Not losing weight very quickly

MamaBearWorx93 · January 14

In the past when I've concentrated on losing weight with this app I've lost weight so quickly. This time my body is stubbornly holding on to weight. I've only lost a little over 2 lbs in 11 days and I've been religiously tracking, exercising and drinking pretty much nothing but water. I eat mostly lean protein and lots of fruits and veggies. I don't get it. Any advice?

wm3796 · January 14

2 pounds in 11 days to actually good progress. Depending how much you have to lose consider aiming for 0,5 to 1.5 pounds a week. If you have over 100 pounds to lose then 2 pounds a week may be ok for at least the beginning. If you have less than 20 pounds to lose it will take much longer. However slow and steady is much healthier and tied to long term success.

yirara · January 14

You don't provide any more information, but your rate of loss doesn't seem slow but normal, unless you're very obese. And then still, fast loss is never the solution. I mean, you're trying again, which means you've not learned anything from previous attempts and kept the weight off. What I suggest is to keep doing what you're doing, eat in a way that is sustainable for you and in a way that keeps you happy. Basically, eat the way you see yourself eating for the rest of your life but just less. Lose the weight, continue eating like this but at maintenance. Keep the weight off.

tomcustombuilder · January 14

11 days is not long enough to gauge anything. Those 2 lbs could and probably are water. Give it a month.

MamaBearWorx93 · January 16

Yirara that was a very hurtful comment "which means you've not learned anything from previous attempts and kept the weight off"...actually I have learned a lot. I'm just frustrated and needed ideas or support. I don't need criticism or shaming. That's not what this message board is for. We should support each other, not insult and criticize each other.

princesslily1 · January 16

You may have to analyze where problems are coming from.

For example, for me, I have to watch my sodium intake. Staying between 1500-2300mg/day is a good range. If you go over the maximum, your body is likely to hold onto water weight. Soups and processed meats have a lot sodium.

During my luteal phase, I burn more calories...so over time I noticed if I don't eat something small every 2-3hrs, I binge at my next meal as if I starved myself. Eating smaller portions over the day stops the issue. Also gum is my best friend during times of stress.

Also, my family and friends love going out and/or ordering out. I'm at the point where I have to pre-review menus due to sodium and hidden carlories. When we go out, I order grilled fish, grilled chicken and shrimp cocktails - requesting all sauces on the side too.

I have to stay really focused with weight loss, and using a traditional food journal has shown me where issues have been showing up.

csplatt · January 16

2 lbs in 11 days is great. Perhaps your previous attempts only showed a steep drop in water weight initially, which made it SEEM like a larger fat drop at first. Steady on.

ddsb1111 · January 16

MamaBearWorx93 wrote: »

Yirara that was a very hurtful comment "which means you've not learned anything from previous attempts and kept the weight off"...actually I have learned a lot. I'm just frustrated and needed ideas or support. I don't need criticism or shaming. That's not what this message board is for. We should support each other, not insult and criticize each other.

What advice are you specifically interested in?

You’re losing almost 1.3 lbs per week, that’s far more than the average .5lbs- 1lb per week most people have. You certainly don’t have any problems losing weight, which is great 😊.

Sounds like maybe you need to work on the mental side (patience, resolving this is a lifestyle, etc) ? That, or choose food you enjoy more using the same calories you’ve been using, if you’re struggling with adherence?

Not sure what you need advice on because you’re doing great, maybe more background info on that might be helpful. Congrats on your current success and keep diligently logging and weighing everything like you’re doing.

stiches987 · January 16

its all about calories, carbs, fats. stick to the right amount of calories. some times its just your body metabolism, everyone's is different. stay the course

shel80kg · January 17

At the risk of taking this thread in a slightly tangental direction, I wanted to ask about metabolic speed.efficiency and ageing. I have lost a substantial amount of weight over the past 4 months but I am clearly noticing a "slowing down" of weight loss and longer plateaus. My question is; Eating far less then our bodies might ever be used to must have have a more general impact on the "meta" awareness of our brain and how it considers how fast (or slowly) to keep the potbelly stove burning. Is there scientific evidence to support metabolic rates, weight loss, age and alterations to food consumption?

ddsb1111 · January 17

shel80kg wrote: »

At the risk of taking this thread in a slightly tangental direction, I wanted to ask about metabolic speed.efficiency and ageing. I have lost a substantial amount of weight over the past 4 months but I am clearly noticing a "slowing down" of weight loss and longer plateaus. My question is; Eating far less then our bodies might ever be used to must have have a more general impact on the "meta" awareness of our brain and how it considers how fast (or slowly) to keep the potbelly stove burning. Is there scientific evidence to support metabolic rates, weight loss, age and alterations to food consumption?

