Do you get this feeling?

myfitnessjourneyto180

So last night when I measured I was exactly 210. Today, I should have lost around 1000 calories (1/3 of a pound) since I couldn't reach my 1500 limit and was a little bit low. I went to the scale to check any changes and there's barely any difference. I get it.... this thing requires patience (a less than 1 pound difference doesnt really show) . But DAMNIT WHY U NO MOVEEEEE XD

TavistockToad

you know weight loss isn't linear, right?

myfitnessjourneyto180

yeah -.- But it makes it easier to think like that. I know what you mean. If you're 240 you can't have the same results as being 230 while eating the same calories. There's also factors such as sleep, exercise during the day, stress levels, adaptive thermogenesis etc. I'm just voicing the struggle of discipline -.-

PennStateChick

Yea, I get it. I wish it was a direct connection (and immediate) like that all the time. According to my weekly report, I was down about 6000 calories last week. This should have reflected a 1-2 pound loss this week. However as of this morning, I weigh 0.1 pounds more than I did last Tuesday. It happens.. but I'm still tracking and working out.. and hoping to see better results this week.

myfitnessjourneyto180

Now that I think about it... you could have gained muscle and lost some fat in the process? Since muscle is more dense in weight than fat.

tinkerbellang83

The scale will show your weight fluctuating constantly, it's not just what you've described above, stepping on the scale later in the day, you will have all the fluid and food/waste in your system.

Losses can easily be totally masked at the beginning by water retention as well - this can be caused by sodium level in your meals, changes to your macros, increased intensity or new exercise, alcohol, water intake, hormones,medication, etc.

So thinking like that doesn't really make it easier, it's the big picture that's important not the difference on the scale between morning and evening.

This is what 6 months of daily weighing looks like, I have seen overnight fluctuations of up to 6lbs:

TavistockToad

myfitnessjourneyto180 wrote: »

Now that I think about it... you could have gained muscle and lost some fat in the process? Since muscle is more dense in weight than fat.

very doubtful with a 6000 calorie deficit....

Polo265

myfitnessjourneyto180 wrote: »

So last night when I measured I was exactly 210. Today, I should have lost around 1000 calories (1/3 of a pound) since I couldn't reach my 1500 limit and was a little bit low. I went to the scale to check any changes and there's barely any difference. I get it.... this thing requires patience (a less than 1 pound difference doesnt really show) . But DAMNIT WHY U NO MOVEEEEE XD

Yup - I feel this way too. Last week I had a 4500 calorie deficit and gained 2 ounces -

MsHarryWinston

I totally know the feeling. I had a week waaaay under calories due to my sleep schedule and I should have dropped a bunch of weight but the scale refused to budge because I was retaining water weight. Once it released though the scale dropped dropped dropped. It's sooooo frustrating sometimes. I understand the need to pout and whine a bit even though you know exactly what's going on. Sometimes you just want it and you want it NOW.

myfitnessjourneyto180

That's weird then how he'd gain weight with 2 pound deficit. Maybe water weight or some other factor? Besides, adaptive thermogenesis or mis-counting I can't see how it wouldn't work.

TavistockToad

myfitnessjourneyto180 wrote: »

That's weird then how he'd gain weight with 2 pound deficit. Maybe water weight or some other factor? Besides, adaptive thermogenesis or mis-counting I can't see how it wouldn't work.

yep, water weight... because weight loss isnt linear. you need to look over at least 6 weeks data for a trend not just a few days...

5n00py

I tend to think there's a little bit more "science" to the actual weight that the scales show. So far today, I have eaten 1450 kcals, but those same kcals actually WEIGH 1870 grams on the scales before I put them into my body. What happens to the extra 420 grams of actual weight? Added to that, I have had 2.1 litres of water so far today. That's another 2.1 kilograms on the scales before it goes into my body.

