Venting - HUGE losses in short time

When I started this, I had 39 lbs to lose. 15 days in, I have lost 7 lbs. It's not because I'm starving myself or am losing in an "unhealthy" way, or that I'm going to put it all back on. We don't always know what someone's story is or why they lost weight quickly, so it's unfair to judge them.

In my case, I had gained weight do to hypothyroid. My whole life I've been incredibly active and have eaten healthy. No matter how active and healthy I was with my thyroid though, I continued to gain weight. Eventually I got to the point where the illness caused me to be so exhausted, that I became very inactive, napping a lot and certainly not working out.

Once I started the medication, I could bounce right back into my normal activity level (for the most part, muscles are more sore now than they were before) hence the weight loss. I'm not eating particularly less than I was before, I'm watching it all more carefully, but not starving myself.

I don't see why I would gain weight back quickly when it was underactive thyroid causing the gain in the first place, as long as I continue my medications and my normal activities.

We shouldn't all have to explain ourselves though. So don't judge, I wouldnt judge the person who loses 1 lb a month as long as they were taking steps to be healthy just as I wouldnt judge the person who loses 3.5 lbs a week.

ETA: I am also under a dr's care. I was speaking with or seeing my dr about 3 times a week up until this week.

Here's a thought:

One problem with "seeing" others lose lbs quicky on a forum like this, it creates a negative competition. Weight loss is not a competition. If you want to compete with friends, try taking a workout class that uses a point system or timed events for HEALTHY competition among a smaller group of people. For example, in the Crossfit Class I attend (it's offered 5 times during the day - 6 times a week) the instructor tracks everyones reps and times. When you come in the following day, you can see where you stand.

If we were constantly comparing lbs lost, we'd all be very discouraged. The males lose lbs fast, but the females seem to make cardio gains like ANIMALS.

In short, find some like minded people to share your VICTORIES with everday. Compete to be more FIT, not the skinniest or lightest. As much as I enjoy MFP, there are WAY to many people that are all over the map. I can't, won't , refuse to compare myself to anyone I read about in a blog. You don't know me; you don't pay my bills!

In other words, I have no idea how hard you workout or how often you workout. Nor do I really care. No more than you should care how much I am doing. Bottom line, I'm not losing weight to impress anyone. I'm changing my LIFESTYLE so I can enjoy my life.

I hope your VENTING has given you some perspective and freed your mind to reflect on your own VICTORIES.

Massively well put.

Yes, of course people can lose a lot of weight the first few weeks. I get that. What I'm talking about is people that lose 100 pounds in 5 months. These people are not necessarily 400 pounds at the start either. Many/most of them have reached their goal weight by then. I just don't get how that is even remotely healthy.

Are these people you are talking about typically men? I think that has a lot to do with the rapid and consistent weight loss you are talking about.

No, not necessarily. I tend to ignore the men in general because it's so different for them.

Oh, ok. Well I am on these boards every day and I honestly have not seen women with the type of weight loss you mentioned. Even on Biggest Loser the women are not typically hitting those numbers in only a few months (unless they are VERY obese to start with). However, I do see many male MFP members that are able to lose 100+ pounds in a matter of months through calorie restriction, cardio, and strength training (the ones I have noticed tend to do all three and with a ton of dedication to sticking to their eating and exercise routines daily).

I read a few articles on the subject of weightloss in men vs. women (honestly because I am a huge fan of Biggest Loser and it comes up A LOT on the show). Here is an interesting article on the subject:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/373339-do-men-lose-weight-quicker-than-women/

I think it all has to do with each person's metabolism. Some people really get things moving with cutting calories and moderate exorcize. Unfortunately, we can't all be so lucky (me included). I seem to get it off fast at first and then struggle with plateau after plateau. I think if a person is over a hundred pounds over weight it is completely safe to drop that in 5 months due to lifestyle change because their bodies really take to the changes.

I completely disagree with the safely loose weight. I work out everyday from 1-2 hrs plus cycling and strength training. I am a big guy, 6'2 and started at 420 in june of last year. Iv been loosing an average of 4.33 lbs per week on this regimen recently.
I dont eat crap, only 2 cokes a week, no alcohol and i feel great, and i still eat out. you can look at my diary to see what i eat. Below is my chart i keep up with.

Date Weight %
12/29/2011 372 0 0.00 New Year start
1/4/2012 368 4 1.08
1/11/2012 367 1 0.27
1/19/2012 362 5 1.36
1/25/2012 358 4 1.10
2/5/2012 352 6 1.68
2/13/2012 346 6 1.70


Stay thirsty my friends

Why are you comparing yourself? That may be a bigger problem than the fact you aren't dropping weight faster.

Biggest way to piss yourself off is to compare yourself with others... life is too short. Just say NO to keeping up with the Joneses, and concentrate on what you are doing for you. Besides... they are probably either losing more muscle than fat and/or they have a lot more fat on them than you.

Why are you comparing yourself? That may be a bigger problem than the fact you aren't dropping weight faster.

