7 pounds in 7 days!
lulm789
Posts: 2 Member
After a years break, I have decided to get back into MyFitnessPal and work my socks off!
I started my diet last Monday, when I jumped on the scales yesterday to check my progress - down half a stone in just 1 week! This has really motivated me and hopefully will keep me on track to my goal weight.
I wish everyone motivation! X
I started my diet last Monday, when I jumped on the scales yesterday to check my progress - down half a stone in just 1 week! This has really motivated me and hopefully will keep me on track to my goal weight.
I wish everyone motivation! X
4
Replies
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Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.16 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.
^^this
Although, I'd also add, great start on your first week! Everyone has to start somewhere so good for you for taking the leap! From here the weight loss will be considerably less each week, but don't give up. It will all be worth it in the end. Good luck to you!8 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.
I'm genuinely curious..
So, at the weight 7 pound lighter, he doesn't need water anymore? At what point will it become not about water anymore but real weight loss?0 -
endlessfall16 wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.
I'm genuinely curious..
So, at the weight 7 pound lighter, he doesn't need water anymore? At what point will it become not about water anymore but real weight loss?
Well a pound of fat is 3500 calories, and she lost 7 pounds in 7 days which is 1 pound a day, so it's just unlikely that she was in a 3500 calorie deficit every day. But it's an awesome start no matter what! Always exciting to see those numbers go down.5 -
courtneyfabulous wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.
I'm genuinely curious..
So, at the weight 7 pound lighter, he doesn't need water anymore? At what point will it become not about water anymore but real weight loss?
Well a pound of fat is 3500 calories, and she lost 7 pounds in 7 days which is 1 pound a day, so it's just unlikely that she was in a 3500 calorie deficit every day. But it's an awesome start no matter what! Always exciting to see those numbers go down.
You missed my point. I don't care to distinguish that 7 lbs loss as fat or what. A 7 lbs loss is a 7 lbs loss. That water or whatnot has always been part of you but now gone. My question is... was it ever crucial?
I'm more than 20 lbs lighter than my initial wt. If I weigh myself 3, 4 lbs lighter by weekend, does that I mean I lose 3, 4 lbs of non-water stuff since water loss only occurs in the initial stage?0 -
endlessfall16 wrote: »courtneyfabulous wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.
I'm genuinely curious..
So, at the weight 7 pound lighter, he doesn't need water anymore? At what point will it become not about water anymore but real weight loss?
Well a pound of fat is 3500 calories, and she lost 7 pounds in 7 days which is 1 pound a day, so it's just unlikely that she was in a 3500 calorie deficit every day. But it's an awesome start no matter what! Always exciting to see those numbers go down.
You missed my point. I don't care to distinguish that 7 lbs loss as fat or what. A 7 lbs loss is a 7 lbs loss. That water or whatnot has always been part of you but now gone. My question is... was it ever crucial?
I'm more than 20 lbs lighter than my initial wt. If I weigh myself 3, 4 lbs lighter by weekend, does that I mean I lose 3, 4 lbs of non-water stuff since water loss only occurs in the initial stage?
In a sense, it matters when it comes to aesthetics. Losing water weight might make a person look less bloated, but overall, there won't be much change to their physique at 7lbs lost of water weight. This is compared to a fat loss, where there would be noticeable difference (depending on height) with a 7lb fat loss.
But no, you continue to lose water throughout. It's just that initial whoosh that your body releases its glycogen storages. Overall, your body pulls from water, fat, and muscle. So it's a loss of all of those things. Figuring out which can be the difficult part and there's no 100% accurate way to do so.
Truly, this is why I do not pay heed to scales. The average individual is not going to be able to decipher the difference between fat loss or water loss in a short period of time. I would much rather use tape measures and progress photos.
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vespiquenn wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »courtneyfabulous wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.
I'm genuinely curious..
So, at the weight 7 pound lighter, he doesn't need water anymore? At what point will it become not about water anymore but real weight loss?
Well a pound of fat is 3500 calories, and she lost 7 pounds in 7 days which is 1 pound a day, so it's just unlikely that she was in a 3500 calorie deficit every day. But it's an awesome start no matter what! Always exciting to see those numbers go down.
You missed my point. I don't care to distinguish that 7 lbs loss as fat or what. A 7 lbs loss is a 7 lbs loss. That water or whatnot has always been part of you but now gone. My question is... was it ever crucial?
