Experience with the "whoosh"?

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firstsip
firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've heard about it, read about it, researched it...

What is your personal experience with the "whoosh": what did your body look like, how did you feel, is this even real, etc.?

Note that this is a more precise post than my mistaken thought that people called it "fat flush" :laugh:
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Replies

  • Amberonamission
    Amberonamission Posts: 836 Member
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    I woke with a woosh today. Put up a 3 pound loss. I only weigh myself when I wake up and feel the woosh. 10 days ago I had another woosh after not feeling one for a month. That was a 8 lb loss. I love the woosh.
  • maruby95
    maruby95 Posts: 204 Member
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    Just experienced this today. I have noticed the fat on my belly getting really 'squish' and looking different. And I had been the exact same weight for 8 days, and within a pound of that for week before. Then this morning, 2 pounds and .5 inch gone overnight with no change in diet/ exercise. Gotta love it. And I'm eating at TDEE!!! Bonus!!
  • commandax
    commandax Posts: 38 Member
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    This is how it works for me. I go two or three weeks holding pretty steady, going up or down a pound or so day-to-day, then one day I wake up and have lost 3 or 4 pounds seemingly overnight. Often I lose a few pounds more later in the week, then go back into stasis for a couple of weeks. I do notice that I seem to pee a lot the day before this happens, so I think the cell-flushing theory makes a lot of sense.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    Thank you guys; this is beyond helpful.

    I have literally not lot a pound in over a month (though I've lost plenty of inches), with really only a one pound loss since September... but plenty of inches, my clothes are falling off, etc.

    The last few days, I've been so oddly squishy in my stomach and almost bloated? My water's been high, I dropped off ingesting so much fiber (minus yesterday), my sodium is low (and anytime I go over, it's still not OVER... I have my sodium set lower than suggested), etc.

    I was all firm and ready to show off in front of family on Thanksgiving... than I got this weird squishyness?! I'm nowhere near my period, too! I'm hoping this is what it is and I'll FINALLY notice a scale change for once :laugh:
  • SageGoddess320
    SageGoddess320 Posts: 2,589 Member
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    hmmm. Very interesting. How have I never heard of this before? I'm going to have to start paying more attention.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    What happens is as your body begins to empty fat cells, it replaces the lost fat in the cells with water, in anticipation of replenishing your fat supply. Because building new tissue is hard work for the body (even fat cells, believe it or not) it will attempt to keep the cells as long as possible by filling them with water.
    At this point is when people notice their fat feels "squishy" or "chunky" or "dimpled" or....you get the picture.
    As we stay consistent on our routines, our body has no choice but to relinquish the water and fat cells eventually and when it does, we experience the "whoosh" effect.

    I'm sorry, but this sounds like BS to me. I haven't heard anything like this in my major classes and wasn't able to find any credible information about it online. Do you have any good links I could take a look at?

    I just don't understand how fat could feel "squishy" from some parts of the body. I mean, when you lose a couple pounds, it's not concentrated in one place, so it's hard for me to imagine that any momentary change it's "squishyness" it would be noticeable.
  • marathon_mama
    marathon_mama Posts: 150 Member
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    Cedarghost---Why don’t professionals know this? I am of the eat less, move more mindset. So, it bothered me that I was working my butt of and stalled for 2 weeks. I went to see a Registered Dietician and she gave me a diet/workout and said you WILL lose 2lbs this week on this. I did it to the letter and still nothing. She questioned me about condiments …like was I getting too much sugar from ketchup, pickle relish, etc….she even asked me if I ever notice a mess in the kitchen like was I sleep walking and eating in my sleep!!! So, why wouldn’t she assume it was dieter's edema? Apparently, me eating in my sleep is more probable than dieters edema??

    your nutritionist sounds like a condescending b*tch. Get a new one
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    What happens is as your body begins to empty fat cells, it replaces the lost fat in the cells with water, in anticipation of replenishing your fat supply. Because building new tissue is hard work for the body (even fat cells, believe it or not) it will attempt to keep the cells as long as possible by filling them with water.
    At this point is when people notice their fat feels "squishy" or "chunky" or "dimpled" or....you get the picture.
    As we stay consistent on our routines, our body has no choice but to relinquish the water and fat cells eventually and when it does, we experience the "whoosh" effect.

    I'm sorry, but this sounds like BS to me. I haven't heard anything like this in my major classes and wasn't able to find any credible information about it online. Do you have any good links I could take a look at?

    I just don't understand how fat could feel "squishy" from some parts of the body if it comes off from all over. I mean, when you lose a couple pounds, it's not concentrated in one place, so it's hard for me to imagine that any change it's "squishyness" it would be noticeable.

    Really? I learned about the fat cell shrinking business in high school A&P (or AP bio... it's been awhile...), just not necessarily in the context of the "physical" symptoms (aka, squishy fat, an increase in noticing it right before the "whoosh").
  • cedarghost
    cedarghost Posts: 621 Member
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    Cedarghost---Why don’t professionals know this? I am of the eat less, move more mindset. So, it bothered me that I was working my butt of and stalled for 2 weeks. I went to see a Registered Dietician and she gave me a diet/workout and said you WILL lose 2lbs this week on this. I did it to the letter and still nothing. She questioned me about condiments …like was I getting too much sugar from ketchup, pickle relish, etc….she even asked me if I ever notice a mess in the kitchen like was I sleep walking and eating in my sleep!!! So, why wouldn’t she assume it was dieter's edema? Apparently, me eating in my sleep is more probable than dieters edema??
    No kidding......weight loss can be soooooo frustrating because of all the "bro science" out there. An honest nutritionist would tell you, "Hey, I don't know everything about this game because everybody is different."
    And none of them want to admit that they don't know everything.
    As for the sleep walking thing......wow....
  • Klopford
    Klopford Posts: 129
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    This sort of thing happens? Heh, that makes me feel better about not consistently dropping 2lbs a week like I'm supposed to be... XD
  • Amberonamission
    Amberonamission Posts: 836 Member
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    What happens is as your body begins to empty fat cells, it replaces the lost fat in the cells with water, in anticipation of replenishing your fat supply. Because building new tissue is hard work for the body (even fat cells, believe it or not) it will attempt to keep the cells as long as possible by filling them with water.
    At this point is when people notice their fat feels "squishy" or "chunky" or "dimpled" or....you get the picture.
    As we stay consistent on our routines, our body has no choice but to relinquish the water and fat cells eventually and when it does, we experience the "whoosh" effect.

