Fat loss - water weight gain cycle

240Z
240Z Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been sustaining a 2000 calorie per day deficit (burning ~4000 eating ~2000) for about 40 days and losing about 5 pounds per week. I weight every morning first thing on an accurate electronic scale with fat % estimator.

After the initial and almost immediate big water weight loss when entering this calorie deficit I notice that an interesting cycle has emerged. Despite a big daily calorie deficit, my body weight stays pretty much unchanged for 5 days while my body fat % scale reading drops steadily (meaning my body water % is increasing). Then over the course of the next two days I lose 5 pounds, often 4 pounds on day 6 and another pound on day 7. I pee a lot during the days immediately prior to those big weight loss days and and sweat much more than usual during workouts. The body fat % will actually increase but to a lower level than the peak of the previous week. Then the cycle seems to reset and I often won't lose even an ounce for another 5 days of weigh-ins.

Anybody experience anything like this? It's like a "fat loss for water gain substitution" until some tipping point is reached, then the body flushes out all the excess water.

Also an unrelated question - does anyone know if fat weight and storage has an associated water overhead associated with it? For example if you lose 80 pounds of fat, will you also lose XX pounds of water that the body no longer needs, since it's not maintaining such a high weight and fat burden? I would speculate that an obese person would have a greater blood volume (which is mostly water) and perhaps other water stores than the same person that is much thinner would. And that water weight would be shed as fat weight is reduced. But I have not found any reference to that. What got me thinking about this is that by doing the math I should be losing 4 pounds a week but I am losing 5 pounds. I wonder if it's 4 pounds of fat and 1 pound of water I'm really losing with the 1 pound of water associated with storing that 4 pounds of fat.

Replies

  • stephanj
    stephanj Posts: 898 Member
    I don't know, but I am bumping because I think this is a fascinating question. I notice with my own weight loss chart I maintain the same weight for almost a week and the "boom" the scale drops a pound, rather than the expected small drop per day. I know there are some science-y types out there who will hopefully give you some insight....
  • doneatfour
    doneatfour Posts: 120 Member
    Google whooshes and squishy fat. Maybe it will help? From what I understand of whooshes is that when fat is lost, the fat cells temporarily fill up with water. Then they empty and the fat cells get smaller. There is an article on bodyrecomposition.com.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Have a read of this - http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

    and

    http://www.justinowings.com/understanding-bodyweight-and-glycogen-de/
  • 240Z
    240Z Posts: 5 Member
    That article on whooshes-and-squishy-fat really nailed it. Exactly what I have been observing and experiencing. A temporary refilling of just-emptied fat cells with water for a period of time would certainly explain the numbers I'm seeing. Not sure if that's "really" what is happening but it supports the data. I don't notice any changes in the squishiness, just a perceived lack of getting smaller and lighter for several days despite a large sustained calorie deficit accompanied by a steady drop in body fat%, then a sudden deflation, both on the scale for weight and how my body feels with a slight rebound in body fat %.

    I'm also familiar with glycogen depletion and the one-time water loss from that I and other dieters experience when entering a sustained calorie deficit. But the second question - wondering if large body fat loss also results in a drop in body water volume isn't the same as the water weight gain/loss from stored glycogen depletion/regain in the liver and muscles.

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