anyone else losing weight at a really rapid pace?

so I just did my week three weigh in and I have lost 15 pounds. that is awesome, but kinda concerns me at the same time. is it unusual to be losing weight so fast?

Replies

  • LuckyAndi
    LuckyAndi Posts: 203 Member
    Not if you have a large amount to lose. It should slow down soon enough and average out. If it doesn't, you'll need to reevaluate your goal setting and your calorie limit.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    This depends on your starting weight and the amount of reduction you've done, in addition to hydration and hormone levels.

    I can eat like a pig, and pound back 700 calories in vodka and actually weigh less in the morning due to water weight.

    When we reduce our eating, we have a two fold effect immediately: less food in the system to be weighed and less water in the system. Water is used to digest food... the details are not pretty.

    Bottom line: You may have lost 15 pounds, but it is very unlikely it is 15 pounds of fat. Keep at it!
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    The first week or two you will see a lot of water weight come off; the heavier you were to start, the more rapid it will be at first. However, this will taper off after a few weeks. Of course this is all depending on your level of activity, stats, calorie goal, etc. If you went low carb, you'll most likely see an even larger loss at the start due to your glycogen stores depleting.
  • steviejanedrake
    steviejanedrake Posts: 43 Member
    my original goal is 50 pounds to lose I was at 207 when I started three weeks ago and now I am down to 192. not that I am complaining, I just thought maybe it was weird to be dropping so fast.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    How many calories a day are you eating?
  • steviejanedrake
    steviejanedrake Posts: 43 Member
    1200
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    1200

    Are you working out and eating back exercise calories
  • steviejanedrake
    steviejanedrake Posts: 43 Member
    I haven't been working out at all, just counting calories
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    I haven't been working out at all, just counting calories

    I suspect then that there is a bit of water weight in that 15lbs. It will slow to a lower pace now however you could be eating more food and not losing as fast. I came here with 50lbs to lose as well. Ate 1600 a day and lost 1lb a week which was great as I could still have treats. Good.luck and don't worry yet...
  • steviejanedrake
    steviejanedrake Posts: 43 Member
    thanks for the advice I love this community : )
  • Citycat2015
    Citycat2015 Posts: 86 Member
    edited May 2016
    Yep. I am at week 7 on 1200 and still losing fast so upping my cals to 1400. Honestly, I think I am so worried about going over that I am consistently going under calorie goal which isn't good at 1200. Either that or I am a special snowflake. I wouldn't up yours just yet (water weight factor). Give it another couple weeks as long as you are feeling great.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    Yep. I am at week 7 on 1200 and still losing fast so upping my cals to 1400. Honestly, I think I am so worried about going over that I am consistently going under calorie goal which isn't good at 1200. Either that or I am a special snowflake. I wouldn't up yours just yet (water weight factor). Give it another couple weeks as long as you are feeling great.

    I did something similar about a month ago. Was routinely losing 3+ a wk and I wasn't really comfortable with it so I upped my calories to 1300 manually and started eating back more of my exercise calories. Losing better at 1-1.25lb a wk now.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    During the first couple of weeks you will lose a lot of water weight as well as deplete your glycogen stores to some extent, and because you're eating less you will have less inherent waste in your system. It will level off.

    Also, if you're heavier you can lose at a faster rate than someone who is leaner.

    Reassess in a couple of weeks...ideally you don't want to lose anymore than 1% of your body weight per week after that initial water and waste loss. It's possible that your calorie target is too low as well.
  • violet_wister
    violet_wister Posts: 34 Member
    Yes, I'm also losing fast- today is my 90th day of trying to lose weight and I'm down 48lbs so that means I've lost more than .5lbs every other day. It sounds like a scary amount but my starting weight was 100lbs higher than yours, I've been eating between 1,580 and 1,700 calories a day (started at 1,700 and it's dropped as my weight has dropped) which isn't too extreme, and my energy levels haven't suffered (in fact the opposite). If you're operating within The Rules (ie, what MFP is telling you) AND you're listening to your body regarding whether that many calories is enough to keep you living the way you want to, I wouldn't sweat it too much.
  • lleahmariee
    lleahmariee Posts: 1 Member
    Can someone explain to me exactly what water weight is? I mean, I will notice my weight fluctuate 3-4lbs on bad weeks sometimes, and they come off just as easily. However, I gained 20lbs this year (first year of college ugh) but sometimes I'm not sure if some is water weight or not.
  • violet_wister
    violet_wister Posts: 34 Member
    Can someone explain to me exactly what water weight is? I mean, I will notice my weight fluctuate 3-4lbs on bad weeks sometimes, and they come off just as easily. However, I gained 20lbs this year (first year of college ugh) but sometimes I'm not sure if some is water weight or not.
    You retain water at different times during your menstrual cycle, when you consume a lot of sodium and when you start intense new exercise. This is water weight. So for example if your weight goes up 5lbs just before your period, you didn't gain 5lbs of fat any more than you lost 6lbs of fat when you weigh in the week after your period, it's just that the water retention accounted for the 'gain'.
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    I lost damn all for my first 6 weeks, since then its been fast, I'm usually around 3lbs per week minimum