This can't be possible right?

mtizi
mtizi Posts: 28 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been going to the gym and doing cardio 3-4x and weight training with my trainer 2x for around 5 weeks now. I turned mostly vegan about a month ago. I haven't lost any weight in that time but was shrinking in size so I was happy. I figure the scale will move when it wants to as long as I'm shrinking I'm happy though my trainer wants me to weight once a week. I started tracking my calories about a week and half ago and I've lost 8+ pounds this week. This can't be all fat but I can't imagine being mostly water either.

If one starts a new way of eating and cut out let's say comfort foods then the big number comes from mostly water. I'm starting to think before I started counting calories maybe I wasn't eating enough cause I was always tired and shaky after a workout and now I feel good. Except the ones with my trainer ;)

Replies

  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    I dont see a question here. Was this just an observation?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    Yes. Maybe. :huh:
  • mtizi
    mtizi Posts: 28 Member
    Sorry. Mostly the question is could have really lost close to that much fat or is it mostly water?

    Forgot to had I've started jogging. 45 sec of jogging with 2 minutes walking for 20 minutes this week instead of the usual elliptical.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Where are you weighing? Getting smaller for a month with no weight loss, then suddenly dropping 8 lbs in a week?? This sounds like a misfunctioning scale to me.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    It's mostly water. But some of it is probably fat, and that's what's important.

    Constantly tired, fatigue, feeling weak, etc... possible indicators of over training, insufficient calories, or both.

    Sounds like you have a good attitidute regarding the scale... tracking progress by measurements, clothes, mirror > number on the scale.
  • mtizi
    mtizi Posts: 28 Member
    Usually nothing. But I also tried the weight scale at the gym and with clothes it was usually only a couple pound higher then at home. I've had big losses like this before but usually it's the first week of changing what I ate.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    It's mostly water. But some of it is probably fat, and that's what's important.

    Constantly tired, fatigue, feeling weak, etc... possible indicators of over training, insufficient calories, or both.

    Sounds like you have a good attitidute regarding the scale... tracking progress by measurements, clothes, mirror > number on the scale.

    I agree with this.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Usually nothing. But I also tried the weight scale at the gym and with clothes it was usually only a couple pound higher then at home. I've had big losses like this before but usually it's the first week of changing what I ate.

    That's pretty typical... a fairly big loss early, then nothing for a week or 2, then a more "slow and steady" loss from there moving forward.
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
    It could be. It's probably not all fat, but it could be a loss. I'd check the scale to make sure it's not malfunctioning. Try putting hand weight on it to check for accuracy. If it tells you that your ten-pound weight is 8-12 pounds, it's time to get a new scale. If it's correct with the weight, then congratulations on the big loss! :)
  • Binkie1955
    Binkie1955 Posts: 329 Member
    it can easily be water. water weights about 10 pounds to the gallon so a change in diet can cause a change in water retention on that order of magnitude.
  • gmthisfeller
    gmthisfeller Posts: 779 Member
    Forgot to had I've started jogging. 45 sec of jogging with 2 minutes walking for 20 minutes this week instead of the usual elliptical.

    This is good! Now, lengthen the 45 seconds, and slowly decrease the walking until you are running (however slowly isn't important) the full 20 minutes. Increase the 20 minutes to 30 minutes or more and you will be surprised how quicly the pounds will drop. You are starting in a good way. Go for it!
  • mtizi
    mtizi Posts: 28 Member
    I know weight is subjective so much factors in. I've never been a healthy weight so I have no idea what I should weight. My main concern is having a healthy strong body. My son is special needs, weighs about 40 lbs and can't walk. With everything happen in the world (recently close to home), I want to know for sure that I can grab my son or push his wheelchair and run like hell. It finally made realize I need to get up off my *kitten*!
  • soehlerking
    soehlerking Posts: 589 Member
    well considering the fact that you have an 800-1000 cal/day deficit (looking at the last few days) in addition to the daily deficit that's already built in to your calorie count, yeah, that's probably body weight you're losing, not just water. But seriously...eat your exercise calories. If you are working out all the time, you need that energy. After several months like that, you risk damaging your metabolism to the point that it will be difficult to eat more than that without gaining. You're working really hard, and you're doing great, just take care of your body!

    Since it sounds like you're just getting into the game, I'm going to throw these numbers out there:

    BMR (Base Metabolic Rate)--never eat below this #
    TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)--what you burn daily just by doing what you do (work, sleep, exercise, tv, whatever)

    Generally you'll want to eat at a 10-20% deficit from your TDEE. i.e. if my TDEE is 2000 calories; I eat 1600 daily for a large loss.
  • tottie06
    tottie06 Posts: 259 Member
    Probably both water and fat loss. Don't worry about the scale though. Your body is changing from the inside out. And muscle is heavier than fat.

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