What do you think when someone on MFP is losing too fast?

elainecroft

Here's something that I'm frustrated with -

Many, many people on this site are supportive about "smart" ways to lose weight, i.e. don't diet change your lifestyle, aim for 1-2 pounds a week, exercise, etc.

HOWEVER...
I just saw a post of someone's 'success story' with pictures. Now, don't get me wrong, this person looked AMAZING, and I'm sure they (literally) worked their butt off. But then when you read the post, you see they lost 100 pounds in 6 months - that's about 4 pounds a week for half a year. I do realize that everyone is different, and maybe there isn't anything going on here, but it does seem like a bit of a red flag to me.

What really bugged me, is that in hundreds of comments, all I saw was "You go girl!" and "OMG you look HOT I am so jealous!!" Nothing about any health concerns, or asking how she did it. And maybe that's just how it is - that the purpose of MFP is to be supportive of whatever goals people have reached, without digging too deep into the process. But to me it just seems to stink of a bit of hypocrisy - like we're all preaching 'slow and steady' but secretly supporting the idea that the faster you can lose weight, the better.

I'm sure there's many sides to this story, so what are your thoughts? What do you think when you see someone on MFP with "too good to be true" stories?

MissBettyBoop2

it is very possible the person that is losing 4 pounds a week on average had weight loss surgery and is being monitored closely by their doctors and nutritionists.

So, unless i know all the facts, I am not going to judge anyone's weight loss...

JMO

Brittypop

The 'too good to be true' stories are definitely fun to read but it would be beneficial to know the circumstances of such a rapid weight loss and the methods used. Personally, these type of weight loss stories both encourage and discourage me. I've been working with MFP for only 16 days now and I find myself getting discouraged that I've only lost under 6 lbs and I'm not seeing a huge shift on the scale every day. Logically, this is a ridiculous way to feel but sometimes when I read about these rapid weight losses, it throws me into that idiotic thinking.

In short, knowing the method and circumstance behind these rapid losses would be very informative and helpful.

VanessaFaith

Well, look at it like this... is it better to be 100+ pounds overweight (killing yourself) or lose a pound a week too fast?? I was 250 pounds overweight and lost 100 pounds in 5 months... yeah, very fast, but I was literally dying. When someone is extremely overweight, I say get it off! I see my doctor every month and they do blood tests, etc and They say everlything (heart, levels, etc) are great! For someone that doesn't have much to lose, I say do 2-3 pounds a week. But otherwise, do what you gotta do to get healthy.

Jeff92se

If someone is extremely overweight, that scheudle isn't that far fetched.

VanessaFaith

Well, look at it like this... is it better to be 100+ pounds overweight (killing yourself) or lose a pound a week too fast?? I was 250 pounds overweight and lost 100 pounds in 5 months... yeah, very fast, but I was literally dying. When someone is extremely overweight, I say get it off! I see my doctor every month and they do blood tests, etc and They say everlything (heart, levels, etc) are great! For someone that doesn't have much to lose, I say do 2-3 pounds a week. But otherwise, do what you gotta do to get healthy.

PS... I didn't have surgery, I just got extremely motivated. And a larger person tends to lose a lot faster than a smaller overweight person.

Brittypop

PS... I didn't have surgery, I just got extremely motivated. And a larger person tends to lose a lot faster than a smaller overweight person.

VERY true!

tistal

I have to chime in here. I started my life change plan on Monday. I weighed myself today and I was down 3.2lbs. I work out twice a day (no where near killing myself, well, except for the 30 Day Shred, that kills me) and have been tracking my calories and drinking my water and doing everything I am suppose to be. I feel like 3.2lbs in 3 days might be too much too fast but it is what it is and I am not starving myself or have had any kind of surgery!

❤B☩❤

it is very possible the person that is losing 4 pounds a week on average had weight loss surgery and is being monitored closely by their doctors and nutritionists.

So, unless i know all the facts, I am not going to judge anyone's weight loss...

JMO

I agree....

VanessaFaith

I have to chime in here. I started my life change plan on Monday. I weighed myself today and I was down 3.2lbs. I work out twice a day (no where near killing myself, well, except for the 30 Day Shred, that kills me) and have been tracking my calories and drinking my water and doing everything I am suppose to be. I feel like 3.2lbs in 3 days might be too much too fast but it is what it is and I am not starving myself or have had any kind of surgery!

Water weightloss... especially the first week or two.

alecta337

I have to chime in here. I started my life change plan on Monday. I weighed myself today and I was down 3.2lbs. I work out twice a day (no where near killing myself, well, except for the 30 Day Shred, that kills me) and have been tracking my calories and drinking my water and doing everything I am suppose to be. I feel like 3.2lbs in 3 days might be too much too fast but it is what it is and I am not starving myself or have had any kind of surgery!

This is normal your first week using MFP. Your body is like "woah, healthy food and exercise and water, this is crazy" and loses weight fast. But after your first week or two you should level out to 1-2 lbs per week.

