SERIOUSLY 1 LB!!!!????

On 09/10/12 I weighed in at 241 lbs at the Dr's office. I started using MFP, counting calories and logging in my excercises. Then on 09/14/12 I weighed in at 231 lbs! on my digital scale at home. 10 lbs in a matter of days!! cool, whos not going to be happy about that? it is a little dramatic though. Any way my weekly weigh ins are on Fridays so today I get on my scale and it reads 230 lbs. 1 lb! THATS IT!!!???? >:/ I was hoping for at least 3-4 lbs. I have no idea what happend haven't changed anything. Do you think it could be that I started my period this week? and also MFP has been telling me that I'm consuming too few calories, do you think maybe my body is in starvation mode? or maybe the 10 lbs was way too much weight to lose in such little amount of time that my body is saying to slow down. IDK but that was depressing and it made me mad. What do you all think and has this happened to you?
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Replies

  • Your body lost a whopping 10lbs & yeah that tasted awesome but sometimes it's like whoa & holds on to more fat in my opinion...keep doing what your doing & you should see a bigger loss in the coming weeks.
  • I think you are using a skewed starting point since your digital scale and dr. office scale were not calibrated the same. 1lb a week is excellent and a lot of work. More importantly, it's safe. My doctor's office weight is never less than 6-7lbs different than my home scale and my home scale is usually a couple of lbs off of my gym scale. Stick with one and use it as a barometer.
  • alicia0416
    alicia0416 Posts: 274 Member
    Do be discouraged... Small numbers add up!!!!!
  • I also think it could be your TMO. :/ Good luck hon!:flowerforyou:
  • ravenchick
    ravenchick Posts: 345 Member
    I can gain 2 to 5 pounds when it's TOM, so yes I'm sure that has something to do with it. As far as starvation mode, it's a myth but you always should eat at least 1200 calories. You can slow down your metabolism if you don't.
  • Ph4lanx
    Ph4lanx Posts: 213 Member
    Firstly, starvation mode doesn't exist. It's just a reaction called Adaptive Thermogenesis. Figure out your TDEE and then take away 30%. Much better than the rubbish numbers MFP throws out.

    Secondly, weight loss isn't a set scale. You won't lose a set number per week I'm afraid, and there will be more than one stall along the way. Don't just measure with a scale. :)
  • mmimmi1
    mmimmi1 Posts: 49 Member
    You can't expect to loose 10 punds every week. As long as you are loosing you shouldn't worry so much ... think of your average/week ... and 1 pound is not so bad...you do need to eat your calories though ...
  • steadk
    steadk Posts: 334 Member
    1 pound of fat is as big as 3 grapefruit!! That is huge in inches!!! Be happy for where you've gotten too rather than how far you have to go!
  • so since Sept 10th you have lost 11lbs,today is the 21st so you did lost 11lbs in 11 days and you are unhappy with this?
    :huh:
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
    First off, you're assuming that your home scale reads identical with your Dr.s scale. Most scales will NEVER be identical. I have 2 different scales. I weigh myself side by side and there's almost a 5 lb difference between the two. So maybe you never lost 10 lbs to begin with.

    And 1-2 lbs a week is a safe weight loss. Any more than that and you're probably dropping lean mass which you don't want.
  • amonroe1343
    amonroe1343 Posts: 206 Member
    You could be retaining water if you're on your period. Most women do and so you hold on to that weight. Do you drink enough water? Also, you want to eat what your daily calorie goal is and increasing your calories might help you with dropping some more weight. Also, if you're working out you could be building muscle and losing fat so the scale doesn't move much but you are losing inches. Many possibilities. Also, if I have a week where I work my butt off, I won't lose a lot that week and will see it the following week on the scale. Keep at it, if you're doing it right and eating enough and working out you'll see results.
  • I'm willing to bet that your scale at home and your doctor's scale are not the same. No two scales are created equal, I weigh 15-20 pounds more on my mom's digital scale than I do on my analog one at home. My suggestion is to pick one and stick with it, give it more than 2 weeks and do your measurements as well. There is almost no way that you lost 10 pounds in 4 days unless you were deathly ill.
  • Take the mindset that this is a long distance race...you'll have big losses and small losses but as long as you're losing - you're actually winning! 10 lbs in 4 days is too much. 11 lbs in 2 weeks is better but still a very drastic weight loss.

