Tell me about your plateaus/fluctuations during weight loss

purple4sure05
purple4sure05 Posts: 287 Member
edited December 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys! I'm looking for some personal anecdotes about plateaus and weight fluctuations. When I first lost weight years ago it was very linear for the first three months, about two pounds a week, every week, without fail. This time I find myself frustrated by seeing the same number on the scale a week later, even though I realize I shouldn't feel this way. I spent 6 hours on a strenuous hike on top of 1.5 hrs of exercise per day, and ate perfectly for a week but saw no loss. I found it a little demoralizing and I guess could use reassurance. What are your experiences with weight loss fluctuations? How does it work for you? If you're losing 2 pounds a week on average do you sometimes see no loss and then a big drop?

Thanks guys, just interested in experiences from real people to reassure me :)
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Replies

  • MeganReid1991
    MeganReid1991 Posts: 170 Member
    Following
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    edited February 2019
    I think pretty much everyone on the boards can attest to fluctuations. They happen. I lost 5lbs last month, and the past two weeks haven't had a loss. Now finally seeing the scale move again. Shrug and move on. If the overall trend is downward that's what matters. Weight loss isn't linear, you'll have a good stretch and then a couple weeks of no movement, then it moves again. You typically hit plateau level about 4+ weeks, a week isn't a plateau.
  • emilysusana
    emilysusana Posts: 416 Member
    I usually stay about the same 2 weeks out of the month. Then the weight falls not perfectly consistently, but somewhat consistently, the rest of the month. I weigh myself everyday and use a trending app... the trend line keeps going down. I’m happy.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I use a trend weight app and get to know my fluctuations and what causes them. For me it's usually exercise (especially more lifting volume), higher sodium meals and more food volume causing water retention.

    In your case it sounds like you did a lot of exercise causing some water retention. Remember weight loss is typically not linear.


    How much are you trying to lose total? How much are you losing per week?


  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I would highly recommend you slow your rate of loss. Are you losing more than 1% of your body weight per week? If you are you will lose more muscle (despite lifting and eating protein) your body will give it up if you don't give it a choice since muscle is expensive to keep at that high a deficit without much to lose. Believe me that is not what you want. Also with that high a deficit you are more likely to burn out and possibly gain it back.

  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,226 Member
    edited February 2019
    I’ve learned to respond to a stubborn scale by doubling down my discipline. After the smallest weight loss month in January since beginning my current journey last August, and February starting off the same, I continued along without weakening and finally was rewarded with the morning weigh in I’d been patiently waiting for,

    My two cents is to double down with a little extra activity such as more walking and being vigilant in portion size management.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,622 Member
    When I was losing, I didn't see any unexplained plateaus, but there were routine fluctuations. (And I'm sure I had less roller-coastering because of being post-menopausal.) There were times when, if I'd been weighing only weekly, it would've looked like I hadn't lost, if I'd hit a low day one week, and a high one the next, but the trend was still clearly heading downward.

    I accidentally lost too fast for a while (around 2 pounds a week, because MFP underestimated my calorie needs), got weak and fatigued, and it took weeks to get back to normal energy/strength again even though I'd corrected quickly. Based on that experience, I don't recommend it.

    Here's a several month chunk from the weight loss period, with the trend line and the vertical lines connecting the trend to the daily weigh-ins:
    79f9phe4s9qg.png
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    You may want to consider weighing more often than weekly and using a trending app to help smooth out the day to day fluctuations so you have a better idea where you are.

    Weight fluctuates every day. If you’re at a low end of your range this week, and all through the week your weight is lower, but next week you just happen to be on the higher side - you think you’re not making progress or even gaining when you just happened to weigh on days that don’t give a good picture.

    And you can’t really predict when those better/more accurate reflection days will be.
  • Avidkeo
    Avidkeo Posts: 3,211 Member
    I lost 20kg in 2017 and had a big plateau for about 6 weeks mid way through. That's when I started MFP and found I was eating maintainance rather the deficit. I dropped the sandwich I was having every night, and that was enough to get me losing again.

    Maybe reevaluate everything, are you weighting and measuring everything? Are you tracking everything? Go back to basics and see what happens.