Biggest way to piss yourself off is to compare yourself with others... life is too short. Just say NO to keeping up with the Joneses, and concentrate on what you are doing for you. Besides... they are probably either losing more muscle than fat and/or they have a lot more fat on them than you.

this agree 100%

i am set-up to lose 1.5lbs a week, but i often lose anywhere from 2-3lbs a week. I think this is due to a lot of things:

1.i have worked out, very hard, for anywhere from 30-90 mins EVERY day for the past 40 days, and with 5lb weights. i have found out that i love it, and i feel incomplete if i dont get 30 mins of my heart beating out of my chest. i do this at home, i dont go to a gym.

2.tracking has changed my life. being so aware of my food choices makes me pick better options. i have taught myself to cook, and i only eat at subway on the rare occasion i dont just cook for myself. i bring my lunch to work too.

3. i promised myself i would not be fat at 30. i just turned 29 on 12/29 and ever since then i have been on fire with motivation. i was sick and tired of being sick and tired.

overall, it's myself that keeps me going. i'm doing this alone, but no one can stop me. i also think working out and eating right has turned my metabolism on. i really feel different inside and out.

i also realize that this isn't a race, but a war...and i'm gonna fight for my life. :bigsmile:

You shouldn't get hung up on what other people are losing, you'll drive yourself crazy!!
Just remember that anything you lose, however small, is a brilliant achievement

Exactly!!! You're doing great - keep it up!

Some good reading in this thread

I started Jan 6th at 256 Pounds with low expectations.....but took advice from these pages...reduced my alcohol intake....switched my mix from Pop to flavored water....I walk everyday....occasionally ride my exercise bike and do light weight training....although Ive increased the weights substantially in the month and a half Ive been here

Today is my 51st Birthday.....Im stronger....I feel fantastic....and Im 229 lbs

Its a numbers game....I eat whatever I want ....in moderation....and I didnt quit drinking.....I just use the guidelines of the program and try my best to stay under all of the nutritional aspects Im monitoring

If Ive had too many drinks....or if I want a few more....its back to the bike to burn calories to allow it

I WILL NOT FAIL!!!!!

Now THAT is one heck of a good birthday! Happy Birthday and congrats!

I think it's a bit unfair to assume that what they're doing is unhealthy because they're losing quicker. Everyone loses at their own pace - some faster than others depending on where they start. Instead of trying to knock others success, we should be supporting each other and using it as motivation.

I felt frustrated when I see ads about people 'I lost 5 stone in 6 months' etc or whatever... and its taken me from last June (8 months) to get down by 2 and a half stone. some weeks I don't lose any now and have only been losing a few pounds a month and most of that is the week after my monthlies end.

I do have an under active thyroid though and seeing others on here with struggling to lose it remind me that I'm lucky really to have managed to lose that considering I also have mobility difficulties so the strength training, high impact cardio etc are out as I'm sat in wheelchair most of the day.

I have tried some of these fad diets and pills but they never seem to work the same for me though they claiming 4-6lbs a week and I lost nothing, 10 day fast diet pills and I gained, I don't know if its the ingredients mixing with the thyroid meds that causing the opposite effect but they just didn't work for me!

My biggest loss in one week was the first week I dropped all processed carbs and lost 7lbs, second 4lbs then it went to 2-3 for a few weeks but after first two months with 18lb total it stopped coming off the same, I guess my body got used to it and once I've got to 10st I'm within my healthy range for my height but trying to dead into middle of my range to around 9st 7!

The Biggest Loser is just unrealistic. Most people don't have dieticians giving meal plans to chefs and work out 6 hours a day. I'm sure anyone could melt the pounds off if they were in that situation (so long as they were actually following the program).

I'm sure this has been said already, but I haven't read all the responses, but I wanted to get my two-cents in too:

I think it's ridiculous how people can say that losing a lot of weight in a short time is dangerous. It's NOT dangerous. Why would it be? The only problem with losing the weight quickly means three things:

1. Your skin doesn't have time to adjust/tighten and people will be left with excess skin. This is in the case of gastric bypasses where you lose the weight quickly because you CAN'T eat very much. This means your deficit is huge and therefore you lose weight more quickly. (This also brings into question the whole 'starvation mode' thing. People who have Gastric bypass surgery have no choice but to eat minimum amounts of food, unless you're having high protein shakes etc to cover the calorie deficit, and not one of the doctors performing the surgery will bring this up...so it can't be dangerous.)

2. You can get addicted to the weight loss, although this is true for anyone no matter how quickly you lose it, but losing the weight quickly means your mind hasn't adjusted and you might still think you're fat even after you reach your goal, and therefore your weight loss can go in the opposite direction and you might lose too much and become unhealthy in the opposite direction. If you jog down a hill rather than run at full speed, it's easier to stop at the bottom.

3. The only reason people who lose the weight quickly often regain 'quicker' is because they haven't learned the value of their food and think once they've lost it, they can go back to eating how they want. It doesn't matter if you take a month or a year to lose 20lbs, if you then go back to eating in excess of 3500 cals a week, you will put ON a pound a week. Just because you've lost the weight over a longer period of time doesn't mean if you go back to eating unhealthily that it will take longer to put it all back on. That is utter rubbish and people who believe this are delusional. People who work HARD over a lnoger period of time to lose the weight realise that eating the way they used to is what made them fat and unhealthy and are therefore more unlikely to fll back to their old regime.

That is all. Sorry. Rant on my part over.