Explanation for my almost 1lb loss per day?

Relaxingmind
Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Not that I'm complaining. I'm just curious and am trying to learn more about how weight loss/gain really works and stuff so if someone could "educate" me that would be great haha :) Anyways I am 5'7 and was 135 pounds. I exercise 5 days a week. A week ago I decided to make a change and increased my water consumption to 1 gallon per day. Plus I live in Florida so its hot as heck right now anyways. I also decided to cut out nearly all added/table sugar and reduced my fruit intake while increasing my vegetable intake. Every once in a while I'll use stevia for something but not often. It's been a week since the change and today I weighed myself. I lost 5 pounds! Why the quick loss? I was using MFP before and after the change. Before the change, I would log desserts when I had 1/2 cup of ice cream per day and would weigh all 5 of my fruits. Now I only eat one fruit per day by the way. I kept my macros the same. Only difference is I replaced the extra fruits with extra veggies and started having things like oatmeal or cottage cheese for "dessert" instead of ice cream. I'm just curious, can someone explain? Thanks! :)

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Cutting sugar means you cut carbs, and your body is holding onto less water/glycogen because of it
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited September 2016
    You were in a caloric deficit. You ate less than you burned. CICO Calories In Calories Out
  • pdm3547
    pdm3547 Posts: 1,057 Member
    You haven't lost 5 pounds of fat (maybe a couple, but not 5) and you presumably haven't chopped off any body parts.
    So the only thing that remains is water, waste and the food in your stomach at the time you weigh. Are you weighing yourself in the same conditions at the same time every time?
  • Plutodreams
    Plutodreams Posts: 67 Member
    You're nourishing your body better so your metabolism stepped it up. It's not just calories in, calories out, as much as people wish it were that simple, it is not. I think also you lost some water weight.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    edited September 2016
    Water. Salt. Stress. Injury. Water is heavy. Salt in your food causes the body to keep water so that the salt can be kept in an ideal saline suspension inside your body. Stress causes your body to retain water because it elevates your cortisol. That happens to me during the work week. Injury causes your body to try to repair damage, and it needs water to do that. Starting a new exercise program or changing your exercise routine can cause micro-tears in your muscles. You feel it as soreness. If you're a girl, I haven't checked, you also have the monthly cycle to contend with. Your kidneys excrete salty water, your work week has weekends, your muscles' repair is completed. In the complexity of your body, water is being used, reused, and discarded constantly. Sometimes it shows up as a dramatic change on the scale.

    Muscle and fat change your weight slowly. Water changes it fast.
  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
    edited September 2016
    pdm3547 wrote: »
    You haven't lost 5 pounds of fat (maybe a couple, but not 5) and you presumably haven't chopped off any body parts.
    So the only thing that remains is water, waste and the food in your stomach at the time you weigh. Are you weighing yourself in the same conditions at the same time every time?
    Yes, morning after I use the bathroom, tmi lol. And for the person who said calorie deficit, are you saying I was underestimating my calories by like 2,000, or even 1,000? With the scanning, logging, food weighing, and my small appetite, I can't eat that much, and I made sure to replace the calorie amounts except with veggies and things like oatmeal. It comes to the same amount on MFP as before my change. Only difference is volume. I'm confused.

  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
    edited September 2016
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    Water. Salt. Stress. Injury. Water is heavy. Salt in your food causes the body to keep water so that the salt can be kept in an ideal saline suspension inside your body. Stress causes your body to retain water because it elevates your cortisol. That happens to me during the work week. Injury causes your body to try to repair damage, and it needs water to do that. Starting a new exercise program or changing your exercise routine can cause micro-tears in your muscles. You feel it as soreness. If you're a girl, I haven't checked, you also have the monthly cycle to contend with. Your kidneys excrete salty water, your work week has weekends, your muscles' repair is completed. In the complexity of your body, water is being used, reused, and discarded constantly. Sometimes it shows up as a dramatic change on the scale.

    Muscle and fat change your weight slowly. Water changes it fast.

    oh ok, thanks! I'm a girl by the way lol
  • afatpersonwholikesfood
    afatpersonwholikesfood Posts: 577 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Cutting sugar means you cut carbs, and your body is holding onto less water/glycogen because of it

    This.
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  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Cutting sugar means you cut carbs, and your body is holding onto less water/glycogen because of it

    Most likely it's this. You probably also lost some fat, but it most definitely was not 1 pound a day unless you stopped eating altogether.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Relaxingmind wrote: »
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    Water. Salt. Stress. Injury. Water is heavy. Salt in your food causes the body to keep water so that the salt can be kept in an ideal saline suspension inside your body. Stress causes your body to retain water because it elevates your cortisol. That happens to me during the work week. Injury causes your body to try to repair damage, and it needs water to do that. Starting a new exercise program or changing your exercise routine can cause micro-tears in your muscles. You feel it as soreness. If you're a girl, I haven't checked, you also have the monthly cycle to contend with. Your kidneys excrete salty water, your work week has weekends, your muscles' repair is completed. In the complexity of your body, water is being used, reused, and discarded constantly. Sometimes it shows up as a dramatic change on the scale.