    Also, slow your roll. Remember this is for life, it doesn't matter if it takes a year to lose 20lb. The slower you lose, the longer you will keep it off. Be the turtle, not the hare.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited February 2019
    purple4sure05 wrote: »
    Hey guys! I'm looking for some personal anecdotes about plateaus and weight fluctuations. When I first lost weight years ago it was very linear for the first three months, about two pounds a week, every week, without fail. This time I find myself frustrated by seeing the same number on the scale a week later, even though I realize I shouldn't feel this way. I spent 6 hours on a strenuous hike on top of 1.5 hrs of exercise per day, and ate perfectly for a week but saw no loss. I found it a little demoralizing and I guess could use reassurance. What are your experiences with weight loss fluctuations? How does it work for you? If you're losing 2 pounds a week on average do you sometimes see no loss and then a big drop?

    Thanks guys, just interested in experiences from real people to reassure me :)

    Its only been a week??

    What are your stats (age, current weight, height) and how much are you trying to lose?

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10179969/weight-loss-flow-chart-2-0/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    i gain a pound at ovulation, then usually lose it the following week, then gain a pound or 2 the week after on the first day of my period, though the day before that i am usually the lightest weight of my cycle. the weight i gain when i get my period usually goes within 3-4 days.

    also add a random pound for having more than one alcoholic beverage, or a restaurant meal...

    i can easily not see any weight loss (and in fact gain) over a month because of all these things, coupled with being on my last few vanity pounds so i only aim to lose 0.5lb per week anyway!
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    This January was a good example for me. I have been dieting and on and off MFP for years. Losing and re-gaining for various reasons. I got back on track in late August/September 2018. Lost steadily until eating at maintenance mid-November through Christmas. Right before January 1, I got back into a deficit, became much more consistent with my logging, and started doing more exercise. My goal is set to 1lb/week. I lost 1.2lbs for the entire month of January even though I knew without a doubt that I had been in a much larger deficit. Thankfully I had taken measurements at the beginning of January and by February 1st, I had lost several inches. My clothes were also fitting more loosely, I was able to go in a notch on my belt, and in a set of hook on my bra. Then I had a whoosh starting Feb 2 which put me right back on track with an average of 1lb loss per week for this year. Below are my Friday weights for 2019 so far. I was actually 202 most of this week but fluctuations happen.

    1/1 - 206
    1/4 - 206
    1/11 - 206.2
    1/18 - 205
    1/25 - 205
    2/1 - 204.8
    2/8 - 202.4
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    purple4sure05 wrote: »
    When I first lost weight years ago it was very linear for the first three months, about two pounds a week, every week, without fail.

    This is definitely an exception and not typical.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    I try to ignore the fluctuations other than a (very) temporary thrill when there's a 2ishlb drop. They're not representative of real progress for me, even though they're pretty frequent...

    ~180lbs with a .5lb per week goal.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10672255/examination-of-outlying-scale-fluctuation#latest
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,223 Member
    try2again wrote: »
    purple4sure05 wrote: »

    2lbs just isn't an appropriate rate for such low weight to lose. You just don't have the reserves to allow it. Even 1.5 is a little much. The body can only burn so much fat a day.

    I get this feedback a lot on these boards but it worked very well for me the first time with no adverse effects whatsoever and I've discussed it with my doctor who also has said it isnt a problem given the types of food I'm eating. I only gained the weight back because over the course of several years I completely stopped tracking what I ate and made bad food choices.

    Again I'm really just curious about others experiences with weight fluctuations. Thank you though. [/quote]



    I understand you don't want to discuss this, OP. My comment will be for others who come along tempted to choose a 2lb/week goal with 20 lbs to lose.

    2 lbs/week requires a 1000 calorie/day deficit. Someone that close to goal weight would have an extremely hard time creating that kind of a deficit in a healthy manner. If you are using MFP to establish your calorie allowance, the lowest it will give a woman is 1200 calories (for a reason ;) ). Unless a person's maintenance calories are = or >2200, that is not going to be a big enough deficit to achieve a 2 lb/week loss. If you add exercise to speed things along and don't eat back at least a portion of the exercise calories as MFP intends for you to do, you are then netting under 1200 calories, likely well below, which is dangerous long-term. Period.

