Weight loss started off very slow, now it's falling off?

[Holly1975]

First let me say that I'm certainly not complaining, I'm wondering if this is normal, or did I change anything (not that I can think of?). I started dieting around Feb 8th. For the first 6 weeks, the weight came off very slowly, less than a pound a week. After that, it's coming off much faster, now up to 3 pounds a week. I'm still eating basically the same, 3 meals with snacks in between, and drinking lots of water. Each day when I get on the scale, it's less than the morning before, whereas before it would fluctuate a bit, somedays it would be higher, etc. Is this normal? Could my body have been holding on to the weight at first and finally gave in (does that make sense)?

 

[Johnd]

Hi,
It may be a result of your metabolism picking up. Often when you diet, especially without exercise, the body slows the metabolism (survival instinct). After a while, the body may realize that in fact your diet poses no threat to its survival and allows the metabolism to pick up.

 

[Steve]

Weight loss does not happen linearly. Also, it seems like you sometimes need to build up momentum. So yes, this is normal.

Regarding the above post, the "starvation response" does not happen in an instant, especially at the beginning of a diet.

It takes time for a change to occur in the hormones that invoke the survival mechanisms.

 

[Vespertilio]

It also happened to me. It's either because of your metabolism or because you inadvertedly made changes in your diet.

 

[Kaitie]

whatever it is....count your lucky stars that the weight is coming off!

 

[Johnd]

Hi

Count your lucky stars for sure, but also try and see what happened that caused this increased weight loss.

 

[0amybaby0]

I would probably say it was your metabolism.

Well done for the weight loss though

 

[Steve]

Metabolism changes to not occur so radically, especially at the onset of a diet. If anything, the major* changes in metabolism occur after prolonged dieting and/or significant weight loss.

Major = enough change to make a difference in rate of weight loss. I note this b/c most think metabolisms can swing in rate wildly, and this just isn't so... especially with people carrying a lot of excess fat.