In my first month I lost 8 lbs, but since then I have lost much more slowly (also I gained back a ton while on winter break)

petreebird

I have to chime in here. I started my life change plan on Monday. I weighed myself today and I was down 3.2lbs. I work out twice a day (no where near killing myself, well, except for the 30 Day Shred, that kills me) and have been tracking my calories and drinking my water and doing everything I am suppose to be. I feel like 3.2lbs in 3 days might be too much too fast but it is what it is and I am not starving myself or have had any kind of surgery!

Chances are 3.2lbs in 3 days is just water weight and your working out and drinking water has rid your body of the need to retain it. I only wanted to lose about 8 pounds total. Suddenly I found myself in a 4 day span losing 3 pounds. I'm 5'4" and now 121 lbs. That is too fast, but I knew it because I felt it!! I felt ill the last day I weighed myself and realized that I needed to up my calories. Everyone is different some lose faster than others, some lose slower. If I personally read a post and thought that it was unhealthy I would either A) private message the person with my concern and let them know that I'm not judging, just concerned or close the post. Their decisions are theirs, but mine are mine so I can always just walk away and surround myself with a group of friends that are supportive.

JMHO

petersoncl

Don't get discouraged. You have lost more than me. I have lost 2 lbs. in two weeks and I am very happy. For some that may not be much but it is one lb/week.

bethdris

I started at 246.2 and lost 90 pounds in 6 months without surgery! Its all about getting off your butt, and eating right. Nothing magical about it. I then lost another 6 pounds over the next month +(after having back problems)..Some people are "all in" and go full blown when they do something. I am now about 150ish and have been maintaining since late aug of 2011. It can be done in a healthy fashion

IOWAlapbanderette

I know everyone is different, some have surgery ( I had lapband on 12/6/10) and with gastric bypass, or the sleeve you can drop weight alot faster, I'm the turtle..slow and steady..lol
Now a friend of mine joined this last week, and with in a day posted that she'd lost 8 lbs. I'm sure she didn't in a day..I mean no one SHOULD or really could for that matter, so perhaps she joined earlier and didn't post a loss till then... so there could be any number of reasons for some drastic losses..

MissFit0101

Some people (most people) are not into the mathematics so if that person didn't specifically state that they lost 4lbs a week, most people will overlook it.

IronmanPanda

Every case is individual and there aren't enough facts here to base a decision on.

In other words...

Move along... these aren't the droids you're looking for.

Jazzyrose77

4lbs at week isn't extreme if you are over weight. Most folks go up and down a couple of pounds per day.

EDesq

Here's something that I'm frustrated with -

Many, many people on this site are supportive about "smart" ways to lose weight, i.e. don't diet change your lifestyle, aim for 1-2 pounds a week, exercise, etc.

HOWEVER...
I just saw a post of someone's 'success story' with pictures. Now, don't get me wrong, this person looked AMAZING, and I'm sure they (literally) worked their butt off. But then when you read the post, you see they lost 100 pounds in 6 months - that's about 4 pounds a week for half a year. I do realize that everyone is different, and maybe there isn't anything going on here, but it does seem like a bit of a red flag to me.

What really bugged me, is that in hundreds of comments, all I saw was "You go girl!" and "OMG you look HOT I am so jealous!!" Nothing about any health concerns, or asking how she did it. And maybe that's just how it is - that the purpose of MFP is to be supportive of whatever goals people have reached, without digging too deep into the process. But to me it just seems to stink of a bit of hypocrisy - like we're all preaching 'slow and steady' but secretly supporting the idea that the faster you can lose weight, the better.

I'm sure there's many sides to this story, so what are your thoughts? What do you think when you see someone on MFP with "too good to be true" stories?

Some people may have Health Issues that Mandate FAST Wt. Loss...MANY are not just trying to look good for the summer or spring break or fit into size X Jeans...all that stupid bull. Many people have REAL Health Issues. So STOP trying to put Everyone into One Bag on how to take care of their Health and the Best way to do it.


I do NOT care how Fast or Slowly a person loses weight...THAT IS NOT the Bottom Line! Maintenance IS THE KEY! I have seen people lose Fast...regain, regain, regain it ALL back and MORE! I have ALSO seen those who lose Slowly do the SAME STUFF! SOOOOOOO, NO, There is NO Formula for losing wt, how fast someone loses wt ...but for keeping it OFF, YES there IS a Formula...Sustainable CHANGE and Total Commitment to One's Wellness.

What "we" think of how a person is taking care of THEIR Health or Wt. Issue (s) is just FODDER for Judgmental and Newsy Peeps. If a REAL FRIEND (NOT a "CYBER-Friend" was doing something that I thought may be harmful, I would bring it their attention as to what I thought, then let it be. My personal belief is that losing wt is an Emotional and Spiritual Journey, SOO when you are in that "Spirit" get it off, do not over-think what is happening, then if you have NOT learned how to eat...Learn Quickly.

karagav

I have to chime in here. I started my life change plan on Monday. I weighed myself today and I was down 3.2lbs. I work out twice a day (no where near killing myself, well, except for the 30 Day Shred, that kills me) and have been tracking my calories and drinking my water and doing everything I am suppose to be. I feel like 3.2lbs in 3 days might be too much too fast but it is what it is and I am not starving myself or have had any kind of surgery!