So even at the supposed deficit that I currently have for the day, I have still ingested almost 4 kilograms of food and water. I'm pretty sure that not all of that turns into something useful for my body to "burn", and equally sure that the "extra" kilograms/grams that went into my mouth are not going to just flush down the toilet until they have taken their up to 3 day trip through my colon.

So kcals might be a nice "simple" way to look at the logic of gaining or losing weight, but there's a whole raft of other factors that reflect on what the bathroom scales will show you tomorrow morning!

Polo265

5n00py wrote: »

I tend to think there's a little bit more "science" to the actual weight that the scales show. So far today, I have eaten 1450 kcals, but those same kcals actually WEIGH 1870 grams on the scales before I put them into my body. What happens to the extra 420 grams of actual weight? Added to that, I have had 2.1 litres of water so far today. That's another 2.1 kilograms on the scales before it goes into my body.

So even at the supposed deficit that I currently have for the day, I have still ingested almost 4 kilograms of food and water. I'm pretty sure that not all of that turns into something useful for my body to "burn", and equally sure that the "extra" kilograms/grams that went into my mouth are not going to just flush down the toilet until they have taken their up to 3 day trip through my colon.

So kcals might be a nice "simple" way to look at the logic of gaining or losing weight, but there's a whole raft of other factors that reflect on what the bathroom scales will show you tomorrow morning!

WOW! Now that's something to think about. Also, as those extra grams are making their 3 day trip, more grams are beginning their 3 day journey. Theoretically, you (we) always have 3 (more or less) days of extra grams.

5n00py

Polo265 wrote: »

WOW! Now that's something to think about. Also, as those extra grams are making their 3 day trip, more grams are beginning their 3 day journey. Theoretically, you (we) always have 3 (more or less) days of extra grams.

It could be over analysed to the nth degree.....

What were the foods? Heavily laden with fibre. or heavily processed and sugar-laden? Was it just a cheat day/meal and there's a heap of extra that needs to be moved through? Lots of animal product which supposedly both turns rancid and causes inflamation before the remnants of it exit the body? How healthy is the body that's processing the foods? Is the person's diet covering all of the requirements that a healthy body needs, or are they doing some feast-famine regime, or trying to force the body into ketosis? Is the person constipated, and the 3 day journey is currently 5 or 6 instead? I read recently that Elvis was so constipated that his poo was almost like chalk and impossible to "pass"! Are there any injuries or illnesses that the body is grabbing extra resources to attempt repairs with? Has the ratio/mix of vitamins/minerals/amino acids/etc, etc been correct to get the maximum/appropriate absorption..... Are the kidneys functioning 100% and cleaning the blood efficiently...... The factors in our personal chemical factories are huge....

So unless there is some way to tabulate ALL of the factors, it's a case of track the kcals and go with the flow!?

Iamnotasenior

I spent some time today going back through my weight loss report. I rarely stray from my calorie limit, except sometimes on weekends and it was interesting to see that I had two plateaus in one month, one of which was 10 days long! Ten days without an ounce of weight loss! Then, suddenly on day 11, I dropped 1.5 pounds overnight. Then a few weeks later, another plateau that lasted 7 days, again, followed by a pound loss. Since then, I don't pay as much attention to the non-moving scale, as long as I am eating at a deficit. I just wait in anticipation for that big "swoosh" of a loss that I know is coming! Everyone loses differently, but I guarantee you, if you stick with your eating plan, you WILL lose the weight.

myfitnessjourneyto180

Very insightful I guess i'll just do the deficit and wait for the end of month to see if things are actually working out XD

LonniJay

This is something I found in another thread but it's very relevant to what you're feeling and can help explain some things. Check it out: 100down.org/the-whoosh-effect/

I feel like the article really helps to explain the process and put some fears at ease. Good luck!

goldthistime

myfitnessjourneyto180 wrote: »

Very insightful I guess i'll just do the deficit and wait for the end of month to see if things are actually working out XD

Perfect! It's something I love about MFP, that you get "rewarded" (via notifications and supportive comments from friends), for following the process, not just scale results.