1000/kcal a day defecit=4lb gain?!

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  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Here's what I learned during my weight loss:

    (1) Weekly ups and downs don't matter. Averages are king.

    So you lost 5 pounds one week, 4 pounds the next, up 4 this week? That averages to 1.667 pounds per week. That's just shy of what is predicted based on a 1,000 calorie a day deficit. And - if you're not weighing your portions - I'll bet your deficit is smaller than you think, which basically means your average loss might be exactly correct based on your deficit.

    Yet another angle I never considered! I really love this forum :) I definitely need to wrap my head around looking at averages and inches and not let myself get so hung up week by week, I guess! And I learned in this thread that I was definitely probably underestimating my intake...should have much more accurate entries when everything gets weighed!

    Thank you for the rest of your great advice and support. Your stats are so inspiring!
    One thing I do now that I'm about 5 months into this is when I have a gain, I go back on my phone 1, 2, and 3 months from that day's weight, then I average the loss over that period of time.

    For instance, I went on a trip last week and had to estimate my calories a lot more than usual (plus, does going on a plane cause water weight gain? Srsly), and gained like 4 pounds back in a week. After a couple of days, when some of that had come off, but not all, I went back a couple of months and averaged out my loss - still right at or just under 1lb/week, which is my main goal.

    It helps me not get discouraged.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    Here's what I learned during my weight loss:

    (1) Weekly ups and downs don't matter. Averages are king.

    So you lost 5 pounds one week, 4 pounds the next, up 4 this week? That averages to 1.667 pounds per week. That's just shy of what is predicted based on a 1,000 calorie a day deficit. And - if you're not weighing your portions - I'll bet your deficit is smaller than you think, which basically means your average loss might be exactly correct based on your deficit.

    Yet another angle I never considered! I really love this forum :) I definitely need to wrap my head around looking at averages and inches and not let myself get so hung up week by week, I guess! And I learned in this thread that I was definitely probably underestimating my intake...should have much more accurate entries when everything gets weighed!

    Thank you for the rest of your great advice and support. Your stats are so inspiring!

    You're so welcome! Just whatever you do, keep heading forward. Even if you stay this weight forever (you won't!) it's so much better than where you came from.

    I kept a spreadsheet and recorded any losses (but NOT gains. I never ate above weekly maintenance, so any gains were ignored and considered water retention) for a week, then the week's total losses. Even considering weeks with no or minor losses, my average was still more than 2 pounds a week for 12 months.

    Hang in there - keep following your plan, and you'll get the loss you are earning.

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