Am I loosing too much weight too quickly

kyle_risi
kyle_risi Posts: 13 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I started MFP on Saturday my daily calorie intake is currently set to 1560, I wasn't going to weigh myself until Saturday but I decided to jump on the scales and noticed I have lost 2.7 lbs in 4 days. Is this too much too soon? Should I adjust my calories now or just hang 5 and reassess on Saturday at the end of my week?

What are the problems with loosing lots of weight quickly?

Replies

  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    For the first two weeks, it's normal to have large losses. It's mostly water weight. After that, things should start to settle down. How much did you tell MFP you wanted to lose per week and how much are you trying to lose in total?
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    It's too early to worry about it. Those first fast few pounds are almost always due to your suddenly changing your food intake and drastically reducing your sodium intake. Your body is adjusting, don't worry.
  • kyle_risi
    kyle_risi Posts: 13 Member
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    For the first two weeks, it's normal to have large losses. It's mostly water weight. After that, things should start to settle down. How much did you tell MFP you wanted to lose per week and how much are you trying to lose in total?

    I'm looking to loose around 2lb per week but today is only day 4. Also regarding water, my water intake has typically tripped as I am using water to attempt to staith off the hunger. I thought I would weigh more concidering I have been drinking so much.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    It's more likely you just caught a normal weight fluctuation cycle and are also dropping water weight. You didn't lose that much actual weight in just 4 days.
    That said the perils of losing weight too quickly are that you may lose too much muscle mass in the process and a very steep deficit isn't able to be maintained long term and is a big reason people yo-yo. Lastly, it can be difficult to get enough nutrients, vitamins & minerals when eating very low calorie.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    What you lost was water weight. That is typical when one starts on calorie restriction. I have other questions though. How tall are you? What is your current weight? How many lbs per week did you set to lose in your setup? Are you exercising and eating back those calories earned?

    There can be many issues with loosing weight too quickly but you are not there. At least not yet. You are a guy though and that is a fairly low calorie allotment for a male.
  • kyle_risi
    kyle_risi Posts: 13 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    What you lost was water weight. That is typical when one starts on calorie restriction. I have other questions though. How tall are you? What is your current weight? How many lbs per week did you set to lose in your setup? Are you exercising and eating back those calories earned?

    There can be many issues with loosing weight too quickly but you are not there. At least not yet. You are a guy though and that is a fairly low calorie allotment for a male.

    I'm 5'9 and weigh 11 stone 7lb I have been set a target of 1560 calories per day, I usually end the day with about 200 calories to spare so I'm eating 1360 on average, will this result in muscle loss?
  • kyle_risi
    kyle_risi Posts: 13 Member
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    For the first two weeks, it's normal to have large losses. It's mostly water weight. After that, things should start to settle down. How much did you tell MFP you wanted to lose per week and how much are you trying to lose in total?

    I want to loose 2lb per week and I want to loose 14 lb I currently weigh 11 st 7
  • noirelb
    noirelb Posts: 216 Member
    Drinking lots of water on a diet does the opposite of increasing water weight. It strips extra salt that was keeping the water weight in the first place. On diets people almost ALWAYS eat less salt and drink more water. I would not worry about fast weight loss in the first month. I know I am a woman but I lost 20lbs in the first month on a 2lbs/week weight loss plan and am now only losing 1lbs per week. Reducing you calories from maintenance or gaining weight to 1500 (2lbs/week weight loss plan) is also a shock to your metabolism so you may also lose a little bit more fat than 2 lbs/week for the first few weeks!
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    kyle_risi wrote: »
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    For the first two weeks, it's normal to have large losses. It's mostly water weight. After that, things should start to settle down. How much did you tell MFP you wanted to lose per week and how much are you trying to lose in total?

