Losing weight faster than estimated

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mkitts2011
mkitts2011 Posts: 18
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone, I'm new to MFP and I've been losing weight much faster than the system calculates. I have been eating my calories. Is this normal in the beginning for someone very heavy (370lbs) to drop weight extremely fast? I lost 2.8lbs overnight.
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  • MrsLong1980
    MrsLong1980 Posts: 181 Member
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    Daily weigh in's don't really show accurate weight loss due to regular daily fluctuations, which can be up to a few pounds sometimes!! There are many many variables that affect weight on a daily basis. This is why it is suggested you go for weekly or bi-weekly weigh in's rather than daily.
  • garysgirl719
    garysgirl719 Posts: 235 Member
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    Yes, when you are excessively overweight you will drop weight fast in the beginning. IT's your body's adjustment to the changes you are making. Also, if you have implemented the daily water, soem of that is the water your body is no longer retaining.
  • margojr4
    margojr4 Posts: 259 Member
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    The estimated weekly loss is 1% body weight. So yes, you can lose up to 4lbs per week when having a calorie deficit.

    Another reason why it gets harder to lose when you're closer to your goal.

    Good job on the loss, keep with it and enjoy your new lifestyle! :flowerforyou:
  • mkitts2011
    mkitts2011 Posts: 18
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    I've read that as well but, I am a procrastinator by nature so daily weigh-ins help keep me on track.
  • mkitts2011
    mkitts2011 Posts: 18
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    Thanks, that's great to know. I am enjoying it, I can't wait until I start to feel my clothes loosen up! Looking forward to getting to know you all.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    Hello everyone, I'm new to MFP and I've been losing weight much faster than the system calculates. I have been eating my calories. Is this normal in the beginning for someone very heavy (370lbs) to drop weight extremely fast? I lost 2.8lbs overnight.

    Why are you weighing yourself after day one? That is just unrealistic.....

    Once per week is when you really should consider... or a month..... or even better.... after about a couple of weeks, take some body measurements... but overnight? Thats not realistic at all...

    EDIT: ACK! This didnt stick: I meant to include - if you continue to weigh yourself like this, you are just gonna drive yourself crazy and into a stressful mental level... dont cause yourself this stress - that will jeopardize your efforts!
  • fuzzimama
    fuzzimama Posts: 85
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    Daily weigh in always gets slated, but there are studies which show it can be a useful motivator for some people (google 'daily weigh in' and you'll find some articles). I prefer daily weigh in myself, but need to be realistic about the fluctuations that occur. Other people don't like it (and it may be especially unsuitable for some, such as those clinically depressed or with eating disorders). Obviously choosing what suits you best is ideal.

    One article I saw from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology described daily weighing as being "like checking the thermometer in your house to see what the temperature is. It helps you know how to make adjustments."

    So back on track to your original question, yes seems very normal to me to lose weight more rapidly than expected at the start. I did the same, and started at only 75kg, but now that I am 6kg down (and half way to goal) the loss has come back in line with the expected roughly 1lb per week.
  • mkitts2011
    mkitts2011 Posts: 18
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    Thanks for the advice but I am still going to weigh in daily. I have lost weight before and even through periods of no loss it helped keep me on track.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    Daily weigh in always gets slated, but there are studies which show it can be a useful motivator for some people (google 'daily weigh in' and you'll find some articles). I prefer daily weigh in myself, but need to be realistic about the fluctuations that occur. Other people don't like it (and it may be especially unsuitable for some, such as those clinically depressed or with eating disorders). Obviously choosing what suits you best is ideal.

    One article I saw from the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology described daily weighing as being "like checking the thermometer in your house to see what the temperature is. It helps you know how to make adjustments."

    So back on track to your original question, yes seems very normal to me to lose weight more rapidly than expected at the start. I did the same, and started at only 75kg, but now that I am 6kg down (and half way to goal) the loss has come back in line with the expected roughly 1lb per week.

    It is proof enough because the OP had to post a thread after only one day.... and every day will be different and can never be an accurate weigh to measure....
  • msShari1
    msShari1 Posts: 24
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    I call it "broccoli shock" when I begin a diet and a ton of weight comes off right away. Our bodies are loving the good food we are putting in! It certainly is a great motivator to keep up the hard work!
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    Thanks for the advice but I am still going to weigh in daily. I have lost weight before and even through periods of no loss it helped keep me on track.

    Yes but did it work long term?

    If you can weigh in daily and not let the results affect you then yes it's fine. But if putting on or not losing or just being confused every day by the scale is affecting you in any way then I would avoid it. It would upset me so I weigh in weekly, don't even own a scale.
  • 2Bgoddess
    2Bgoddess Posts: 1,096 Member
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    I weigh myself every damned time I am in my washroom. Why? I dunno.
    My weight seems to come off in chunks. For days at a time it stays the same. Then wham, a chunk. On average over a period of time it is about 3 pounds a week. I am sure that will slow down.
  • Kimmer2011
    Kimmer2011 Posts: 569 Member
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    I've been a mostly daily weigh-in person (since last spring). I expect it to go up sometimes, but looking at the overall trend has helped me. After Christmas, I decided to not weigh in for a full week and it was really hard. Eventually, I want to be able to weigh in less often and just keep doing what I know is right. But I know how tempting it can be, and don't necessarily think it's terrible.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Nothing wrong with weighing yourself every day. I do it too and I'm not in the nuthouse yet! lol
  • meg0013
    meg0013 Posts: 102
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    thats normal. when i first started at 250 lbs a year ago, i lost 8 lbs in the first week. a lot of it will be water weight and it will significantly slow down after the first week - but don't let that discourage you. you can probably still lose about 3-4 lbs a week until you get within 50 lbs of your goal weight.

    and about weighing in every day - totally okay, if you only let it motivate you and not discourage you. i've weighed myself nearly every day for the last year and it's helped keep me on track to lose 85 lbs this year.
  • Kaison02
    Kaison02 Posts: 75
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    :)
  • lindalou0703
    lindalou0703 Posts: 226 Member
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    I weigh everyday and I find it helpful, and as someone pointed out it can fluctuate. It has kept me on track :)
  • SkinnyGirlFatBody
    SkinnyGirlFatBody Posts: 98 Member
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    Yes at the beginning of your weight loss journey you will lose weight faster.

    And if you want to weigh yourself everyday, go for it! I weigh in every day even though I know it can be a little inaccurate but I find it really helps me realize where I am in my journey to skinniness and it helps me make the tough decisions (like not buying that bag of chips) because I know I would be disappointed the next day if my weight jumped up. So do what ever is going to make weight loss easy for you!
  • loseramy68
    loseramy68 Posts: 102
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    I weigh myself every damned time I am in my washroom. Why? I dunno.

    That is hilarious because I do the SAME THING! I only record it once a week, but the batteries in my scale don't last long due to extreme usage.
  • jwaters1006
    jwaters1006 Posts: 136 Member
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    After my initial weight check I didn't weigh myself for the 1st month, went soley on inches lost and how my clothes felt. Now I weight every morning and do inches once a month, sometimes once every other week. My weight came off really quick at first, then I kind of hit a plateau, then the Holidays hit and I avoided the scale, Tuesday I got on and saw a 6 pound weight gain Today I'm down 7 pounds from Tuesday. Most of my weight loss this week has got to be water weight but I put a lot of exercise in too. I don't obsess over the # on the scale just use it as a reference and sometimes a reality check of consequences. :)

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