How does this happen?

SparkPoints: (131,327)
Fitness Minutes: (198,465)
Posts: 19,568
3/22/12 9:19 A

A2BROOKS,

As Coach Nancy noted, you're probably on a low carb diet cutting out things like bread, pasta or potatoes. It's impossible to eat a no carb diet because that would mean no fruits or veggies or milk. Fresh fruits and veggies are loaded with carbohydrates our bodies need to be healthy. Remember, your brain exclusively uses carbohydrates for energy. So, if you're not eating enough carbs, you may notice something called a brain fog. that's when your thought process seem alittle foggy because you're not eating enough carbohydrate for your brain to function properly.

However, let's talk about that initial weight loss for a moment. If you lost six pounds in two weeks, most of that weight was probably water weight. Most people who went on a low carb diet will tell you how they lost a lot of weight quickly too. but, then the loss slowed down.

In order to truly lose six pounds of fat in two weeks would have required that you either deficit ate 20,500 calories OR burned that many calories via exercise. So, if you didn't workout 4-6 hours each day for that two weeks, it's doubtful you lost six pounds of fat. Because you are not the least bit overweight, your loss will be significantly slower than someone who has a lot of weight to lose. That's because the closer a person is to a healthy weight for their height, the harder it is to take off any perceived excess.

Why did you lost six pounds in a week and then gain ? Easy. That's a function in your water weight. I can easily gain or lose 3-4 pounds in a day ! Is that a fat gain or loss ? Nope, that too is merely a fluctuation in my water weight. Ever notice your weight goes up during TOM ? Most women tend to gain weight during their menstrual cycle. Is that a fat gain ? nope, that too is nothing more than a water weight gain that passes in a few days.

So, don't assume something must be wrong because the weight went up. That can happen because of water retention. And to be very honest, there are no fast ways to lose weight, contrary to what the low carb claims make. Weight loss IS a slow steady process that takes time. Because you aren't overweight, your loss will take longer. Ask any of the members trying to lose that last 5-10 pounds and they'll tell you, it takes a long time.

Remember, this isn't a diet. This must be a life style change if you want to take the weight off and keep it off. If you can not sustain this "diet", then you will end up regaining any of the weight you lose. The healthy habits you adopt to take the weight off now, you'll need to keep it off. That's why your diet must be sustainable. If you're going to stop doing this low carb once you've lost the weight, the weight really will pack back on.

SparkPoints: (158,833)
Fitness Minutes: (112,042)
Posts: 46,222
3/21/12 9:26 P

Hi A2BROOKS,

I assume you mean you were following a low carb diet as it is next to impossible to be on a no carb diet as all fruits and veggies are carbs. That being said, the reason you dropped a lot of weight following a low carb diet is not so much from fat loss, but from a loss of fluids.

You see when, for every gram of carb your body stores, you also store approximately 3 grams of water/fluid with it. When you cut back the amount you are eating, your body will not store the water with it.

Remember our weight is not a static number, but more like a vital sign. Just like your blood pressure, heart rate and body temp will vary throughout the day, same is true with your weight. Because our bodies are largely made up of water (the fitter we are the more water we retain), any deviation in our diet, hydration, workouts, even hormones can lead to a shift on the scale.

I hope this helps!

Coach Nancy

Posts: 1
3/21/12 8:14 P

I was on a no carb diet for 2 weeks and lost about 6lbs. Last Monday I was 128 after the first two weeks. I stayed under or about 1200 calories for the two weeks and exercised 5 times a week for 45min to an hour of cardio activity. Last week I did the same for most of the week and then splurged a bit over St Patty's Day with cocktails and a corned beef and cabbage dinner. From Monday 3/12 to Monday 3/19 I gained 8lbs. The 6 I lost and 2 more. Why does my weight fluctuate so much and so often?! It is very discouraging. This has been going on for a couple of years. I loose weight, but immediately gain in back within a few days. What is going on?!