3 weeks and I only lost 5 pounds!!!

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matgh124
matgh124 Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello All,

I'm just a little frustrated. I've been using my fitness pal for maybe 3 weeks or more... maybe 4 weeks. It has me at around 1700 calories and give or take i have tried staying within those ranges. I consume ALOT of protein and i lift a lot of weight about 3-4 times a week focusing on different muscle groups each day. thus far I have only lost about 5 pounds or so. I started my fitness pal weighing in at 268 pounds....and my lowest has been 259.4.... but i go back and forth from 259 to 262.4 or 263. And it seems i cant move lower than 263??? I just started measuring myself and my measurements dont seem to change much. but i have noticed some clothes feeling more "comfortable" and not super tight like they used to (shirts primarily).... I'm a male and I'm 30 yrs old. I have tried to be consistent with a high protein and low carb diet and on the weekends I'll refeed my carbs into my diet while maintaining my protein. I wont say I'm 100% by any means on my diet... more so like 85% give or take a little...
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Replies

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    3-4 weeks is a good start, but this is not something you start and end in such a short period of time. 5 pounds in 3-4 weeks is great. Now give it another 3-4...
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    That's 1.67 pounds a week, which is a good rate. Just remember that it's a marathon, not a sprint.
  • MN_HGirl
    MN_HGirl Posts: 15 Member
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    Like already posted... 5lbs is a great start!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    What were the results that you were expecting? 5 pounds lost in 3 weeks is excellent progress.
  • HeatherScent37
    HeatherScent37 Posts: 25 Member
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    What's wrong with 5 pounds in 3 weeks? It's been a month and I've only lost 4 pounds. This isn't the Biggest Loser! lol We aren't going to be dropping 10-20 lbs a week. We gained our fat gradually and the only way to get rid of it forever is to lose it gradually.

    Look at it this way - you haven't GAINED any weight, right? I was actively gaining weight until I started MFP, so I look at it as a success that I've stopped that gain, even if I haven't lost a lot of weight yet.
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
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    I think that's awesome progress so far! You're getting a little ahead of yourself.

    Go with how you're feeling. Your clothes are a great indicator to keep at what you're doing.
  • jtrack3d
    jtrack3d Posts: 91
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    One pound per week is a good healthy rate to lose weight. If you are heavier it can sometimes drop a little faster but you don't want it to.

    You don't want your body taxed.
    You want to give your skin time to contract.
    You need to relearn how to eat and not starve yourself.

    Losing weight is not an ALL or nothing cram for exam... it is a constant journey where you have to relearn ways that work for you.

    Your graph will be all over the place like mine

    patweight6-25-14.jpg

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jtrack3d
  • CoolDad67
    CoolDad67 Posts: 324 Member
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    That's actually a pretty good rate of loss like others have said.
  • JArroyo2121
    JArroyo2121 Posts: 6
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    I agree with everyone else, that is great progess! But maybe try and focus less on strength training and work on some cardio. Whatever fat you lose is being replaced with muscle. Maybe try doing cardio 3 days out of the week and 2 days strength. If you don't go to the gym that much, just try adding in more cardio to your workouts. Good Luck! Keep up the good work!
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
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    Just a friendly reminder of how this actually works.


    weightloss_zps64ba6398.jpg
  • NathanAHicks
    NathanAHicks Posts: 1 Member
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    That's a pretty good rate of loss. Also, remember that muscle weighs much more when compared to fat so it's possible that you are building muscle while losing fat at the same time. So while you might be gaining weight at times you will look skinnier. Often times people gain weight over a period of years and that takes a lot of time to get off so don't get discouraged! Just keep at it!

    If you haven't already done it, take a picture of yourself now and then once a week/month so you can actually see that you are making progress.
  • tkdgirlms
    tkdgirlms Posts: 73
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    Don't be frustrated! That's a great start, although a lot of it is probably water weight but you are off to a great start!
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    Once you realize your goals are unrealistic, you'll find that 5 lbs in 3 weeks is a good thing and not something to be frustrated over.

    Be happy about your progress so far, not unhappy about not attaining the fantasies you've had in your head.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
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    5 pounds in 3 weeks is awesome! I say good work!
  • low_esteem23
    low_esteem23 Posts: 31 Member
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    5lbs in 3 weeks is good. also you're working out.. you're building muscle. so it may not read on a scale but you're losing fat and gaining muscle.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    5lbs in 3 weeks is good. also you're working out.. you're building muscle. so it may not read on a scale but you're losing fat and gaining muscle.

    No. You can't gain muscle while on a deficit. That's like building an addition to a house without any building materials and while people are stealing bricks from the original house during the night.

    You can't build something (muscle) from less than nothing (a calorie deficit).
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    5lbs in 3 weeks is good. also you're working out.. you're building muscle. so it may not read on a scale but you're losing fat and gaining muscle.

    No. You can't gain muscle while on a deficit. That's like building an addition to a house without any building materials and while people are stealing bricks from the original house during the night.

    You can't build something (muscle) from less than nothing (a calorie deficit).
    It's not from nothing. Your body has 3500 calories per pound of fat to use as something.
  • matgh124
    matgh124 Posts: 25 Member
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    ok. thanks a lot guys! I guess my frustration came from when i logged my calories MFP was saying "if every day was like today you'd weight 149 pounds in 5 weeks!" and i was just thinking to myself.... "I'm not even close to that! d@mmit!" lol. Thanks again for the motivation :)
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    5lbs in 3 weeks is good. also you're working out.. you're building muscle. so it may not read on a scale but you're losing fat and gaining muscle.

    No. You can't gain muscle while on a deficit. That's like building an addition to a house without any building materials and while people are stealing bricks from the original house during the night.

    You can't build something (muscle) from less than nothing (a calorie deficit).
    It's not from nothing. Your body has 3500 calories per pound of fat to use as something.

    Only the very obese see gains in muscle mass because there's enough fat stores to release the needed energy to run the body at a deficit while the eaten food can be then used to build muscle. The average person, while eating in a deficit, will not gain mass. They can gain strength but those are two different things.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    ok. thanks a lot guys! I guess my frustration came from when i logged my calories MFP was saying "if every day was like today you'd weight 149 pounds in 5 weeks!" and i was just thinking to myself.... "I'm not even close to that! d@mmit!" lol. Thanks again for the motivation :)

    How little are you eating that MFP thought you'd lose 110 pounds in 5 weeks?

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