3500 = 1lb ??

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roguex_1979
roguex_1979 Posts: 247 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
People who put on 1lb or lose 1lb are very emotional about their loss or gain, and if it were an exact science that 3500cals = 1lb, then the people who lose the weight should be extra proud, and those who put on the weight must have eaten in excess of 3500cals in the week.

Ok, so how come the day after I officially weighed in last week after losing 3lbs (I am pretty sure my deficit for the week was NOT 10500 cals), I immediately put on 1lb and I had NOT eaten 3500 cals the day before?

I know there are other factors, such as water retention. But how do you explain a 3lb loss immediately followed by a 1lb increase the following day? It's then taken nearly a week to lose that 1lb again, only to wake up this morning to a further 1.2lb loss! I am not complaining that I'm losing the weight, and I am happy with the loss, but I don't understand why body weight should fluctuate so much this way if 3500 = 1lb.

Replies

  • fionadasein
    fionadasein Posts: 165 Member
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    You answered your own question. The body can fluctuate several pounds within a day due to fluxes in sodium, water, and waste. When you exercise, moisture floods to muscles to repair - it's why you look more muscley after a workout. Women also have large fluxes due to hormone changes throughout the month, not just at the end of the month. Pick up some books on biology and kinesiology and you can share more interesting details with us! :)
  • KNarrainen
    KNarrainen Posts: 135 Member
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    Daily weight can fluctuate by arpund +-2lbs. That's an average so for some people it could be more or less a differnce of up to 4lbs.

    This is the reason most people advise weighing weekly at the most to get a truer representation of your weight trends.
  • sarski77
    sarski77 Posts: 79
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    Like you said calories are only one element of the whole game.
    My best advice is never to weigh yourself on consecutive days and give it at least a week to monitor any real progress.
    Certain things that we eat or, say, simply not going to the loo make us heavier - it's not a real gain but something that we need to live with :D
    For example, if I go anywhere near chickpeas I can pretty much guarantee I'll be around 2lbs heavier the following day and that's sticking to my 1200 calorie target.

    Weight loss is partly about numbers but there are too many other things that influence our daily weight fluctuation
  • shella_bella
    shella_bella Posts: 180
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    Don't weigh yourself everyday. Problem solved.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    3500 cals refers to the approximate number of calories in a lb of fat. The day to day weight losses/gains that you've seen are water fluctuations not fat loss/gain
  • roguex_1979
    roguex_1979 Posts: 247 Member
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    Pick up some books on biology and kinesiology and you can share more interesting details with us! :)

    Well, I am neither a biologist nor a kinesiologist, hence the reason I asked. This is a support website where people share their knowledge and experience rather than point out people's obvious lack of knowledge.
  • shirleycooke35
    shirleycooke35 Posts: 26
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    You're looking too deeply into the science of weight loss. Relax and enjoy your success!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    Poop. Or rather poop not pooped. And water retention variability.
  • LadyPakal
    LadyPakal Posts: 256 Member
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    Have a read of this: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

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