    Muscle weighs more than fat so you can lose fat while gaining muscle and the scale won't change.

    Take measurements monthly as well as weighing yourself - the tape will give you different results than the scale will.

    Relax! You'll get this. But it won't all come off in the first month.

    Mac
  • Deluxe97
    Deluxe97 Posts: 34 Member
    I find I retain about 2-5 lbs of water during my period, so that may be it. Also, don't starve yourself. As hard as it may be, you have to be patient and lose slowly if you want the weight to stay off later.
  • amymichelle1226
    amymichelle1226 Posts: 150 Member
    It sounds like there was something wrong with one of the scales. I only use one scale so it will never be confusing. 10lbs in a couple days doesn't sound healthy! 1lb is more like it...the most I've lost in a week is 2lbs. Keep at it, only use your scale at home and you'll see those pounds drop off!
  • joeysox
    joeysox Posts: 195 Member
    during the first week a little over half of what you lose is water, so you technically lost 4 maybe 5ib of body fat, this is a great first week loss but most healthy losses are 1-2ib a week, its better to be small and consistent, i started out bigger than you and TRUST me yoyoing is terrible and ruins your intentions, stick at it :) some weeks will be better than others just dont give up x
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    I personally agree you had a wierd starting point by using two different averages I would start fresh and ONLY use the scale at home
  • nygrl4evr
    nygrl4evr Posts: 196 Member
    I think you are using a skewed starting point since your digital scale and dr. office scale were not calibrated the same. 1lb a week is excellent and a lot of work. More importantly, it's safe.

    I think the 10lbs may not be correct also. I know the scale at my house always reads 4lbs less then the one I use weekly at work. Stick to one scale to track weight loss by or you may never know exactly where you stand. 1-2 lbs a week is a great way to go. Healthy amount to lose and easier on your body.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    The scale at the dr office is way inaccurate.

    Also, I agree that if you're looking for your weight to drop off at a consistent pace every single week, you're in for disappointment. If you're noticing a downward trend in your AVERAGE weight, then you're moving in the right direction. Beating yourself up over 1 pound here and there is unnecessarily brutal.
  • Gr8ChangesAhead
    Gr8ChangesAhead Posts: 836 Member
    First week is our bodies getting used to less calories and water weight. Don't get discouraged, when I think only one pound I take a pound of butter of the shelf at grocery store and realize that was on me a week ago, keep at it, one day at a time you didn't gain it overnight and you will not lose it overnight...
  • julieh391
    julieh391 Posts: 683 Member
    I think you are using a skewed starting point since your digital scale and dr. office scale were not calibrated the same. 1lb a week is excellent and a lot of work. More importantly, it's safe. My doctor's office weight is never less than 6-7lbs different than my home scale and my home scale is usually a couple of lbs off of my gym scale. Stick with one and use it as a barometer.

    Mmm hmm
  • I always weigh more on the doctor's scale. I have on all of my clothes and my appointments are usually in the afternoon. However, at home I do my weigh-ins bare and in the morning. Pick a consistent method and stick with it. Also, don't poo poo one pound. A loss is a loss in my book!
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    On 09/10/12 I weighed in at 241 lbs at the Dr's office. I started using MFP, counting calories and logging in my excercises. Then on 09/14/12 I weighed in at 231 lbs! on my digital scale at home. 10 lbs in a matter of days!! cool, whos not going to be happy about that? it is a little dramatic though. Any way my weekly weigh ins are on Fridays so today I get on my scale and it reads 230 lbs. 1 lb! THATS IT!!!???? >:/ I was hoping for at least 3-4 lbs. I have no idea what happend haven't changed anything. Do you think it could be that I started my period this week? and also MFP has been telling me that I'm consuming too few calories, do you think maybe my body is in starvation mode? or maybe the 10 lbs was way too much weight to lose in such little amount of time that my body is saying to slow down. IDK but that was depressing and it made me mad. What do you all think and has this happened to you?

