Calories set to lose 0.5 lb/week, losing 1 lb/week??!!

Linnaea27
Linnaea27 Posts: 639 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I started seriously trying to lose weight and tracking my calories just after Christmas. Not much happened until a little after New Year's, and then once I was able to eat properly (I eat well, lots of whole foods and vegetables and mostly non-meat proteins) and stick to my calorie goal most of the time, I've been losing weight at a very surprising rate. I am in my mid-20's and am only 5'1", and started in December at a little over 116 lbs. Just in the last 2 weeks, I've lost more than 2 pounds.

I'm not complaining by any means, I just think it's pretty strange. I go slightly over my calories (1430/day before exercise) a few times a week. Usually I exercise about an hour a day (ETA: 4-6 days/week) using weights and/or cardio-- but for the past week I've had a really bad cold and haven't had the energy to exercise nearly that much. I also haven't had much of an appetite, so remaining close to my before-exercise calorie goal while inactive has been more possible than I would have thought. When I do exercise, I usually eat back all or almost all of the exercise calories as well.

Anyway, I'm startled to have lost so much weight in 2 weeks or so-- at this rate it's disappearing at more than a pound a week when I have MFP set for 1/2 lb a week-- I thought that would be all that's possible for me since I'm short and didn't have that much to lose to begin with. Has anyone else had this experience? Potential insight as to why this is occurring?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    If you continue at that rate, then you know you can estimate your TDEE for the current exercise you do... Remember everything is an estimate until your numbers start to come together..
  • Linnaea27
    Linnaea27 Posts: 639 Member
    I'm not yet familiar enough with TDEE calculations to know exactly what you're referring to-- forgive my ignorance, but would you mind explaining how one would do that? Thanks :)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    All online calculations, including MFP, are based on averages. It's not uncommon to see slightly different results.

    It could simply be that you naturally burn a little more calories than avereage (have a higher than average BMR (basal metabolic rate)). It could be water weight loss, especially if you cut out a lot of carbs. If this is the case, it will slow after a few days.

    I'd just stick to the plan for a little longer. If you continue to lose more quickly than you'd like, then up your calories a little. Sometimes you have to tailor the plan to fit you.
  • Linnaea27
    Linnaea27 Posts: 639 Member
    .

    It could simply be that you naturally burn a little more calories than avereage (have a higher than average BMR (basal metabolic rate)). It could be water weight loss, especially if you cut out a lot of carbs. .

    I do think I have a pretty good metabolism; I used to eat almost as much as my 6' tall, super-good-metabolism, never-gains-any-fat fiance, and I've always been within normal BMI, and was never more than kind of plump. So I guess it's definitely possible that my BMR is higher than average.

    And some of this week's could have been water weight, since it recently was that time of the month.

    I think I'll stick with it for a while. If I hit my current goal and still feel I could be slimmer and fitter, I'll revise my goal down a couple pounds and work on becoming more muscular, I guess.

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