Sudden weight loss doesn't make sense

Pinkvela

So after weeks (approx 2) of fluctuating in the 129lbs zone, I woke up this morning and weighed 127.4 lbs. What gives? I didn't do any exercise yesterday, except once when I had to (light) run down a hallway and hop up a flight of stairs (to catch someone) at work.
I met my calorie intake for the day. The only thing I can think of is that my lunch food consisted of more liquid as opposed to dense. I had shredded carrots, 3oz of fish, Tuscan soup, 1 cup of melon and 8 almonds. I had a small dinner later on and had to go to Costco after where I walked around for maybe 25 minutes.
Is it possible that your body will only recognize your accumulative weight loss in cycles? Up till now my weight loss was always up or down 2 ounces, but when it decreased it did so steadily in 2 ounce increments.

capaul42

It might have been water weight that you were holding onto the last few weeks. I find that since my body isn't really used to all this exercise I've been doing, I tend to fluctuate a lot because of water retention. Then all of the sudden, it's gone and I've dropped a bit to a lot (once 2.4lbs)

samchez0

I tend to do that with my weight. I go two weeks with little to no loss then drop like 2 lbs the next week. I think it's just how my body loses it.

haviegirl

It happens. Weight loss is not linear. I'm up two pounds since yesterday, but yesterday was leg day for my workout and we went out for dinner last night. So I'm retaining fluid due to exercise and likely more sodium than usual. It ain't no thing--I'll drink lots of water today, walk at least 12 miles today and tomorrow (we hike), and the fluid will all be off by Monday. It's the trend over time that matters.

capaul42

haviegirl wrote: »

It happens. Weight loss is not linear. I'm up two pounds since yesterday, but yesterday was leg day for my workout and we went out for dinner last night. So I'm retaining fluid due to exercise and likely more sodium than usual. It ain't no thing--I'll drink lots of water today, walk at least 12 miles today and tomorrow (we hike), and the fluid will all be off by Monday. It's the trend over time that matters.

Yup and I'm down a pound today and didn't get my workout in yesterday because I was too busy with errands.

Alarae21

I've found that when I have a slower day workout wise the next morning I'll have dropped weight. I think it is just because I'm giving my body the extra rest so it releases some water.

No doubt it will go up again tomorrow as I had 3 back to back classes at the gym this morning.. Haha.

The trend over time is the main factor. Libra (scale app) has been a godsend since I downloaded it.

Francl27

It's the woosh. Totally normal. Bottom line is that it can take weeks for your body to actually resister a weight loss or a weight gain. I see people saying 'oh I can eat what I want, I had a cheat day yesterday and lost 2 pounds this morning!', but it doesn't mean much, those two pounds were from fat cells that they actually burned a week ago, and they'll probably just lose less in the next week because of that cheat day.

Pinkvela

Thanks all for the answers! (and I meant to say "cumulative" in my op not accumulative, just saying)

DanaDark

For many people, fat loss isn't linear. So it comes in bursts and bumps.

I once read about the idea that as a fat cell empties fat, it fills with water sometimes. After the body flushes out excess water (can be done through dehydration events such as being out in the sun a long time, drinking alcohol, etc.) the water escapes the fat cell. Not sure on the science behind it, but sounds like a reasonable explaination to me.

But yeah, weight loss is definitely not linear. Gosh I wish it was lol... eat 500 calories less and be able to see exactly 1/7 of a pound weight loss day after day... would be beautiful.