[leanmoomercows]

Alright, I started a diet last week, around Wednesday-ish. It's like the South Beach Diet, I'm starting out with no carbs or starches, and then adding them into my diet in the future gradually. So, I weighed myself Friday and I had lost about 2 to 3 pounds, which is good. But then I weighed myself this morning (after I peed of course, haha) and I was the exact same weight as Friday. What gives? I want Monday to be my official weigh in days, that's why I weighed. But I mean, I'm glad I lost the 2 to 3 pounds, obviously. It's much better than gaining! But am I doing anything wrong?

I thought that maybe my multivitamins are the reason. I just started taking them (on Saturday); they're called "Mega Vitamin for Women" from Vitamin World. Do multivitamins add something to your system that is making me gain weight? Or could it just be that I started taking them that's making me not lose the weight?

I'm only asking, because I read about the SBD and it said that most people will lose weight rapidly during Phase 1, and 2 pounds in just about a week, is pretty slow to me. Obviously I'm glad I'm not gaining that weight, but I thought it would be a bit more than that by now. Am I just being crazy and over-sensitive? I just hate trying so hard and doing everything I can, and still see that same number on the scale. =\ Someone please help!

[jaxjob]

You are doing fine! You haven't had a whole week (Weds to Mon), and 2-3 lbs is great for starting out. Remember that weight fluctuates, that's why it's best to only record once a week. There are lots of stickys that talk about this around here. You don't mention how much of a change this new eating pattern is, if you were following something not to different, then the change isn't going to be as great. Leave it another week and see how things go.

The only thing I would imagine your vitamins could do, if anything, would be to alter the amount of water your body hangs on to. But I wouldn't expect that.

Some people do lose weight rapidly on the beginning South Beach stage - but that rapid loss is often ~8lbs or so in the first two weeks. By losing 2-3 lbs in 5 days you are well on the way to that. Longer term (averaged) you want to be looking at 0.5 to 2 lbs per week for safe, steady loss. Some weeks I seem to lose 3 lbs, others nothing at all (not counting off-plan times). Stick with it - it's nice to see a big boost at the start, but not essential. Don't get discouraged,

[pamatga]

As you will learn in weeks and months to come, we are all different.

I agree with what was said about it depends on whether you are going from eating fast food, with all the high fat/salt, to a more restrictive food plan or you are modifying what you had already been doing. I think those numbers are based on people who hadn't been dieting and probably been eating a lot of junk food so their numbers are more dramatic looking.

It takes a lot of PATIENCE if you want to lose more than 20 lbs. I'm glad I came across this post because I have been following a more "relaxed" diet approach and I have been losing 1 lb per week. It is not that I am anxious to lose any faster but with me being in the obese range that I am I feel that I should make the effort to give up some of the foods that I have been eating for a short while (say 3-6 months) so I can get down to a lower BMI.

It's all about HEALTH!

[kaplods]

Actually you are losing rapidly. 1/2-1% of your body weight per week is the maximum loss that many experts are now recommending.

[jillybean720]

Originally Posted by kaplods

Actually you are losing rapidly. 1/2-1% of your body weight per week is the maximum loss that many experts are now recommending.

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking. Based on this rule of thumb, a normal, healthy, sustainable weight loss for you would actually be only about 1.5 pounds per week, so 2-3 pounds in only 5 days is quite a bit. Those who lose a lot more than that in the beginning are, as mentioned, those going from a horrible diet to a stricter one and/or those starting at a much higher weight than you (like me at 320 pounds--I bet I'd lose more than you, but you'd still reach your goal before me ).

[aphil]

You have lost 3 pounds in less than a week. That IS rapid, especially for your size.

When you see people that lose 10-15 pounds in their first couple weeks, in most cases they are very overweight to begin with. This will not happen for someone who is starting out at your size. A reasonable weight loss is 1/2-2 pounds per week for most.