To think this weight loss has been too easy?

[Toorapid]

I've never been overweight, but I did have a few pounds around my hips and thighs I'd prefer not to.

I'm 50 and shifting those last few pounds isn't easy, but actually, since Christmas I've gone down from 10st 5 to 9 st 9. I'm 5'7, so still well within the healthy range, no danger of being underweight just yet.

I have made some changes, but I wouldn't have expected them to make such a difference so quickly.

• run every day in January. By the end I will have done 150 miles but I always ran 4-5 days pw, c. 110 miles pm, so I wouldn't have expected it to make this much difference.

• Dry January, more by accident than design, I've had no one to drink with! I was never a big drinker and strictly weekends only

• Cut out snacking, but my diet was always fairly good and I have still had some cake and chocolate, but only at the end of a meal.

So, I would have expected it to make some difference, a very gradual loss, but so much so quickly?

It's worrying me quite a lot because my husband's serious illness first showed up in weightloss, which for too long we thought was due to improved diet with wfh and avoiding work cakes and bacon rolls! However, I do feel very well.

Too much, or would you expect those three changes to make this much difference?

I should say that whilst the snacks have gone, and the meals are generallly home cooked, they are very much not diet meals. I had a big curry with lots of rice last night and a chunky cheese and tomato roll followed by the last of the mince pies for lunch today. I eat until in properly full, knowing there's nothing else until the next meal.

I think that's lots of little changes that have added up. I would not be worried. Good changes, do you plan to keep some of them going?

You've certainly lost weight quickly, especially as you were already slim and a healthy weight. I guess as long as you feel well, you're probably OK. Monitor your weight next month and make sure you don't lose any more.

Add up the calories. It's obviously less than your TDEE.

Congratulations!

Hmm that’s quite a lot in a short space of time . However , I’m a similar height and weight to you and find that when I up my running miles weight just drops off regardless of how much I eat - and I’m a good eater ! I think the exercise may have upped your metabolism . But you know your body , it’s worth keeping an eye on .

Also , have you been worried about anything ? Some people can lose weight with stress

10 pounds in a month doesn't sound too much to lose.

Although at 5 foot 7, and 10 stone 5, you didn't need to lose any weight.

Also, it's very likely you will regain it. Most people do.

Surely 10lbs in a month is a lot for someone who "didn't need to lose any weight"?

Whether it goes back on will depend on why it came off.

More running. Less alcohol. Both of those can be significant weight shifters.

I'm a similar height and weight to you. Some weeks I can go up or down 4-5lb in a week without doing anything noticeably different.

@MiddlesexGirl

I'm a similar height and weight to you. Some weeks I can go up or down 4-5lb in a week without doing anything noticeably different.

Yes, me too usually, but this has been consistently downwards. In fact AF is due very soon, so I'd have expected to gain this week, but instead another 2lbs has come off.

Those snacks certainly make a difference. I added up how much I was consuming in snacks and it was around 600 calories a day. Just keep an eye. I've cut out snacking and I'm hoping to see a similar weight loss.

I would not worry unless you notice loss of muscle tone

I eat and exercise similar to you and I find I can “lose” 5 pounds quite easily, without trying, but if you keep losing weight keep an eye on things

Going alcohol free is a massive saving of calories and unnecessary sugars

I don’t want to cut out alcohol but I know if I needed to lose fast that’s my go to

They may be small changes, but three at once can have quite an impact as you have found. Look at it another way. You have cut out alcohol (150-300 cals per glass), are exercising 2-3 times more per week (approx 1000 cals per week more burned if running an extra 10 miles) and have removed snacks (easily 500 cals per day even if snacks are healthy depending on portion sizes). If you started on Jan 1st, 10lb equates to around 2.5lb per week, which isn’t at all excessive when you tot up the calorie deficit.

If I cut out snacks and ran I'd lose weight too. Congrats!

How regularly do you normally weigh yourself? You say you weighed 10'5 after Christmas, is that literally Boxing Day weight? Do you know what you weighed in the first half December?
If 10'5 is a "fair" starting weight I'd say that's quite surprising weight loss given everything you say.
But if actually 10'5 was weight after various days of Christmas binging then it would be pretty easy to lose 3-4lbs by just going back to normal eating, meaning in reality you've probably "only" lost ~5lbs of actually fat/non Christmas weight, which seems fine. Hope that makes sense!

I didn't binge over Christmas, had Covid in the middle too weeks of December and lost a little weight then, put most of that back on over Christmas but hadn't fully regained my appetite, so if anything the 10st 5 starting point was a little low.

If you’ve cut your calories down significantly, which it sounds like you have and you’ve taken up some exercise - which will burn a few more cals then 10lbs over a month is fine.

It’s only just above the recommended 2lbs a week and most ppl have a bigger drop the first week as well. So it seems absolutely fine.

You are probably really underestimating how many calories you were taking in before you made some conscious changes. Losing weight isn’t about “diet food” it’s purely about calorie deficit.

That said - a close members illness came after significant weight loss. So it’s definitely something to be aware of.

Perhaps add in a couple hundred extra calories a day - handful of nuts, an extra slice of bread, a full fat Greek yoghurt etc - and see if you stabilise.

Perhaps add in a couple hundred extra calories a day - handful of nuts, an extra slice of bread, a full fat Greek yoghurt etc - and see if you stabilise.

I eat all those things everyday, when I say no diet foods, I mean no effort at all to make things pow fat or low calorie. I've never bought any specific diet foods, in fact I think that industry is largely responsible for where we are now. I hate the way the vast majority of yogurts ar low fat and full of sweetener. Eat real food and enjoy it, you'll find you eat less.

I lost 10lb too since new year. The first drop often happens quickly when you change activity and then levels off. I wouldn’t worry about illness as you’ve significantly changed your routine.

I’ve done the same as you, and I’m a year younger and have lost 4lbs. I’d have to seriously cut food to get 10lbs off in a month. I started at the 11st3 so not overweight either.

Have you under massively under estimated the amount of calories you were eating with snacks?

I'd keep an eye on it and if it continues then maybe visit the doctor. Alcohol is stacked with calories though so cutting that out would make a difference...

I think it depends on your metabolism. I'd have to basically starve myself to lose that weight in that time. I had a traumatic accident last year and lost my appetite and barely ate for 3 weeks then much reduced appetite and didn't move (was in hospital) and I lost about a stone in 3 months.

I lost a crazy amount of weight with Covid OP - more than I ever have in my life. What’s more I didn’t lose my appetite, in fact I was eating 3 full meals a day despite being in bed 22 hours a day for the 2 weeks I was most sick. It may just be your body still fighting off the infection. Hope you’re ok x