Weight Fluctuations During Diet??

[NSags]

Hey guys, been on a pretty strict diet over the past few months. Lost about 11 pounds between last July and now (I know it's not a lot but the diet only really started around January). Anyways, after losing 11 lbs, I have been noticing that going down more is getting much harder and I'm constantly fluctuating between my weight. So I used to weigh 172. Got down to 158, and now it's always changing between 158,159,160. I know I may have slipped up a few times on the diet but any other idea why this can be happening? Should I just continue how I started my diet? Eat less, workout, and drink more water? 

Thanks!

[Dominique]

"Being on a diet" can be interpreted in several ways, for instance: 1) to switch to a certain style of eating (e.g. following a low-carb diet, becoming vegan etc.), and/or 2) to restrict calories so as to lose weight. It is not quite clear what the "pretty strict diet" means in your case, nor what you mean when you say it "only really started around January": did you switch to a particular way of eating last July, but only started to lose weight in January? If so, losing 14 pounds (8% of your starting weight) in three-four months is actually quite a lot.

As to fluctuations within a couple of pounds, they’re perfectly normal IMO, especially for a woman (impact of hormonal cycle). Or are you trying to say you have reached a "plateau"? In other words, you think you are keeping the same caloric deficit, but are no longer losing weight, as you would expect to? What is your ultimate weight goal? If you wish to go further down (e.g. to 145), it may be a good idea to focus on maintening your current (lower) weight for a few months before starting to restrict calories again.

[Bill_k]

It's easy to fluctuate a pound or so  either way with just water weight changes depending on how much sodium you have in your diet.

[bikerhiker]

Weight loss is not really all about the number on the scale.  That does not tell you a lot about your body fat%, nor does it tell you anything about your lean muscle mass and bone density status either..  Both of which are extremely important more to a woman than a man.  A pretty strict diet can be interpreted by a lot of things, but I hope it is not a diet that forces up not only to lose water weight, but also bone density and lean muscle mass as well!  And that can easily be done by a number of diet fads you see around on the internet and on television.  These diet fads FOCUS to give you a nice number on the scale (usually a much lower number) and to achieve that number quickly within few months, not progressively in years.  I don't think you are in that category as you are only losing 11 pounds between last July and now which is good.  This is progressive loss; a good cautious and conservative weight loss which you can easily rule out lean muscle mass loss and bone density loss which can lead to osteoporosis for women.  1 in 2 women goes on to develop osteoporosis in their later lives and you don't know if you've got osteoporosis unless you get a bone density scan, but the easiest way to tell if you fall and you easily break a bone or so.  

Having said, keep in mind that the number on the scale means nothing to you.  What is important to you is your waist line and your overall body composition.  Are they shrinking compared to last year?  If they are, then you are losing body fat%, which is a good thing.  The best would be around the waist line where you will find most of the visceral fat (fat coated to your internal organs) and those stuff aren't good for your health.  

Having said that, weight plateau is a normal thing because you can't keep losing body fat forever.  For a woman, you need more body fat compared to a man for child bearing purposes (making babies).  Body fat also serves as reserve fuel for any impending illness or any concurrent health issues you currently have or currently hidden that you are not aware of.  When your body becomes healthy enough not to need the extra body fat lying around, you will be able to lose more of that body fat; that means losing more weight safely.  Only you know when, when you feel well and strong enough to know that you don't need to eat the amount of calories you are eating now.  If you look at my trend weight as an example, you'll see that I go through plateau stages and then lose weight again mostly in body fat% by lowering the caloric intake (naturally; not through a strict diet).  You will feel that you don't need to eat a lot, stress free.

Lastly, the fluctuation in body weight from 158 to 160 is normal as that represents increase in glycogen stores (your first reserve energy tank whereas your body fat is your 2nd reserve tank).  As glycogen stores increase so will your water weight and what you are seeing on the scale is just water weight.  As you deplete your glycogen stores through daily activities so will your water weight.  Losing body fat, however, will have a permanent effect on your body weight.

[RandyKuhlman]

I wouldn't be too concerned. Stick with your diet and drink  more water. The body can fluctuate up to 8 lbs per day, so a pound difference isn't that big of a deal. It sounds to me that you have hit the plateau. Change up the content of the diet a little and maybe hit a different workout routine to jog the body into losing again. At least that has worked for me in the past. 

As to the scale, ignore that thing. How do you FEEL? Do you feel like you have more energy, rested, able and willing to do more? If yes, then you are on the right path. Weight is great, but healthy weight management is beyond a three digit number. How are you balancing your spiritual and emotional health as well?