i'm in the exact same boat...i've been tracking and doing the 30 day shred for just under two weeks and i'm down 6lbs...i've been eating my calories, definitely not depriving myself at all!! i think for some people it starts a bit faster...i was pretty lazy and ate horribly for months, so i'm wondering if my body's just kicking into high gear?

grannygethealthy1111

I lost the majority of my weight in the first 7 months. No surgery, no fad diets, no starving myself. I ate healthy and worked my *kitten* off (literally). On March 5th I will celebrate 2 years keeping it off. My metabolism is perfectly fine despite the fact that I am 61, I ate 1200 calories while losing weight, and I never ate my exercise calories back. I made a lifestyle change and I still live it today ... but now I can eat more calories without gaining the weight back. No, I am not fat skinny. My body fat tested at 14.29% ... not bad for an old broad.

I don't worry about how fast or slow someone else is losing weight. Each story is different and I don't play "weight police" nor do I feel the need to judge others.

Good luck on YOUR journey of losing your excess weight and becoming healthy.


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tataliciousd89

I started at 246.2 and lost 90 pounds in 6 months without surgery! Its all about getting off your butt, and eating right. Nothing magical about it. I then lost another 6 pounds over the next month +(after having back problems)..Some people are "all in" and go full blown when they do something. I am now about 150ish and have been maintaining since late aug of 2011. It can be done in a healthy fashion

I agree. When I eat right and exercise daily I can lose between 3 and 4 lbs a week. It is unhealthy if you are eating too few calories or overworking yourself at the gym, but the main focus of this site is making sustainable changes. So if you can get the weight off that fast safely and maintain it for the long haul then cheers! :drinker: and congratulations!!!

emancipateurself

Everyone is differant...everyone looses their weight differently...don't be to concentrated on everyone else...care about yourself and know what you are doing is right for you...to each it's own...and stop judging people!!!! lol

MrsLawsonNavyBrat2B

I have to chime in here. I started my life change plan on Monday. I weighed myself today and I was down 3.2lbs. I work out twice a day (no where near killing myself, well, except for the 30 Day Shred, that kills me) and have been tracking my calories and drinking my water and doing everything I am suppose to be. I feel like 3.2lbs in 3 days might be too much too fast but it is what it is and I am not starving myself or have had any kind of surgery!

usually the first 5-10 lbs come off fast bc your body is adjusting to your new lifestyle. After you have done this for a few weeks it will regulate itself to 1-2 lbs per week (unless your body is crazy *unlike mine* and keeps going at a faster rate)

BIGRR70

I started January 1st and have basically lost a pound a day. I totally agree with the heavier you are, the faster you drop the weight intially. My wife started the same time as me and has less weight to lose and is doing the same routine as me but she's not nearly having the same weight loss results as me.

jakki_brown

While dieting and exercising without cheating I can lose 4lbs. I don't think anyone should question my weight loss if I did it, either.

tataliciousd89

Oh yeah, and for those of us with blood pressure problems, its not uncommon to lose up to 8 lbs in the first week of dieting (I've done it). Yes it's mostly water weight, but it still drops that weight fast.

Adelphia

:huh: I'd think it's none of my damn business, don't know about you.

Goal_Seeker_1988

The bigger you are the easier it is for the weight to drop in larger numbers. When I was 85lbs heavier there were two different weeks where I lost 5lbs. I was losing no less than 2lbs the rest of the time until I got closer to my goal then the weight finally slowed down. However it took me a year in a half to lose all 85lbs. Still can't lose the last 15lbs (damn it!) but I've managed to keep it off for over 3.5 years. Depends on the person weight varies. The more you have to lose the easier it'll come off. It is much better to get it off then keep it on!

pastryari

Some people may have Health Issues that Mandate FAST Wt. Loss...MANY are not just trying to look good for the summer or spring break or fit into size X Jeans...all that stupid bull. Many people have REAL Health Issues. So STOP trying to put Everyone into One Bag on how to take care of their Health and the Best way to do it.

Why do you think it is "stupid bull" for people who do NOT have "real health concerns" to want to get into shape? There is nothing wrong with skinnier people wanting to get fit or toned. It's so they can feel good about themselves & you shouldn't judge these people by just assuming that it's for "spring break". I see it a lot, there's all kinds of people on here, some to maintain, some to lose, even to gain. Maybe you might want to re-think your opinion on what is stupid or not....

noexcuses84

The 'too good to be true' stories are definitely fun to read but it would be beneficial to know the circumstances of such a rapid weight loss and the methods used. Personally, these type of weight loss stories both encourage and discourage me. I've been working with MFP for only 16 days now and I find myself getting discouraged that I've only lost under 6 lbs and I'm not seeing a huge shift on the scale every day. Logically, this is a ridiculous way to feel but sometimes when I read about these rapid weight losses, it throws me into that idiotic thinking.

In short, knowing the method and circumstance behind these rapid losses would be very informative and helpful.

please don't be discouraged, 5-6 pounds in 16 days is a great acheivement! just remember there are all sorts of ways to lose weight and if ur doing it the healthy way then thats all that matters! stay focused