Unexpected 'woosh'; need help!

EmmiDahling
EmmiDahling Posts: 104 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been on a break from my calorie cut this summer to work on my fitness levels. My goal was to maintain my weight, firm up some muscles, and improve my fitness and endurance with the plan of heading back into a calorie cut in the fall. Between 7-28 and 8-7 I've dropped 3 lbs unexpectedly while trying to eat at maitenance (and some bingey days in the past few weeks). I have a scale that measures body fat (I know it's not accurate, but it gives me a general trend) and that percent has been dropping, too.

I want to make sure that there's nothing off in my numbers or settings. I'm within 20lbs of my goal and want to slow the rate of loss, minimize loose skin, and keep as much muscle mass as possible. For here to goal it's about losing fat and being fit. I need some help to make sure that's going to happen. I'm a little freaked out about an unexpected 3 lb change.

The info:

I'm doing C25K in the morning and a resistance workout in the afternoons on MWF (except no resistance 7-15 to 7-22 when on vacation) and circuit training on T/Th with the weekends as rest days. I'm logging all cardio, but not the resistance since it doesn't really show a burn.

I'm a teacher, so I changed my settings for the summer to sedintary (because other than my workouts I spend a lot of time sitting) and to maintain. Most days I hit it really close to my cals, a little over or a little under. There were some *really* over days in there that i didnt log the entire day. I tried to go back and mark them in the notes later, but each instance must have been at least 1,000 cals.

The past 2 days I have been under by 400-500 cals but theere was no significant defecit prior to this. If you look at my diary now, it looks like I was more under than I was because I changed my settings back to lightly active as I am starting room prep for the year and am back on my feet more again.

Most of the summer I maintained my weight. I was a little up or a little down, but within what I would expect for water retention and releasing water as muscles healed. This 3 lb loss had been very sudden (within 2 weeks) and I'm just not seeing where I had a big enough deficit to make that possiblle.

Thanks so much for any help you can give me!

Replies

  • nikkip1982
    nikkip1982 Posts: 18 Member


    I'm doing C25K in the morning and a resistance workout in the afternoons on MWF (except no resistance 7-15 to 7-22 when on vacation) and circuit training on T/Th with the weekends as rest days. I'm logging all cardio, but not the resistance since it doesn't really show a burn.

    I'm a teacher, so I changed my settings for the summer to sedintary (because other than my workouts I spend a lot of time sitting) and to maintain. Most days I hit it really close to my cals, a little over or a little under. There were some *really* over days in there that i didnt log the entire day. I tried to go back and mark them in the notes later, but each instance must have been at least 1,000 cals.
    if you are working out 1-3x a week, that is not sedentary, it is lightly active. That could be your "problem". BTW, I dont see the concern here, I wish I had this unexpected weight loss ;)
  • malk2651
    malk2651 Posts: 55 Member
    From your diary you look to be eating plenty. I wouldn't worry about it. A 3lb variance isn't abnormal.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    A break from diet and from intense working out is beneficial, and a technique that many use in order to break a plateau. And, keep in mind that muscle is more metabolically active. Just because you aren't logging the resistance training and eating the calories for it doesn't mean that it hasn't been a factor in the body fat % dropping.

    Really, I don't see the problem here, if you are really concerned, eat some more.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I agree with the others, weight loss is not linear, you'll lose or not lose in unexpected patterns, just go with the flow and keep doing what you're doing.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I've been in maintenance for 2 years and my weight varies up and down by about 5 lbs all the time. Can't find any reason for it, just happens.

    And exercising if you are using MFP calculations doesn't make you lightly active to the poster than suggested that. You're right to have your setting as sedentary and then you add exercise calories that you can eat if you choose. TDEE is where you set yourself up as lightly active and don't eat any exercise back.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    The past 2 days I have been under by 400-500 cals but theere was no significant defecit prior to this.

    There you go. Probably just depleted your glycogen stores, and lost water weight. It will go back up once your calories increase.
  • EmmiDahling
    EmmiDahling Posts: 104 Member
    Thanks, everyone! I was concerned that I was starting to lose more muscle mass than necessary. What you say makes sense and I'll carry on with the plan. Thanks again!

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