Is your weight loss spuratic?

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My weight loss is confusing for me. I started at 184.4lbs six weeks ago, today I weigh 171! I am very happy and in no way am I complaining!
My question is...

I normally walk my dogs 2-4 miles per day and I do a IFIT workout on the treadmill almost daily (maybe 5 times per week)
I am under my 1200 calorie (plus my extra calorie allowence that day) 6 days per week.

So...Im losing 2-3 lbs every 2-3 weeks. I weigh myself daily, and the weight is coming off one out of 2-3 weeks.
Like so far since Sunday Ive lost almost 3 lbs and I havent done any excercising at all. No IFIT, not dog walking. I am staying under my 1200 calories per day.

Why am I losing weight on the week Im not working out?

Thanks for your time :)

Replies

  • katcunock
    katcunock Posts: 664 Member
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    your body may be struggling if you are eating under your BMR. Don;t take MFP targets as gospel - it sounds like you should be eating more.
  • sunshine_gem
    sunshine_gem Posts: 390 Member
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    Because you're still eating at a calorie deficit.
  • BSchoberg
    BSchoberg Posts: 712 Member
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    It's not instantaneous - your weight fluctuates for dozens of reasons, but the steady loss is more reflective of the past couple of weeks, not the last 48 hours.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    your body may be struggling if you are eating under your BMR. Don;t take MFP targets as gospel - it sounds like you should be eating more.

    this. You shouldn't be "under 1200".
    1200 should be the bare minimum you should ever eat and most days you should be over it.

    Also, when you work out, your muscles retain water to protect themselves, it might hide the fat loss on the scale, but you're still losing it. When you don't work out for a while, the water leaves, and you see the difference on the scale. nothing to be concerned with, and definitely not something to stop working out over.


    Also, "sporadic".
    And yes, weight loss IS sporadic, not linear. Sometimes you will lose 2 or 3 pounds in a week, then none the next, the 2 the next, etc. as long as it is a downward trend over time, you're good to go. If you have no change for over a month, consider tweaking things.
    you may even gain a couple during TOM week, don't sweat it...it will go away the next week...
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    I was just saying the same thing to my husband. When I don't eat enough of my exercise calories back and have too big a deficit, I don't lose as much weight as when I do.

    Just like you, when I exercise more and don't eat enough I don't lose.

    I agree with the other poster. It sounds like you need to eat a bit more to sustain your exercise and continue to lose.

    Counterintuitive, isn't it?
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    Your body holds water to repair muscles. Sometimes if you stop working out for a few days you will lose a few pounds of water weight you were holding onto.

    I think the word you were looking for was sporadic?
  • zooathome
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    Thanks to the people who corrected my spelling. It must of been bugging the hell out of you.

    And thank you to the people who had real comments, opinions and answers to my question. I barely ever eat too far under my 1200. Plus I have my off day on the weekends so I dont feel quilty for eating those shrimp fajitas and chips and salsa :)

    The muscle water retention makes a lot of cents.....hahaha :)
  • CoryBe
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    Thanks to the people who corrected my spelling. It must of been bugging the hell out of you.

    And thank you to the people who had real comments, opinions and answers to my question. I barely ever eat too far under my 1200. Plus I have my off day on the weekends so I dont feel quilty for eating those shrimp fajitas and chips and salsa :)

    The muscle water retention makes a lot of cents.....hahaha :)

    And good for you for the sense of humor. :) Or is it humour? lol
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
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    I have noticed that i lose zero or a half pound one or two weeks in a row, then the next week I lose three...zero/three zero / three etc.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    My pattern is the same. A big loss one week, then no losses, or even a small gain for 2 weeks. It's been like this since I started running 6 months ago - it used to be more steady before the running. But, over the past 16 months, the monthly average has been consistent regardless of the weekly pattern.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    Thanks to the people who corrected my spelling. It must of been bugging the hell out of you.

    And thank you to the people who had real comments, opinions and answers to my question.

    hey! I corrected your spelling AND gave a good answer, lol, do I get DOUBLE thanks?!?!?


    also...
    makes a lot of cents.....
    :explode: :grumble:


    lol:laugh: