Losing too fast/ Water weight

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Jessie24330
Jessie24330 Posts: 224 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've just started again after almost a year and a half break. I'm nursing so I set my goal to 1 lb a week (I just upped it to .5 lb a week last night). I do walk a lot but it's "casual" walking, not very fast so I don't log any of it. I know that since I'm just starting again that I'm gonna have water weight loss and I assume that's mostly what I've been losing. My problem is that for 9 days now, I've lost the better part of 1 lb per day. (I do NOT want/need comments on me weighing too often, it's a personal choice and I understand there are ups and downs. I'm not new to this and a four or five pound gain will not throw me off the wagon as I understand fluid retention and all that.) My question is, how long can I just assume this is water weight vs when I should worry that I am not eating enough and losing too fast? The problem is that we are in Tunisia so there are several things that I just have to "guess" about the calories and I know for a few days at least I was overestimating my intake by at least 200 calories. There is also the walking that I'm not counting and of course, any calories used by nursing. Thanks :smile:
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Replies

  • jprewitt1
    jprewitt1 Posts: 264 Member
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    This is definitely water weight. No one could lose 1lb a day of fat unless they were on some sort of anti-food miracle diet invented by aliens. You will probably lose water weight for a good couple weeks before you start to see any actual progress.

    How many calories a day are you consuming right now? While nursing you definitely need to make sure you are getting enough nutrients for both you and your baby.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited August 2016
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    I weight everyday, so no negative comments about that at all.

    How many pounds do you need to loose all together?

    I missed the nursing (I must need glasses), I would like to also ask how many calories are you needing to consume to properly nurse?
  • StacyChrz
    StacyChrz Posts: 865 Member
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    Good morning and welcome back. I weigh myself every day, too, so you won't get any arguments from me. I like having the information and having a graph with a lot of data points. Are you taking into consideration the extra calories you are burning by producing milk? I know that if you go to your food diary and search 'Breastfeeding' it will bring you up several entries with different calorie amounts. Depending on how old your baby is and how much he or she is eating you can pick the one that best suits you. This will give you a negative calorie adjustment and might help in your situation.

    Best of luck!!
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
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    Jessie24330 wrote: »
    I've just started again after almost a year and a half break. I'm nursing so I set my goal to 1 lb a week (I just upped it to .5 lb a week last night). I do walk a lot but it's "casual" walking, not very fast so I don't log any of it. I know that since I'm just starting again that I'm gonna have water weight loss and I assume that's mostly what I've been losing. My problem is that for 9 days now, I've lost the better part of 1 lb per day. (I do NOT want/need comments on me weighing too often, it's a personal choice and I understand there are ups and downs. I'm not new to this and a four or five pound gain will not throw me off the wagon as I understand fluid retention and all that.) My question is, how long can I just assume this is water weight vs when I should worry that I am not eating enough and losing too fast? The problem is that we are in Tunisia so there are several things that I just have to "guess" about the calories and I know for a few days at least I was overestimating my intake by at least 200 calories. There is also the walking that I'm not counting and of course, any calories used by nursing. Thanks :smile:

    There is really to little info here for anyone to give you an educated response. Go see your doctor, review your nutrition with them and they will advise. You can also hire a nutritionist or personal trainer, however I'd interview the trainers and not just take whoever is next in line at your local gym.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    You can use 6-8 weeks of data and tweak, the first two can be totally off due to the water weight thing and it takes time for things to sort themselves out. I've never nursed (nor do I have children) but I think 4-500 calories is the generally accepted additional needed per day for full-time nursing. Someone on my friends list logs about 400 per day for breastfeeding and loses exactly as she wishes.
  • daniip_la
    daniip_la Posts: 678 Member
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    I'd say give it a little longer. I lost nearly 7lbs last week, and haven't lost in almost a week now. It should even out.

    If you start feeling lightheaded or develop headaches, or whatever your usual signs of under eating are, I'd immediately start eating more. Otherwise, imo, give it a few weeks.
  • stephaniej2888
    stephaniej2888 Posts: 93 Member
    edited August 2016
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    I personally weigh weekly but no judgment toward anyone who does different :)
    I just do weekly bc when I did daily I would get discouraged and mad when I would gain a little for no reason lol.

    I would have to agree with the other posts that this is just water weight.
    My first week back on the healthy eating/working out wagon I lost 8.8 pounds! The second week I was down 4 pounds. Then after that it started to even out to 1.5-2.5 pounds a week.
    Give it time for your body to get used to the new eating plan and workouts and then see how your doing. Also keep track of your breast feeding...I know if you reduce to much it can cut down your production.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited August 2016
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    Jessie24330 wrote: »
    Yes, I'm sure it's mostly water. I just want to know when I should stop assuming it's water and start worrying about how much I'm losing. It would be entirely possible to lose .5 a day if I'm not adding up my calories correctly. add in the "burn" from the breastmilk and add in any exercise I'm getting, even if it's not burning 500 calories a day.

    @RoxieDawn I have about 70 to go. I'm 55 down from my start. I'm really not sure how many I "need" in able to nurse as I've found all different information on it. I was set to 1710 but I upped it last night to 1940.

    @StacyChrz I have no idea how much he's eating lol. I will look about it like you said. This picture is only for laughs, not meant to be rude or something :smile:


    dvg317vzsv9b.jpg

    I would say if at possible a call to your doctor? maybe? The increase in cals last night is a good idea. It is safer to be balanced nutritionally for both you and your baby. The calories for breastfeeding can be around 300 - 500. I know that is a broad number but you can work with that and figure out if the cals increase is the right number.

