Why are no loss weeks so difficult?

I lose about a pound a month these days. My loss slowed considerably after the first 30 pounds. It becomes a mental thing at that point. It is easy to get into the expectation that each week MUST have some loss. I have become comfortable knowing that there may be no loss for a few weeks. I know that there will be a loss eventually. With warmer weather coming I will be getting out more and getting in more exercise which will help me lose a bit faster, but until then I choose not to worry. I don't over eat, I choose healthier options more times than not, and I do get in some physical activity. I my loss is slow than I am okay with that. If you go extended periods of time with no loss or even gaining it may be time to look at what you are doing and make a change.

I just don't pay any attention to it because a no loss week doesn't mean anything at all. I haven't lost for 2.5 weeks but it doesn't matter because I know I'm in a deficit and I know from past experience that within the next week I'll lose 2-3 lbs. Weight loss isn't linear and because of that I really only even begin to worry after 3 weeks passes with no losses. I've stalled for a month before knowing full well I was losing fat and simply retaining water. One thing that helps me is tracking daily weights at www.trendweight.com. If you track every day after about a month you get some really telling data about what your weight is really doing. It gives you a rolling average and helps you realize that despite a few stalls on the scale that your actual weight is indeed still trending in the correct direction. It also makes it easier to tell when a stall is a real stall (no deficit) and it's time to make adjustments.

I absolutely loath it.

My losses show exactly once each month, after the water retention from hormones (ovulation AND menstruation) is flushed out after the end of my period. The rest of the time, I'm bumbling about in a 2kg range, playing ping-pong between low and high, until, right on cue, I lose down to about 1kg below the last low.

Now imagine the added water retention from a new workout routine stacked on top of that and you get the lovely camel humps I have on my weight trend graph (I trendweight). But, and that's what's keeping me afloat, each month the top of the hump is lower than the previous month.

HGarcia1527 wrote: »

Thank you all for the response. I know it's completely normal but it doesn't make it any less frustrating. I also know I shouldn't necessarily weigh myself everyday but it's habit. I am working so hard every single day and I have had many scale and non scale victories. BUT those weeks where I don't see much of anything.... those are the weeks I push myself even harder and to still not see results can be upsetting. I am still going to continue doing all the right things without fail but it's nice to know this is a normal struggle for everyone and I am not completely crazy.

I enjoy watching the numbers bounce and can almost see a pattern. If you can look at them that way, which it seems you can by your comments that it is normal, then I don't see a problem with daily weighing. Good luck!!

I use to want quick results but now I see it differently. Each week I hope for a loss but am even happy if I remained the same. If I gained I usually know what the culprit is ( water retention due to high sodium the previous day or a new workout). For me this is very much about my health now as apposed to when I was younger and it was purely for vanity reasons. Although I will still be excited when I can wear my size eights again!!! But I am taking my time. It isn't a race. I went almost 2 months without a loss but once I decided to get really serious the weight started going down again. If I lose 0.2 it is still a victory. It may take me 2 years to get to my ultimate goal but those 2 years will fly by regardless of what I am doing. Plus the longer I take learning and adjusting my habits for the healthier the easier it will be to ease into maintenance. I have lost weight fast in the past and I don't think my brain had the time to adapt and I just picked up the bad habits again and gained more than I lost. I am done with that cycle. Slow and steady is my motto now. Weight lost is not linear but the trend is downwards.

You may be in a plateau and need a boost to start it back up again! I've been in a plateau for a month! Started working out and haven't budged in weight but I've built so much muscle since. Like before I'm pretty sure once I build enough it's going to melt off for another little bit before I need to make a change again!

You should measure yourself instead of weighing. Much more accurate!