Weight loss stalling

Caroline393
Caroline393 Posts: 71 Member
in Motivation and Support
I hit 10 lbs lost (after 3 months) and was so excited because I felt like I had actually accomplished something. But two weeks later, I'm back up 3 lbs and it doesn't seem to be going away. This is despite going to the gym twice a week and still eating at a deficit. I thought it was water weight at first because I'd gained two lbs overnight, but the fact that I haven't lost it yet worries me. Now I'm getting bummed. I want to be able to see some visible progress but it isn't there yet, and I can't even get past 10 lbs. I need to re-motivate myself again and keep pushing on but it's bumming me out haha

Replies

  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
    I'm still calling water retention.
    .
    Be sure that you're logging accurately and keep your hydration where it needs to be - this way your body won't feel the need to retain more water than it physically needs.

    Change doesn't happen overnight and sometimes it can seem like things are stalling before you notice a marked improvement.

    Well done for making a fantastic life change already and I'm positive that the plateau you've hit won't last for long!!

    Go you!!
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
    How many days/weeks did your scale show the 10lbs lost vs 7? If it was mostly 10 followed by a brief phase showing only 7 lost, then it may be water retention.

    If it's the opposite(you briefly saw the 10 lb loss and then more weighings showed only 7) then you probably have only lost 7 (weight can temporarily reflect down just as it can sometimes reflect up).
    Either way, it's a success. 3 months is 13 weeks. So at the very least you've lost 7 lbs in 13 weeks which is still awesome.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    If you gained 2 lbs overnight it's water retention. How long have you been up? It can take anywhere From a couple days to a couple weeks to lose water weight.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    I have an interesting story--a few weeks ago I had lost about 8 lbs over two months, but had stalled for a week or so. Then we went to the beach with my husband's family over Labor Day weekend, and I ate about 300 cal over maintenance for a couple of days. I came back home and weighed myself, fully expecting to have at least gained water weight from sodium, plus some more from the increased food weight. Instead, I had dropped a lb, and the next day I dropped another 1.6 lbs. I was shocked, but have since read about "dieter's edema", which is water your body retains when you've been eating at a deficit for a while. Look it up and see if you think you'd like to try eating at maintenance or a "refeed" for a day or two to see if you can drop water weight. Also called a "whoosh".
  • Caroline393
    Caroline393 Posts: 71 Member
    That is interesting. I've experienced a whoosh before but I can't remember what I did leading up to it. I just remember drinking a ton the day before and having to pee a lot, and then woke up 2 lbs lighter the next day. I've read a little about refeeds before but I'm not entirely sure how to do it. I certainly ate too much this weekend (it's basically impossible not too at a tailgate) but idk if a refeed is just eating over your calories for the day, or only certain foods?
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    Set your weight lose to 0.5 lbs a week if you haven't already. I have always believed that eating in maintenance for alittle while never hurt anything and may be very beneficial because you will learn to eat in maintenance so you can keep the weight off.

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