Surprised and confused

alannabowes

I've been on MFP for only 5 days now and I have lost 2lbs already! Is this really possible? is it just water weight? can this keep going like this?? I've seen the success stories and know that other people are losing weight, which is fantastic, I'm just hoping this will stay the way it is- I exercise 3x a week on a spin bike and burn around 400cals each time, I do minimal walking, and minor housecleaning (housewife), and I am definitely watching what I eat..I'm just astounded. It's half a pound a day. Any thoughts?

stackhsc

yes its possible. Its likely a combination of water and weight. keep at it and try not to get discouraged if it slows down

iWaffle

You're going to have normal fluctuations from day to day. You might even be back up a pound tomorrow but that doesn't mean you did something wrong. Stick with planning your meals as much as possible, hit your macros (Carbs, protein, fat) and stay within that calorie goal. That is NET calories with exercise calories added back in. Keep doing this along with the exercise you said you're doing and it will work. It's probably not going to be that fast the whole time. 1/2 to 1 pound a week is a good rate to lose at and even if you go an entire week without losing any weight continue with the plan. It will work.

sassafrascas

yes its possible. Its likely a combination of water and weight. keep at it and try not to get discouraged if it slows down

^ Thats the key I think, be prepared mentally if it does slow down.

muttnchop

Yes! My first week I dropped 4.9 lbs and the scale stayed put the 2nd week. On week 2 for me I know I was retaining water (if you catch my drift) so I just stuck with it and I am hoping that next Friday I see another lb. or so gone. Keep at it!

Turtlesallthewaydown

In the same week I can weigh from 180 - 187. One day to the next it can be that significant of a difference. And forget hopping on the scale when the red tide is in because I can't see that high of a number and not freak out.

Also the batteries in my scale have to be super fresh or it reads wrong.

Hope this helps.

sboyle1393

Your not the only one I have been on for almost a week and I'm about 2-3 lbs down its most likely water weight and if you've upped your exercise could be fat. Keep the good work though

alannabowes

thanks so much everyone:)

bwogilvie

You're going to have normal fluctuations from day to day. You might even be back up a pound tomorrow but that doesn't mean you did something wrong.

^This. I started on January 7 at 214.8 lbs. I didn't weigh myself on Jan. 8, but on the 9th, I was 213.0. I could not have lost 1.8 lbs. of body fat in 2 days - that would have been 6300 calories' worth of fat! Clearly, my first day was just near the top of my usual fluctuations.

There have been days when my morning weight was nearly 3 lbs. more than the previous day. But the overall trend is downward. John Walker explains how to use weighted moving averages to filter out the noise in his free online book "The Hacker's Diet" (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/) - not, however, for people who don't like math.

NCchar130

I lost 4 pounds the first week I was here. I'm sure it was primarily water. However, it didn't come back either.

I have a friend who has started and stopped using MFP about 4 times now and every time he gets back on it, he drops 3-4 pounds the FIRST week only. I think if you are starting 100 or more pounds away from goal, that may not apply, however.

Like someone said above, don't forget (or get discouraged) that body weight fluctuates due to factors besides fat loss/gain, primarily the water weight thing (if/when your weight goes up several pounds overnight). I knew before I started that sodium causes water retention as well as hormones for us women. Interesting things I've learned along the way - ibuprofen and aspirin can cause water retention and so can sore muscles. I took aspirin yesterday and weighed this morning - 3 pounds up from yesterday. I've tested that out enough to know by now I will 'gain' 2-4 pounds overnight taking NSAIDS. No big deal though. When I started strength training and was so very sore for a good 3 weeks, I didn't lose any weight per the scale...but then I dropped like 7 pounds in a week. So, I concluded water retention by those sore muscles was just masking the loss.

twinketta

Congratulations on your weight loss, whether it is water weight or not, it is a great start and you must be really bubbling with enthusiasm to keep going

So that is the key, just keep going, before you know it you will be down a clothes size and encouraging other people on MFP!

Sweetums71

The ups and downs are normal. I think the best way to look at it is an average over a month period. As long as the numbers after a month are going in the direction you want be happy. Just don't give up.