    The pic not rude at all.. :) really cute!!!
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    The pic is hilarious.
  • Jessie24330
    Jessie24330 Posts: 224 Member
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    Thanks guys. I think I may have not been clear in my op. I'm 110% sure that this is mostly, if not totally water. Just I want to know when to start to worry that my intake is too low since I'm just estimating a lot of my calories (such as the baguettes they sell here, the ice cream that is actually gelato and I didn't realize how much lower it was, eating out and just having to do my best to log, etc). Then I'm walking a lot of days around 2 miles, sometimes more and nursing as well. Just wondering how long the water weight can be credited for the large losses. I don't want to end up in a deficit losing .5 +/- a day (which would be possible) and still be blaming it on the water. That's all :smile:
  • stephaniej2888
    stephaniej2888 Posts: 93 Member
    edited August 2016
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    Jessie24330 wrote: »
    Thanks guys. I think I may have not been clear in my op. I'm 110% sure that this is mostly, if not totally water. Just I want to know when to start to worry that my intake is too low since I'm just estimating a lot of my calories (such as the baguettes they sell here, the ice cream that is actually gelato and I didn't realize how much lower it was, eating out and just having to do my best to log, etc). Then I'm walking a lot of days around 2 miles, sometimes more and nursing as well. Just wondering how long the water weight can be credited for the large losses. I don't want to end up in a deficit losing .5 +/- a day (which would be possible) and still be blaming it on the water. That's all :smile:

    Like I said, I would give it a couple weeks. I lost 8.4 lbs week 1 and 4 lbs week 2 and then mine evened out. If after 2..maybe 3 weeks you still feel like your losing to much to fast then change it up :)
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited August 2016
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    Jessie24330 wrote: »
    Thanks guys. I think I may have not been clear in my op. I'm 110% sure that this is mostly, if not totally water. Just I want to know when to start to worry that my intake is too low since I'm just estimating a lot of my calories (such as the baguettes they sell here, the ice cream that is actually gelato and I didn't realize how much lower it was, eating out and just having to do my best to log, etc). Then I'm walking a lot of days around 2 miles, sometimes more and nursing as well. Just wondering how long the water weight can be credited for the large losses. I don't want to end up in a deficit losing .5 +/- a day (which would be possible) and still be blaming it on the water. That's all :smile:

    There is now way to tell.. But why did you up the calories last night if you feel pretty sure there is no fat loss?

    Each person is different, and of course the nursing calories put you in a category we cannot explain specifically and guestimating calories only compounds that.

    So you need to step on the scale daily and log your weight in the same conditions (i.e. morning, naked) .and start taking body measurements using a tape. Keep note of how you feel, etc.

    I say two to three weeks and make a change.. If you get really worried, call the doctor right away.
  • Carriehelene
    Carriehelene Posts: 178 Member
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    jprewitt1 wrote: »
    This is definitely water weight. No one could lose 1lb a day of fat unless they were on some sort of anti-food miracle diet invented by aliens.

    Hey, I want that diet! Gonna have to find me an alien :D
  • Jessie24330
    Jessie24330 Posts: 224 Member
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    I upped my calories because my milk supply was suffering, then I thought it was doing better and last night I had to give the baby a bottle because he couldn't/didn't get enough milk to make him stop crying :(
  • stephaniej2888
    stephaniej2888 Posts: 93 Member
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    Jessie24330 wrote: »
    I upped my calories because my milk supply was suffering, then I thought it was doing better and last night I had to give the baby a bottle because he couldn't/didn't get enough milk to make him stop crying :(

    If your milk is suffering from the calorie cut then you've definitely made to large of a cut.
    Have you discussed this with your doctor?
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    Cutting calories too quickly can cause a drop in supply. It may not even be that you are too low on calories, only that you dropped your intake too suddenly. And when you consider that breastmilk is mostly water, and you've been losing a lot of water, it's no great surprise that your supply took a hit. Most lactation consultants suggest a minimum of 1800 calories per day for nursing mothers, and certainly no lower than 1600 per day. And I don't usually pay much mind to the whole eight glasses of water a day suggestion, but during pregnancy and lactation your fluid needs are much greater - get those eight glasses in!

    As an aside, our bodies can hold a tremendous amount of water. I went on vacation over the weekend. Weighed 143 on Friday morning, was up to 153 by Sunday afternoon when we got home. I expected it - restaraunt food is loaded with salt, I drank pretty heavily both nights, and didn't pay any mind to carbs (I normally eat low carb). Felt like the Hoover dam. Monday morning I was 148, Tuesday morning I was 145, and this morning I was 144. I imagine I'll drop a tad more by tomorrow morning. The gain, and the losses, we're all water.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    I've read elsewhere on MFP that nursing moms should allow at least 300 cal/day for nursing and consult with doctor first so milk supply does not suffer.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    How old is your baby?
  • teetertatertango
    teetertatertango Posts: 229 Member
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    If your baby is going through a growth spurt, you want to feed more frequently and/or for longer periods, use both sides, etc. If you supplement with a bottle, your body will not adjust its supply upward. Stick with it and your supply will increase to meet the demand. Make sure you are eating and drinking enough. Losing 1 pound a day while nursing sounds like you could be eating a whole lot more. Add 500 calories a day, at least. Snacking while nursing is a good time if you just can't fit in enough time to eat.

    This article addresses a lot of common misconceptions about low supply.

    http://kellymom.com/hot-topics/low-supply/

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