Why am I losing so much weight?

runfreddyrun

According to HeyBales spreadsheet, I should be losing about 1 lb of weight per week; however, last week I lost 3 lbs and the week before I lost 1.5 lbs. Although I'm thrilled with my progress, I'm concerned I'm losing muscle.

Female
40 years old
CW: 198 (when I calculated the spreadsheet, but 195 now)
height: 64
bodyfat: 54%

When I use the Moderately Active category, it calculates my TDEE as 1957. Then it says to consume the following calories:

1468 - for 25% of TDEE for .98 lb weekly loss
1377 - appropriate if very obese (which I think I qualify for the most part)
1264 - appropriate for heavy lifting 3x a week

So I'm eating 1470 calories everyday and not eating back exercise calories. I go to the gym 3x a week where I do strength training for 1 hour at a time. Sometimes I will do 15-20 minutes on the elliptical beforehand. And I walk my dog 45 minutes once or twice a week (want to do more but this is all I've done so far). I've also been biking for 1 hour once a week for the past two weeks where I burn around 500 calories, but I eat most of these back since they weren't originally counted in the Moderately active category.

So am I eating too little? Why am I losing so much weight?

thoeting

If you've just started, then this could be very normal. I had a month at the beginning where I worked out like you are, and ate well, and lost 22 pounds. In one month.

As long as you are eating well and working out with weights, the muscle will take care of itself. For now, just ride it and remember this feeling if your weight loss slows to a 2 pound a month loss (that would be where I am now )

Peace!

TinGirl314

Well it sounds like you're very active...!
I'm afraid to post my opinion ...it might spark a great debate.
It might be because you're not eating back any of your workout calories...
You're doing strength training and your body needs the food so you don't loose any muscle.
I'm not saying to eat them all back either...
What I do for my earned calories is to eat half of them. Some calorie counters on equipment over estimate.

It could be because you jump started your system too....if you're new to healthy living.
My first couple weeks...I think my body had a stroke and panicked cause I went from 4,000 calories a day to about 1400. LOL.

Course this is my opinion and I'm sure you'll get a good number of replies.

runfreddyrun

Well it sounds like you're very active...!
I'm afraid to post my opinion ...it might spark a great debate.
It might be because you're not eating back any of your workout calories...
You're doing strength training and your body needs the food so you don't loose any muscle.
I'm not saying to eat them all back either...
What I do for my earned calories is to eat half of them. Some calorie counters on equipment over estimate.

It could be because you jump started your system too....if you're new to healthy living.
My first couple weeks...I think my body had a stroke and panicked cause I went from 4,000 calories a day to about 1400. LOL.

Course this is my opinion and I'm sure you'll get a good number of replies.

My TDEE - 25% already includes my activity level (for 3 to 5 hours of moderate activity). That is why I don't eat them back. And supposedly, strength training burns fewer calories than cardio for the same amount of time. So the spreadsheet actually says I should be eating 1264 calories - but I didn't want to go that low. Also, my BMR is 1264 so it seemed better to eat 200 calories above it.

claritarejoice

If it's only been a few weeks I wouldn't worry at all. The ideal weight loss (1 lb/wk, 1.5 lb/wk) is *very* much an estimate, so one week you might lose 3 pounds and the next week nothing. Also the scale doesn't matter so much week to week - one day you will have gained 2 pounds and the next day it's gone away. It will all balance out - no worries.

stephanie1133

Calculations rarely workout to what happens in reality. I'd chalk it up to water weight loss or luck. You will have weeks that the calculations say you should lose a pound and yet you gain one. I'd just thank the scale and keep doing what you're doing.

runfreddyrun

Calculations rarely workout to what happens in reality. I'd chalk it up to water weight loss or luck. You will have weeks that the calculations say you should lose a pound and yet you gain one. I'd just thank the scale and keep doing what you're doing.

This week is the 8th week I've been doing MFP, so I doubt it's water weight. I should have mentioned that before. But I went to the Bod Pod almost two weeks ago, found out my BF was higher than I thought and as a result, lowered my calories based on the spreadsheet. So hopefully I've finally got my calories right.

JustPeachy044

I was told that weight lifting might burn less during the workout but the burn continues and you have a higher metabolic rate for hours afterwards. I agree with the others that say it's not all about the scale, things will balance out. For example, I changed my eating style in mid-July and lost 8 lbs. almost without trying. Then I plateaued for 5-6 weeks and have just now broken through. Keep measuring and gauge how your clothes fit as well as weighing in. The scale does "lie" to a certain extent...it's not just all about weight even though the scale gives us a quick down and dirty measure. It's only one measure sort of like measuring kids' intelligence with standardized tests!!

stephanie1133

Calculations rarely workout to what happens in reality. I'd chalk it up to water weight loss or luck. You will have weeks that the calculations say you should lose a pound and yet you gain one. I'd just thank the scale and keep doing what you're doing.

