We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

New member

Hi all I am new to this and I am struggling already, I am sticking to my calorie intake and drinking plenty of fluids.
In my first week I lost 4lb but this week so far I have put on!!! Not sure if I am doing anything wrong.
Please help

Replies

  • Carriehelene
    Carriehelene Posts: 181 Member
    The first week a lot of people will lose fast because they have lost water weight, which unfortunately sets them up with unrealistic expectations. If you haven’t already, read the stickies at the top, buy a digital food scale, make sure the food entries you select are correct, and then trust the process. If you do this, the weight WILL come off.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,770 Member
    You probably aren't doing anything wrong. As stated above, when people first cut carbs and calories, they usually drop a lot of water weight. That isn't fat, just water. The water weight comes and goes, depending on how much salt you eat, whether your body retains water to rebuild muscle, or whether your body holds on to water to process carbs. Weight fluctuations are common as a result. If your calorie goal is appropriate, and you are consistent in meeting it but not going over, you will lose weight, but you need to ignore short term fluctuations and look for long term trends to see whether your goal is appropriate.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,255 Member
    edited June 2022
    Sounds perfectly normal! Keep it up! It can’t be fat gain if you stayed in a deficit, and likely those first 4 lb lost weren’t all fat. I will gain weight (but not fat) depending on what day of my menstrual cycle I am on, what I ate the day before, whether there’s still food in my intestines from the day before—lots of reasons)
  • anhaab
    anhaab Posts: 44 Member
    There are so many factors that go into weight loss - how is your sleep, what about your water intake (you mentioned plenty of fluids...but what about exclusively water), how is your stress level, are you eating several times throughout the day or how often, are you snacking several times throughout the day, late night eating/eating big meal in evening, where you are in your cycle.

    I teach the women I work with to journal and get curious about things. Reflect on the prior day with these things and use it to learn from - we can't change what we don't know so this creates a whole new level of awareness of things we can change up and see how our body responds.