    I want to loose 2lb per week and I want to loose 14 lb I currently weigh 11 st 7

    So, honestly, there are several issues with your approach. With only 14 lbs to lose, you are taking a far too aggressive approach. After the water weight loss your progress will likely slow. The other issue is you do it fast and it's harder to comply. Also, you don't establish habits that keep it off and you keep going through the same cycle. You also risk too much lean mass loss as opposed to mostly fat loss by going this aggressive.

    The recommendation for someone with this small an amount to lose is .5 lbs per week. 1lb per week would be very aggressive. 2 lbs per week is crazy IMHO.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    kyle_risi wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    What you lost was water weight. That is typical when one starts on calorie restriction. I have other questions though. How tall are you? What is your current weight? How many lbs per week did you set to lose in your setup? Are you exercising and eating back those calories earned?

    There can be many issues with loosing weight too quickly but you are not there. At least not yet. You are a guy though and that is a fairly low calorie allotment for a male.

    I'm 5'9 and weigh 11 stone 7lb I have been set a target of 1560 calories per day, I usually end the day with about 200 calories to spare so I'm eating 1360 on average, will this result in muscle loss?

    Bad idea. The nutritional minimum for males is 1500 calories net. Yes, this could result in muscle loss. Also, what are you doing for weight training? That will help keep muscle. Why so impatient? Do you want to do it fast or right? Pick one.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    kyle_risi wrote: »
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    For the first two weeks, it's normal to have large losses. It's mostly water weight. After that, things should start to settle down. How much did you tell MFP you wanted to lose per week and how much are you trying to lose in total?

    I want to loose 2lb per week and I want to loose 14 lb I currently weigh 11 st 7

    So, honestly, there are several issues with your approach. With only 14 lbs to lose, you are taking a far too aggressive approach. After the water weight loss your progress will likely slow. The other issue is you do it fast and it's harder to comply. Also, you don't establish habits that keep it off and you keep going through the same cycle. You also risk too much lean mass loss as opposed to mostly fat loss by going this aggressive.

    The recommendation for someone with this small an amount to lose is .5 lbs per week. 1lb per week would be very aggressive. 2 lbs per week is crazy IMHO.

    This
    And to add, hit your goal. Being under isn't always better, especially if you are running an already agressive deficit.
  • kyle_risi
    kyle_risi Posts: 13 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    kyle_risi wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    What you lost was water weight. That is typical when one starts on calorie restriction. I have other questions though. How tall are you? What is your current weight? How many lbs per week did you set to lose in your setup? Are you exercising and eating back those calories earned?

    There can be many issues with loosing weight too quickly but you are not there. At least not yet. You are a guy though and that is a fairly low calorie allotment for a male.

    I'm 5'9 and weigh 11 stone 7lb I have been set a target of 1560 calories per day, I usually end the day with about 200 calories to spare so I'm eating 1360 on average, will this result in muscle loss?

    Bad idea. The nutritional minimum for males is 1500 calories net. Yes, this could result in muscle loss. Also, what are you doing for weight training? That will help keep muscle. Why so impatient? Do you want to do it fast or right? Pick one.

    Thanks for the reply, but just to be clear I'm not being impatient, hense why I reached out to ask whether or not the rate I was loosing was too fast.

    I am doing weight training 3 times a week following the 5 X 5 program. Should I increase my calories or should I just make sure I eat all 1560 each day
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    Eat your entire 1560. If you can log in your weight training on MFP, you'll have some idea about how many calories you're expending during exercise. So, for example, if you use 300 calories exercising, you would eat 1560 + 300 for a total of 1860. Some people only eat back about half of their exercise calories. MFP takes into account eating back your calories. You should continue to lose weight.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    I wouldn't worry about the 4 lb loss, as others have said it's typical to lose some water weight when you first start. But you are asking to lose muscle mass aiming for 2 lbs per week and eating so little.

    Set your goal to lose no more than 1 lb per week, and log your exercise. Eat the calories MFP gives you, and make sure you are hitting your protein goal especially.

    Just for perspective, I am a 5'4 female, lightly active, and I eat 1500 cals to lose weight.
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