Questions about the initial 'fast' weight loss

helizi

So, from reading, it sounds like the initial period of fast weight loss is actually water? (created by the body burning up spare sugar? From where? Don't all cells burn glucose anyway?) And if it's 'just' water and not fat, why am I seeing (small) changes in my body shape already?

How long does this rapid weight-loss period last? Or does it vary from person to person? I've lost a stone in just over two weeks and while I'm not complaining I know it can't continue at this rate. And while it may be disheartening at the time, the 'plateau' is technically a good thing, right? It means the body has switched over to burning fat at last? (well, or muscle. But not if you exercise, yes?)

HonkyTonks

Some weight loss will be from water.
If you lost 2lbs overnight, that's water. I tend to look at downward trends on the scales, rather than daily fluctuations.
You are probably losing fat and water.

Rapid weight loss period will vary from person to person.

Personally I think a plateau is merely the point at which a persons TDEE starts to get closer to the number of calories they eat. eg. a person loses weight, BMR goes down, eating stays the same, deficit is smaller, and therefore weight loss obviously slows. This seems to happen when people create HUGE deficits trying to lose weight very quickly.

Best thing to do is strength training combined with a smaller and more sustainable deficit.

grinch031

Its from burning up sugar stored as glycogen and not replacing it, its excreting water that is carried in the glycogen stores when they are filled. Whenever you cut calories, you inevitably cut carbs and deplete glycogen stores to some extent, flushing out water in the process. You can easily refill them by eating carbohydrates and your weight could fluctuate up and down by as many as 10 lbs within a few days.