Here is the study that included 6,500 people from 29 countries that showed metabolism for both men and women really doesn't significantly drop off until you reach the age of 60.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe5017

Weight loss slows down the closer we get to goal weight for many reasons:
- our bodies are doing less work
- we reduce our calories to adjust for our lighter weight every 10 lbs or so
- We have a smaller deficit as we lose weight/reduce calories
- Prolonged dieting can decrease NEAT
- Prolonged dieting can increase cortisol and ghrelin
- We carry less water

The Minnesota Starvation Experiment went into that in better detail.

I like your question and look forward to seeing more interesting responses. This should be it’s own topic

DFW_Tom · January 17

MamaBearWorx93 wrote: »

Yirara that was a very hurtful comment "which means you've not learned anything from previous attempts and kept the weight off"...actually I have learned a lot. I'm just frustrated and needed ideas or support. I don't need criticism or shaming. That's not what this message board is for. We should support each other, not insult and criticize each other.

Wow. yirara took the time to try to help you out with some spot on observations and sound advice. There is nothing hurtful or shaming about it. Shocking that you found it so. Maybe you should have posted up at: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/categories/motivation-and-support to get the encouraging ideas and support you say you want. It is not as good of source for advice on losing weight, IMO. Hope it helps you.

yirara · January 17

Look, you had a great and realistic weightloss! So don't be encouraged by that! Unless you're severely obese, a huge drops is not realistic and won't happen. Unless you're talking water weight or bowel content, which is mostly what some people experience when they start losing weight. But neither of that is bodyfat. Try to focus on actual weightloss and try not to get hung up on things that have nothing to do with it. Slow and steady, and durable wins the race, and it's a fab way to learn how to eat once you've reached goal weight. More motivation? Weight loss is not something to punish your body with. Slow is good as it doesn't feel like punishment and you get to eat lots of things you enjoy.

mtaratoot · January 17

MamaBearWorx93 wrote: »

Yirara that was a very hurtful comment "which means you've not learned anything from previous attempts and kept the weight off"...actually I have learned a lot. I'm just frustrated and needed ideas or support. I don't need criticism or shaming. That's not what this message board is for. We should support each other, not insult and criticize each other.

Insult? No. Shame? No. Criticize? Yes. Especially if someone asks, "...I don't get it. Any advice?"

Perhaps the wording seemed harsh. Perhaps @yirara could have wrote it differently from saying you hadn't learned anything. It is possible that you have actually kept off the weight you lost in the past and now you are just trying to lose more. Perhaps @yirara misinterpreted that assuming you had gained weight back. That's what I assumed too.

I think the point that @yirara was getting at is that what's important to do during weight loss is to build good habits that you will continue AFTER you lose the weight. Maybe you're already doing this and have simply revised your goal and are looking to lose more. In that case, it makes sense that it's going slower. The last pounds tend to go much slower, and that can be very frustrating. The trick is to STICK TO IT.

It's important during this habit building phase that the habits you do build are those that you can continue indefinitely. Maintaining weight loss is just as hard as losing with the exception that you get a few extra calories per day. Maybe you already have been experiencing that and are simply trying to lose some more weight.