    Contrary to what the OP's doctor told her (and BTW, GPs only have a tiny amount of training in diet & nutrition), quantity is just as important as quality. You can buy the best fuel for your car, but if you don't have enough, you're still not going to get very far.

    Also, there is the possibility that the doctor wasn't given a complete picture of the OP's weight loss efforts.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1[/quote]

    Noticed this as well after I posted the link to my write-up about the massive scale fluctuation I observed. Shooting for a max of 1% bodyweight loss has been a much better goal for me.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm losing about 1 Lb per week on average right now...but it definitely fluctuates. Last Friday I was 187.9. On Tuesday I was 191...on Thursday I was 188.7...today I'm 186.7. Body weight fluctuates...your body is comprised of 55-65% water and that's always going to be variable...variable amounts of food and waste in your system, etc.

    I'm usually a bit heavier early in the week due to weekend fun...more sodium, etc. I usually see my drop on Thursday or Friday.

    Also, how much are you eating calorie wise? That's a crap ton of exercise and if you're not feeding it, you're just stressing your body out and dumping cortisol into your body and that's going to impact weight loss.
  • kellycz
    kellycz Posts: 57 Member
    edited February 2019
    myub9qlzztfi.jpeg
    My fluctuations for the past month. (I’ve only been tracking since Jan. 1.)
    Edited to add: I started out with about 20 lbs. to lose. My goal is set at 0.5 lbs. per week.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    I gained 5 pounds over the past week. I know it's not fat. I know it's water weight and bad eating. I know it will come off but, man, am I frustrated.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    pierinifitness wrote: »
    I’ve learned to respond to a stubborn scale by doubling down my discipline. After the smallest weight loss month in January since beginning my current journey last August, and February starting off the same, I continued along without weakening and finally was rewarded with the morning weigh in I’d been patiently waiting for,

    My two cents is to double down with a little extra activity such as more walking and being vigilant in portion size management.

    You do realize that it's unrealistic to expect to lose weight at the same rate throughout a person's weight loss, right? As a person gets smaller, their calorie needs go down. To maintain the same rate of loss requires lowering calories to maintain the same size of deficit. This generally becomes impractical and/or unhealthy as a person nears or achieves a healthy weight.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    try2again wrote: »
    pierinifitness wrote: »
    I’ve learned to respond to a stubborn scale by doubling down my discipline. After the smallest weight loss month in January since beginning my current journey last August, and February starting off the same, I continued along without weakening and finally was rewarded with the morning weigh in I’d been patiently waiting for,

    My two cents is to double down with a little extra activity such as more walking and being vigilant in portion size management.

    You do realize that it's unrealistic to expect to lose weight at the same rate throughout a person's weight loss, right? As a person gets smaller, their calorie needs go down. To maintain the same rate of loss requires lowering calories to maintain the same size of deficit. This generally becomes impractical and/or unhealthy as a person nears or achieves a healthy weight.
    I referenced this in another thread yesterday and got a bunch of woos :D

    Good to know I don't have yet another tidbit I need to 'unlearn'.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    edited February 2019
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    try2again wrote: »
    pierinifitness wrote: »
    I’ve learned to respond to a stubborn scale by doubling down my discipline. After the smallest weight loss month in January since beginning my current journey last August, and February starting off the same, I continued along without weakening and finally was rewarded with the morning weigh in I’d been patiently waiting for,

    My two cents is to double down with a little extra activity such as more walking and being vigilant in portion size management.

    You do realize that it's unrealistic to expect to lose weight at the same rate throughout a person's weight loss, right? As a person gets smaller, their calorie needs go down. To maintain the same rate of loss requires lowering calories to maintain the same size of deficit. This generally becomes impractical and/or unhealthy as a person nears or achieves a healthy weight.
    I referenced this in another thread yesterday and got a bunch of woos :D

    Good to know I don't have yet another tidbit I need to 'unlearn'.



    Well, there's nothing "woo"able about the statement that a person's calorie needs go down as they get smaller. Or that they may or may not be able to continue to accommodate a particular deficit in a healthy way.

    Those with <20 lbs to lose who only started with a .5 lb/week goal (a daily deficit of 250 calories) will likely be able to stay consistent throughout. Perhaps someone who is taller, more active, and has a higher calorie allowance to begin with can spare 500 calories/day right until the end. That's why I said "generally". ;)
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