I know I've been good...

jdt242

First weeks are about big losses right?

I know I've been SO good these past 8 days and other than the initial water-weight loss, I've barely seen the scale move!

I understand that this is a process and it will take time, but something has changed since I last dieted 2 years ago.

I counted calories a couple of years back and did a tedious hour of cardio every day and saw an amazing loss - but my body is holding on to its cushioning this time.

What's different? Is it my age? Then I was 32. Now I'm 34. Surely 2 years won't have changed my metabolism that much?!

Argh! I just wanted to see a decent loss this week (yes I am weighing my portions, tracking every single bite etc - being conservative with exercise calories). I just don't understand it. Could my body be warming up?!

Lol. I know your guess is as good as mine, but I'm curious. Anyone else had this and then go on to achieve their goals?

(I have at least 14-20lbs to lose)

quiksylver296

alyssa0061

You said you've 'barely' seen the scale move. What's barely? A pound? Half a pound?

With only 14 to 20 pounds to lose, half a pound a week is a decent loss.

I don't know what you mean by your body 'warming up'.

jdt242

alyssa0061 wrote: »

You said you've 'barely' seen the scale move. What's barely? A pound? Half a pound?

With only 14 to 20 pounds to lose, half a pound a week is a decent loss.

I don't know what you mean by your body 'warming up'.

Hey, I mean is my body getting ready to lose 2lbs next week. As for the exact loss I'll be checking in tomorrow but it's good to hear half a pound is reasonable, as much as I'd hoped for more. Thanks

yayamom3

alyssa0061 wrote: »

You said you've 'barely' seen the scale move. What's barely? A pound? Half a pound?

With only 14 to 20 pounds to lose, half a pound a week is a decent loss.

I don't know what you mean by your body 'warming up'.

Excellent advice right there. I've also found that hindsight puts things into a more positive light for me. As I'm chugging along through the month, I might think,"Really, only a pound this week?" or, "Are you kidding, only 1.5 this week?" But once I make it through the whole month, then look back, I'm pretty impressed. "Wow, I lost 5 pounds last month!"

I hope this makes sense.

Rocknut53

I'll just leave this here:


OP: You have to learn patience. 8 days is so little time to be seeing any significant results. Your body isn't "getting ready" to do anything. You may all of a sudden drop a couple pounds, it may just be half a pound. Or it may hold on to some fluid and go up a pound. Just keep doing what you're doing and you will see results. Give it time.

PJGirl91

When I first started I was lifting weights, doing cardio and counting calories and I gained nine pounds but continued with what I was doing slowly adding in more healthy foods. Less sugar, more protein and then the weight started melting away! In the past three months I've lost 35 pounds.

arobey11

yayamom3 wrote: »

alyssa0061 wrote: »

You said you've 'barely' seen the scale move. What's barely? A pound? Half a pound?

With only 14 to 20 pounds to lose, half a pound a week is a decent loss.

I don't know what you mean by your body 'warming up'.

Excellent advice right there. I've also found that hindsight puts things into a more positive light for me. As I'm chugging along through the month, I might think,"Really, only a pound this week?" or, "Are you kidding, only 1.5 this week?" But once I make it through the whole month, then look back, I'm pretty impressed. "Wow, I lost 5 pounds last month!"

I hope this makes sense.

Totally this - hindsight is awesome! I have a hard time seeing the changes in my body although I've gone down pants sizes, can see the scale move, and measurements and progress pics show the difference - so if I'm feeling discouraged for some reason I take a look at a report of the past month and see where I was a month ago. I did this this morning, down 7 pounds since December 13, and I can feel really proud of that!

StaciMarie1974

8 days is just not enough time. Perhaps you're retaining water (up to 3-5 pounds is possible) due to TOM, sodium, stress, sleep disruption, muscle soreness, etc.

It could be that 2 years ago when you started, your 'starting weight' was when you were ovulating/retaining water and thus a week later you saw a whoosh as that water retention melted away and you assumed you'd lost 4 pounds in a week.

