5 lbs (1 week) too fast?

Panchopotamus
Panchopotamus Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, I'm seeking advice on if I'm losing weight too fast.
I'm a 6'6" 253 lb 26 year old male
I weightlift 1 hour a day 5 times a week
I consume 1800-2000 calories a day depending on the lunch
I get about 80-100 grams oif protein and am not really tracking the fat and carbs though I do try to keep fat low.
last week I dropped about 5 lbs and am wondering if I'm perhaps eating too little and losing muscle or if I should just keep on doing what I'm doing.
Any help would be appreciated thank you.

Replies

  • MuratAkbay
    MuratAkbay Posts: 13 Member
    Did you just start an exercise/diet program? If so, it's normal to lose a lot of weight initially, especially at your current weight. You'll notice it slowing down in a few weeks. Either way, good job keep it up.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    If it's your first week, it's normal.
  • MuratAkbay
    MuratAkbay Posts: 13 Member
    Also, fats are not the enemy they will actually help you lose weight. I wouldn't focus too much on cutting down on fat. Just make sure they are good fats, from olive oil, nuts ,etc.
  • Panchopotamus
    Panchopotamus Posts: 4
    Actually last week was about my fifth week in. I started at 272 lbs and have dropped to this weight that I am at now. I've heard about the beginner effect.

    I guess my confusion lies in how much water was also lost with that fat in addition to muscle.
  • MuratAkbay
    MuratAkbay Posts: 13 Member
    TBH, based on my experience, I wouldn't worry about any of the minor details for now. It seems like you're on the right track so be happy about that. Listen to your body, and if it's telling you to change your macros, then do it. If you feel fine at the amount of calories you're eating now, then don't change anything. I used to over analyze everything too, and I found that I would get discouraged at the slightest change, or lack of change.
  • cpdiminish
    cpdiminish Posts: 84
    Posted this to another thread earlier today.

    Toxins are stored in fat cells so losing too fast puts a lot of pressure on the filter organs in your body to flush the toxins that are being released.

    Drinking lots of water, keeping sodium levels reasonable so that you don't retain water, and breaking a sweat when you exercise are all good to help get the gunk out.

    But we should probably all be paying attention to the foods that are good for liver and kidney function when trying to lose weight just to make things a little easier on them.

    I'd have to google what those are because I don't remember off the top of my head. But when you look it up - it is going to be vegetables. LOL
  • Panchopotamus
    Panchopotamus Posts: 4
    Thank you very much, it puts me at ease
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Hello, I'm seeking advice on if I'm losing weight too fast.
    I'm a 6'6" 253 lb 26 year old male
    I weightlift 1 hour a day 5 times a week
    I consume 1800-2000 calories a day depending on the lunch
    I get about 80-100 grams oif protein and am not really tracking the fat and carbs though I do try to keep fat low.
    last week I dropped about 5 lbs and am wondering if I'm perhaps eating too little and losing muscle or if I should just keep on doing what I'm doing.
    Any help would be appreciated thank you.

    I'm 5'1" female and I eat that number of calories in a day for a deficit....

    I really think you're eating too little. 253lb isn't that heavy for a man your height, so I'm not sure you have such a huge amount to lose... do you know your body fat percentage?

    most big, tall men can lose weight on a lot more calories than you're eating.

    the first week of a diet big losses can be all kinds of things, it's not likely you've lost a significant amount of muscle in one week but really you need to review your calorie goal and eat quite a bit more. You're well over a foot taller than me and over 100lb heavier than me - you really shouldn't be eating the same number of calories I eat... and that's my calories for a cut. And you do more exercise than me.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I agree with Neandermagnon, that's an awfully low number of calories for a guy of your height, age, and activity, and the protein's pretty low too, did you tell MFP 2lbs/week or did you just decide to eat 1800-2000?
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    You just started, so most likely you're experiencing glycogen depletion. Also, you have a lot to lose, so you might lose at a pretty decent clip for a little while, then as you get closer to your goal you'll slow down considerably, to anywhere between 2 and .5 lbs a week.
  • Panchopotamus
    Panchopotamus Posts: 4
    MFP says 1800 calories a week is my goal but it and including my weightlifting it should be about 2100 so i dont see how I would be so off.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    MFP says 1800 calories a week is my goal but it and including my weightlifting it should be about 2100 so i dont see how I would be so off.

    MFP predicts 1500 cals/day for me to maintain my weight...... but I actually maintain at around 2100 cals/day and 1500 cals/day is too low a number for me even for a cut, as I'd only be losing a small amount of fat (I'm already at my ideal weight//bf% but I do bulking and cutting cycles) so the risk of losing LBM is greater (the less fat you have to lose the greater the risk of LBM loss)

    it would probably give me 1200 cals/day for eating at a deficit... which is way too little for me. I lose weight on 1800 cals/day So yes it can be that far off.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    this thread should help - it has an alternative way to calculate your calorie needs and lots of other really good advice about how to lose weight while eating enough to maintain good health and sustain your body:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • MyDogsLoveMe
    MyDogsLoveMe Posts: 20 Member
    Basic guide. Mine says I should eat up to 1700 a day depending on if I walk my dogs. I stay the same or gain. My Mom loses weight at 2000 calories a day (I blame asthma medicine). This is a general program everyone is unique.
    I was worried I lost weight to quickly (5lbs in one day) ate more and did not lose any more weight. After thinking about it I worked for 3 months for that. It showed up and I wasn't expecting it.
    I gained about 40 lbs in one month, 9 months ago. It took 6 months of eating to just show up. Some of us have quick results in one week, but looking at it worked at it for a while.
    DON'T LISTEN TO PEOPLE TELLING YOU TO EAT MORE!!! LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!! Are you dizzy, tiered, emotionally off. That can be a good indicator to eat more. Not someone saying "I do ,,,,,,". Everyone is different. Like I said my 5 foot Mom loses weight at 2000 cal. a day. I would be obese trying that diet. I only use about 1700 cal. a day average.
    Just my opinion.

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