    Muscle and fat change your weight slowly. Water changes it fast.

    oh ok, thanks! I'm a girl by the way lol

    Where are you in your menstrual cycle? I frequently go up a few pounds beforehand and then lose it plus a pound or two more a week after my period started.

    If that's not it, I imagine if you were somewhat dehydrated and holding on to water, your increased water intake flushed that all out.
  • Relaxingmind
    Relaxingmind Posts: 55 Member
    sunnybeaches105 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Cutting sugar means you cut carbs, and your body is holding onto less water/glycogen because of it

    Most likely it's this. You probably also lost some fat, but it most definitely was not 1 pound a day unless you stopped eating altogether.

    What about the extra veggies and oatmeals, etc that I replaced the desserts with? They have carbs too. I mentioned earlier that I made sure my macros didn't change.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    edited September 2016
    Relaxingmind wrote: »
    sunnybeaches105 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Cutting sugar means you cut carbs, and your body is holding onto less water/glycogen because of it

    Most likely it's this. You probably also lost some fat, but it most definitely was not 1 pound a day unless you stopped eating altogether.

    What about the extra veggies and oatmeals, etc that I replaced the desserts with? They have carbs too. I mentioned earlier that I made sure my macros didn't change.

    First week of dieting? Glycogen changes. Mid-diet? It's not unusual to stall and then have a "whoosh" as my wife and I call it. Your body loses fat but retains water until it finally flushes. My body weight varies anywhere from 1-5 pounds per day. It's water weight. If I have salty foods it will be more rather than less. If I have more carbs it will be more rather than less. If I lower or up my fiber intake it will also often go up depending on how much fiber. Alcohol has a similar effect.

    If you're weighing yourself every day get accustomed to variances. Track the trend.



  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
    Plutodreams wrote: »
    You're nourishing your body better so your metabolism stepped it up. It's not just calories in, calories out, as much as people wish it were that simple, it is not. I think also you lost some water weight.

    Yes, it is that simple... because science. Eating healthier food is better for your overall health since it gives you the minerals/vitamins, but it does not affect weight loss or improve metabolism. Thermogenics is proven science.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Cutting sugar means you cut carbs, and your body is holding onto less water/glycogen because of it

    Exactly. You eat more carbs, your weight will increase again due to water.

    Plus, if you are truly eating at a deficit, a surge of weight usually comes of quickly then slows down.

    It seem to me you are in the normal weight range anyway, so you don't have much left to lose. Set your goals for 1/2 pounds per week and make sure your weight loss is slow and sustainable, and that you are not depriving yourself.

    There is nothing wrong with sugar, by the way. Unless you are prescribed a way of eating by your doctor for a medical condition, or you have food intolerance or allergies, it's okay to everything you love in moderation. :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Plutodreams wrote: »
    You're nourishing your body better so your metabolism stepped it up. It's not just calories in, calories out, as much as people wish it were that simple, it is not. I think also you lost some water weight.

    Nope. Weight loss is about calories in/calories out. Food doesn't "step up" metabolism either. Otherwise, those of us who ate great nourishment would not have gotten fat doing so. ;)
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Plutodreams wrote: »
    You're nourishing your body better so your metabolism stepped it up. It's not just calories in, calories out, as much as people wish it were that simple, it is not. I think also you lost some water weight.

    No. This is nonsense.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Relaxingmind wrote: »
    sunnybeaches105 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Cutting sugar means you cut carbs, and your body is holding onto less water/glycogen because of it

    Most likely it's this. You probably also lost some fat, but it most definitely was not 1 pound a day unless you stopped eating altogether.

    What about the extra veggies and oatmeals, etc that I replaced the desserts with? They have carbs too. I mentioned earlier that I made sure my macros didn't change.

    Well, depending on the serving sizes of each, perhaps your calorie intake is different.

    Don't fall for the food-type-leading-to-weigh-loss hype because that's all it is.

    Hype.

    Eat less calories than you burn and you will lose weight.
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