Hang in there - and compare your weight last week to your weight at day 30. Assuming you have roughly a monthly 'cycle' then the hormonal water weight will at least be in balance so the difference would be your true weight loss.

kittybenn

It definitely can be like watching paint peel. I really like the messages here about giving it more time. Back when I was on WW, no matter how consistent my food intake and exercise was, there was a definite pattern of three weeks of loss and nothing on the fourth week. It was almost like clockwork. Frustrating! But this is a long haul, not short haul thing. It can be really hard to be patient and accept that.

jdt242

Super advice and motivation - thank you all. Must keep at it. Long haul.

alyssa0061

I really only show a loss on the scale one week a month, the week of my TOM. The other three weeks I fluctuate in a two to three pound range. Then my TOM starts and I go down, down, down every day until it ends. That's my whole loss for the month. It wasn't until I started using a daily weight tracking app that I realized that. If I hadn't begun logging my weight every day in the app, I probably would still be frustrated at not understanding my body's natural pattern.

StaciMarie1974

Each woman's cycle/water impact is different. I gain 2-3 the day after I start, and it sticks around for a week at least.

alyssa0061 wrote: »

I really only show a loss on the scale one week a month, the week of my TOM. The other three weeks I fluctuate in a two to three pound range. Then my TOM starts and I go down, down, down every day until it ends. That's my whole loss for the month. It wasn't until I started using a daily weight tracking app that I realized that. If I hadn't begun logging my weight every day in the app, I probably would still be frustrated at not understanding my body's natural pattern.

alyssa0061

StaciMarie1974 wrote: »

Each woman's cycle/water impact is different. I gain 2-3 the day after I start, and it sticks around for a week at least.

alyssa0061 wrote: »

I really only show a loss on the scale one week a month, the week of my TOM. The other three weeks I fluctuate in a two to three pound range. Then my TOM starts and I go down, down, down every day until it ends. That's my whole loss for the month. It wasn't until I started using a daily weight tracking app that I realized that. If I hadn't begun logging my weight every day in the app, I probably would still be frustrated at not understanding my body's natural pattern.

That's why I was sharing my experience and how beneficial a weight tracking app has been for me.

ahoy_m8

alyssa0061 wrote: »

I really only show a loss on the scale one week a month, the week of my TOM. The other three weeks I fluctuate in a two to three pound range. Then my TOM starts and I go down, down, down every day until it ends. That's my whole loss for the month. It wasn't until I started using a daily weight tracking app that I realized that. If I hadn't begun logging my weight every day in the app, I probably would still be frustrated at not understanding my body's natural pattern.

ANOTHER excellent point. My pattern is not the same as this, but there is a pattern, and you have to track carefully for at least two menstrual cycles (more better, obviously) to see the pattern. Me, I maintain (or gain a pound) 14 days starting TOM then lose 2 pounds (or more) in the 14 days following ovulation. It averages to 2 lb in 4 weeks. The daily scale weight fluctuation drives me crazy if I let it! Think patterns and trends, not isolated data points.

ClosetBayesian

Weight loss is not moralistic - it's math. "Being good" means nothing as far as weight loss is concerned; ranks right up there with "eating clean". What specific behaviors have you done this time around, besides weighing all solids, measuring all liquids, and tracking your food? Have you started a new exercise routine? How much sodium are you eating? Also, if you only have 20 or so pounds to lose, you should be aiming for a loss of about half a pound per week; with not a lot to lose, you're not going to lose it very quickly.

(Lost 100 pounds. Being good had nothing to do with it.)

serindipte

ClosetBayesian wrote: »

Weight loss is not moralistic - it's math. "Being good" means nothing as far as weight loss is concerned; ranks right up there with "eating clean". What specific behaviors have you done this time around, besides weighing all solids, measuring all liquids, and tracking your food? Have you started a new exercise routine? How much sodium are you eating? Also, if you only have 20 or so pounds to lose, you should be aiming for a loss of about half a pound per week; with not a lot to lose, you're not going to lose it very quickly.

(Lost 100 pounds. Being good had nothing to do with it.)

I'm glad you said it. I was scrolling down to state the same thing.

I'm neither "good" or "bad" and neither is my food. I'm either overeating or I'm not, but it doesn't define my "goodness".

incisron

I like your avatar. It reminds me of a Native American story.

melto1989

I'm 12 days in and still waiting for something. Just keep enduring and refining your logging. Concentrate on other things than the scale.

JeromeBarry1

This is me pounding the drum for drinking more water, especially after your last meal of the day.