Weight loss has slowed

johnchacon184
johnchacon184 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, This is my first time posting here and I have to say I am loving the counters and the ability to track what I am eating and my exercise but I am getting a little nervous because I have been using this now for 4 weeks and the first 3 I lost about 5 pounds a week and usually weight myself every Monday around 7 a.m. to keep it consistent. This week just for fun I got on the scale today (Sunday) at the same time and checked and I actually gained 2 pounds from last week. I just wanted to see if maybe I am doing something wrong. I started at 305 lbs and dropped to 290 in the first 3 weeks and was 292.4 today I am 6'1 male I am currently laid off so I don't do much except stay at home and go to the gym for 45 mins everyday and have been using an Elliptical machine for 30 mins straight (no stopping) and I am up to 3 miles in that time so between 5mph-7mph. I am eating between 1500 - 1900 calories a day. so If anyone has any suggestions as to why I may not be loosing weight I would be very thankful for your response. Maybe I am getting to hung up on weight but just want to make sure I don't do something wrong and stop loosing after the work I am putting into it.

Replies

  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
    Relax. Its one bad weigh in. If your tracking right there is no way you really gained that weight. How are your sodium levels?
  • lyssyxxx
    lyssyxxx Posts: 2
    Hi everyone, I'm new to this, so i hope I'm posting in the right place :/

    I've had my fitness pal for 2 months and lost 2lbs.

    I'm 24, 5"1" and 147 lbs I'm trying to lose 15lbs.

    I eat between 1200 and 1400 per day and burn around 150 calories a day with exercise but nothing is happening! I know I probably need to up the exercise but I would love some advice on what I'm doing wrong as I'm a complete novice thanks!
  • alecno
    alecno Posts: 27 Member
    Weight loss is always fastest when you begin. Once the initial water weight sheds off, it really just takes time and effort. Losing that much weight per week for an extended period is actually bad - these days, you should expect to lose 2-3lbs/week tops if you stick to your routine. Some weeks are more hit/miss depending on many factors... but in you're in this for the long game, not just weekly variations.

    Good luck - this is a lifestyle change, not just a diet.
  • Klemmdog
    Klemmdog Posts: 4 Member
    What is your diet like? if it is high in sodium you may be retaining water. When I cut back my sodium intake I lost about 20 lbs in a month. Also, because you are working out a lot, you are most likely gaining muscle, keep up the good work and the lbs will continue to drop. I was 330 just before xmas and have had a week where I went up a couple lbs, but now I am loosing a lot again. Another thing you can try is to try different routines on the elliptical, your body will get used to the same routine so if you change it up a bit it will challenge your body to perform. Keep going and you will reach your goal.
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
    Don't worry about it too much, the first few weeks of any weight loss program you always lose a lot, and then you'll have a slow down. I peeked at your food diary but didnt go back too far. I did notice that while you eat pretty healthy you had some restaurant food, subway & pizza. Those tend to be loaded with sodium which make you gain water weight. Drink extra water over the next few days and try to cut down on sodium and I would bet you'll see that all get flushed out.

    Good job on the losses so far!
  • johnchacon184
    johnchacon184 Posts: 6 Member
    Man you guys are fast. Ya my sodium levels have been in the red by a bit (my food journal is now public) but I felt like it was ok to eat more sodium because I am a someone who looses a ton of fluid when I workout and my shirt is usually soaked when I am done in 30 mins. I could ring it out and fill a plastic cup 25% full. I also do not add salt to any meal.
  • johnchacon184
    johnchacon184 Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks Nikki ya this week has been a little bad as far as eating out so that could be it also. I won't give up and will just try to watch things (sodium) a bit closer. I just want to make sure I am not hurting myself by under eating and Thank you all so far for the responses.
  • steelreader
    steelreader Posts: 11
    I've lost 3 stone in a year slow and steady is the key, I lost loads in first month then it slowed to about a 1lb a week I've been on holidays and put on but I know know how to get it back off, this is a life style change not a diet, it help you to understand what you can and can't eat some foods are good others your body just won't like, as for exercise you shouldn't do less than 45 mins your body only just starts to burn after about 10 so your really only doing about 35 mins, I would try and push to do an hour and use different machines to challenge your body it's no good doing same every day you just get use to it. Good luck and keep it up you will feel amazing in the end x Add me if you like the more support the better x
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
    hahaha I'm like that too! I cook most things myself so I don't worry too much about the occasional meal out, I just know and accept that I shouldn't get on the scale for a couple days after to make up for it, I weight in on Wednesday mornings for exactly this reason, I typically only eat out on the weekends (and do so pretty much every weekend) so I know Monday's weigh ins will be depressing!
  • MadTownD
    MadTownD Posts: 149 Member
    How many calories does MFP recommend you should be eating per day?