This week is the 8th week I've been doing MFP, so I doubt it's water weight. I should have mentioned that before. But I went to the Bod Pod almost two weeks ago, found out my BF was higher than I thought and as a result, lowered my calories based on the spreadsheet. So hopefully I've finally got my calories right.

I hope so too! I've been considering doing the Bod Pod! But as an aside, one can lose water weight any time, not just at the beginning.

runfreddyrun

I hope so too! I've been considering doing the Bod Pod! But as an aside, one can lose water weight any time, not just at the beginning.

do the bod pod! it's only $35 and it gives a really accurate reading. my BF was 5% higher than i thought and as a result i needed to reduce my calories by 150 a day.

and also - i plan on getting new bod pod readings every 6-8 weeks to make sure i'm not losing too much muscle.

cmriverside

Did you say 54% BF? You need to lose the weight quickly. That's really dangerous to have a BF of 54%. It's fine to lose quickly, as a matter of fact, with your BF % you want to lose quickly. Don't worry about it, as you lose BF %, it will all work out. Keep doing what you're doing.

runfreddyrun

Did you say 54% BF? You need to lose the weight quickly. That's really dangerous to have a BF of 54%. It's fine to lose quickly, as a matter of fact, with your BF % you want to lose quickly. Don't worry about it, as you lose BF %, it will all work out. Keep doing what you're doing.

i'm not in bad health except for moderately high cholesterol, but yes, i need to lose weight. and that is what i'm doing.

funsteps

Where did you get that number for your BMR? It seems very, very low.

SweetMe1

I joined MFP two weeks ago. I lost 8.8 pounds the first week and that was with drinking 11-12 glasses of water per day.

I knew this wouldn't continue and it hasn't. I lost a little less than 2 pounds the second week and it wouldn't surprise me if it goes to 1.5 pounds or less a week as I continue with the same amount of calories/exercise.

runfreddyrun

Where did you get that number for your BMR? It seems very, very low.

i know it seems low but that is because my BF % is so high. i got the same BMR from the spreadsheet, Fat2Fit and that Scooby calculator.

12skipafew99100

Not out of the range of normal. Enjoy while it lasts.

Jxnsmma

ummm . . . no ****. i'm not in bad health except for moderately high cholesterol, but yes, i need to lose weight. and that is what i'm doing.

Another case of "I ask for peoples opinions and then feel its ok to swear at them when they give them to me"? Nice...

fbmandy55

I was told that weight lifting might burn less during the workout but the burn continues and you have a higher metabolic rate for hours afterwards.

This is what my doctor told me. He said in the long run it burns MORE because you continue to burn after you are done.

tlsegar

ummm . . . no ****. i'm not in bad health except for moderately high cholesterol, but yes, i need to lose weight. and that is what i'm doing.

Another case of "I ask for peoples opinions and then feel its ok to swear at them when they give them to me"? Nice...

That was rather rude wasn't it?

prokomds

Sounds like you're pretty well educated about your numbers, which is uncommon enough around here... Aiming for one pound of a week is a smart goal. Congrats on the weight loss so far! If you've just started, or just upped your routine dramatically, I think it's fairly normal to see exaggerated drops/gains in those first weeks. I'm guessing it will even out after a few more weeks. Seems fairly straightforward -- if after a few weeks, you're still losing a bit more than you'd like, add another 100 or 200 calories to your day (and enjoy them!). I was feeling a little low energy/grumpy at about 1500 calories, and I felt way better when I upped it to 1650. Listen to your body, make sure you eat enough, and know the calculators are only an estimate. Good luck!

runfreddyrun

ummm . . . no ****. i'm not in bad health except for moderately high cholesterol, but yes, i need to lose weight. and that is what i'm doing.

Another case of "I ask for peoples opinions and then feel its ok to swear at them when they give them to me"? Nice...

That was rather rude wasn't it?

yeah, sorry about that. i edited my post and deleted that part. i probably misread that to be overlystating the obvious and perhaps it wasn't intended.

DopeItUp

I wouldn't worry about it. When you are very heavy your body is happy to get rid of fat reserves. When I started I was losing 2lbs a week without even trying. As you get further along the weight loss will slow to more normal levels. Nowdays I'd kill to lose 1lb a week.

lmdee73

Did you say 54% BF? You need to lose the weight quickly. That's really dangerous to have a BF of 54%. It's fine to lose quickly, as a matter of fact, with your BF % you want to lose quickly. Don't worry about it, as you lose BF %, it will all work out. Keep doing what you're doing.

ummm . . . no ****. i'm not in bad health except for moderately high cholesterol, but yes, i need to lose weight. and that is what i'm doing.

