more (after seeing my higher than expected burns) and also motivated to walk a LOT by it. Had a gain after starting weightlifting too. It just took a while for my body to adjust to the new routine, then after a few weeks I got a dramatic "whoosh" where I lost a few pounds of water and caught up with where I should be based on my data.

I have defiantly been encouraged to be more active and walk more, Eg walking the long way to places or walking at a brisker pace.

I need to stick to a set exercise routine I think and monitor it over the next few weeks. Need to decide how many classes to do and stick to it. Body pump uses weights.

Another change I gave made in the last 7 days is drinking more, I used to get by on 500ml a day but enjoy seeing my line on fitbit go green lol which is motivation and I'm now getting used to drinking.

lisaw19855

sgthaggard wrote: »

lisaw19855 wrote: »

gia07 wrote: »

Ok.. MFP overestimates are huge and you are doing yourself a disservice and unrealistic numbers..

Hate to say it (an you have your mind made up) but not going to see anything using Fitbit. This is all wrong.. I will end it there..

So I spent £60 on *kitten* all? I mainly use it to count steps, the calorie burn estimate is usually slighly lower on fitbit than MFP.

No idea what she's talking about. Fitbit is a great tool for measuring your activity level. You walk, you burn calories. You walk hills or walk faster, you burn more calories. Fitbit recognises this.

Where a fitbit isn't enough (unless you have one with a HRM and then, for me, the jury's still out) is when you are exercising - although, it's pretty good for running. Then you typically have to use a different metric whether that is calories burned according to a cardio machine, a HRM, or even MFP/fitbit databases. When you enter exercise (and I do this through fitbit's site, not MFP's) the number of calories you input overrides the calories that the fitbit has calculated for that period of time.

What you have to decide, and it sounds like you have, is how many of those exercise calories you are going to eat back. And that's going to depend on the accuracy of you burn numbers.

I don't tend to eat many of my exercise calories back. Only up to my MFP limit of 1,680 but usually get 1,500 - 1,600

If I feel like it I may have an extra snack.

Tuesdays burn shows as high, 25000 steps including vigorous hand movements because I look after 12 horses for 10 hours so that's 12 stables mucked out, walking to and from fields etc I usually allow up to 1750 calories on those days.

Unknown

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ar9179

I think you have an inaccurate perception of your progress. You are losing inches, so you are losing fat. You're doing great!

Yes, new exercise or a more vigorous workout can cause the muscles to retain fluid while repairing. No biggie as it will be released eventually. The scale tends to not move, go up, or move down very little when this happens. I like to measure my progress by pictures and fitting into clothes that I haven't worn since I was less chunky. The scale tends to stagnate for me pretty regularly, then I get a rapid loss for a week. This used to derail me, but using other methods of measuring progress has convinced me that my efforts ARE producing the results I want.

For example, today I weigh the same as I did on the 19th. If I went by the scale I would be disappointed about not losing for over a week (in fact the scale went up 2 lbs on the 24th). The fun thing is that I'm wearing a pair of shorts that did NOT fit me last week. Couldn't get the suckers snapped. Now, they snap easily and I can wear them in comfort. INCHES gone and the scale will show that loss in good time.

Be kind to yourself and stop hanging your expectations on scale weight. Pay attention to the people who see a difference and to that tape measure.