It is a really good idea for many reasons to approach this slowly. Maybe you already know that. You said you lost more than two pounds in eleven days. Even if that's just 2.1 pounds, that is almost 1.4 pounds per week. If you have 50 pounds to lose, that might be a reasonable rate. Otherwise it's actually not only fast, it's probably too fast. Check this out from the "Helpful Posts" on the "Getting Started" discussion group:

As far as the "I don't get it. Any advice" part, another graphic on that same page might be informative for you:

MamaBearWorx93 · January 18

Thank you everyone for all of this advice. So much helpful info and data here. I really appreciate it all. Thank you for taking the time to reach out. For more info, I do log religiously, I drink a lot of water, don't eat processed foods or drink soda and eat lots of lean protein and fruits and veggies. I only need to lose about 10 lbs, and I am 64. I exercise a lot and always have. I walk a ton, bike and do yoga 2-3 times a week. I've always been extremely active. I know because of my age, my metabolism is slower than it used to be. I'm losing this weight for health reasons. I tend to gain around the middle and I know visceral fat is so dangerous to one's heart and other organs. My brother died of a heart attack at 37 so I've always been very conscious of making sure I eat healthy and exercise a lot, but I've been extremely active my whole life. My dad also had heart disease and two heart attacks and double bypass surgery. So I want this extra weight off for health reasons, not to be thin. Even with this weight off I'll be in what my doctor calls the healthy range for my age, not
underweight. I think everyone is correct with all of your advice, I got impatient too early. I used to be able to take those extra 5-10 lbs off so easily and now it takes longer which makes sense because of my age. I'm losing steadily a little at a time which is normal I'm learning from all of you. This is a lifestyle for me, but due to a lot of stress the last couple of years with very tough personal circumstances, I had gotten off my game some and those 10+ lbs creeped slowly up. So I need to be realistic and know the weight won't just fall off. It'll take time. I love MyFitnessPal because I believe counting calories forces me to eat healthy foods and exercise more. It's an awesome app. This community is awesome too. Sorry for being so sensitive yirara...I do appreciate your help and advice. Thank you everyone! The support here is so helpful!🙏🏻🥰

yirara · January 18

Hey, you've got this! ❤️Slow is not bad! I'm currently trying to lose a similar amount that I gained due to being super frustrated with a very slow healing major injury and being unable to do anything. I'm losing (consciously) 1kg per month, or roughly half a pound per week and don't feel like I'm restricting myself.

mtaratoot · January 18

@MamaBearWorx93

I'm so happy to read that you've taken a step back to reassess your approach. We do slow down a little bit as we age, and we can still succeed at weight management - both loss and maintenance. I look forward to reading of your success. Remember what Warren Miller used to say - "If you don't do it this year, you'll be a year older when you do." Today is always the best time to start.

If you're looking for a group to join that's got friendly people who share their successes, frustrations, and tips, feel free to join a group I'm involved with called "Lose 1 Pound a Week and Keep it Off!" The group is private, so just request to join, and you WILL be approved.

The group really just has two requirements, and they would work really well if you're looking for accountability. First, you have to record your starting weight and your goals for the end of each quarter of 2024. That's not hard. The other is you have to post a weighing-in at least once a week. That's not hard either! We have some ongoing challenges that are intended to be fun that also can help you hone those good habits. We try to have some "special" challenges most weeks to. All of these are optional. The only requirement is the start-up and the weekly weigh-in. Come on over and join me!

There's also an open discussion here that's mostly folks age 60 and over.

MamaBearWorx93 · January 18

Thank you yirara and mtaratoot for your support!! It helps so much🥰🩷
mtaratoot I went over to the over 60 group but can't figure out how to introduce myself there. Can you tell me how? I also did join the lose 1 lb a week group. Thank you!!🙏🏻🙏🏻

mtaratoot · January 18

@MamaBearWorx93

You have been approved for the Lose 1 Pound a Week group. Come say hi!

In the very top of the Over 50 group are some announcements. The very first one is for new members to introduce themselves. It's pretty quiet over there, but if enough folks start participating, it might get reinvigorated. The regular discussions are down below the announcements, but there haven't really been many of late. Start one if you want!

meganlea33 · January 19

Sometimes the scale is to our friend; especially as women. Our bodies have a tendency to hold on to extra at the most inconvenient times. I would try not to focus on the number but perhaps are your clothes fitting differently. Are those jeans in the back of the closet able to now slide up over your hips or does a dress no longer require shapewear. I actually purchased a very fitted dress 2 sizes to small and every week I have been trying it on. Oddly the number on the scale has not changed that much but that dress it getting closer to zipping and looking nice.

Not losing weight very quickly

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