Plateau, Meds, or Hormones??

mrshollywozniak

I'm 3 weeks into dieting and so far I had lost 9 pounds. This week I have gained a pound! I am staying around 1400 calories per day. Is 3 weeks into a diet too soon to plateau? I've also started Loestrin 24 5 weeks ago but if it was that I would assume it wouldn't have allowed me to lose at all in the beginning.

I'm also taking spironolactate for PCOS. I just started this about a week ago. It's supposed to help with weight loss though (indirectly).

I skipped my TOM due to the Loestrin. I initially chalked this all up to getting ready to start but now that's not an issue. I'm getting very down and need to know what I should be doing.

I run 2 miles 3 times per week and I do body pump 1-2 times per week. f

Thoughts? Ideas? Help!

russelljclarke

If you;re below 1400 cals AND exercising, you may be in 'starvation' mode. You should be eating your exercise calories too. Unconvinced/fearful of putting weight on again? See my blog at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/russelljclarke as I was worried too

mrshollywozniak

I am def eating my exercise calories! Extra food is the biggest reason I make sure to work out!

russelljclarke

My current tack is to eat back HALF of my exercise calories, as I'm told that some of the figures in MFPs database are a bit high for exercise. I'm still experimenting/testing the theory, but it seems to be working so far.

mrshollywozniak

Hmmm. Maybe I'll try that. Anyone else have advice?

kleavitt1992

id try to lower it to 1300 net for a week see if it gets you back

dad106

I'm on Loestrin and it does make you put water weight on.. so that may be some of it. Other then that, its a wonderful birth control which I love a lot.. and even tho you skipped TOM, you may still be having side effects from it.

Plus with body bump, the muscles may be retaining water... so drink that water like it's your job!

also, it hasn't been that long.. only 3 weeks. Give it more time before you start trying to rule things out.

kleavitt1992

I'm on Loestrin and it does make you put water weight on.. so that may be some of it. Other then that, its a wonderful birth control which I love a lot.. and even tho you skipped TOM, you may still be having side effects from it.

Plus with body bump, the muscles may be retaining water... so drink that water like it's your job!

also, it hasn't been that long.. only 3 weeks. Give it more time before you start trying to rule things out.

but she's on spironolactine which is a diuretic lol so it would prob. even out

geekymom57

I'm 3 weeks into dieting and so far I had lost 9 pounds. This week I have gained a pound! I am staying around 1400 calories per day. Is 3 weeks into a diet too soon to plateau?

In my humble and non-medical opinion, 9 pounds in 3 weeks for your weight goal seems like a lot of weight loss in that period of time. I've managed about 14 pounds in almost 5 months with a weekly calorie deficit that should result in about 1.5 pound/week. After about a month I had lost about 5 pounds and then went close to a month losing nothing. My dietitian said to stick with what I was doing and allow my body to recalibrate to its new "normal" metabolism for that weight. My TSH levels were also out whack and my dosage of synthroid was increased about 2 weeks ago, so I'm hoping that picks it up, too.

In any event, my main point is as some others have said--give it time. And the range of variation even in a given day can be several pounds, so ignore the "up" pounds as long as you know you're honest with your logging.

mrshollywozniak

Thanks for all the advice. I am on a diuretic so I don't think it's water weight. I still have cramps even though no TOM so maybe my body is just getting used to things.

Also I felt 9 pounds in 3 weeks was excessive as well, but I have my calories set to lose 1.5 pounds per week and I eat back all my exercise calories so it's not like I'm deliberately losing a lot of weight. I wanted to do this the healthiest and most long lasting way possible and figured a slow pace would be best. I don't know why I dropped the weight quickly at the beginning since I was following mfp's calorie guidelines 100%. I'm going to invest in a food scale to double check that my portions are correct.

geekymom57

I don't know why I dropped the weight quickly at the beginning since I was following mfp's calorie guidelines 100%. I'm going to invest in a food scale to double check that my portions are correct.

An accurate food scale is a very useful tool. I weigh or measure almost everything that isn't portioned (e.g., slice of bread, etc.).So that I can not have to resort to measuring/weighing the rest of my life, I'm trying to develop a clearer idea of how much 3 oz of chicken "is" or 1/2 cup of rice, etc.. You may want to get one that also weighs in grams, since the level of precision is much greater with grams vs. quarter-ounces (my scale's minimum if I use the ounces/pound vs. grams/kg).