I don't get it....

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s_y8s
s_y8s Posts: 1,849 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
ok so when I'm really strict and exercise a lot I don't seem to lose much weight. I haven't exercised the last few days and ate kind of crappy because I was sick. I lost 4 pounds....I just don't get it. Any thoughts on this?

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  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    Weight loss isn't linear, so fluctuations like that happen.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
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    I lost weight while sick too, proved to be dehydration. Perhaps you should reevaluate your logging practices for the other side of it? Feel better!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I lose weight when I don't exercise. It's because I lose some of the water weight that my muscles hold onto for repair.

    When you say you ate crappy, what do you mean? Did you eat excess calories? Maintenance calories? Or just less healthy foods?
  • s_y8s
    s_y8s Posts: 1,849 Member
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    crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
    I lost weight while sick too, proved to be dehydration. Perhaps you should reevaluate your logging practices for the other side of it? Feel better!

    That makes sense since I haven't been drinking much fluid. Thanks!
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
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    What do you mean by "strict" vs. "crappy"

    Are you just judging foods, or are you actually monitoring your caloric intake?
  • s_y8s
    s_y8s Posts: 1,849 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    I lose weight when I don't exercise. It's because I lose some of the water weight that my muscles hold onto for repair.

    When you say you ate crappy, what do you mean? Did you eat excess calories? Maintenance calories? Or just less healthy foods?

    Yeah I still stayed at maintenance just ate unhealthy foods.
  • dolliesdaughter
    dolliesdaughter Posts: 544 Member
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    You were sick.
  • s_y8s
    s_y8s Posts: 1,849 Member
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    dolliesdaughter wrote: »
    You were sick.

    I wasn't sick like throwing up lol Just a sinus infection
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    s_y8s wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    I lose weight when I don't exercise. It's because I lose some of the water weight that my muscles hold onto for repair.

    When you say you ate crappy, what do you mean? Did you eat excess calories? Maintenance calories? Or just less healthy foods?

    Yeah I still stayed at maintenance just ate unhealthy foods.

    Then yep, I'd say water weight. You may see it come back (or at least part of it) when you start exercising again.
  • JimmyD2003
    JimmyD2003 Posts: 10 Member
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    I am using 2 different fitness trackers and I just changed my goals on here today to up my life style because I am walking over 10,000 steps a day and according to everything I have read that put me in the very active category, Prior I was in the most least active category. I have lost 16 pounds sense I started my diet prior to finding this site and now I will see if the extra 200 calories I am allotted add or slow down my progress.
  • janiep81
    janiep81 Posts: 248 Member
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    missiontofitness wrote: »
    Weight loss isn't linear, so fluctuations like that happen.

    I love this so much, I'm going to type it in a fancy font and hang it in my office.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
    edited June 2015
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    JarethG wrote: »
    s_y8s wrote: »
    ok so when I'm really strict and exercise a lot I don't seem to lose much weight. I haven't exercised the last few days and ate kind of crappy because I was sick. I lost 4 pounds....I just don't get it. Any thoughts on this?

    It's because when you are sick you aren't eating as many carbs.

    You can eat as much protein and fat as you want (within reason), but if you eat carbs first you'll bloat, then you'll balloon. Not every calorie is the same.

    What! Not quite this. I think you mean carbs top up glycogen stores and glycogen stores water. It is only water weight and not fat, excess cals make you gain fat weight, carbs do not unless it is carbs that puts you over maintenance calories.

    OP: Exercise causes you to retain fluid in the muscle to repair and protect them, stop exercising and your muscles shed the excess water

  • 123user456
    123user456 Posts: 68 Member
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    JarethG wrote: »
    I meant exactly what I wrote.

    Carbs can top up glycogen stores, yes. For a trained group. We're talking the average untrained person here. They're not measuring out a half cup of cooked rice and leaving it at that. They're going by the bowlful, so the carbs they're eating are going to make them go stay puft.

    It's not water weight. I got a big mac on it.

  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    I eat a lot of carbs...daily and lost my 92 pounds just fine!
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
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    JarethG wrote: »
    I meant exactly what I wrote.

    Carbs can top up glycogen stores, yes. For a trained group. We're talking the average untrained person here. They're not measuring out a half cup of cooked rice and leaving it at that. They're going by the bowlful, so the carbs they're eating are going to make them go stay puft.

    It's not water weight. I got a big mac on it.

    So if it's not water weight, are you implying the OP lost 4 lbs of fat or muscle mass, while eating maintenance calories, over a few days???
  • Rax1974
    Rax1974 Posts: 408 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Water weight. Your body retains water for a lot of reasons: Sodium, DOMS, not drinking enough water etc. People that struggle with the scale usually don't understand water weight. Keep in mind there is 3600 calories in one lb of fat so weight fluctuations are almost always water weight.

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