Mystery Drop

Okay, so I've been dieting for a week about. Not long, I know, and I shouldn't be expecting any dramatic changes, right? Well, while my weight normally sticks around the same number on the scale, inexplicably, the day before yesterday I lost 6 pounds overnight. Someone told me it might just be dehydration, but I've been making sure to drink 1.5 - 2 litres of water per day. My exercise habits have been fairly consistent, I've been consuming about the same good amount of calories per day; I've also been taking in approximately the same amount of fiber, protein, fats, and etcetera as usual in my diet. I considered the possibility it might just be a random, temporary flux, but the weight is staying off. And while I'm totally stoked that I just dropped that much (for what seems to be for good) I'm a little worried about the cause. Any takers?

Original Post by quinn_hartly:

Okay, so I've been dieting for a week about. Not long, I know, and I shouldn't be expecting any dramatic changes, right? Well, while my weight normally sticks around the same number on the scale, inexplicably, the day before yesterday I lost 6 pounds overnight. Someone told me it might just be dehydration, but I've been making sure to drink 1.5 - 2 litres of water per day. My exercise habits have been fairly consistent, I've been consuming about the same good amount of calories per day; I've also been taking in approximately the same amount of fiber, protein, fats, and etcetera as usual in my diet. I considered the possibility it might just be a random, temporary flux, but the weight is staying off. And while I'm totally stoked that I just dropped that much (for what seems to be for good) I'm a little worried about the cause. Any takers?

How do you usually weigh yourself? With clothes? If so, same clothes? Maybe the clothes you wore the first time was heavier than what you wore when you recently weighed yourself? I made that mistake with my Wii Fit because they have choices about how much your clothes weigh before weighing you. Only thing I can think of other than your scale messing up a bit. Also- the scale.. Is it digital or needle?

Otherwise, 'grats on your 6lb weigh-loss!

It's pretty common, if you're overweight, to see a big reduction in your weight Week 1 of consciously eating fewer calories and paying more attention to your diet/exercise generally.  It's also very common to lose nothing the second week following on.   After then you could reasonably expect to lose 1% of your body-weight each week.... 1 - 2lbs on average.

Yeah good for you!  When we first start a diet the first and sometimes even the second week give up to great losses.  It is normally water weight but at least in my experience it is still weight that doesn't come back if you stay with your new healthy eating plan.

I have recently gained 15 lbs back after a large loss and this is my first week back and I'm down 5lbs.  After the first week or so everything balances out back to a pound or so a week.

It is good to lose weight especially if you have had it for years.  However as you will see there will be periods of plateau, where your body is reassessing things and is getting ready for the next step.  Just remember if you took years to gain the weight it usually does not disappear naturally in weeks or months. Be patient.

I suggest you keep a dairy of your progress, recording: date, time -weight      &n bsp;  - measurements: neck, chest, tummy and thigh  -what foods worked for you, the best ones you liked, motivation comments etc. 

-Use CC, get setup there, use the food log to determine the best meals and calorie count for you,  check out the tools in CC..there is a lot of good data like BMI. 

-I would also recommend you keep in touch with your health care provider especially if you have a significant amount of weight to lose.

-lastly a heart monitor to me tells you if your heart likes what your doing. U can pick one up at drug store or on line for $20 and up.  I use a wrist monitor recording my BP and pulse daily when I started then weekly as I approach my ideal weight of 167. 

I have the first time began a weight loss program that will last and I will not be gaining back the weight a have and will lose.   I started at 202 in January 09 and expect to reach my goal very soon.

Good luck and get educated on the dieting, how your digestive system works etc.

maybe you scale is broken?

If I may be so bold as to piggyback on your topic...I am in a similar boat and would like input as well .

I started my weight loss initiative about 5 weeks ago...lost 0.8lb my first week.  Then I got more free time and started exercising more and dropped between 1.4 and 1.8 pounds in the next three weeks.  I always weighed myself in the same clothing on an electric scale.  Now in this past week I seem to have lost 3.2 pounds.  I wieghed myself in the same type of clothes (same pants, diff cotton shirt, stocking feet).  I don't see how this is possible because as far as I know, my caloric deficits were never much more than 500 (none above 1000).  My main question is: did I screw my body up? Did I lose muscle or something? I have been using the resistance machines at my gym and doing crunches so....help.