nothing makes sense?

shw112

hi everyone- i was wondering if anyone could give me a bit of advice?
i started 'officially' trying to lose weight on monday, and when i weighed in on monday morning i was 203.4 lbs. i've been trying to eat around 1200 cals this week- but to be honest i've been averaging more like 1350. so i wasn't really expecting to have lost anything. but when i stepped on the scale on saturday morning i was 200.8 (2.6lbs down) which was surprising but i took it with a pinch of salt because (as i posted about before) my scale is a bit inconsistent.
anyway (this is a the weird bit) i weighed myself just now (sunday evening) and it said 197.4?? i thought that possibly couldn't be right, so i tried weighing myself on an old fashioned rotating scale that i have and it said i was 14st (about 198 lbs). yesterday it was around 14.5.
how is it possible that my weight is fluctuating so much? i'm assuming its definitely not actual fat loss, i know i can't have lost that much so fast. it would be good to know how much i actually have lost though, if anything.
so, is this normal? any idea what's going on?

1meh

One, you'll lose mor at the beginning as your body is getting used to the change.

Two, you are weighing yourself with different scales at different times of the day. You will fluctuate significantly throughout the day based on hydration and other factors. And I have found even "good" scales differ from each other. Also, what you are wearing can make the scale move. Usually its best to weigh yourself on the same scale at the same time of day. For many this is first thing in the morning after using the bathroom, with little to no clothes on.

Third, be prepared, as a women, that your weight loss will not be linear. Though this isn't probably the case now, your TOM can cause the scale to do funny things.

Otherwise, take this little win and use it to motivate forward. And BTW (not that you asked) but if you are comfortable with 1350 calorie intake, it's not a bad place to be.

cnbbnc

Don't be hopping on different scales or you'll just make yourself crazy. Pick the one you like better and stick with it. Maybe consider taking your measurements too as that's nice to track over time. Everyone loses water weight quickly in the beginning and then it starts to level off, so just don't be surprised when you stop losing as fast. The scale will keep moving though, providing you stay in a calorie deficit.

Did you choose your own calorie goal as 1200? Just asking because you can probably get away with eating a bit higher than that and still lose. Why suffer if you don't have to?

flumi_f

In the first few weeks you will lose alot of water weight. So don't get discouraged when it slows down. Totally normal.

As to weighing yourself...in the morning after going to the loo always on the same scale. All other weigh ins fluctuate too much. If your scale fluctuates all by itself and is a digital one --> replace the batteries.

If you weigh daily, keep your eye on the weekly trend, not the normal daily fluctuations due to water, hormones etc etc.

Kalikel

Many people lose a lot when they begin losing and then it slows down. If your scale isn't reliable, you might think about getting a new one. Whatever you do, don't weigh on a bunch of different scales. They'll all give different readings and you'll drive yourself nuts. Whatever scale you use, stick with that one!

Congrats on your first week being done. I think the first week is the hardest of them all...and you've already finished that.

Good luck on your weight loss journey!