Losing 1lb a day for a week?

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inkpoisonedsoul
inkpoisonedsoul Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a 5'8/5'9 30 year old female and have been actively losing weight since early April. I've been losing weight pretty regularly and predictably (1-1.5lbs a week). This week, however, I am losing 1 lb a day. This has me concerned.

I am eating 1900 calories a day and have recently started measuring my food to the oz or gram (depending on the item). I also try to use the usda listings for most things. I am not anymore active than I was before this week and I always drink plenty of water. I can't imagine my TDEE being this far off (especially since it seemed spot on before this week).

Should I be concerned?

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    what is your current weight?

    if you are eating 1900 cals and losing a pound a day for 7 days then i would see a doctor as it sounds like there is something else going on other than a normal deficit.
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
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    are you weighing yourself at the exact same times as before? under the same conditions? that might explain part of it. Not getting enough water could mean water loss at that rate, eventually though you will start to get muscle cramps as you get dehydrated.

    If you are truly eating 1900 calories a day, to be losing 1lb of fat/muscle you would have to be in a 3500 calorie deficit meaning your TDEE would be 5400 calories. Essentially higher than most body builders.

    So just drink more water, weigh yourself under the same conditions. if it keeps up. go see your doctor.
  • inkpoisonedsoul
    inkpoisonedsoul Posts: 17 Member
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    Poisonedpawn78 wrote: »
    are you weighing yourself at the exact same times as before? under the same conditions? that might explain part of it. Not getting enough water could mean water loss at that rate, eventually though you will start to get muscle cramps as you get dehydrated.

    If you are truly eating 1900 calories a day, to be losing 1lb of fat/muscle you would have to be in a 3500 calorie deficit meaning your TDEE would be 5400 calories. Essentially higher than most body builders.

    So just drink more water, weigh yourself under the same conditions. if it keeps up. go see your doctor.

    I regularly drink enough water to keep my urine pale yellow or clear. I do this naturally without my having to force it down. I doubt that I'm dehydrated. I did recently move to another, more humid state but we've been here for 2 weeks now. My scale hasn't moved since the day we moved in and I wake up at the same time each day to weigh and shower. I'll keep an eye on it and if I am still having issues, I will see my doctor.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    Have you lowered carbs recently? Or decreased exercise?

    When you last measured (before the 1lb per day drops), were you on your period or ovulating? Did you consume lots of sodium before the 1lb/day drops?

    Are you weighing in the same spot under the same conditions daily? Have you recently changed your scale batteries?
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
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    Checking out my scale/changing batteries would be my #1 go-to.
  • inkpoisonedsoul
    inkpoisonedsoul Posts: 17 Member
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    cerise_noir wrote: »
    Have you lowered carbs recently? Or decreased exercise?

    When you last measured (before the 1lb per day drops), were you on your period or ovulating? Did you consume lots of sodium before the 1lb/day drops?

    Are you weighing in the same spot under the same conditions daily? Have you recently changed your scale batteries?

    My scale batteries read as full as per my Withings app. But I did recently cut sodium. We were eating out a lot before and we have started cooking at home for almost all of our meals within the last couple weeks. My cycle is irregular and I can go up to 6 months without a period. I recently had a period about 3 weeks ago (first in 3 months). I have no idea how ovulating works with a cycle as irregular as mine :/

    Maybe it's water weight from cutting out the eating out?

  • onpd5
    onpd5 Posts: 1 Member
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    If you haven't had a regular period, go see your doctor. This could be anything from your body being in "starvation" mode, to thyroid problems, to hormone imbalances that need to be checked. I would recommend doing some of the things that were mentioned before, like ensuring you are measuring exactly the same way every day, but I would still go see your doctor about the irregular periods.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
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    This should sort itself out in the next few days. I'll just hang out until it does :)
  • laurenebargar
    laurenebargar Posts: 3,081 Member
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    This happened to me this week, then I gained a majority of it back, Id wait it out a few days and see what happens, if it keeps happening go to a doctor
  • cianag
    cianag Posts: 29 Member
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    Cutting sodium will cause me to lose a pound of day. One day I ate a dill pickle and gained 5 pounds from the water retention. It was a rare splurge. The fast food place made a mistake with my order.
  • Geocitiesuser
    Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
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    No mention of how much you weigh OP. If you're significantly overweight this isn't a cause for alarm. If you recently had a big meal it's also not cause for alarm. I lost 8lbs since last friday because I had a huge meal / went off my diet last week that was very high in carbs/salt/calories.
  • inkpoisonedsoul
    inkpoisonedsoul Posts: 17 Member
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    Geocitiesuser wrote: »
    No mention of how much you weigh OP. If you're significantly overweight this isn't a cause for alarm. If you recently had a big meal it's also not cause for alarm. I lost 8lbs since last friday because I had a huge meal / went off my diet last week that was very high in carbs/salt/calories.

    I am currently 204lbs (start weight of 228). I am about 8 lbs into the obese category for my height.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,981 Member
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    Just as one week is too short a time to worry about a weight loss "stall," I'd say one week of an increased downward trend is too short a time to be greatly concerned. OP, you say your cycle is irregular, so it's possible this is a normal water-weight-loss response to hormonal changes. You also say you recently cut sodium, so this could be water loss due to that.

    I'd give it another week before thinking about seeing a doctor. Weight fluctuations are normal, even linear fluctuations that don't seem attributable to caloric balance (CICO).
  • RoteBook
    RoteBook Posts: 171 Member
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    You moved states two weeks ago, stopped eating out as much, and the scale hadn't changed for a while until this week? It's probably water weight loss from less sodium and less stress. If it keeps up I would see a doctor, though.

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