We all start this journey somewhere. Whether it be 54% BF or 15%....the goals probably still remain the same....to be HEALTHY! I wouldn't worry too much about the weightloss. As someone else posted earlier....take it for what it is.....a loss. There may be a week that you gain a pound or not lose at all. Enjoy it and congrats on your progress so far!!!! :happy:

runfreddyrun

Sounds like you're pretty well educated about your numbers, which is uncommon enough around here... Aiming for one pound of a week is a smart goal. Congrats on the weight loss so far! If you've just started, or just upped your routine dramatically, I think it's fairly normal to see exaggerated drops/gains in those first weeks. I'm guessing it will even out after a few more weeks. Seems fairly straightforward -- if after a few weeks, you're still losing a bit more than you'd like, add another 100 or 200 calories to your day (and enjoy them!). I was feeling a little low energy/grumpy at about 1500 calories, and I felt way better when I upped it to 1650. Listen to your body, make sure you eat enough, and know the calculators are only an estimate. Good luck!

thanks. i guess with my BF % as high as it is, i'm just worried about that number and losing weight too fast and how that might affect it (excuse the run on sentence).

runfreddyrun

thanks everyone for the input. i'll just enjoy the loss for what it is and keep doing what i'm doing. i'm planning to revisit the bod pod in 4-6 weeks to see how much muscle vs fat i'm losing.

moosegt35

I wouldn't worry about it. When you have more to lose, it comes off faster at first. And some weeks you may lose 3 and another week you may not lose at all or gain 1. Unless you are doing insane amounts of cardio and not doing strength training you shouldn't be losing muscle. If you aren't hungry all the time and tired I would just keep doing what you are doing and be glad to lose 3 pounds some weeks. 3/week isn't dangerously fast or anything for someone with that kind of BF%, I would take advantage of it now as it will start to level off after a while.

prokomds

Sounds like you're pretty well educated about your numbers, which is uncommon enough around here... Aiming for one pound of a week is a smart goal. Congrats on the weight loss so far! If you've just started, or just upped your routine dramatically, I think it's fairly normal to see exaggerated drops/gains in those first weeks. I'm guessing it will even out after a few more weeks. Seems fairly straightforward -- if after a few weeks, you're still losing a bit more than you'd like, add another 100 or 200 calories to your day (and enjoy them!). I was feeling a little low energy/grumpy at about 1500 calories, and I felt way better when I upped it to 1650. Listen to your body, make sure you eat enough, and know the calculators are only an estimate. Good luck!

thanks. i guess with my BF % as high as it is, i'm just worried about that number and losing weight too fast and how that might affect it (excuse the run on sentence).

If you poke around the forums, you'll find a ton of people who had big weight losses early on (3 pounds a week, 5 pounds, more), and are so frustrated and confused because it drops to 1 or 2 pounds after a month or so. If you're mentally prepared to see that rate of loss drop, and you're not afraid to up your calories a bit if things aren't going how you want, you're already in a much better place than these people

You didn't get here in a few weeks, you're not going to suddenly lose a ton of muscle in a few weeks. It's good to be concerned, but it sounds like you'll be just fine.

...and on a personal note, I so need to find one of those body pod things. I'd love to actually get some accurate measurements done instead of just guessing at it...

I'm kind of laughing that you posted here asking advice on your weight loss and somebody feels the need to tell you that you need to lose weight. Uhh.... why do they think you posted here in the first place?

runfreddyrun

...and on a personal note, I so need to find one of those body pod things. I'd love to actually get some accurate measurements done instead of just guessing at it...

I'm kind of laughing that you posted here asking advice on your weight loss and somebody feels the need to tell you that you need to lose weight. Uhh.... why do they think you posted here in the first place?

well yeah. that was kind of my thought too. you may already know this but the bod pod is a huge space capsule looking thing that some universities have. if you google 'bod pod' for your city, there should be at least one place that offers it, if you live in a bigger city. you sit in the capsule and it somehow measures your volume. it's pretty cheap though - $35 or less. a good investment i think every few months.

i'm looking very forward to losing BF so that i can up my calories. even 1470 feels a little restrictive to me.

cmriverside

...and on a personal note, I so need to find one of those body pod things. I'd love to actually get some accurate measurements done instead of just guessing at it...

I'm kind of laughing that you posted here asking advice on your weight loss and somebody feels the need to tell you that you need to lose weight. Uhh.... why do they think you posted here in the first place?

well yeah. that was kind of my thought too. you may already know this but the bod pod is a huge space capsule looking thing that some universities have. if you google 'bod pod' for your city, there should be at least one place that offers it, if you live in a bigger city. you sit in the capsule and it somehow measures your volume. it's pretty cheap though - $35 or less. a good investment i think every few months.

i'm looking very forward to losing BF so that i can up my calories. even 1470 feels a little restrictive to me.

Actually, what I wrote was that is is GOOD to lose FAST, when you have a BF of 54%. Which was the jist of your original post. You are so over weight that faster is better. This isn't the case for smaller people, and they will be reading this too.

I'll stay out of your threads from now on. Sorry I tried to help. Good luck. Too bad, though. I have a lot of knowledge and the desire to see people succeed. Good luck. Again.