Non linear weight loss-just curious...

sara_alexandra
sara_alexandra Posts: 65 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Who has had a slow start to their loss and then all of a sudden there's a drop? Right now, I'm seeing fractions of a pound as a loss each week, which is fine but between a 500 calorie deficit plus not eating back exercise calories I figured i would see more.

Replies

  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    How long have you been working at it. The most likely response is just to give it time. Water can fluctuate quite a bit, especially early on as your body adjusts to new exercise routines or intake levels, etc.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    I usually don't see any change on the scale for 2 weeks when I start a deficit.

    If it has been 4-6 weeks you should be concerned and need to re-evaluate your plan.

    Most often slower than expected weight loss is the result of inaccurate logging. Make sure you are logging everything, every day, and try to use a food scale whenever you can.
  • 2DUNNY
    2DUNNY Posts: 101 Member
    this is from the past two months. definitely not linear :):):)


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  • enyagoboom
    enyagoboom Posts: 377 Member
    4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »
    I usually don't see any change on the scale for 2 weeks when I start a deficit.

    If it has been 4-6 weeks you should be concerned and need to re-evaluate your plan.

    Most often slower than expected weight loss is the result of inaccurate logging. Make sure you are logging everything, every day, and try to use a food scale whenever you can.

    ^^^ This. Log everything and make adjustments based on your tracking. For instance, I logged for 3-4 weeks and didn't see anything significant, just bouncing around in the same 2lb range. I made a 300 cal deficit choice after that and started to see movement. I'll re-evaluate again in a month or so.
  • sara_alexandra
    sara_alexandra Posts: 65 Member
    Helpful! Thanks everyone.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I'm sort of in maintenance now (bouncing around 5-7 lb for 2 years) but when I was steadily losing, I always found it seemed tied to my menstrual cycle when I would see the big drop was always during the week before my period. I've heard other women say the opposite is true for them. Just looking at that you might be able to identify trends.

    For example, I started out obese and was losing pretty slowly compared to some. But every month for almost 2 years I lost about 6 lb. On the scale, it would be less than 1 lb per week and then 3-5 lb the week before my period began.
  • sara_alexandra
    sara_alexandra Posts: 65 Member
    I'm just thinking that if I try and create more of a deficit it won't be something I'll be able to sustain. I'm at 1550-1600 right now. 5'5" 163 lbs.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    The first week was slow for me, then I started losing 1 to 2 pounds a week, now I'm losing about half a pound a week. I've been doing MFP for three months and just this week changed my goal from losing 1 pound a week to half a pound a week, because, like you, I don't think what I was doing (eating 1200 calories a day + exercise calories) is sustainable. I believe it's important to eat back the exercise calories I earn, and will continue to do so. When I don't my workouts suffer because I don't have enough fuel.
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