Weight loss struggle

kathrynbradshaw2280

Advice.. I am trying to lose weight- I lost 5 pound and for two weeks have stayed the same- even though I’m sticking to my calories and even when I exercise I’m not eating the extra … any advice?

Lietchi

The timings are unclear: you have been 'stuck' for two weeks, but over how much time did you lose those 5 lbs? If you've been trying to lose weight for less than a month, the answer is simply patience. Weight fluctuates naturally from shifts in water weight, food waste,... You need at least one month or menstrual cycle to evaluate your strategy.

Other things to look out for:
- you lost those 5lbs very quickly, it's highly likely it was mostly water weight, and your body is trying to correct its water weight level now
- if the exercise is new, it can cause water retention for muscle repair
- if you're undereating (aggressive weight loss rate selected and not eating back exercise calories on top of that) or body could be under stress and holding onto water weight

Water weight fluctuations can mask fat loss on the scale, but fat loss is what you're really concerned about. So patience is important! If the long-term trend is downwards, that is what matters.

If would be useful to have more information to give more precise advice: age, sex, height, current weight, goal weight, activity level, exercise regime and how much you have been eating.