I'm more than 20 lbs lighter than my initial wt. If I weigh myself 3, 4 lbs lighter by weekend, does that I mean I lose 3, 4 lbs of non-water stuff since water loss only occurs in the initial stage?
In a sense, it matters when it comes to aesthetics. Losing water weight might make a person look less bloated, but overall, there won't be much change to their physique at 7lbs lost of water weight. This is compared to a fat loss, where there would be noticeable difference (depending on height) with a 7lb fat loss.
But no, you continue to lose water throughout. It's just that initial whoosh that your body releases its glycogen storages. Overall, your body pulls from water, fat, and muscle. So it's a loss of all of those things. Figuring out which can be the difficult part and there's no 100% accurate way to do so.
Truly, this is why I do not pay heed to scales. The average individual is not going to be able to decipher the difference between fat loss or water loss in a short period of time. I would much rather use tape measures and progress photos.
Thank you.
I know when I lose around 5 lbs over 24 hrs, I tend to immediately regain a couple lbs the next day. Nevertheless, any loss makes me happy
I try not to overthink this thing. 3 -
Really? It is likely just 1 actual lb out of 7? Not likely. I lost 5lbs in the last 9 days and I feel great too! Congrats!0
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Aaron_K123 wrote: »Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.
@lulm789, congratulations! However, it truly is water weight at first and will slow down. Keep up the hard work!1 -
Verity1111 wrote: »Really? It is likely just 1 actual lb out of 7? Not likely. I lost 5lbs in the last 9 days and I feel great too! Congrats!
Yes...really. Losing 7 pounds of fat in a week isn't going to happen, even if you ate nothing for 7 days. Losing as much as 7 pounds of water in a week after changing diet is much more likely due to the new caloric deficit thus depleting your glycogen which is water solubilzed in muscle tissue plus taking in far less sodium. Both of those things cause you to shed as much as 12 pounds of water in the first week of dieting but it's a one time loss. After that expect much slower loss, a temporary plateau or even to regain some as your body adjusts and retains some water once more.
Do I know how much of this particular seven pounds was fat and how much was water? No. But I'm pretty confident it was almost all water because of Occum's Razor. Thats a good thing because losing an actual 5 or 7 pounds of flesh in a week somehow would be extremely unhealthy.9 -
endlessfall16 wrote: »courtneyfabulous wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.
I'm genuinely curious..
So, at the weight 7 pound lighter, he doesn't need water anymore? At what point will it become not about water anymore but real weight loss?
Well a pound of fat is 3500 calories, and she lost 7 pounds in 7 days which is 1 pound a day, so it's just unlikely that she was in a 3500 calorie deficit every day. But it's an awesome start no matter what! Always exciting to see those numbers go down.
You missed my point. I don't care to distinguish that 7 lbs loss as fat or what. A 7 lbs loss is a 7 lbs loss. That water or whatnot has always been part of you but now gone. My question is... was it ever crucial?
I'm more than 20 lbs lighter than my initial wt. If I weigh myself 3, 4 lbs lighter by weekend, does that I mean I lose 3, 4 lbs of non-water stuff since water loss only occurs in the initial stage?
No. Water weight loss can happen throughout weight loss. Rapid fluctuations, especially after a time of no loss, indicates water weight. A higher carb or higher sodium day can result in water fluctuations. When people stop dieting and go into maintenance they often see their weight fluctuate up 3-5 pounds.
Why do we mention this at all since water retention isn't constant? Because it's important for people to understand that they will not be losing 7 pounds a week even if every week was identical to the first. It's to help them understand that they shouldn't be frustrated if they lose one pound the following week, that's normal it's not something they did wrong.
Also, marketing for weight loss products, diets, cleanses, etc. all use this water fluctuation to show how "well" the product works and when people don't lose that fast the entire time they throw more money at "miracle" supplements/diets/cleanses. The more people understand initial rapid fluctuations the less money they'll let others waste on this garbage.7 -
endlessfall16 wrote: »courtneyfabulous wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »Hate to break it to you but chances are most of that weight was water weight. Typically when starting a diet you end up reducing your sodium intake which results in a lot of retained water being released. Not to say you aren't losing fat, but more likely you lost 1 pound of fat and 6 pounds of water than you lost 7 pounds of fat.
