Please help me with a question I have

Squirrel698
Squirrel698 Posts: 127 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I just got off a week of stalled weight loss. Before that happened, I gained a pound or so, and it wouldn't leave. Eventually, I got frustrated and decided life was too short to be stressed.

So I proceeded to eat like I was starving over Easter and that continued Monday.

Today I saw that I was down 3lbs?? I checked two different scales to be sure. Yep. It makes no sense ...

Admittedly I took a long run on Tuesday, but I don't think it accounts for that.

Right now I'm at 156 lbs which is close to my goal of 150 or so.

So why does that happen? Is there any science behind this or are bodies in general unpredictable creatures? I have an analytical mind and I wish there was a better way to predict any of this.

Replies

  • starwhisperer6
    starwhisperer6 Posts: 402 Member
    unpredictable for sure. I have found that the weekends when I say forget it, are not at all what causes weight gain. It is the months when I think I am eating "ok" but not really paying attention.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    No scientific answers from me. However, I personally believe (and could be wrong) that too often we think weight gain or loss should be much more immediate and apparent then it is. In the OP's case, for example, I wouldn't think it was the over eating on the weekend that caused the loss. That's too soon. I'd look back at my diet 7 - 10 days ago. What you ate then would be more predictive of the current loss. Unless it's just water retention and loss. That is much quicker.
  • NewDeb16
    NewDeb16 Posts: 232 Member
    Could also be when you eat too little, your body is hanging on to what it can get, therefore no changes, etc. When you start eating more, your metabolism starts working again. It's true. I gained most of my weight eating too little. My brother did the same. He started eating more and he lost weight. It's not all calories in calories out in my opinion.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Only way to know is to track your bodyfat levels. ie: Did you lose fat, muscle, and/or water??.....
  • Squirrel698
    Squirrel698 Posts: 127 Member
    Thank you for your answers.
    NewDeb14 wrote: »
    Could also be when you eat too little, your body is hanging on to what it can get, therefore no changes, etc. When you start eating more, your metabolism starts working again. It's true. I gained most of my weight eating too little. My brother did the same. He started eating more and he lost weight. It's not all calories in calories out in my opinion.

    Yeah that's what I'm wondering. It is true that when I have more to eat I have more energy. I suspect that might be a factor.
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    NewDeb14 wrote: »
    Could also be when you eat too little, your body is hanging on to what it can get, therefore no changes, etc. When you start eating more, your metabolism starts working again. It's true. I gained most of my weight eating too little. My brother did the same. He started eating more and he lost weight. It's not all calories in calories out in my opinion.

    To paraphrase Star Trek's Scotty, you cannot change the laws of physics. You can't gain weight eating too little, that's absurd. Minnesota Starvation Experiment (yes they all lost weight), or any incidence of famine that has ever occurred.

    What likely happened was what folks on here call the "whoosh" phenomenon. Or see also the thread called "weight loss is not linear".

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  • jessicagosz
    jessicagosz Posts: 9 Member
    it's called wooshing, refeeding. http://leanmuscleproject.com/how-whooshes-impact-your-weight-loss/ High carb days or heavy meals periodically can help your metabolism from stalling out as well. Hope this helps
  • Trump2016
    Trump2016 Posts: 80 Member
    NewDeb14 wrote: »
    Could also be when you eat too little, your body is hanging on to what it can get, therefore no changes, etc. When you start eating more, your metabolism starts working again. It's true. I gained most of my weight eating too little. My brother did the same. He started eating more and he lost weight. It's not all calories in calories out in my opinion.

    When people in real life ask me for advice, I tell them to start by ignoring the Internet because of the piles of junk information and nonsense they'd have to sift through or qualify.

    Your premise and conclusion make my point perfectly.
  • jaynee7283
    jaynee7283 Posts: 160 Member
    Whooshing is definitely how I lose weight - and it's definitely based on my monthly cycle. My weight loss ALWAYS stalls 7-10 days out of the month, when I'm PMSing. I may lose, but at a really slow rate (maybe .5 loss). Then at my next weigh-in I'll be down 2.5-3 pounds.

    Now that I know it's a real thing, I rest easy when I see slow change or NO change (or an increase) in those 7-10 days, because I know that'll disappear by the next weekly weigh-in.

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