Lost 6.6 pounds the first week. Gained 1 pound this week. Help!

mcahoon79

I loset 6.6 pounds the first week and just gained 1 pound this week. Not sure what was different. I followed the same 1200 calorie intake. I weight 197 and have a long way to go. A plataeu so soon. Need some advice. I would like to be down 30 points by January.

DeguelloTex

Advice: Be patient. Also, 1200 calories at 197 is lowish.

NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner

It's not a plateau. It's one week. Weight loss is not linear and many fluctuations can occur. Be patient and don't panic.

earlnabby

mcahoon79 wrote: »

I loset 6.6 pounds the first week and just gained 1 pound this week. Not sure what was different. I followed the same 1200 calorie intake. I weight 197 and have a long way to go. A plataeu so soon. Need some advice. I would like to be down 30 points by January.

Many people lose a lot of water weight the first week, or couple of weeks, then your body goes "oops! I dropped too much and need some of that back" so you regain a little of it and your loss stops or you gain a little on the scale. You are still losing fat. Eventually you will settle into a regular weight loss pattern (which does NOT mean that you lose the same weight every week, just that you will be in a downward trend) 5.6 lb. loss over 2 weeks is still really good. Don't be surprised if you have another week with little loss, if any. It takes about 4 weeks for most people to get through the introductory cycle.

999tigger

maybe spend some time learning about weight loss, that its not linear and understanding the shape of your joirney, rates of loss, what a plateau is etc. With knowledge your journey will be much easier. Earl above has pointed out why your initial loss is a good one, but why the rates will vary and slow down considerably the longer you go on.

colors_fade

Impatient much?

People who cut their calories in a significant manner often lose excess water weight the first week. This is why the 6 lb. weight loss happens. But it's not all fat loss. That's the part you need to understand.

Remember the math of fat loss: 3,500 calorie deficit for a 1-pound-per-week weight loss. 7,000 calorie deficit for a 2-pound-per-week weight loss.

I'm fairly certain you didn't experience a 23,100 calorie deficit your first week, so that 6.6 lbs. you lost was not all fat; obviously a lot of excess water retention. Your body compensated once it realized what was happening to it.

This is just one reason why people advise: don't go into too steep of a calorie deficit! There is no shortcut on this journey. You can't fool science. You can't fool biology. And you have to understand this is going to be a LONG process.

Let's say you want to lose 40 lbs. At a modest weight loss rate of 1-lb. per week, it will take 40 weeks to reach that goal. If you lost at a rate of 2 lbs. per week, it would still take 20 weeks (and it would be much more difficult; maintaining a higher caloric deficit is demanding on our bodies and minds).

And I agree with the others: 1200 calories at your weight is probably not enough. Not sure what your hunger or energy levels have been like, but I'm guessing you're often hungry and have low energy (not to mention probably irritable).

Don't overdo it. You can't short-cut this process. There is no "easy" button.

wizzybeth

These threads may help you; they helped me!

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants#latest

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here#latest

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think#latest

Important posts to read.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/833026/important-posts-to-read/p1

Unknown

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jgnatca

Normal. You are doing a lot of things right. Learn to track weight loss as a trend, and worry less about the daily fluctuations.
http://www.weightgrapher.com/

booksandchocolate12

Much of what you lost that first week may have been water weight. Did you really expect to lose 6 lbs every week?

As others have said, weight loss is not linear; many things affect it (like hormonal fluctuations--are you getting your period?). There will be weeks when you do everything right and will see a gain. Don't look at a single week; look at the trend over time.

Be patient.

davert123

weight goes up and down - last week I gained 2, then dropped 2, then dropped 3, then dropped 2, then gained 2. Scales are not a good indicator of how much bodyfat we loose. They measure water and stuff in out gut etc too :-) jgnatca is right - look for trends :-) good luck, you can smash this

snowflakesav

This sound totally normal too me. A plateau is a month or more. Congratulations on your great start. Keep going!

ninerbuff

A natural fluctuation of fluid loss and retention. And as mentioned, 1200 may be too low for you to consume, especially if you're exercising at your current weight.

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