Just started, losing weight really fast?

dimsumkitty
dimsumkitty Posts: 120 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!

I started logging my calories at the start of the month, so it's been precisely 3 weeks since I started. I asked for a "lose 1 lb a week" plan, which gave me 1640 calories a day. (I'm 5'10, 20, and lightly active) If I work out the average, I've been going over my calories a little bit every day, including eating back exercise calories.

In 3 weeks, I've dropped 3 kg (6.5 lb), which is a lot more than expected. (My caliper BF% has dropped to just under 30% from about 32%, which I worked out is ~2kg of fat, though that's not very accurate at these levels. I've dropped just under 2 inches off my waist.) I've also been feeling occasionally fairly light-headed and less alert when I did physical activity, especially before lunchtime.

My question is, is this just what's supposed to happen when I start a weight loss plan, or could my baseline energy expenditure be higher than MFP thinks it is? Is there a way of checking without jeopardising the weight loss?

Thanks!

Replies

  • dimsumkitty
    dimsumkitty Posts: 120 Member
    Bump. Any help out there?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    A lot of people lose water weight in the beginning. It should level off a bit. If it doesn't then it means you get to eat more calories. :flowerforyou:
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    Is it possible that you were eating a lot more than 1600 cals before you started? If so, that may explain your amazing loss. Congrats!
  • ninakir88
    ninakir88 Posts: 292 Member
    this is totally normal :)
  • stinkinstone
    stinkinstone Posts: 34 Member
    It is pretty normal to lose more than you might expect as you start. Enjoy it, as It may slow down. Stay the course long enough and you will be able to see what works for you. Take a peak at the group eat, train progress and read the suggested posts at the beginning. That may help you know what to expect.
  • kalieah
    kalieah Posts: 143 Member
    Some of the weight is probably water weight, seen as your body is doing a whole new routine. Your body is probably just adjusting t o being healthier and stuff. But i wouldd make sure your getting lots of protein and carbs in, if not that could be the reason as to why your feeling light headed. And MAKE SURE that you're drinking enough water, that can be crucial.! any more questions, just ask away:)
  • staplebug
    staplebug Posts: 189
    Wow! That's awesome. When I first started losing weight (2 years ago, before MFP) I lost 3 pounds a week for about a month, then it slowed down. You'll find that you have to adjust after you lose a bit of weight as well; the same things may not work. As for the light headedness, make sure you are drinking enough water, especially during and after workouts. Try doing 4X4 as well, 4 meals a day every 4 hours (breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner). This has helped me so much.
  • Ecox0313
    Ecox0313 Posts: 11 Member
    Congrats on the weight loss! As far as feeling lightheaded, try eating a somewhat bigger breakfast. Especially if you will be working out before lunch. Or try to get in a snack before your workout or activity.
  • Krikkett
    Krikkett Posts: 4
    Everyone's body is different, you could quite easily be in need of more than you thought you did by MFP standards. You know your body, listen to it when it feels bad and you may be able to make adjustments to fix it. Part of this journey is about feeling better and you don't sound like that part of it is quite there.

    You could always try bringing your calorie intake up a bit further. I am wondering if your workouts are what is impacting you more than you realize and that the calories you are eating to make up for it are not quite covering your gap. How many calories were you averaging before you began your weight-loss process and what quality of food were you getting before and currently?

    I am guessing you are getting plenty of water with your workouts since it sounds like you know what you are doing there. Since you are working out in the morning are you starting your day before your workout with enough protein to keep your energy going?

    I am not a professional and none of these system checks may be what is affecting you, but since no one else has answered,I thought I might throw a couple of ideas at you. *Edit* There were several posted while I was typing... oops!
  • TomTomato
    TomTomato Posts: 223
    I had a similar start too. It will fluctuate. Just remember you are ahead of the game when you hit a platuea. When it comes to the human boady, no science is exact. Everyone burns differently.
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    I've also been feeling occasionally fairly light-headed and less alert when I did physical activity, especially before lunchtime.

    My question is, is this just what's supposed to happen when I start a weight loss plan, or could my baseline energy expenditure be higher than MFP thinks it is? Is there a way of checking without jeopardising the weight loss?

    Thanks!

    Quick weight loss when you first start is normal and should level out, but I am concerned about your light-headedness and lack of energy.

    I'm only 5'7" and losing on 1500 net calories (usually netting 1600) so you may need more to feel great. You don't look like you have much to lose, so maybe set your loss to 1/2 pound and see what happens. Sometimes I would like to go quicker, but I know I am setting myself up for successful maintenance by losing slowly.

    There's no need to hurry- you want to feel energized and satisfied!
  • kbeckley11
    kbeckley11 Posts: 203 Member
    I was having a hard time concentrating, and was unenergetic. I upped my daily calories by 100. It hasn't affected my weightlose, and I feel better. I think MFP has underestimated what you burn in a day.

