Question about the rate of weight loss :)
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paperstargirlie
Posts: 7 Member
I have been doing really well staying in my calories each day but i've noticed I've only bee at it 19 days and I've lost 8lbs.. is this too fast or a bad thing? I thought I read it was healthy to lose a pound or two a week but it looks like were half way thought the month and im already at 8lbs. I am happy lol but at the same time I don't want to be accidentally sabotaging myself long run. Is it ok? Or... ?
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paperstargirlie wrote: »I have been doing really well staying in my calories each day but i've noticed I've only bee at it 19 days and I've lost 8lbs.. is this too fast or a bad thing? I thought I read it was healthy to lose a pound or two a week but it looks like were half way thought the month and im already at 8lbs. I am happy lol but at the same time I don't want to be accidentally sabotaging myself long run. Is it ok? Or... ?
It might be too soon to tell.
It's normal to lose some water weight in the first week or two, plus when we start eating less we have less average food in digestive transit on average (the stuff that will eventually become waste), so sometimes there's a big scale drop early on, then it settles down to a slower rate.
At 19 days, you'd be about at the stage where things should start to settle down. From your name I'm guessing you're female, and if you are young enough to be premenstrual, the hormonal changes during monthly cycles would possibly cause some water weight weirdness, too (does for most women, at different points in the cycle depending on the woman).
If you're feeling hungry, fatigued, or noticing other worrisome symptoms, I'd eat a little more. If not, it shouldn't be too risky to hang on until you can compare body weight at the same relative point in two different menstrual cycles (if that applies to you), or 4-6 weeks, then adjust. If the later weeks look less extreme than the first couple, they might be more representative of what's really happening with fat loss (the part most of us really care about).
Losing weight too fast does increase health risk, and slower is better if you don't have quite a lot to lose, but I'd say you're still a little early to tell for sure what your loss rate is. I'd agree that people with a fair amount to lose are reasonable to target 1-2 pounds a week, but if it's less than 20 pounds, slower than that might be better.9 -
I think I like you. Most people tend to only worry when they start stalling the first time.
OK, so, from what I have been reading from other people sometimes people loose like crazy in the first few weeks of dieting. This tends to be water weight. If this is the case at some point (in the next few weeks for you) the weight loss rate slows down dramatically.
Also, weight loss is kinda weird and non-linear. Your body goes through hormonal changes each month which both seem to make "actual" weight loss larger and, at other times, smaller than it actually is. And things like dddium intake or bowel movements influence scale weight, too.- I have had gains when I should not have gained weight, just lost 1.4kg in a week, barely lost anything in another week... Weight loss is a bit of a roller coaster (and mine seems more linear than what others report).
If you are not eating a super scary low calorie diet and are eating back (most of) your exercise calories don't worry right now. Observe your weight loss rate for about 2 months (two menstrual cycles). Then you should have a good idea about the actual rate at which you are loosing.5 -
As others have noted, weight loss is often exaggerated at the beginning of a diet. I lost 19.6 pounds in my first month; by the third month the pace had slowed to 7 with NO change in calories or exercise. For many people, week 5 or 6 is when the weight loss rate stabilizes to whatever the long-term pace will be, and that was true in my case as well - on week 6 the fun part was over and the long grind began. Enjoy the easy gains while they last and don't worry about it.7
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When I did low carb dieting, I lost a lot of weight the first two weeks then would go a few weeks with no loss at all, then I'd drop a bit, then stall for a week or two. As long as I was consistent in my eating, over time I lost weight, but it was sometimes rather frustrating, especially after the initial big loss. It can happen with CICO as well if you are eating significantly fewer carbs than your usual diet. (The body holds on to water to help process the carbs.)4
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You can drop a lot of weight practically overnight just by cutting out just salt and alcohol! But, be sure you're drinking a lot of fluids!0
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AndreaTamira wrote: »I think I like you. Most people tend to only worry when they start stalling the first time.
One of the best comments I’ve ever seen on MFP.
OP, you’re thinking this out, planning and I can tell you’re reading the boards carefully.
“You got this” is so trite and overused, but I do think you got this. Can’t wait to see you post your success story!
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Thank you for all the help everybody! Very informative and inspiring! I am excited to keep on the journey! ❤️4
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paperstargirlie wrote: »Thank you for all the help everybody! Very informative and inspiring! I am excited to keep on the journey! ❤️
How's it going, now that you're a couple of weeks further into it? Has the loss rate slowed a little at same calories, have you adjusted calories, or . . . ?
Keep us posted, if you feel up to it: I always wonder how people's stories here turn out, in the longer run!
Best wishes for continued success!2 -
Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »You can drop a lot of weight practically overnight just by cutting out just salt and alcohol! But, be sure you're drinking a lot of fluids!
Of course, you have to make sure not to die of hyponatremia before you drop the weight practically overnight. Of course, if you die, your bowels will relax, so there will that weight loss.
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paperstargirlie wrote: »Thank you for all the help everybody! Very informative and inspiring! I am excited to keep on the journey! ❤️
How's it going, now that you're a couple of weeks further into it? Has the loss rate slowed a little at same calories, have you adjusted calories, or . . . ?
Keep us posted, if you feel up to it: I always wonder how people's stories here turn out, in the longer run!
Best wishes for continued success!
It has slowed down quite a bit yeah. I lost 3 lbs the next month and then March hit with some personal madness so I struggled. I maintained tho, so thats good. Getting back on the horse now!
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paperstargirlie wrote: »paperstargirlie wrote: »Thank you for all the help everybody! Very informative and inspiring! I am excited to keep on the journey! ❤️
How's it going, now that you're a couple of weeks further into it? Has the loss rate slowed a little at same calories, have you adjusted calories, or . . . ?
Keep us posted, if you feel up to it: I always wonder how people's stories here turn out, in the longer run!
Best wishes for continued success!
It has slowed down quite a bit yeah. I lost 3 lbs the next month and then March hit with some personal madness so I struggled. I maintained tho, so thats good. Getting back on the horse now!
You're doing the right things. Life gets complicated sometimes, and certain things slip to let other things get needed attention. The only actual failure is stopping permanently. Hang in there, keep making progress, and keep checking in! 😉2
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