How long to wait before adjusting calories?

RideLiftRun

Hi everyone,

I've been on MFP for a while but this is my forst time using the discussion boards.

I lost about 20kg some years ago, reached my ideal weight (55kg) and was fit with decent amount of muscle and happy with where I was. I was maintaining with around 2000-2500 calories, depending on what I was doing (I'm very active).

In the last year or so, life happened - various injuries etc meant I've not been able to train like I used to, but I kept eating like I used to... doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure what happened next!

I reached 64.6 kg before I found the motivation to kick myself up the butt... so here I am again. I'm building up the exercise regime again, and in the meanwhile the diet is where I need to concentrate on first. Having been an avid MFP lurker for quite a while, I thought I had a reasonable grasp at how to go about things....

I'm more used to using TDEE method, but this time I logged my details to MFP, set it at 0.5 kg a week loss and see what I got - 1740. Which seemed reasonable given that I maintained at over 2000 when I was a bit smaller.

Now, I know this is very very early days... but just a couple of days of this and I'm basically down 0.5kg a day! Which I know is way, way too fast - I want to keep my muscles! In fact I want to build muscle, but will need to get rid of the flab first.

So after the long ramble, my question is - do I adjust my calories immediately? Or wait a week or so to see if it settles down to a more reasonable rate? I seem to remember that I had an initial big drop the last time I lost (water weight or whatever) but it did settle, but I have less to lose this time and muscle is more precious to me now so not sure I want to wait.

Oh and I'm female, 48, 5'4. Active-ish job and like to run, lift weights, do Pilates classes, ride horses, cycle... in various proportions depending on the season and what mood I'm in :-)

Thanks in advance

Silentpadna

Short answer is no.

You most likely have not lost near that much fat. What has happened to you is the opposite of what happens to a lot of people: a fluctuation the direction you want to go. But the same thing applies. In this case, you likely saw a fluid fluctuation that exaggerates, rather than opposes a fat loss.

Generally, depending on your rate, it should be at least 4-6 weeks before evaluating.....in general. Never based on a few days or a week.

RunForPizza88

If you only started this a few days ago it's possible it is a just an initial whoosh of water weight.

Looking at your stats and the fact that you are active I would like to think you could get away with eating more calories though. Maybe consider dropping your weekly intended loss to 0.5lbs per week, especially if your goal includes retaining muscle and loosing at a sustainable rate?

I am shorter than you and significantly lighter as well and I ate around 1850 per day. I've lost approx. 15lbs now and that has taken me 5 months.

Just upped my cals to 2000 for the past week or so and I'm still loosing so going by your activity level it sound like you could allow yourself some more delicious calories?!

Once you have been tracking consistently for a month or so then you will start to have decent data to work from.

I also recommend using the app happy scale to record your daily weight to smooth out fluctuations.

Make sure your tracking is on point - digital scale, weighting all raw food, measuring all cooking oils etc. etc.

Good luck!

quiksylver296

Silentpadna wrote: »

Short answer is no.

You most likely have not lost near that much fat. What has happened to you is the opposite of what happens to a lot of people: a fluctuation the direction you want to go. But the same thing applies. In this case, you likely saw a fluid fluctuation that exaggerates, rather than opposes a fat loss.

Generally, depending on your rate, it should be at least 4-6 weeks before evaluating.....in general. Never based on a few days or a week.

That^^

try2again

The first week or two, people tend to see a big loss of water weight, and in the next week or so it tends to level out and you may even see a gain on the scale. The water weight fluctuation is masking the rate of your actual fat loss. That will only become apparent over time, 4-6 weeks as has been said.

RideLiftRun

OK thanks everyone, I'll bide my time. I know I haven't lost that amount of fat, I wouldn't be worried if I had LOL. I've had water weight fluctuations before, but usually always up the way rather than down... so I guess I freaked out a bit seeing a sudden drop.

I'll get a hang of this again.