weight loss in chunks...?

So I've notice a trend over the past few months that my body sheds weight in chunks. I will have no scale movement in say 2-3 weeks and then all of a sudden I will have a weight loss of 3-4 pounds, then nothing again for weeks and then another loss. I see many here loose weight on a consistent week by week basis and think hmmmm (not me) Does anyone have a clue as to why this happens? I know we all are different but has anyone experience this weight loss in chunks trend?

FYI - I do 60 min. of cardio for 4 days of the week and attend Zumba class 1 day for an hour, drink plenty of water and drop in a bootcamp class here and there.

Replies

  • So I've notice a trend over the past few months that my body sheds weight in chunks. I will have no scale movement in say 2-3 weeks and then all of a sudden I will have a weight loss of 3-4 pounds, then nothing again for weeks and then another loss. I see many here loose weight on a consistent week by week basis and think hmmmm (not me) Does anyone have a clue as to why this happens? I know we all are different but has anyone experience this weight loss in chunks trend?

    FYI - I do 60 min. of cardio for 4 days of the week and attend Zumba class 1 day for an hour, drink plenty of water and drop in a bootcamp class here and there.

    Not 100% certain why it happens, but I'm a "chunk loser", too. LOL! I tend to lose in bigger chunks, 3 to 4 pounds all at once, following by a week or two of nothing. It's odd, but I'm not complaining because it averages out to about a pound a week and it's always been this way for me.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Not at all uncommon. Weight loss is rarely linear and many people will go a couple of weeks with little or no change and then have a week or 2 with significant change. Rarely does it work out where you lose slowly and steadily every week for an long period of time.
  • I tend to either gain slightly or not move for at least five days then drop 2-3 pounds at the end of the week. I don't know how it works either, but you aren't alone!
  • thinagain2014
    thinagain2014 Posts: 51 Member
    Thanks for this thread. I know I shouldn't but I weight everyday:(. This morning I was a little discouraged because I haven't seen a loss yet this week (I weight in on Fridays). I thought that maybe it's because I'm older now and don't drop weight as fast as I used to. I will stay the course and be patient.:smile:
  • joe_d
    joe_d Posts: 73 Member
    Yep, me too. My loss has been very uneven, but the it averages out to 1.3 pounds a week. I've seen folks out here refer to those blessed weeks where you lose those pounds as "whoosh" weeks. :smile:
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Thanks for this thread. I know I shouldn't but I weight everyday:(. This morning I was a little discouraged because I haven't seen a loss yet this week (I weight in on Fridays). I thought that maybe it's because I'm older now and don't drop weight as fast as I used to. I will stay the course and be patient.:smile:

    There's nothign wrong with weighing every day or even multiple times per day. You just have to understand what that scale number represents... what exactly it's measuring.
  • NJL13500
    NJL13500 Posts: 433 Member
    I don't know why it happens (probably not the answer you are looking for), but it happened to me throughout my weight loss. I was somewhat consistent in the beginning in terms of losing something every week (when I had 60 pounds to lose), but as time went on and I had less to lose it would come off in chunks. I would have no movement for 2-3 weeks and then 1-2 pounds would drop off. At one point I even made a spreadsheet so I could try to find a pattern to my "chunking", but there wasn't really one that I could see.

    I had to focus on how my clothes were getting looser and how my cardio and strength workouts were improving and took the scale going down as a bonus. I know it's tough. Believe me. I've been there. It took me 10 months to lose 60 pounds and the weight came off when it wanted to. I stuck to logging and exercising and generally ate between 1500-1600 calories per day. I kept the faith and it worked.

    I've maintained the loss for 3 1/2 months now. Not as impressive as some, but we all have to start somewhere. I just wanted you to know that it's pretty common to lose in chunks. Our bodies are very weird at times. Good luck and I promise that it works eventually.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Some digital scales have a 2 pound "memory" that's supposed to keep them from showing minor fluctuations, but can be frustrating when you're trying to lose. So if you're within 2 pounds of what you weighed last time you weighed yourself, it'll show the same weight. Then you drop below that two pounds, and you have a 3 pound weight loss out of nowhere.
  • leannems
    leannems Posts: 516 Member
    My body does this too. I always assume this is what is going on:

    (Pre MFP) Body: Hey fat, I really love you. Isn't is awesome how she always over-eats all the time. We're going to be best buds forever!

    (MFP) Body: Wait - WTF! Where are all my thousands upon thousands of calories! Hell no, I hate this, I'm holding on to all the fat forever because you're not feeding me!

    (Weight Lifting) Body: Well hello there muscle. Aren't you a site for sore eyes. Yes, I have room for you, here, right next to the fat.

    Leannems: WTF. Why is the scale going up, but inches going down??

    (Continued Weight Lifting) Body: Sorry fat, muscle is taking up too much room; I gotta dump some of you

    Leannems: Woohoo! Scale finally went down to match the inches I lost.

    Body: Oh fat, I'm so sorry I dumped some of you. I'm going to hold on to the rest of you forever. She's really not going to give any back. (and then back on to Weight Lifting).

    I'm sorry - I have too much time on my hands.
  • DCpaleochick
    DCpaleochick Posts: 211 Member
    Thanks for the responses....glad to see I am not the only chunk looser.. Dont get me wrong I will take any weight loss whenever it comes!

    I'll keep pressing on :)
  • JCM1969
    JCM1969 Posts: 141 Member
    I noticed the same thing the other day when I graphed my weight loss. It does make it easier to stick to it through the weeks of no loss!
  • blott1987
    blott1987 Posts: 21 Member
    This has been worrying me too. I was 220lbs for three weeks. I was getting discouraged. Then out of nowhere 8lbs fell off and stayed off. Now I'm 212lbs and I've been here for three weeks. starting to get discouraged again. Hopefully the scale will change. What really upsets me is that my inches are the same for three weeks too. I've been doing insanity for three weeks so I figured something would have happened by now. Think I may just avoid the scale.
  • nwg74
    nwg74 Posts: 360 Member
    I lost something every week for a year and tomorrow is the the end of my second year. I only lost 48 pounds in my second year after doing a massive 154 in my first year. So far this year, I have been staying the same weight for weeks before dropping a pound or so.

    I have found it is easy to go up and have to lose the same weight over and over. I don't mind that but it could have waited until I lost just the 3 pounds I wanted to my goal. Now, it is just a waiting game and it will come off just don't know when.
  • PINKinquisition1908
    PINKinquisition1908 Posts: 180 Member
    This was the best. I was actually imagining this all happening. Like an episode of The Magic School Bus
    My body does this too. I always assume this is what is going on:

    (Pre MFP) Body: Hey fat, I really love you. Isn't is awesome how she always over-eats all the time. We're going to be best buds forever!

    (MFP) Body: Wait - WTF! Where are all my thousands upon thousands of calories! Hell no, I hate this, I'm holding on to all the fat forever because you're not feeding me!

    (Weight Lifting) Body: Well hello there muscle. Aren't you a site for sore eyes. Yes, I have room for you, here, right next to the fat.

    Leannems: WTF. Why is the scale going up, but inches going down??

    (Continued Weight Lifting) Body: Sorry fat, muscle is taking up too much room; I gotta dump some of you

    Leannems: Woohoo! Scale finally went down to match the inches I lost.

    Body: Oh fat, I'm so sorry I dumped some of you. I'm going to hold on to the rest of you forever. She's really not going to give any back. (and then back on to Weight Lifting).

    I'm sorry - I have too much time on my hands.