This may sound silly, but I didn't expect it to be this hard- considering how hard I'm working- to lose weight. I'm at the end of week 7 and here's a look at my weigh ins-
My goal is to lose 2 pounds per week, but it just isn't coming off like that. Is this a normal weight loss or am I obviously doing something wrong? I've always felt like I wasn't doing something right to get results like this, but as much as I try I can't figure out what it is and how to fix it, so I'm wondering if maybe this is just how it goes?
I'm eating around 1500 calories a day, and I walk about 2 miles a day, 6 days a week.
Next week I'll be taking my calories down to 1400 and walking 2 miles and doing Jillian Michaels' Shred It With Weights everyday to burn about 575 calories a day, so hopefully I'll see some better results.
Your progress is perfectly normal. It won't be the same every week as you have found out. It is the bottom line that counts. I think you are doing great, congratulations.
Weight loss is not linear for anyone and with being a woman, we have hormones to interfere with weight loss too. Many of us gain mid cycle and at the end of the cycle and then have a whoosh. Then there are things like high sodium days and sore muscle days and so on. There is just so much that affects weight loss that it is never a perfect line.
And then, just when you think you've figured it all out, your body does something different one month and throws your mind for another loop. What you will find however is that if you are consistent, it will come off in the end at a fairly steady, though non linear way.
I think (although I'm sure that others on here will have a better-informed opinion) that this pattern sounds pretty normal. It may average out to two pounds a week, but it's rarely a steady two-pounds-per-week march to the finish line. Many factors contribute to daily and weekly weight changes -- if, in the long run, the numbers are going down, you're good.
Also, you may find it less frustrating to consider other markers of health: take your measurements. Check your clothes fit. Notice how long you can run/walk/zumba without wheezing. Sounds as if you are doing well!
Looks like you are doing GREAT to me! You're losing about 2lbs a week which is magnificent.
What I found very helpful was tracking my weight in an Excel spreadsheet. With all the blips and stalls, it was very reassuring to look at the graph over time and see it moving steadily downward.
You really have to be patient and proud of yourself for sticking to your goals no MATTER what the scale says. You can't control the scale, you can only control you.
Maybe, it would be helpful to make your goals more YOU oriented and less pound oriented. Celebrate what you can control, celebrate what you did right.
Weight loss is not linear for anyone and with being a woman, we have hormones to interfere with weight loss too. Many of us gain mid cycle and at the end of the cycle and then have a whoosh. Then there are things like high sodium days and sore muscle days and so on. There is just so much that affects weight loss that it is never a perfect line.
And then, just when you think you've figured it all out, your body does something different one month and throws your mind for another loop. What you will find however is that if you are consistent, it will come off in the end at a fairly steady, though non linear way.
I lose at a pace of about 2lbs/month and you're losing at a rate of about 2lbs/week, what in the world is the problem?
Weight loss isn't even remotely linear. I always gain during ovulation/TOM, normally with a whoosh afterwards. Also the same goes for the day after a workout or if I ate too much salt. There's a lot that goes into the scale, not just how many calories you ate the day before. As long as the trend is going down over time you're on the right path.
WEIGHT LOSS IS NOT LINEAR.
Just say that to yourself and remind yourself of that often. Because it's not. It's never going to be.
Another thing... realize that time is going to pass no matter what. Wouldn't you rather be losing during that time? Eventually you'll get to your goal if you keep at it. The only way to ensure you won't get to your goal is to quit.
Yeah, I thought it would be easier too once I started putting real effort into it. As the others said you are actually averaging about what you want. But when you look at the actual numbers you want to see them go down faster. I'm there. I'm trying to be realistic about it too, but deep down I want the pounds to fly off. And I keep having to remind myself that it just doesn't work that way and there may be weeks when I lose nothing. The struggle is to keep moving forward and not get discouraged. Looks like you're doing that. You've lost 10 pounds. That in itself is awesome. :-) I'm sure you'll keep losing.
I'm feeling the very same way. But I've figured out this week, after a little gain, just like you, that I need to look at the big picture. I'm putting my weight in, and watching the graph. I see an over all trend downward (you will see that as well.)
Just like everyone else said, weight loss isn't linear! You may gain some weeks, lose other weeks or not lose at all.
When people think that weight loss is linear, I like to pull up this graph of my daily weigh-ins:
Now it's not completely accurate since I was weighing on a scale that made me 10lbs heavier, but you get the idea. My weight still went DOWN but it was all over the place each day!
If you weigh weekly, you might just be weighing in on one of those days where you're up for some reason
Just like everyone else said, weight loss isn't linear! You may gain some weeks, lose other weeks or not lose at all.
When people think that weight loss is linear, I like to pull up this graph of my daily weigh-ins:
Now it's not completely accurate since I was weighing on a scale that made me 10lbs heavier, but you get the idea. My weight still went DOWN but it was all over the place each day!
If you weigh weekly, you might just be weighing in on one of those days where you're up for some reason
Ooh, this is a wonderful idea! I get so frustrated when I see 218 and then the next day see 220, I feel like that 218 has dissapeared, but if I'm going to bother weighing everyday I could at least do a chart! I do one for each weekly weigh in, but that one is too far apart and it makes me a little sad when I look at it. Haha. I am definitely going to start doing mine daily. Thanks!
I think you're doing absolutely fab! Like everyone else has already said - definitely NOT a linear process but you're moving in the right direction and that's all that matters!!!
I noticed too that the day after any lifting/workout I always bounce up. I thought I'd be able to get more off but I'm also losing about 2lbs/week. I'm very happy and even though it'd be nice to have Biggest Loser type weigh-ins, as long as its going down and I'm not starving myself, I'm happy
What's funny is that I'm on week 3. The first week I lost 3.8 lbs and the second I lost 1.6 lbs. It looks like I'm on schedule to not lose anything this week
I thought it would be easier..