    I'm sorry, but this sounds like BS to me. I haven't heard anything like this in my major classes and wasn't able to find any credible information about it online. Do you have any good links I could take a look at?

    I just don't understand how fat could feel "squishy" from some parts of the body if it comes off from all over. I mean, when you lose a couple pounds, it's not concentrated in one place, so it's hard for me to imagine that any change it's "squishyness" it would be noticeable.
    Maybe it is a big person thing. Cuz, this happens to me before every loss. 44 lbs to date. You may have so little to lose that this is less noticed. Just a guess.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    ^That is a good point. And I do realize that fat tends to come off where you put it on last so it could be somewhat concentrated in an area. Still trying to picture what that would look like in my head from a physiological point of view. Would love to see a mechanism for it!
    What happens is as your body begins to empty fat cells, it replaces the lost fat in the cells with water, in anticipation of replenishing your fat supply. Because building new tissue is hard work for the body (even fat cells, believe it or not) it will attempt to keep the cells as long as possible by filling them with water.
    At this point is when people notice their fat feels "squishy" or "chunky" or "dimpled" or....you get the picture.
    As we stay consistent on our routines, our body has no choice but to relinquish the water and fat cells eventually and when it does, we experience the "whoosh" effect.

    I'm sorry, but this sounds like BS to me. I haven't heard anything like this in my major classes and wasn't able to find any credible information about it online. Do you have any good links I could take a look at?

    I just don't understand how fat could feel "squishy" from some parts of the body if it comes off from all over. I mean, when you lose a couple pounds, it's not concentrated in one place, so it's hard for me to imagine that any change it's "squishyness" it would be noticeable.
    Google would work, but here you go:
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html
    http://www.leangains.com/2010/01/how-to-deal-with-water-retention-part.html
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat...uishy-fat.html
    http://viralfit.blogspot.com/2012/06/whoosh-fat-yesterday-lean-tomorrow.html
    I read MANY more articles, but those were some that stood out.

    None of those are credible sources though. Google will give me plenty of info about the benefits of raspberry ketones and detox baths as well.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    I'm sorry, but this sounds like BS to me. I haven't heard anything like this in my major classes and wasn't able to find any credible information about it online. Do you have any good links I could take a look at?

    I just don't understand how fat could feel "squishy" from some parts of the body if it comes off from all over. I mean, when you lose a couple pounds, it's not concentrated in one place, so it's hard for me to imagine that any change it's "squishyness" it would be noticeable.

    I can tell you from previous experience that my fat does not come off evenly from all over. I have always gone through a stage where I looked dimply and weird because the fat seems to come off in pockets here and there. My body will look so weird it almost derails me; I look better evenly fat. (I'm too soon into weight loss to see that yet)
  • Eric53066
    Eric53066 Posts: 46 Member
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    That's crazy. I've never even heard of it, let alone been in tune enough to notice the pattern of it. What do you guys look for? I wonder if that's why some days I have what I call "thimble bladder" where it seems like I'm peeing every 10 minutes. lol
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Cedarghost---Why don’t professionals know this? I am of the eat less, move more mindset. So, it bothered me that I was working my butt of and stalled for 2 weeks. I went to see a Registered Dietician and she gave me a diet/workout and said you WILL lose 2lbs this week on this. I did it to the letter and still nothing. She questioned me about condiments …like was I getting too much sugar from ketchup, pickle relish, etc….she even asked me if I ever notice a mess in the kitchen like was I sleep walking and eating in my sleep!!! So, why wouldn’t she assume it was dieter's edema? Apparently, me eating in my sleep is more probable than dieters edema??

    That is really interesting. I wonder about dietitians sometimes, just like doctors.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    take a shot of hard liqueur
    I've been able to force the woosh that way
  • TrishDLish81
    TrishDLish81 Posts: 24
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    Interesting. I've been sitting w/o a real loss for almost 3 weeks now despite all my hard work (I do weigh every day but only record on Mondays, and I've been fluctuating within 2-3 pounds of the same number with no downward trend and no new lows), and as I was getting dressed this morning I happened to look at my thighs and I noticed how chunky they looked (not that they're smooth usually, I have a decent amount to lose, but it was certainly more so than usual). I'll be interested to see if a "whoosh" follows in the next few days.

    It should be noted that as you gain and lose weight, fat cells do not increase or decrease in number, they simply increase or decrease in size, if I remember correctly. I guess it may make sense that the fat cells absorb water to retain their size in anticipation of replacing the actual fat that was burned/released (triglycerides, is it? I'm most certainly not a dietician, haha).

    I'm going to have to pay closer attention and see if this holds true for me.
  • dare2love81
    dare2love81 Posts: 928 Member
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    Interesting. The only "whoosh" effect I've ever felt is typically in the form of gas. I'll have to start paying closer attention to this squishy fat business and then get on the scale the next day. I have seen large losses overnight...however that usually has to do with a crazy intense workout from the day before - a.k.a. water weight, and that always returns the following day.

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