    I have had this problem. You do lose significantly more in the first few weeks. I lost seven pounds my first week and four the next and then only one the following week. To be honest, I was eating too few calories. And, with that much time on the elliptical, I'm going to say that I think you may be eating too few as well. If my deficit is too large, my body tends to hang on to what it's already got a lot more stubbornly. And remember that MFP already calculates your deficit, so my goal is to eat within a couple hundred calories of what it recommends. For me, this is the best "zone" for me to lose the most weight in a healthy manner.

    Also, there's a lot of debate on here about whether to eat back your exercise calories. One of the reasons for this is that MFP can over-estimate (sometimes WAY over-estimate) your calories. I generally don't eat back mine, because I'm on the treadmill for only 30 minutes at a time burning about 300 calories... I'm exercising more for general fitness than weight loss. Most people recommend that you eat back at least half of your exercise calories, and with a large burn on the elliptical like you do, I would probably recommend that as well.

    Feel free to friend me or message me if you'd like to talk about it further. I'm not an expert or health professional, but I can share what works for me.

    ????
  • Jennina033
    Jennina033 Posts: 7 Member
    Your doing great sometimes muscle mass will cause you to gain a few pounds which is a positive gain so keep up the good work
  • EDollah
    EDollah Posts: 464 Member
    My rule of thumb:

    1 week of disappointing weight loss: shrug your shoulders and keep doing the right things
    2 weeks of disappointing weight loss: say "hmmmm" and think about what you may change if your next week is also disappointing
    3 weeks of disappointing weight loss : make the change

    A quick glance of your diary gives me an initial reaction that you're doing the right things, just keep doing them. In my own experience, following a plan not too dissimilar from yours, is that a "bad" week was always followed by a "good" one.

    Keep on keepin' on.
  • agsgmscsb
    agsgmscsb Posts: 4 Member
    Just a thought, might not apply to OP but I have been with mfp for 3 weeks and have lost a similar amount. What I did not realise is that mfp does not recalculate your targets. e.g. daily calories. You need to go back to the goals page and have it recalculate based on your new weight. (Apparently It does eventually remind you). Definitely worth doing after losing 15 pounds or so, which is great, well done BTW.
  • johnchacon184
    johnchacon184 Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks for all your support this was way more responses then I thought I would have. I am going to keep doing some of the same things and will take your suggestions and roll with it. So i will give my sodium level a little harder look this next week. Also Dononymous it says after my work out I should be around 2500 cal a day and I figure I do around 1800 and add about 200 to what it say's here just in case I ate a little more than I thought. Again everyone Thank you!
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Cut your salt. Your sodium is always way over recommended amounts this will make you retain water (which could easily be 2 pounds worth). Most of it seems to be coming from all the processed and cured meats your eating.
  • debubbie
    debubbie Posts: 767 Member
    I lost for three weeks straight and then last week's weigh-in showed that I had gained. I didn't eat as well as I had previously and could understand the gain. Last week, I worked out twice because I didn't feel well and I stayed under my calories for the week and ended up losing almost 5 pounds! Go figure. As a previous poster said, I would be concerned if you had two weeks where you know you are doing the right things and it seems your weight is moving in the opposite direction because you may need to make a change for you.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    OP:
    Weight fluctuation is normal and you may not see the scale move every week. Also, the weight you see on the scale does not reflect any muscle gains. (because you are eating at a deficit)

    It will take a lot of time, but it is worth it. Read this link and all of the links in it:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1#posts-16625920

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