I'm confused

Erisad

I lost 8 pounds last month and I was looking through my diary and I was eating well but snacking on candy, ice cream and such and I still lost 8 pounds. Now I'm only down .2 so far this month even though I'm eating better overall, eating an average of 80 calories less a day (I readjusted my calorie goals), staying under my sodium and I haven't had any candy at all this month. I don't understand it. I didn't expect to lose 8 pounds again but I thought I would at least lose 2-3 pounds for September. My monthly progress photo is next week and I would like to report something better than .2 for the entire month. Any idea what's going on here?

I go to the gym 3-5 times a week and I'm on my feet 40 hours a week at work at the warehouse. So I'm still getting physical activity. I even picked a new cardio workout, the evil stairmaster, to shake it up a bit.

I'm at 182.4 at the moment and I wanted to get to 170 by 2013 (it would have been 20 pounds since July) I had such a good headstart last month and I don't want to blow it now. Especially with the holidays approaching I fear that I won't make my goal, hence why I rarely set weight loss goals like this to start with. I started out at 260 and said I'd be at 150 within the next 2 years. Well...that was back in May 2010 so clearly, I screwed up that goal too. I need to stop setting these timed challenges like this as I never seem to be able to achieve them.

BelindaDuvessa

Honestly, without seeing your diary, there's not much advice to be given. And it's just possible that you've hit that dreaded plateau. From your profile it looks like you've lost a significant amount of weight already, so it may just be that time. Have you changed your calorie intake at all? Do you measure your body parts? How are you clothes fitting as compared to last month?

Capt_Apollo

without knowing much more details, i'm assuming that the major 8lb loss came from the initial shock to your system that immediatly happens when you start a diet and exercise routine. your body is adjusting now.

have you readjusted your calorie goals since you've lost so much? as you lose, every 8-10lbs or so you need to go to your goals and readjust them. you will slowly start eating more.

also, if you are set to be losing a pound or a pound and a half a week, congrats! you have lost, on average, more then that.

miriamwithcats

Your first month was mostly water. And muscle is denser than fat (weighs more per inch). So the scale is a bad measure of success if you are building muscle and losing fat. In other words, you could have lost lots of fat and built muscle by toning, and the scale would show you not losing. Use inches lost instead. Or how your clothes fit. Or how you look and feel. Don't get discouraged.

That being said, my last status report was that I hadn't lost weight when I weighed in this week and WAS discouraged. <grin> So we all fall in to this trap. But seriously, it is fat you are losing and muscle you are building so the scales won't show that progress.

Erisad

Honestly, without seeing your diary, there's not much advice to be given. And it's just possible that you've hit that dreaded plateau. From your profile it looks like you've lost a significant amount of weight already, so it may just be that time. Have you changed your calorie intake at all? Do you measure your body parts? How are you clothes fitting as compared to last month?

I changed my calorie goals and they dropped 80 calories from my daily intake. Maybe I should take off more? I measure my body parts once a month, which will also be next week. I swear I hit a plateau three times a year at least. I'm getting really sick of it and I've been shaking things up too so I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

BelindaDuvessa

Is your calorie allotment what MFP gave you, or one you calculated elsewhere? Go recalculate it with your new weight and see what it comes up with as your calorie goal. It might be a significant shift.

Erisad

Um guys, I've been at this since May 2010. I'm not a first-time dieter. That inital weightloss shock was yeeeears ago.

Erisad

Is your calorie allotment what MFP gave you, or one you calculated elsewhere? Go recalculate it with your new weight and see what it comes up with as your calorie goal. It might be a significant shift.

That's what MFP gave me.

JesterMFP

Well, you lost a lot last month, so I'm curious as to why you dropped your calorie goal? How much are you actually eating? It sounds like you're pretty active with your job, as well as working out, it's possible that if you're not eating enough, your hormones may be affected which could affect your metabolism.

The other thing to be aware of is that starting exercise, or increasing the intensity of exercise can cause you to retain water as your muscles repair themselves. If you feel sore from your exercise, that's also an indication that your muscles are retaining water. Any water retention would be masking fat loss on the scales.

Scales - although a useful tool - don't show the whole picture. It's great that you're taking progress photos. Have you taken measurements of your body as well? That can help to motivate you when the scale isn't doing what you want it to. I would make sure you're eating enough, but otherwise just continue as you are. Maybe look at doing some strength training if you're not already. Weight loss is not linear, there will be some weeks that you don't lose as much (or anything). Just keep at it!

Erisad

I gotta go to work. I'll be back in 10 hours or so.

BelindaDuvessa

Honestly, without seeing your diary, there's not much advice to be given. And it's just possible that you've hit that dreaded plateau. From your profile it looks like you've lost a significant amount of weight already, so it may just be that time. Have you changed your calorie intake at all? Do you measure your body parts? How are you clothes fitting as compared to last month?

I changed my calorie goals and they dropped 80 calories from my daily intake. Maybe I should take off more? I measure my body parts once a month, which will also be next week. I swear I hit a plateau three times a year at least. I'm getting really sick of it and I've been shaking things up too so I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

You keep replying to stuff as I'm replying to yours. It looks funny. :happy:

Have a good day at work. I work 12s, so I understand. Maybe someone will get it figured out for you today.

yksdoris

Honestly, without seeing your diary, there's not much advice to be given. And it's just possible that you've hit that dreaded plateau. From your profile it looks like you've lost a significant amount of weight already, so it may just be that time. Have you changed your calorie intake at all? Do you measure your body parts? How are you clothes fitting as compared to last month?

What she said.

How close are you to your goal? The closer you get, the harder it becomes to lose the weight.

Erisad

Well, you lost a lot last month, so I'm curious as to why you dropped your calorie goal? How much are you actually eating? It sounds like you're pretty active with your job, as well as working out, it's possible that if you're not eating enough, your hormones may be affected which could affect your metabolism.

The other thing to be aware of is that starting exercise, or increasing the intensity of exercise can cause you to retain water as your muscles repair themselves. If you feel sore from your exercise, that's also an indication that your muscles are retaining water. Any water retention would be masking fat loss on the scales.

Scales - although a useful tool - don't show the whole picture. It's great that you're taking progress photos. Have you taken measurements of your body as well? That can help to motivate you when the scale isn't doing what you want it to. I would make sure you're eating enough, but otherwise just continue as you are. Maybe look at doing some strength training if you're not already. Weight loss is not linear, there will be some weeks that you don't lose as much (or anything). Just keep at it!

I dropped it because MFP recommended it and I figured it would help shake it up and continue progress. I didn't think dropping 80 calories a day would make too much of a difference to make me plateau. Although sometimes I do go over but it's usually by less than 100 calories. I don't really feel sore much from work anymore, at least not until the weekend and then my thighs are burning. :P

I take measurements and a body fat % measurement at the time of the progress photo.

How close are you to your goal? The closer you get, the harder it becomes to lose the weight.

I'm 32 pounds away from my goal. I would have thought that it wouldn't have gotten too hard until the last 10-20 pounds, especially since I'm so active.

Erisad

I'm down .4 this week, making a .6 for the month. If I don't pick it up next week, I'll have a lot of catching up to do in the next three months to make it to 170 by 2013. *le sigh*