Stalling-sudden-drop phenomenon

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  • NaomiJFoster
    NaomiJFoster Posts: 1,450 Member
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    That's what I do, too.
  • haydiz70
    haydiz70 Posts: 56 Member
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    Yep, I'm the same way. Woosh is a good way to describe how I lose weight. I have noticed I lose weight in a more linear manner by diet alone. Adding in exercise throws my weight loss for a bumpy ride. The weight still comes off but in a seemingly more unpredictable manner, which can be frustrating. I don't freak out anymore about temporary, small weight gains from exercise when I know I've been doing everything right. Ok, I do freak out a little but...I know in a few days, I'll see good results on the scale.
  • JanetMMcC
    JanetMMcC Posts: 410 Member
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    I think the change in shape without change in weight is at least partly because muscle is denser than fat. As you build up muscle, you're also losing fat -- but the denser muscle keeps your weight constant.

    The last time I lost a bunch of weight, it was through Weight Watchers. The week I knew I'd be at goal, I wore my fat jeans over the ones that fit. After my weigh-in, I opened the belt and let the fat jeans fall to the ground without unbuttoning them.

    The group leader told us that it reminded him of another member. He was really frustrated because his weight had been staying the same for weeks and weeks even though he'd been following the plan.
    The GL said "There are other ways to measure success besides weight. Are there other signs?"
    The guy thought a bit and started smiling. Then he started laughing.
    "I work security at a grocery store. The other day, I saw a guy put some food in his pocket. I said 'Hey!'" (pointing) "and my pants fell down."

  • kellycasey5
    kellycasey5 Posts: 486 Member
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    ME too. I just shake my head at those that lose 1-2 pounds each and every week. I am like 3 pounds or nothing, up a little, hold steady, hold steady, hold steady and REALLY getting frustrated, then boom 3 pounds down.

    Knowing is half the battle! Congrats on your success! Do you take measurements? I know when I held at 175 for almost a month I had lost about 4 inches overall....just a thought for when the scale doesn't agree with you :)


  • NoIdea101NoIdea
    NoIdea101NoIdea Posts: 659 Member
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    Yep, I have the couple of week stall and then the whoosh. I found it very, very frustrating until I realized that this is a pattern, and by the sounds of things a fairly common one! When starting out in weight loss, a lot of people (myself included at first) think that it should be a simple, linear process; losing pound by pound each week. Not seeing that is the reason some people give up after three weeks, or why we get so many people posting about how they have 'plateaued' after just a couple of weeks.
  • indianarose2
    indianarose2 Posts: 469 Member
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    So glad to have found this thread. Waiting on my whoosh, swoosh whatever..
  • Fayeworth
    Fayeworth Posts: 60 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Not to be pedantic but I've always seen 4g water to g glycogen

    But yes OP ...stall then whoosh is pretty common

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html/

    I'm not sure this is how it works in reality but it's a nice graphic

    481519_541350332560565_1344462761_n.jpg

    Is this really true? If so, it explains my weight loss patten to a T!! I only seem to lose once a month and it's normally quite a big drop, then nothing the rest of the weeks in the month.
  • mommarnurse
    mommarnurse Posts: 515 Member
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    kellycasey5 wrote: »
    ME too. I just shake my head at those that lose 1-2 pounds each and every week. I am like 3 pounds or nothing, up a little, hold steady, hold steady, hold steady and REALLY getting frustrated, then boom 3 pounds down.

    Knowing is half the battle! Congrats on your success! Do you take measurements? I know when I held at 175 for almost a month I had lost about 4 inches overall....just a thought for when the scale doesn't agree with you :)


    No, I don't measure. I need to. Probably should have started that long ago, lol.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Yeah I lose this way. I actually gave up because I wasn't losing and went into maintenance, and then finally lost the couple pounds I was working on.
  • cmcdonald525
    cmcdonald525 Posts: 140 Member
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    Finally had my first loss after starting strength training almost a month ago. Felt so good to see that number move, even if I could see changes in my body already! Even though I expected it, it still kinda messes with your head. Glad to know a lot of other people lose this way too
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    mkakids wrote: »
    I have the same thing, but it correlates to my monthly cycle. I generally lose 5lbs the first 2 weeks of my cycle. Then from ovulation to period, I fluctuate 2-3lbs above my lowest weight. Once my period starts I quickly go down 7-8lbs (2-3# above my last recorded low plus an additional 5ish).

    You beat me to bringing up this possibility :)

  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
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    I'm glad I found this thread too! I've been losing consistently 2 pounds a week for the past 4 months, and now no loss for 2 weeks even though I'm doing everything the same! Hopefully that means I will be getting a "whoosh" soon lol.
  • DogRiverDude
    DogRiverDude Posts: 433 Member
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    mommarnurse wrote: »
    So, I've been losing since 11 months ago. I've lost 55lbs so far (equals out to 1.25lbs a week) which, for the first 6 months was pretty steady and predictable. However, my loss since then has been something like this: stall at same weight for up to a month then sudden loss of 3 lbs in a day or two. Lose a couple more lb over the next week, then stall again for 2 weeks or more. The only coinciding factor I've managed to deduce is that when that started happening, I also sarted integrating a lot of strength training (not just cardio).

    Does this happen to anyone else? It's frustrating to not understand the physiology of it and the internet has not sourced me an answer.


    Note: I haven't read the other posts but...

    YES, this happens to me! I eat very consistent all week BUT typically do lots of treadmill work (hours) during the weekend. After these weekends my scale weight on Monday/Tuesday is always higher than it should be; sometimes gaining. From what I read (and believe), hard-worked muscles will retain water as they repair. By Wednesday I start back on a steady weight decline.

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