Water Weight

Tblackdogs

So say I have 20 pounds to lose. That would be from my highest to what I think should be my lowest. 150 to 130. When I start logging I lose a few pounds quickly. That's water weight right? So maybe I only "really" weighed 147. Then I keep logging and keep at a deficit and keep losing. When I get to 130 I stop eating at a deficit. Then I quickly put on a few pounds of…water weight. So the scale shows that I weigh 133. So does that mean I actually lost 14 pounds of fat?

CA_Underdog

First, it's unlikely your loss was purely fat. A basic scale can tell how much you lost (17lbs), but if you want to work out whether you lost fat or lean body mass you're going to need another tool such as a scale that measure body fat %, a caliper, bodpod, etc.

RoxieDawn

If you don't have a caliper or bodpod like I don't another way besides the scales is measurements. I measure: breast, waist, hips, thigh, neck, left non dominate arm. I actually log these each time I weigh in.

It is funny because I loose weight from the neck down. I always loose neck, arms breast first and will see measurements shift if the scale shifts.

Water weight is tricky. I had a huge problem with water retention. I now drink 1/2 gallon of water a day. I limit my sodium now every day to about 2000 (preferably under). If I am retaining water (I usally know it with pain in my hands, swelling in hands and feet) and know not to weigh in this day because the scale may shift 2 or 3 lbs. But the water thing I am doing now pretty much keeps me from having to do this anymore.

I had to put up my scale out of reach and do two week weigh ins and measurements!