    Also, in the beginning, I lost a lot of weight in the first couple of weeks, but it was mostly water weight. That could be part of your issue.

    If I were you though, I would start slowly upping your calories, until you stop feeling light headed.
  • tekwriter
    tekwriter Posts: 923 Member
    It is very early on in your diet so probably it is nothing, but you should check your blood sugar at the beginning and end of exercise and see if you are hypoglycemic or diabetic. either could give those symptoms.
  • mrsfoster102613
    mrsfoster102613 Posts: 126 Member
    How much and what were you eating before? If it was a lot more calories and/or processed foods, then it's no wonder you are seeing quick results. If you are eating more natural foods now, that could also be why you are experiencing dizziness and/or headaches. Your body may be detoxing.

    If you don't believe the quantity or quality was all that much higher, I suggest keeping a very close eye on how you are feeling. If you are not feeling well and your body isn't detoxifying, something isn't right. You may need more calories.

    Make sure you are drinking plenty of water and watch your caffeine intake. Also ensure you are getting plenty of rest!

    Best of luck!
  • efirkey
    efirkey Posts: 298 Member
    You may naturally burn more than average. I am on the lose 2 pounds a week plan and I lose about 3.5 pounds per week on average. I guess we are the lucky ones.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    It's ok. I had mine set to lose a 1/2 pound per week. I usually experience a 5# loss in the first week and then my body settles down. I had 5 pounds the first week...3.5 the second week...3.5 the third week...and the fourth week. I called my doctor about seeing a nutritionist to see if this was safe, but that was fruitless. I'm in the third month and I've leveled off to a 1/2 pound or pound a week.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's pretty common to shed some Lbs quickly in the first couple of weeks to a month...I think I was averaging around 2 lbs per week for the first month before it tapered off. Some of it is the fat, and a lot of it is water. Since you're not eating as much, your body doesn't require as much water to metabolize nutrients, so it lets it go.

    Just keep an eye on it. If it doesn't start to taper off to your goal, you should maybe change your activity setting or manually adjust your calories up a bit. It's definitely not an exact science, I required slightly more calories than MfP suggested to lose according to my goal.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I missed the part about being light-headed the first time. Make sure you're getting plenty of fat and protein-- think of MFP's recommendations on those as minimums. That makes me wonder if you might be burning more than you think. I thought I was sedentary when I joined but I turned out to be lightly active or a little more.
  • MindyG150
    MindyG150 Posts: 1,296 Member
    I lost my first 5 in a week, believe me it slows fast :) Stick with it...you'll love the results!
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Oh. I also did a fitness assessment which suggested adding 100 calories to my daily diet based on my metabolism. I had already done that to jigger it so I didn't feel hungry all the time.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    i was surprised when i started MFP in jan of 2012 how quickly i lost 13 lbs. I had hoped to lose it by Memorial Day but lost it by March 9th (about 6 weeks). It was too quick for me and i started fainting
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Water weight.

    Happens everytime i go from eating in a surplus (unintentionally or intentionally) to eating in a deficit.

    it will eventually even out to about 1 pound per week. :)
  • yanniejannie
    yanniejannie Posts: 1,090 Member
    All I can tell you is my experience............the first 5lbs. came off in 8 days; the second 5lbs. took 35 days more for a total of 43 days. I'm now at day 67 and still working on the third 5lb..........but it IS coming off...........you will probably slow down too; remember patience and consistency will pay off.........
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    It's normal to lose a bunch the first week or two because you are eating better (i.e. less actual food hanging around in your body) and you are flushing more water through your system.

    I'm not saying you shouldn't worry about it, but I went through a several month period where I would get lightheaded easily. Eventually it went away. Sometimes it resurfaces if I've really been aggressive at the gym.

    Make sure you drink LOTS of water. That helps quite a bit with lightheadedness for me.
  • dimsumkitty
    dimsumkitty Posts: 120 Member
    Wow, so many good ideas!

    For people who asked, I'm eating exactly the same things I've always eaten, but just much less of it. (And a lot less sugar.) I've never really tracked before, but I would guesstimate I was getting about 2500 a day before I started MFP.

    I think I'll stick with 1600 for another month and see how it goes. If I continue to lose this fast I'll up my intake a bit, since I'm a student and can't afford to be less alert when I get close to exam time. I'll also try eating some of my exercise calories in protein and fat for breakfast before I work out.

    Thank you everyone! :)
  • Krikkett
    Krikkett Posts: 4
    900 less than you were used to a day could be part of it, yes.

    I am glad you feel better about it. Again, you know your body so you know how to make it feel the best. I hope classes go well for you. Let us know how you feel after you wait it out for another month, your body should adjust better over time.

    I am going to return to lurking to try to pick up more handy tips.

    Take care.

    *edit* spelling errors

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