Er, is this going too fast/this is too easy? :[

So, this is sort of an odd question, but I've been weighing myself every morning at the same time (when I first wake up) and I've only been doing this calorie-counting thing for a week.

Well, since last week that weight has gone from reading 160lbs to 153lbs. I KNOW not all of that can be fat, but can that much water really be shed? I mean. Wow.

Also, I don't feel like I've really been eating less than I normally do. But I mean, I've obviously dropped weight and I've only been eating 1200-1500 calories a day. Probably like 1300 on average. But I haven't really struggled with that.

Am I some sort of weird mutant?

My goal is 125lbs. I'm 5'6" & male. I just didn't expect it to go this smoothly, hahaha.

Yeah, it's possible to lose a bunch that first week or two, especially if you've switched from a diet of relative crap to one that's lower in sodium, higher in fibre and with greater water intake or with mild diuretics like green tea.

Sadly, it doesn't last.

So don't panic... but don't get used to it either, and absolutely don't get discouraged when you level out to a more sane pace of loss.

I lost 10 pounds during my first two weeks on Calorie Count.  After that the weight loss slowed down.  I am female.  I have read that in the beginning of any diet program the weight comes off quickly, then you have to work harder to lose the rest.  The articles go on to state that that is why dieters become frustrated so easily - they enjoy early success and then become disappointed when the rest of the pounds don't come off as easily.

Hope that helps!  Good luck, and hang in there if/when the next few pounds take longer. 

Ur damn lucky! I've heard men shed fat much quicker... but it might be what others are saying about the lower level of sodium contributing to less water accumulation in your body. Anway, personally I've observed that if I'm slightly hungry before I go to sleep, I'm guranteed some number change on the scale. Good luck getting to your goal...we have about the same goal weight right now, heh

When I started counting calories I lost 15 lbs in the first 2 weeks.  I'm sure a lot of it was water but that was pretty awesome.  It slows down, I've averaged 2.1 lbs per week after those first 2 weeks.  Appreciate it while it's fast cause it will slow down.  I've been dieting for 2.5 months and I've lost 31.2 lbs, only 57.8 more lbs to go.

good for you!  I lost 6lbs a week at first, it was awesome...and then it slowed to about 1-2.

Guys usually get to shed quicker, but don't get frustrated if you slow down. 

You're not some weird sort of mutant! :D 

But you should eat a bit more for maintainable weight loss since you're male. CC considers 1500 the bare minimum for a male, 1800 if you're also teenaged.

You should check out this calorie calculator to see what you should be eating to lose. 

phord

Yep, keep eating above the minimum amount of calories, otherwise nasty things like muscle loss, lowered metabolism and malnutrition can happen. i know it's counter intuitive to eat MORE when you don't feel hungry, but in the long run it's the only way to succeed.

Original Post by vombatiformes:

Am I some sort of weird mutant?

No but since you're under 21 and you're actually female genetically then you need 1500 cals a day minimum if you're sedentary.  If you're even lightly active you need more like 1700 and you'd lose weight steadily.  If you crash diet you'll find you regain everything you lost twice as quick as it took to lose it.

Testosterone increases muscle mass, and according to this, can be expected to elevate a transsexual man's metabolic rate. Since you (vombatiformes) started taking testosterone at a relatively young age and have been doing so for a few years, I'd expect you to be phenotypically male in most respects and so I'd say that you should adhere to the minimum calorie requirements for a male of your age and activity level.  I can't see how being chromosomally XX rather than XY would affect calorie requirements at this stage (and some individuals do not have the chromosomes  you might expect).

Where there is any doubt as to the minimum calorie intake an individual would require, it would seem prudent to adhere to the more generous guidelines in any case, given that here the consensus is that it is better to avoid starvation mode even if that means a slower rate of weight loss.

I think most peope lose quickly at first. I went from 150 to 145 my first week. Now when I eat the same number of calories I only lose about 1 pound a week. I can't lower my calories any more since I'm already at 1500 so I have to add more exercise if I want to lose any faster.