I am extremely overweight and had my first gain this week after 10 weeks of steady losing. For some reason, the scale is up 4lbs and I can’t explain it. I am doing everything right 16-24h fasts every day, and calories are 1200-1500 a day for variation. I’m working out 3-4 days a week doing cardio. I am extremely discouraged even though I know this is part of the process.
Can you guys share stories about how you had random gains but still succeeded overall? I am so upset and want to give up. I won’t, but the feelings are so strong right now.
I am 100% for daily weigh-ins. I’ve seen myself gain and lose 5lbs of water weight from day to day - which told me I was licking too much salt - but could you imagine only weighing yourself once a week and then on that day you’re water heavy…and thus saw no progress at all?
I’d rather have more data points so I can smooth them and see the real trends as well as have the feedback for micro-adjustments.
Edit: today
I’ve been on strict 17/7 for 2 years. My goal (BMI 25) has been reached. But, relevent to your situation, my weight varies day to day in a 5 pound range (177 to 182). I burned through a lot of “stalls”, and baggy clothes, but persistence paid off. Hang tight, my friend, the future is bright.
I myself started off in the same situation. My fasts are similar (18-24h). Calories 1200-1500, with an occasional cheat day of 1800. Walk 5 days a week for about an hour. I have also had those weigh-ins that just aren’t as expected. But what keeps me going is knowing that I am ahead of what I expected. I set a weight loss goal with an reasonable date to lose it by. I keep track of where I am vs. where I should be. That way, when I gain some weight, I still see that I am below my target for that date. And if that gap starts to close a little more than I want it to, I’ll add a little time to my walking sessions.
Keep going strong, you could surprise yourself at your next weigh-in!!
A lot of people say to weigh yourself once a week to get around those ups and downs you may see when weighing every day. I strongly disagree with this.
I found weighing myself every day helped me get more comfortable with those variations because it all averaged out to a loss. If I only weighed myself once a week, there would have been times when it could looked like it wasn’t moving for a couple of weeks. Maybe I lost 4 pounds in November, but i happened to weigh myself on the week before Thanksgiving and then on turkey day, and it looked like i gained a couple of pounds. I think that would have been more discouraging.
Some people may not be able to make the adjustment in looking at a non-linear graph with so many variations, and that’s not a knock on them, but I suggest trying it and trusting the process if you’re able to do so. I would bet that it would get less discouraging over time once you see a trend if you can manage to look past those occasional rises.
I have ups and downs of like 5 lbs often. Overtime I see a downward trend.
I’m down about 117 lbs and it was much quicker at the start.
I also weigh daily and just except and move on.
Started at 343 in April of 2022, today at at 221.
I weigh myself every day right when I roll out of bed. Some days I illogically go up, but I know I’m only 24 hours away from a new weigh in, and I know if I keep doing the right things, the number will go down. Just keep at it because it works.
I’m doing 18:6 or 16:8 keto around 1200 calories and have just started doing one 24hr per week where I can’t manage to eat 1000 but try to make up for it the following day. 30-40 minutes cardio 4 times a week plus very light strength training. My loss has slowed to a pound every 10 days, and I see a lot of upticks for a week before that 1 lb goes. I have to keep reminding myself that by the end of the year I’ll be at a “normal” BMI so it’s all worth it but jayzus it’s slow for what I’m doing.
My personal record is 1.3kg = 2.8 pounds from one day to another, up or down. I try not to affect me negatively if it is up. Tomorrow is another day, and I have time to lose weight. There is no need to hurry or to stress. I really try to enjoy my weight loss journey. It’s a big change from desperation and hopelessness. I know I will go there.
Consider not working out, or changing what you do. Your body will adjust to the workout and add muscles where needed, and at a certain point, you won’t lose weight, you’ll gain. So switch things up. It’s good to be active. Go for a hike or bike ride, take a class at the gym, join a sport. Or, just take a couple weeks off, get a neighborhood walk in every day, and see what happens.
Embrace that weight loss sometimes flatlines. Im 2 months in and now flatlined at -9kg. Thats ok. I also flatlined at -6kg. I just kept going and eventually moved down again. What it was?! No clue. Keep doing what are doing. And be honest to yourself.
I didnt get heartattacks. Im doing great.
