Is it normal to have a big loss first week?

Hello!
I only started on Monday and have lost 8lbs so far this week. I am very obese so is this normal due to my size? My husband is worried I am not eating enough. To be honest I love how much I have lost but am worried I will go into starvation mode or plataue with the weight loss. Any thoughts???

Replies

  • buffyangel2000
    buffyangel2000 Posts: 54 Member
    You most likely have lost water weight.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Someone posted a really great figure the other day from their physiology text of length of time on calorie deficit and where weight loss came from. First week is almost all water. So congratulations! Don't turn your nose up at it. But it will get slower and will come more from fat and muscle.
  • jen350z
    jen350z Posts: 48
    I lost 8 pounds as well in my first week. Dont worry about it. It will slow down.
    Your body is not used to eating right or working out.
  • I also lost 7 pounds my first week into my new diet and now its more like 0-4lbs a week.
  • YoungDoc2B
    YoungDoc2B Posts: 1,593 Member
    Completely normal for the first week, seeing as it's water weight. After this, expect to lose 1-2lbs a week.
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
    Good way to start your new life! Don't be disappointed if your rate of loss slows down. A lot of the initial loss tends to be water weight. For sustainable loss check out this link. Good info here for setting up your targets.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12


    Strength training is important too- good info on lifting here.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
  • msstuard
    msstuard Posts: 131 Member
    yea that sounds correct. congratulations for making the decision to start and welcome to MFP. Good Luck on the journey and don't get discouraged when it slows down or at plateaus. For plateaus I like to think every week I'm not gaining I'm winning. eventually you get through the plateau. again good luck.
  • jzaz903
    jzaz903 Posts: 306 Member
    First, welcome to MFP!

    I had a larger loss my first week too. If, in a few weeks(say, 3-4 or so) you're still steadily losing 8lb a week... It's time to reevaluate. But if by then it's slowed to aroundabout what it should be? Sounds good!! (like, if your goal is to lose 2lb a week, and you lose 3... Not a big deal. 8? Big deal.)
  • anansie_uk
    anansie_uk Posts: 6 Member
    Thank you everyone! Everyone seems really friendly here too, so glad I joined :smile:
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    I lost 9 lbs my first week and then 0 the second week and was sooo disappointed that I didn't lose another 9 pounds. :laugh: I also didn't have much of an appetite the first few weeks so from my experience everything you're saying sounds completely normal.

    You really can't take anything from this because everyone's weight loss is going to be different but here's a record of my weight loss each week so far. It fluctuates wildly (and doesn't seem to match up to how much I ate for the week at all) but from what I've seen that's perfectly normal. I never thought I'd post this put maybe you'll get something out of it since we both lost so much the first week. Good luck on your journey. :smile:

    WK1 - 9 lbs
    WK2 - 0 lbs
    WK3 - 6 lbs (new scale)
    WK4 - 3 lbs
    WK5 - 2 lbs
    WK6 - 2 lbs
    WK7 - 4 lbs
    WK8 - 1 lbs
    WK9 - 0 lbs
    WK10 - 3.2 lbs
    WK11 - 2.8 lbs
    WK12 - 1.8 lbs
    WK13 - gained
    WK14 - n/a
    WK15 - 1 lb
    WK16 - 1.8 lbs
    WK17 - gained .2 pounds
    WK18 - .2 lbs
    WK19 - 1.2 ibs
    WK20 - .8 lbs
    WK21 - 0 lbs
    WK22 - 1 lbs
    WK23 - N/A
    WK24 - 1 lbs
    WK25 - 2.4 lbs - Started Low Carb
    WK26 - N/A
    WK27 - +3.2 lbs
    WK28 - 3.8 lbs
    WK29 - 2.6 lbs
    WK30 - gained 1.1 pounds
    WK31 - 1.8 lbs - Fasted
    WK32 - 4.6 lbs - Fasted
  • HazelCaz
    HazelCaz Posts: 48 Member
    As long as you don't expect every week to be like the first. Just about everyone losses a lot the first week. I will weigh in tomorrow morning (my 1st wk weigh in too) and my guess is about 6 lbs. We will see.
  • llstacy
    llstacy Posts: 91 Member
    It's normal...just wish it lasted. :bigsmile:
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    Yes, that is fine. I lost almost 15 my first two weeks and my Doctor did not show any concern.
  • saford10
    saford10 Posts: 24 Member
    My first week I lost ten pounds and have been battling the last three weeks. First week its all water weight.