How long is it ok to plateau after rapid weight loss

murphyraven

So a small backstory. I lost about 20 lbs in 5-6 weeks due to appetite suppressents I was put on by my doctor, I was not exercising at this time. I was thrilled with the rapid loss at the beginning, but towards the end I started feeling run down and depressed. I started tracking my calories on MFP and found I had been eating way too low. (800-900 cal a day)

I started forcing myself to eat at least the 1200 for a week or so while on the suppresant drugs. Trying to eat mostly healthy and non processed but the scale didn't move and I still felt a little tired. I still wasn't exercising.

About a week and a half ago I upped my calories to 1400 a day and have started gentle exercise of walking 30+ min 3x or more a week and weights 2x a week. I eat back maybe half to 2/3 my exercise calories. I am feeling better and more like myself (I'm off the appetite suppresant drugs for now). But my weight hasn't budged. I have only gained back like 1 lb and stayed pretty steady. Its been about 2 weeks since I've seen any movement with the better calories and exercise.

Does my body just need some time to get over the rapid loss and hopefully start losing again at a gentler pace? Did I up my calories too high? I'm honest about tracking what I eat and drink, even down to having alcohol and weight and measure my food. I track my walking exercise but not my weights and try not to eat it all back leaving 50-100 cal as a buffer if I miscalculated food.

I am at 231lb now and want to keep having progress. It this just something I need to wait out? I don't think the rapid weight loss for a little over a month would have severly damaged my metabolism or anything. And I am skeptical about the starvation mode topic that gets thrown around the forums.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Give it more time. Sometimes when you up your calories you'll stall out or even gain for a bit but then it'll start coming off again. It's not a plateau, it's just an adjustment. Also congrats on getting off the appetite suppressants.

murphyraven

thanks for the reply. So maybe wait till end of december and see what happens? I am happy that the weight hasn't immediatly started coming back after getting off the drugs but its hard being patient after such a initial quick loss.

shawnteahsing

All I can do is tell you my story and maybe it will help you. My dr. also put me on those drugs. I never noticed a differance in how I felt until I stopped taking them. I now noticed that I wasn't hungry while on them. I decided that I didn't want to continue to lose weight while on those drugs. ( they can't be taken forever, cause of the long term side effects, anyways). I now "feel" hungry often. I lost 14 lbs in 30 days and haven't put them back on! I also go the the gym about 6 days a week for 1-1.5 hrs a day. I continue to eat at about 1400 cal. a day. I don't think I am losing right now. Nothing feels different (clothes, energy etc.).

dendra7

I would give it a full 2-3 weeks to balance out a bit. An average of 3lbs a week is a lot and may take some time for your body to adjust. Monitor your intake & output honestly and be patient with yourself. It's a lifestyle not a race. Best wishes!

paijing

It takes time to readjust, and you could probably up your calories and still lose weight.

Read more about resetting your metabolism on Eat More 2 Weigh Less: http://eatmore2weighless.com/category/metabolism-reset-2/.