My weight loss is stupid

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So stupid!

I think my first day using MFP was May 5th. In ALL of May I lost 10 lbs and I was so excited. But since The beginning of June to now, mid-July, I've only lost 5 lbs! For a grand total of 15 lbs in 2.5 months. Which I suppose isn't that bad but I can't help but wonder why that first month was so much more successful than the past month and a half.

And the past few weeks, my scale has been annoying me as well.
It'll be like the same number for the entire week (I weigh myself every morning, I can't help it) and then one day it drops like a pound of half a pound. It's annoying!!!!!!!

Does anyone have any suggestions as to why it may have been so easy to lose 10 lbs in the first month, but now I've slowed way down? I think I've been ~at this weight for almost 2 weeks... how to make it work?!

Replies

  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Fat loss and weight loss are different things.

    You can get FATTER and actually weigh less.

    Sodium levels GREATLY affect "weight", as sodium regulates water retention.

    Each week look to lose 1 to 2 pounds. Anything more than that is generally water. Do you math and see how much fat you really lost.

    This is all ASSUMING you aren't looking to be FAT and weigh a small amount.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    The first bit of weight is largely water weight, since you shed that water quickly you didn't have much water left to lose so the slower loss is mainly fat loss, instead of water.

    Even when I started my cut I didn't have a lot of fat and still dropped 1.5lbs the first week when my aim was 0.3-0.4 lbs. I chalked it up to water weight due to less calories (carbs) lowers you glycogen stores, so less water retention.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    The scale is the stupid thing. It can't measure fat loss. So you think you're getting nowhere when you really are.

    We also tend to slack off on the measuring/logging after months of it. We get complacent.
  • raerae514
    raerae514 Posts: 171 Member
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    I'm always sure to log every single thing I want this to be successful.

    I was thinking maybe because when I first started I was doing Zumba 2 times a week but then it got too hot (big windows and no a/c it was crazy) and no I hardly exercise at all. But my net calories are the same!

    What is a good amount of sodium to have to prevent water retention? I would assume less than the 2500mg allotted daily.
  • angrodriguez92
    angrodriguez92 Posts: 193 Member
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    No idea, about the sodium question. I find that you lose more weight when you first start a diet or new healthy lifestyle because your body is shocked and not expecting it. It is a drastic change for your system. I think you should pride yourself on your weight loss, also, take measurements.
  • richiefixo
    richiefixo Posts: 104 Member
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    your body is adapting! you should be proud of that it means that your body is being responsive and is waiting for you to throw in the next thing to get it going. I say you start to workout.... a light walk jog walk session everyother morning or night (when its cooler) should do the trick for now. dont worry about your sodium because no matter what happens you will eventually have days when you go over it and its not worth the mental stress. just drink adequate water to help you flush and regulate your fluids (2-4L) and you will be fine.15 pounds is awesome btw! be proud and celebrate! ( with a healthy meal off course ;)

    All the best!
    :)
  • lukadu
    lukadu Posts: 12
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    I don't recommed using the scale to measure your success, muscles weight more than fat. Use a measuring tape and measure what your losing in inches. It will show you real progress and you won't be disappointed.
  • tfleischer
    tfleischer Posts: 199 Member
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    If you want to see something that will put your weight loss into perspective, do this:
    Go to the butcher shop at the grocery store and get three of those five pound tubes of hamburger meat and just take a look at it.
    That is what you have lost in mass... More actually, because 80 percent of the hamburger is muscle (which weighs more than fat) and 20 percent is fat.
    15 pounds is a lot. It is 2 normal size babies!
    It is still more than one pound a week. You are more likely to keep weight off when you lose it at a slower pace.
    Otherwise you will yo-yo in weight.
    As you get smaller, you body needs fewer calories to function. And as others have said, your body adapts. It wants to maintain the larger size because it thinks it is starving. So weight is more difficult to come off.
    Maybe now is the time to increase your exercise by a small margin because you body is being more frugal in the way it burns calories....
    But ... Don't get down on yourself! 15 pounds in 10 weeks is great!
  • Reama5
    Reama5 Posts: 22 Member
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    I have a scale that tells me how many pounds of body fat I have. That really helps me stay motivated when the scale goes up 2lbs but my body fat weight stays about the same. It means it's water or other stuff, but not fat.

    Get one if you can. I got mine at Target for about $40.
  • leader62
    leader62 Posts: 4
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    Your weightloss is just fine. I look at my scale once or twice a week(sunday and wed.) I use it as a guide to see if the needle is going in the right direction. I don't care if its 2lbs, 1lb. etc. as long as its going down. That keeps me going on. I started on a lower calorie diet on 7/1/12 using 1700 calories as my max. I weighed 333lbs. when I started, I now weigh 327lbs. I joined MFP on the 10th of this month. I used MFP's calories and my weight went back up to 330, I'll stick with my 1700 calories. I eat a lot of high fiber foods, veg and fruits. I have a sweet tooth so my last meal or snack is a half a cup of raisinbran with a half a cup of soy milk and fresh fruit. I drink plenty of water. You are doing real well keep it up and good luck.
  • Cristofori44
    Cristofori44 Posts: 201
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    So stupid!

    I think my first day using MFP was May 5th. In ALL of May I lost 10 lbs and I was so excited. But since The beginning of June to now, mid-July, I've only lost 5 lbs! For a grand total of 15 lbs in 2.5 months. Which I suppose isn't that bad but I can't help but wonder why that first month was so much more successful than the past month and a half.

    And the past few weeks, my scale has been annoying me as well.
    It'll be like the same number for the entire week (I weigh myself every morning, I can't help it) and then one day it drops like a pound of half a pound. It's annoying!!!!!!!

    Does anyone have any suggestions as to why it may have been so easy to lose 10 lbs in the first month, but now I've slowed way down? I think I've been ~at this weight for almost 2 weeks... how to make it work?!

    15 lbs in 10 weeks equates to 1.5 pounds per week. That's a totally healthy loss--advice is to lose no more than 2 lbs. per week so you're right in target zone.

    The 5 lbs. you lost over roughly 5-6 weeks, from the start of June to mid-July, comes out to .8 to 1 lb. per week. That's still in target zone, though maybe not as aggressive as you would like. So you're doing things right--you're still moving.

    Some thoughts: You lost a lot of water weight initially and now the fat loss begins. Also, if you have been weight-training it's possible you lost inches but not pounds as you gained more lean muscle. No big deal--this will accelerate weight loss in the long -term.

    As long as you're getting your net calories and your BMR is set correctly, you should be fine going forward. Sometimes people get stuck for a week or two, and then things start to move. Remember also, your body adapts to a caloric regimen and exercise routine, so weight loss sometimes slows the further you get a long. To help speed the process and get to 1.5 lbs. a week you might try different exercises that work different muscles, increasing intensity, and incorporating different healthy foods (e.g. green tea, salmon, different kinds of veggies).

    Also, take different weight measurements (morning and night) to get a clear picture of where you are; water weight can fluctuate. Recording your highs and lows helps give you a good range.
  • happythermia
    happythermia Posts: 374
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    Slow and steady wins the race, chickadee!
  • mittensofdoom
    mittensofdoom Posts: 69 Member
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    Fat loss and weight loss are different things.

    You can get FATTER and actually weigh less.

    So true, lapsed on my p90x for the last five weeks and "lost" about four pounds but I suspect it was a lot of muscle mass.
  • raerae514
    raerae514 Posts: 171 Member
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    Thanks so much you guys. I guess I needed someone to put this into perspective! 1 lb a week is fine for Rae-Rae! I think I will go to that butcher shop and look at all the ground beef I've lost!!!

    :drinker: