Looks like I don't have a clue how to lose weight!

KatiePeca
KatiePeca Posts: 314 Member
edited September 28 in Motivation and Support
My husband and I have been trying to lose weight for just over two weeks. We cut our calories back, started watching our fat and sodium, increased our water intake and started working out more. The first week we lost weight, he lost 6 pounds and I lost 13 pounds, it seemed to come off so easily! Last week we both gained weight!! I was up three pounds and he was up two. I weighed myself this morning and I am up two more pounds!

I just don't have a clue what's happening! We've made big diet changes, we used to eat so badly, I used to drink nothing but Diet Pepsi, now I drink 8-12 cups of water a day and only drink maybe 1 can of Diet Pepsi, this was a huge sacrifice to me and I am slowly weaning it out all together. I was entirely sedentary, now I do Tony Hortons 10 Minute Trainer every day, as well as some waking, plus lugging around my 11 pound baby everywhere I go.

What else can I do? This is so frustrating! I have about 85 pounds I want to lose in the next 10 months, at this rate it will never happen :(

I need ideas, I'm fresh out of them!

Thanks
Katie

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Well due to the large losses the first week my guess would be that you lost mostly water weight, and this week you put some water back on. A normal weekly loss is 1-2 lbs. And after 2 weeks you are either at or still ahead of the game. You may also want to switch to weighing in once a week as your weight can fluctuate by 5 lbs within a day depending on the amount of food in your system and hydration levels.

    This second week water retention could be due to adding exercise, when starting a program or increasing intensity your muscles tend to store water to protect them from damage and to aid in recovery. After you get use to the workouts your muscles will shed this excess water. Don't fret, you will lose by following this program.
  • Jaymefirst
    Jaymefirst Posts: 268 Member
    Hang in there!! That is a HUGE loss for 1 week. Your body needs time to adjust to all the positive, new changes your making. Are you eatting all your allowed calories? Are you choosing whole foods? Lean protien? If so, then just keep moving forward your doing the right things. It takes time to take it off, I know it's frustrating to see a gain but don't give up.
    Keep us posted on your progress!!
  • dcmat
    dcmat Posts: 1,723 Member
    It could be several reasons:

    You are eating too little
    Your body is starting to adjust
  • charlottebronte
    charlottebronte Posts: 88
    Hey Katie, You and your husband can do this, especially since you are both committed to it. Give yourselves more time to get into the swing of things, and be sure to log all of your food. All the best to you!
  • bjmk19047
    bjmk19047 Posts: 123
    Katie,

    You're doing fine. Really!

    Unfortunately for us women it also depends on where we are in our cycle, because we retain water. Which means possibly an extra pound or two.

    Also you said you are exercising every day now -- and exercise builds strength and muscle. And muscle is more dense than fat,

    Stop being so hard on yourself and look for those "non-scale victories" -- and keep up the good work in the mean time!

    Barb
  • katzav
    katzav Posts: 67
    keep at it. it took a while to put it all on, it will take a while to take it all off.

    just cutting out all of that diet soda is a huge start!
  • JulieBoBoo
    JulieBoBoo Posts: 642
    There are some different possibilities. One is that you might have thrown your body into shock and it's now conserving. This should right itself fairly quickly and it's not uncommon to gain a bit after a big loss (13 lbs in a week is an EXTREME loss). Another possibility is that you are building lean muscle mass. Muscle is denser than fat so it takes up less room on your body. This is why it's recommended to not only weigh yourself but also take measurements.

    Also keep in mind that hormonal fluctuation during your cycle can cause a weight gain of up to 5lbs which should come off easily after your menstruation.

    Two weeks is not a long time and you will have ups and downs. The thing you need to remember is that you are taking proper care of your body (let the pounds figure themselves out) and that you are in for the long haul (you will have weeks and maybe even months where things stall).

    Good luck to you.
  • sweetCJ
    sweetCJ Posts: 144
    Don't give up, your doing such a great job on changing your eating habits. I'm a huge diet pepsi lover and a chocolate addict. The first week, you shocked your body. It was a huge change for "it" and the only way "it" could react was to lose weight...like someone else said, it's probably water weight. I've lost 5 lbs in the frist week and gained 15 lbs in the second...I was depress and ate a whole box of lintd chocolate, but I went back on my healthy eating journey and now all I want to see on that scale (only once a week) is a loss of 1 or 2 lbs, not more. I too have alot of weight to loose (between 80 to 100), so hang in there.
  • jennywrens
    jennywrens Posts: 208
    when starting a program or increasing intensity your muscles tend to store water to protect them from damage and to aid in recovery. After you get use to the workouts your muscles will shed this excess water.

    THIS!!!!!! Thank you for putting it so simply!
  • KatiePeca
    KatiePeca Posts: 314 Member
    Thanks everyone :) I don't intend to quit, I know that won't get me anywhere, but it just gets frustrating, feeling like I am not making steady progress towards my goals.

    I appreciate the support!

    Katie
  • nicolerah
    nicolerah Posts: 440 Member
    As said here... don't give up! You seem to have been doing well... and I'm no expert but I'd say these things take some time! Dont be fooled by the 13lb loss the first week... water! Each week you can lose 1 or 2 and this would be fine! Just take a look at what your eating and how much workouts you're getting (I read somewhere that for it to make a difference, a workout should be at least 30 minutes). Whatever you do, if you really want it, it will happen!!
  • KatiePeca
    KatiePeca Posts: 314 Member
    I knew the loss the first week was water, but I figured as long as I was following the guidelines MFP set out for me that I would lose the 1-2 pounds a week after that, especially since I am moving more and eating less.

    Katie
  • MamaRevski
    MamaRevski Posts: 7 Member
    I figure if your changing your life style don't worry about the number on the scale. Focus on the positive changes your increase your stamina, and increasing years to your life. The beginning is always the most difficult but everything gets better with time. Try going off your measurements, they are a better indictor of loss.
  • CodyD18
    CodyD18 Posts: 161 Member
    When you got your starting weight you probably had a lot more water weight and food weight in your body. I've lost/gain up to 8 lbs in one day from food/water weight. It would not be possible for my body to lose/gain weight like that. Stop worrying so much about the scale and just keep going. You'll see changes, I promise.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    It takes my body betweem 2 and 2 1/2 weeks to show the results of my efforts. I have a tendency to "whoosh", which is the phenomenom where one doesn't lose, doesn't lose, doesn't lose...then BAM! Looses a bunch all at once (ie: the fat whooshes off them).

    The secret is patience. Give it at least 6 weeks before you decide something isn't working.

    Hang in there!
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