    The first ten pounds may have been alot of excess water in your system, which would explain why you lost so much, so quickly. The recommended rate of weight loss is 1-2lbs/week, so you were actually within that range this week. Don't expect to have huge losses every week. Just be happy that it was a loss. Every step forward is a step in the right direction, and even baby steps count. 3500 calories=1lb of bodyweight. In other words, you need to create a calorie deficit of 3500 calories over the course of several days to lose 1lb of weight. Just keep eating right and exercising every day and you will eventually reach your goal, just don't expect to get there overnight. It's a long, slow, sometimes maddening process. One of my MFP friends posted this quote about the link between failure and success the other day, and I LOVE it: "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." -Michael Jordan
  • BlondieSuess
    BlondieSuess Posts: 36 Member
    I'Ve been on the same boat, just keep doing what you have been doing and the weight will fall right off. For me personally, I found that if I eat right at my goal then I tend to loose more. Test and it out and see if it works for you. I also found that if I take a couple of rest days from exercising then that helps a lot too. But remember, that 11 pounds is an awesome accomplishment. You should be proud of yourself.
  • sarah1334
    sarah1334 Posts: 77 Member
    I definitely gain weight when it's my TOM. Don't panic! I say just keep doin' what you're doin' and see what the scale says next week. (Unless you want to consider eating more... but I won't pretend to be an expert about that.)
  • MVY_
    MVY_ Posts: 253 Member
    It depends on how much you weigh and if you are obese or overweight. People with more weight tends to lose a lot in the first few weeks if they exercise and eat right. Eat up to what your calories says you should eat. Don't eat less, it would definitely affect you. If you are eating right then it is just your body slowly losing the lbs. Seriously, I have to say losing 10 lbs within a week is nice but sounds kinda fishy because 10 lbs in a week seems unhealthy. Lol. Make sure you are eating your calories correctly. Heck, I'm only losing a lb per week.
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
    Few things..

    One...

    Start with one scale. Write down that number and use that. I'd suggest your home scale.

    Two...

    Realize that one pound a week is a good loss....expecting huge numbers unless you are expending huge amounts of calories is just unrealistic.

    Three...

    You're going to have gains, little losses, no losses and all sorts of fun along the way...accept them and move on. The body is complex.

    Four...

    Please accept now that during your period, everything fluctuates..your weight..your mood...possibly your cravings..it's not the end of the world and your body will regulate again the following week.

    Five...

    GOOD LUCK! :)
  • ewestsca
    ewestsca Posts: 63 Member
    The same thing happened to me. I lost 10 lbs and then nothing. I'm doing the same things I did to lose the first 10. It's like, what the heck is going on?
  • SamAdams125
    SamAdams125 Posts: 54 Member
    In any given week, you should aim to lose 1-2 pounds. Any more than that is not sustainable long term and often leads to gaining it back. Take it slow and steady and you'll keep it off. I know it's more fun when it comes off fast, but slow and steady is the healthy way to do it. And make sure you eat at least 1200 cals, and you may need even more if you have a lot to lose. I average 1600-2000 a day (I workout 30-60 minutes of weights or cardio 5-6 days a week) and I've been losing just under 2 pounds a week for the last 8 weeks. There is no reason to starve yourself to lose weight.

    If you haven't read it, I always suggest people read Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet. It taught me so much about nutrition and helps keep me motivated.
  • what's TDEE?
    Firstly, starvation mode doesn't exist. It's just a reaction called Adaptive Thermogenesis. Figure out your TDEE and then take away 30%. Much better than the rubbish numbers MFP throws out.

    Secondly, weight loss isn't a set scale. You won't lose a set number per week I'm afraid, and there will be more than one stall along the way. Don't just measure with a scale. :)