Lost 5 lbs in five or six days

Options
incisron
incisron Posts: 550 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I think some is water weight.
Is there any way for me to guess how much is water and how much is fat?
Also, am I doing something wrong to lose all this weight?
I'm sorry to ask so many stupid questions, I'm just having a hard time feeling sure of my calorie count and of whether or not I'm doing this right.

Replies

  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,389 Member
    Options
    Weight loss is not linear, and your weight will fluctuate through the day as well. I've seen my weight swing 5 pounds in a day.

    But long term, not a concern. If you are eating at a deficit and enter all the data properly, you will lose weight.

    The stupid question is the one not asked IMO.

    If you exercise, finding correct logging can be tricky at times. But either way, set your goals after entering your statistics, follow the plan, and adjust if needed after a period of time. Weight loss takes some patience, and it also takes time to change habits for the better. But it happens.

    Some find the weight swings disturbing and avoid weighing themselves often. Others find that weighing more often to understand the swings helps them more. Do whichever works for you. If you chose to weigh more often, there are a number of apps and programs (Libra, Trendweight, Happyscale) that show the weight trends vs the single day.
  • FrankieandSpots
    FrankieandSpots Posts: 446 Member
    Options
    I don't think you're doing anything wrong. If I lose a lot one week then I'm happy not to lose the next week, aiming for 1lb a week averaged over (the big losses make up for the crappy weeks, and I don't try to have them, just happens sometimes).

    Unless you lose another 5lb next week I wouldn't worry about it.
  • barryplumber
    barryplumber Posts: 401 Member
    Options
    You are doing a lot wrong, so start eating something as you are starving yourself at 500 calories a day not good. You should be eating. at least 1200
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    Options
    Did I miss something? Are you really eating just 500 calories? Because that is naughty! And counterproductive to lasting weight loss!

    Otherwise, yes people can lose a lot on the scale at first. You'll never know how much was water vs fat. Trust me, it's mostly water in that context. You really need to follow a plan for about a month to assess your progress. Most people's weight will bounce up & down but with an app like happy scale an overall trend will emerge. A downward trend means fat stores are being utilized. There are no shortcuts here.

    So if you're eating 500 calories a day, go immediately to make yourself a sandwich & reflect on why you are willing to treat your precious self with such blatant disregard. And otherwise just calm down and give your plan time to work!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    Oh that made me check your diary

    And oh my

    Yes you are doing this all wrong

    Stop ...you will make yourself seriously ill

    How old are you really?
  • Duchy82
    Duchy82 Posts: 560 Member
    Options
    Is that really all you are eating in a day? How do you not pass out?

    Seriously you are doing yourself serious harm eating so little. Try and stick to at least 1200kcal a day, more than that if you can get away with it. Someone else on this forum has said it but it stuck with me, they said the person who eats the most and still loses weight is the winner, there is no point in starving yourself.

    You are more likely to keep the weight off once you meet your goal if you lose weight slowly, its just my theory but slow weightloss means you are more likely to build good habits and stick with them once you hit maintenance. And what's the rush? You have your whole life still ahead of you so what if it takes 6months, a year to lose the 40lbs you want to lose.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    Options
    It's mostly water weight. 1 pound = 500 calories. There's no way you can have a calorie deficit of 2500 calories over a 6 day period.

    As others have said, a 500 calorie diet without adequate medical supervision is dangerous to your health. You can end up with gallstones or damaging your heart. If you are committed to doing a very low calorie diet, do so at a proper medical clinic where they can monitor your health including liver enzymes.

    The other thing to seriously consider is: if you don't want to end up putting it all on again, you need to make permanent lifestyle changes rather than looking for a quick fix like the HCG diet and its ilk.
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    Options
    incisron wrote: »
    I think some is water weight.
    Is there any way for me to guess how much is water and how much is fat?
    Also, am I doing something wrong to lose all this weight?
    I'm sorry to ask so many stupid questions, I'm just having a hard time feeling sure of my calorie count and of whether or not I'm doing this right.

    Rather than being concerned with how much loss is water or fat, you should consider how much may end up being muscle loss. Your heart is a muscle you know! Please don't continue on this path or it will end up seriously harming you.

  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Options
    vingogly wrote: »
    It's mostly water weight. 1 pound = 500 calories. There's no way you can have a calorie deficit of 2500 calories over a 6 day period.

    As others have said, a 500 calorie diet without adequate medical supervision is dangerous to your health. You can end up with gallstones or damaging your heart. If you are committed to doing a very low calorie diet, do so at a proper medical clinic where they can monitor your health including liver enzymes.

    The other thing to seriously consider is: if you don't want to end up putting it all on again, you need to make permanent lifestyle changes rather than looking for a quick fix like the HCG diet and its ilk.

    Um no 1 lb is 3500 calories not 500
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    Options
    vingogly wrote: »
    It's mostly water weight. 1 pound = 500 calories. There's no way you can have a calorie deficit of 2500 calories over a 6 day period.

    No. One pound is approximately 3500 calories, not 500. Also, a deficit of 2500 calories in six days is easily doable.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited November 2015
    Options
    if you're just starting out, it's common to lose a lot of weight pretty quickly...much of it is water and you also have to consider that you're eating less so you are going to have less inherent waste in your system. just watch it over the coming weeks...i can pretty much guarantee that it will level off to an appropriate rate of loss...if not, just adjust your calorie intake accordingly....but it will level off.

    you need to be eating more than 500 calories though...that's dangerously low.
  • rosnigetsfit
    rosnigetsfit Posts: 569 Member
    Options
    Yes, there's something wrong! You have been under eating. Please eat more
  • incisron
    incisron Posts: 550 Member
    Options
    This isn't all that I'm eating. With no food scale, I'm having a hard time accurately logging some stuff I eat, but I've logged all the stuff I could. I eat gr8:).
    Thanks every1. I'll check out the app that was mentioned.
  • hopepowell
    hopepowell Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    I have tried unsuccessful to starve myself thin..---no success.. I am Week #2 of the Ketogenic diet and I can say it is something that I can do long term.

Categories