New guy, new beginning?

canadianhood
canadianhood Posts: 8
edited October 3 in Introduce Yourself
Hey everyone, new guy here. My name is Jon and I have been a heavier guy all of my life, but now due to a new career direction that involves much less physical work, my weight has gotten out of control. I've recently broken 300lbs and that was scary enough for me take action.

This is the first time in my life I am taking action on my weight, but have no doubts about my seriousness of this.

So now a question for you guys with experience on this. My goal is 2 lbs a week, but after following the guidelines here of 1800 calories a day, I have lost nearly 7 lbs after only 3 days of dieting. I expect this to level out after awhile, but did anyone else experience anything like this at the beginning of their journey?

Replies

  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    when you have a lot to lose, you can often lose quite a bit of weight the first week or two because you are, essentially, shocking the body with a new approach. part of it depends on how poorly you ate before you started...whether you used a lot of salt, and now have not...whether you were drinking a lot of water before, and now are....whether you used to eat a lot of grains, and now have not.
  • jcearth
    jcearth Posts: 46 Member
    I lost 13 pounds in my first week - it levels out after that. A lot of it is water weight.

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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • Jacquelyn913
    Jacquelyn913 Posts: 300 Member
    Your most substantial weight losses will be in the beginning. Sounds like you are doing a great job, and are on the right path. You came to the right place, this site is an amazing tool and the people are fantastic. :smile:
  • kristilovescake
    kristilovescake Posts: 669 Member
    I think most people see a huge jump when they make the first step. The first time I started counting calories and exercising I lost quite a few pounds in the first week, but it leveled out after that. Just don't lose hope if you start losing 1 or 2 pounds a week instead of the huge amount you're seeing now. Remember, a pound lost is a pound lost! Try to not care about the speed of the weight loss, but focus on the fact you're making a difference and losing weight.

    Good luck!
  • sculley
    sculley Posts: 2,012 Member
    Just want to say welcome to the family and good luck on your journey, feel free to add me. I know a year ago (I lost 40 lbs and then gained it back after having another kid hence why i am here again) when I started my weight journey I had lost 8 lbs the first week....I plateaued within two months and it took a different set of exercising and more serious with my calories to break it. As long as you are aware you will hit a plateau and dont get discouraged u will be fine.
  • Jacquelyn913
    Jacquelyn913 Posts: 300 Member
    I lost 13 pounds in my first week - it levels out after that. A lot of it is water weight.

    7980302.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter



    WTG ON THE AMAZING LOSS!! A true inspiration! :)
  • blue4myeyes
    blue4myeyes Posts: 93 Member
    i agree with the others -- it will level off. i lost a lot more my first week than i have any week since then.

    and welcome!! hope you find the site helpful and get some support on your journey!! :)
  • mindy14456
    mindy14456 Posts: 552 Member
    Hi Jon and welcome to MFP! Best of luck to you on your journey! :)
  • TOgal
    TOgal Posts: 36 Member
    Hey, I'm from Toronto :)

    Congrats on the awesome weight loss! Are you exercising?

    I easily lost 5 lb during my first week and for the second week I raised my calorie intake and quickly lost another 4 lb, this second week is not over yet! I do stair-walking, strength training and a lot of walking in general. The most important thing is to exercise every day, any form you choose, even if it's just a 15 min walk :)

    Good luck on your journey, couple of years back I lost 60 lb (in just 3 months) with the help of MFP, never starved myself :)
  • Healthyby30
    Healthyby30 Posts: 1,349 Member
    Hi Jon!! Welcome to MFP! You will absolutely love it here!

    Your loss the first week is typical. Just as others have said, it's a lot of water weight. It will definitely level out after that and you will lose at a steady pace!

    I KNOW you will have lots of success!! :drinker:
  • shaylafitness
    shaylafitness Posts: 11 Member
    I think most people see a huge jump when they make the first step. The first time I started counting calories and exercising I lost quite a few pounds in the first week, but it leveled out after that. Just don't lose hope if you start losing 1 or 2 pounds a week instead of the huge amount you're seeing now. Remember, a pound lost is a pound lost! Try to not care about the speed of the weight loss, but focus on the fact you're making a difference and losing weight.

    Good luck!

    Very nice reminder!
  • crancran
    crancran Posts: 1
    One of the first changes in our bodies when we begin to eat healthier and loose weight is the loss of water weight. It would not surprise me if nearly the 7 lbs you've lost in the first few days aren't a direct relation to water weight in general.

    This will eventually average out and you'll see a far more natural curve of weigh loss over weeks to come rather than the drastic dip you have seen. Now, be mindful there is unhealthy weight loss that can be very harmful to the body. A healthy weight loss is not to exceed more than 2 pounds a week while some can see a bit more, that's the average. If you continue to see 5+ pounds being lost per week in the weeks to come, you may want to consult your doctor to make sure that you're loosing the weight in a healthy fashion to avoid complications to the body long-term due to the rapid weight loss.
  • Monica_has_a_goal
    Monica_has_a_goal Posts: 694 Member
    Hello Jon and Welcome to MFP :smile:

    My husband and I started on the journey but not together .. He was skeptical after all my dieting and it never ended well.

    I started in June and lost 21 pounds the 1st month.. He started in Mid July and has lost 45 pounds since. .

    If you stick to the program I'm sure you'll love it and yes.. it will require more exercise when the quick weight loss tapers off but enjoy

    it for now .. it still feels amazing! You're going to love the new, stronger, healthier you! Safe and happy journey! :drinker:

    (side note: the love life gets a whole lot better too)
  • canadianhood
    canadianhood Posts: 8
    Wow, I just went and got the mail and came back to all of these replys, you guys are really supportive!

    Thanks for the tips, I was told that I might see more loss during the first few weeks, but I wasn't expecting this much. It's really reassuring to hear that it's not out of the norm. I want to do this in a healthy way, and in a sustainable way. This isn't just a temporary diet, this is a lifestyle change for me.

    TOgirl, I do light excersize, but have plans in place to get a bit more involved physically. I have been researching physical trainers in my area, and am going to hire one. I really don't know how to "properly" work out, and will probably over do it, so I'd like to have someone set up a regiment for me to follow.
  • TOgal
    TOgal Posts: 36 Member
    Good idea, Jon :)
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