[saw]

For the last two weeks I started eating well & exercising. I want to lose 10lbs. I start with a slimfast shake fro breakfast, special K for lunch and a dinner with a few small snacks in between. I also started walking/jogging 5 days a week on a hilly street area for about 40 minutes per day. The first week I lost 3lbs. As of today (2nd week) I am back up 2lbs... Question is do you think I am gaining muscle to gain that weight back? I have had a few small splurges (one night one serving of spaghetti & 2 meatballs for instance) but on the other hand it appears I have lost a 1/2 inch off my thighs, hips, etc... It gets very discouraging when you work so hard to see the scale go back up. I feel like this is all for nothing... what do you all think??
Sue

[Rebound]

Neither I don't think it's muscle (not really enough time or weight training to gain *two pounds* of muscle, which is a LOT of muscle) and I also don't think it's fat (two pounds is 7,000 extra calories, which I also doubt!).

I'd guess it's water retention from any number of things )hormones, sodium, muscle repair, etc). Make sure you're eating *enough* calories to maintain your new exercise. You don't list your height and current weight, but I would think 1400-1600, perhaps? You were vague in your description of your menu. Don't eat too much, but don't eat too little, either!

Stick with your current plan and your body will catch up, I promise!

[saw]

Thanks for your reply. I am 5'2" and currently weigh 137lbs. Last Friday I was at 135lbs. My goal is to get to 125lbs. I have been forever trying to lose 10lbs. I have started to think my body wants to be at 137-140 but I do not. It's just frustrating as everyone knows who is trying to lose weight but this time I have really gone full force with walking on the hilly areas around here. I do incorperate some jogging but I have flat feet & trouble with shin splints so I can't do it for long periods of time which takes me back to my fast walk. I will keep going and see what next Friday brings on the scale & measurements as well.
Sue

[mkroyer]

i too had a lot of trouble with losing those last 10 pounds.... i found that i really REALLY need to focus on cutting/METICUSLOUSLY counting every single calorie i taste, and cut down on training. I try and go as low as i possibly can, calories-wise (1200), and then, like i said, scale back the intensity of exercise way back. you dont HAVE to train for fat loss. Period. My body honestly gets very hormonally disturbed when i have a big caloric deficit and do intense training as well. Fat Loss stops all together.
I had the best results when i just did a little moderate walking, a tiny bit of maintenence strength lifting (NOT full body-- too intense) and really low cals--- and im saying this as an athlete! Letting go of the idea that i needed to train hard for fat loss was hard for me to wrap my head around. Make sure your diet is spot on, 100%. Thats where the fat loss will really occur.
Also, as i was struggling with those last 10, my body did kind of the same thing youre describing-- a LOT of yoyo, down 2 pounds, up 1 pound, down one, up 2...... A lot of times i wwouldnt lose at all for weeks, and then i would wosh off a couple pounds (usually right after i was supposed to have had my period--- dont get that anymore btw, as a result of training to hard in too big of a caloric deficit (another one of those lovely hormone, stress related side disturbances i mentioined)

Good luck, and keep it up!

[beerab]

Any little "splurges" can add up- specially when you only have ten lbs to lose.

I'm sure part of it is sodium- but from my understanding those who had those last ten lbs to lose had to be VERY strict because even one extra treat here and there slowed down the weight loss.