Beginner Calorie Counter Question

bryyyyyyyyyyyy
bryyyyyyyyyyyy Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
Hello,

I’ve recently started calorie counting as I have a lot of weight (7+ stone) to lose. My first week was great, I lost 5.25 pounds, but now I’m in my second week, I’ve stayed 100%, but the scales have gone up 3 pounds and have stayed like that all week.

I have started the C25K app this week, and been on some walks, which I wasn’t doing before.

Am I doing something wrong, eg eating the wrong amount of calories, or do I just need to stick with it and wait for it to catch up? It’s just a bit disheartening so close to the beginning!

Replies

  • huggit
    huggit Posts: 32 Member
    I have just put nearly exactly the same post! I had lost 3 pounds in two weeks, and one has crept back on! I just wonder if it is the body adjusting? I don't have any answers, but just thought I would say me too!
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,105 Member
    Over 5 lbs lost is a lot, part of that will be water weight and your body could just be adjusting and holding on to a bit more water again. A new exercise routine can also lead to water retention. As well as hormonal fluctuations for pre-menopausal women, or a higher carb or salt intake, more food waste in your system etc.
    Just be patient and look at your weight over a longer period of time (4 to 6 weeks).So far you've lost 2,5 in two weeks, which is good, no?
  • Nutmeg3939
    Nutmeg3939 Posts: 1 Member
    As long as you’re in a calorie deficit you should be good! I would calculate how many calories you need to lose weight and also using a food scale can help keep track of calories. For losing weight it is mostly about eating. I’ve been losing weight for two years now and I believe 1 lb a week is a good rate. Started at 210 and am now 154 it took me a long time to realize that it is mostly about calories and less about working out. Vegetables and protein are super important to stay within a good calorie range. Since I started I have been just quick adding all my calories because it is faster and easier to do in the app. The only downside is that you can’t see what you ate before. I also estimate calories when going out to eat. Everyone is different though and the way I do it might not be okay for you.
  • freda666
    freda666 Posts: 338 Member
    For the last two or three weeks my weight has hovered up and down around the same pound and today, at last it dropped. And this is how it works with me - drop, drop, hover, big drop, drop, drop, hover, big drop.....

    I just keep doing what I am doing as I know I am eating less calories than I am using and have so far l have lost almost 6 stone.

    So just keep counting those calories and don't lose heart.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,939 Member
    Completely normal. Stay the course.
  • emalethmoon
    emalethmoon Posts: 178 Member
    The way my weight loss works is that I hover, I have a BIG drop, then a small gain. Repeat. It's frustrating, but over the long term, the weight is dropping. I find that weighing every day and writing it down, and then looking at the 10-day trend is most helpful. I use this template: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L39EC07PekSwX1D5lZhMjABFfWqF1LIhB-nBpgXgdvA/template/preview?usp=drive_web
  • Mrs_Addams
    Mrs_Addams Posts: 9 Member
    Remember, it's a marathon not a sprint. You will see fluctuations constantly, the important thing to look at is the trend. I've been losing for about 4 weeks currently, had a big 7lb drop in the first week, then hovered a bit, then dropped, and hovered.. it's a litle disheartening, but it's perfectly natural.

    What's really helped me out is looking at the average over 7 days. I have a spreadsheet to track my weight (as well as MFP) and have a column which automatically calculates my 7-day rolling average weight. And whilst day-to-day my weight may have fluctuated, the 7-day average has always been dropping. Maybe just 0.2lb, but it's consistently dropping. I'd suggest doing the same, and over the next couple of weeks you should see that the overall trend is going down, even if the day-to-day doesn't feel like it.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

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