Gosh, how long does it take?

BrandNewFabulousMe
BrandNewFabulousMe Posts: 259
edited February 5 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on my journey for a few weeks now. The first 2 weeks were great. Steadily losing and feeling better. I decided to add some exercise in and hold the Bus!!! my weight stalled, now I am gaining weight. I have looked at different posts in the threads that explains why it happens, but how long does it take for the loss to start back up again? I feel better with the exercise but I do want the scale to get moving again. Any suggestions on how long it takes for my body to adjust?

Replies

  • caramammal
    caramammal Posts: 147 Member
    so if you're consistently eating at a deficit then the loss will come, you have to trust the process. Give it a month or so to really get used to how your body reacts. For me, i am losing at a slow but steady 1lb per week, on average...if i dont lose for a week due to bloating or whatever, then i will end up taking double off the folllowing week. If i stall for longer but know for sure ive been eating at deficit then i trust that it will come off, and it does. There are a million bodily processes involved in losing fat, just give it time, and dont give up/
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    It will take however long it takes.

    That being said, if you are fairly new to exercise, your weight will increase as a resukt of your body storing more glycogen and water to fuel your workouts. The loss should resume in up to a month. But remember, you are still likely burning fat mass at this time, which is the goal. And likely much of the weight you were losing at first was water weight.
  • BrandNewFabulousMe
    BrandNewFabulousMe Posts: 259
    It will take however long it takes.

    That being said, if you are fairly new to exercise, your weight will increase as a resukt of your body storing more glycogen and water to fuel your workouts. The loss should resume in up to a month. But remember, you are still likely burning fat mass at this time, which is the goal. And likely much of the weight you were losing at first was water weight.

    Okay thanks for this. I will keep pushing at it!!
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    It will take a while. And the last few pounds take the longest. It took me 3 months to lose 20 pounds and 3 more months to lose the last 5 pounds. So it will come off when it's good and ready.

    I suggest you make some fitness goals so that you're not constantly looking at numbers on a scale to measure your progress. This is what kept me sane during plateaus. Knowing that your body is becoming stronger and more fit should count for something even if you're not losing weight all the time.
  • BrandNewFabulousMe
    BrandNewFabulousMe Posts: 259
    so if you're consistently eating at a deficit then the loss will come, you have to trust the process. Give it a month or so to really get used to how your body reacts. For me, i am losing at a slow but steady 1lb per week, on average...if i dont lose for a week due to bloating or whatever, then i will end up taking double off the folllowing week. If i stall for longer but know for sure ive been eating at deficit then i trust that it will come off, and it does. There are a million bodily processes involved in losing fat, just give it time, and dont give up/

    Thank you so much!
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
    Trust it will happen if your counting correctly, I promise.


    I have had SO many little and big stalls. I thought they were plateuas, they're not. Its just that weight loss isn't linear. Some weeks you lose nothing, others you drop 4lbs! Honestly, its happened to me.

    Steady 2lbs per week for 1.5 months. 2 weeks: Nothing. Next week? 3lbs. Steady 1lb for another 2 weeks. Then NOTHING for a month. One day I dropped 4lbs and hit goal.

    I have since been losing and gaining the same .5lb for a few days. BUT, it has encouraged me to only check the scale every other day as I KNOW its happening. I religiously log everything as well as I can and I never over indulge.

    Trust your body, it will reward you in time. When your upset with the scale give it a break. I nearly threw mines out last week after almost a month of no loss until those 4lbs flew off! lol
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
    It's slow and not linear at all. All I can say is make sure you weigh all your food so you don't overeat, log everything, and don't overestimate your exercise calories (but eat them back).

    The good news if you tend to stall a lot is that you will lose a bunch of weight pretty much at once after a stall.
  • BrandNewFabulousMe
    BrandNewFabulousMe Posts: 259
    Thank you all. I will not focus so much on the scale then. Yes my exercise and progress should count for something. Thank you!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I've been on my journey for a few weeks now. The first 2 weeks were great. Steadily losing and feeling better. I decided to add some exercise in and hold the Bus!!! my weight stalled, now I am gaining weight. I have looked at different posts in the threads that explains why it happens, but how long does it take for the loss to start back up again? I feel better with the exercise but I do want the scale to get moving again. Any suggestions on how long it takes for my body to adjust?

    It will all work out...just because the scale isn't moving, doesn't mean progress is not being made. My weight loss comes in spurts, and I gained and lost the same 3-5# for NINE months. But while I wasn't losing weight, something awesome was happening...I was getting smaller!

    this is the same outfit over a 7 month period. The one on the left is in february right after I started working with a trainer. The middle is in April when I switched trainers ( my first one moved out of state). The picture on the right was last month. I lost a grand total of 3lbs between the first and the last picture.

    9799221974_4ccc67c1f0.jpg
    2/13, 4/13, 9/13 by crochetmom2010, on Flickr
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Just be careful if you're eating exercise calories back that they are right. A lot of online calculators, MFP included, grossly exaggerate exercise burns.
  • RoyBeck
    RoyBeck Posts: 947 Member
    It will take a while. And the last few pounds take the longest. It took me 3 months to lose 20 pounds and 3 more months to lose the last 5 pounds. So it will come off when it's good and ready.

    I suggest you make some fitness goals so that you're not constantly looking at numbers on a scale to measure your progress. This is what kept me sane during plateaus. Knowing that your body is becoming stronger and more fit should count for something even if you're not losing weight all the time.

    Very good advice.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    Definitely take measurements. I would be so frustrated right now if it weren't for losing inches. My weight has been really stable, darnit, but I've lost a lot of inches. I've lost the most from the bust, lol, but it does mean I'm losing in any case :D
  • schonsdragon
    schonsdragon Posts: 102 Member
    The number on the scale will go down, but right now your body is adjusting to your change to be more active.

    I try not to pay much attention to the number on the scale but rather to how my clothes are fitting and how I am feeling. I find this to be more accurate to how my health is doing than the number on the scale. I have too often been obsessed by the number instead of being healthy.
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