Too Fast?

michaelfitz66
michaelfitz66 Posts: 2 Member
in Getting Started
My weight has been creeping up for many years and I reached my "enough" point when I weighed in a 215.8 on NYD (I'm 5'9 male). Since then, I have found myfitnesspal, have been very careful with what I eat and have exercised moderately on a daily basis (mostly 1 hr walks). Most importantly, I have ELIMINATED junk food. Chips, and alcohol were the biggest culprits, as well as their evil cohorts- chocolates, cookies, candies, etc.
I realize that I am not going to never eat/drink junk food again. My plan was to not eat them at all until I get to a healthy weigh (190 lbs) and then at that point they could be re-introduced in MODERATION, while still maintaining by caloric intake to 2000 cal/day.
I have been eating health foods only and logging what I eat. I have been eating a healthy blend of fat/protein/carbs and ending each day right at my caloric goal. I do sometimes crave the junk, but I am not hungry. I feel great.
My "problem" is that I have lost 14 lbs in 23 days. I have always heard you should not lose more than 2 lbs/wk. I am way over that. Is this unhealthy? In what way? What should I do to avoid this weight loss? Eat worse and exercise less?
Thanks for your input.

Replies

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    a lot of the weight people lose initially is water weight. Now that that period has passed, I would monitor your weight for the next couple of weeks and see what it does.

    Your diary is not public so we can not give specific advice on what you may be doing that could be causing an issue (undereating, not logging correctly, etc). Making that public is the most important thing you can do so that we can help you. It gives us a LOT of info.

    As someone else said, make sure you are weighing yourself under the exact conditions every day. I weigh daily (only log once a week) right before I get dressed. so after using the bathroom, and in only underwear. Your scale could also need new batteries.

    And .... you can still eat junk food in moderation. I have something sweet nearly every day. including oreos. If I can make it fit, its fair game. And I'm an old(er) short woman. Guarantee you get more calories than I do LOL
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,012 Member
    If that weight loss rate continues for more than another couple of weeks, then yes: You'd be losing at a rate that could increase health risks, because it's a physical stressor to persistently under-fuel by a large amount.

    A sort of normal response to undereating is to feel great and not hungry for a while, then hit a wall: Fatigue, weakness, if lucky and reversed quickly. (Still may take a few weeks to be back to 100% energy/strength; it did for me, when I accidentally lost too fast for a while).

    Beyond that, the risks of fast loss can include losing unnecessarily much lean mass alongside fat loss (only so much of each pound of fat can be metabolized per day), hair loss, brittle nails, possible gallbladder issues, at true extremes (or if somehow genetically vulnerable without realizing) heart damage. No one wants even the weakness/fatigue, let alone any of that other stuff, right?

    I'm not sure what your target final healthy weight is (and even you don't need to know it right now), but even 2 pounds a week can be more aggressive than ideal if less than 50 or so pounds to lose, IMO. Many folks around here think something in the 0.5% to 1% (max) of current weight per week is sensible, and aiming toward the lower end when approaching goal weight (unless under close medical supervision in cases of extreme obesity).

    Losing any meaningful amount of weight is inherently a long term project, weeks to months. That puts a premium on figuring out a way to make it sustainable, even easy if possible.

    I'm not saying this is the only valid way, but personally, I decided I wasn't going to do anything to lose weight that I wasn't willing to do permanently, to stay at a healthy weight long term, except for the sensibly moderate calorie deficit. That turned weight loss into (essentially) maintenance practice. I experimented, figured out, then practiced, the habits that would help me stay at a healthy weight long term. That moderate calorie deficit was a cushion or safety zone, in case any of the experiments along the way went poorly. 😆

    I'm now in year 5 of weight maintenance, after just under a year of loss (obese to healthy weight) in 2015, and after around 3 decades previously of obesity, so for me that seems to have worked out OK so far. However, I think personalizing one's approach to our own preferences, strengths, and limitations is really key to success at weight management, so different people may need other paths.

    Wishing you much success!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,012 Member
    michaelfitz66 wrote: »
    Thank you to everyone who posted. Definitely some good input. As an update, the weight lost has tapered to healthy levels and I am working to keep it there....Thanks

    Good news: Thanks for coming back with an update, I always wonder how these things turn out for folks.

    Wishing you steady progress all the way to goal!
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
    edited January 2021
    Much of the original weight loss could have been from your new healthy diet releasing retained water and more fiber moving stuff along your GI tract.

    Now that you are in a new rhythm, pay attention to your recent weekly trend and weigh-in with the same conditions, like first thing in the morning after using the bathroom

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