I'm telling you this just so you aren't dissapointed when next week you don't see that sort of result.
I'm genuinely curious..
So, at the weight 7 pound lighter, he doesn't need water anymore? At what point will it become not about water anymore but real weight loss?
Well a pound of fat is 3500 calories, and she lost 7 pounds in 7 days which is 1 pound a day, so it's just unlikely that she was in a 3500 calorie deficit every day. But it's an awesome start no matter what! Always exciting to see those numbers go down.
You missed my point. I don't care to distinguish that 7 lbs loss as fat or what. A 7 lbs loss is a 7 lbs loss. That water or whatnot has always been part of you but now gone. My question is... was it ever crucial?
I'm more than 20 lbs lighter than my initial wt. If I weigh myself 3, 4 lbs lighter by weekend, does that I mean I lose 3, 4 lbs of non-water stuff since water loss only occurs in the initial stage?
No. Water weight loss can happen throughout weight loss. Rapid fluctuations, especially after a time of no loss, indicates water weight. A higher carb or higher sodium day can result in water fluctuations. When people stop dieting and go into maintenance they often see their weight fluctuate up 3-5 pounds.
Why do we mention this at all since water retention isn't constant? Because it's important for people to understand that they will not be losing 7 pounds a week even if every week was identical to the first. It's to help them understand that they shouldn't be frustrated if they lose one pound the following week, that's normal it's not something they did wrong.
Also, marketing for weight loss products, diets, cleanses, etc. all use this water fluctuation to show how "well" the product works and when people don't lose that fast the entire time they throw more money at "miracle" supplements/diets/cleanses. The more people understand initial rapid fluctuations the less money they'll let others waste on this garbage.
Exactly. Not trying to be mean, just realistic so it doesn't come as a suprise to OP when she doesn't lose at that rate next week or possibly doesn't lose (weight) at all next week.
I've lost 6 pounds in a week before but I knew it wasn't fat so I wasn't suprised when I gained two of it back next week despite not changing my intake or routine. Water weight fluctuations tend to mask actual fat loss on a week to week timescale. Chances are in that two week period my actual fat loss continued at 1 pound a week but in the first week I lost 5 pounds of water and in the next week gained 3 pounds of water.4 -
I had the same loss before and it is partially water but also fat. You shocked your system and will have good results the first week. You won't lose 7 lbs every week but it's a good start. Keep being positive and continue doing what you're doing! Good for you.3
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Yeah I'm sure some of it was fat. Great start!1
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I'll never forget when I lost 8 pounds my first week of dieting.. and an "expert" on my fitness site could not wait to deliver the news that it was most likely water weight and not real weight.
Women are petty and cruel that way. I went ahead and lost 2 pounds a week..and a 1 pound week on my worst weeks ever. I always went down on the scale..
So..dear friend.. enjoy your success ..and please .. BE ENCOURAGED!!!! Don't let other people steal your joy and drive. You can do this and you're off to a wonderful start.5 -
elisa123gal wrote: »I'll never forget when I lost 8 pounds my first week of dieting.. and an "expert" on my fitness site could not wait to deliver the news that it was most likely water weight and not real weight.
Women are petty and cruel that way. I went ahead and lost 2 pounds a week..and a 1 pound week on my worst weeks ever. I always went down on the scale..
So..dear friend.. enjoy your success ..and please .. BE ENCOURAGED!!!! Don't let other people steal your joy and drive. You can do this and you're off to a wonderful start.
We aren't being discouraging. We are being realistic. Many people come on the forums here and get excited about their huge loss the first week. The next week, they're posting/complaining that they've "plateaued" because they haven't seen the same losses. Not saying that this will be OP, but after being here for years to help others, it happens at an annoying rate because people are misinformed and unrealistic. All the folks are doing here is not only congratulating OP, but also explaining why this is probably a one time thing.
So how is that stealing joy or drive?
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elisa123gal wrote: »I'll never forget when I lost 8 pounds my first week of dieting.. and an "expert" on my fitness site could not wait to deliver the news that it was most likely water weight and not real weight.
Women are petty and cruel that way. I went ahead and lost 2 pounds a week..and a 1 pound week on my worst weeks ever. I always went down on the scale..
So..dear friend.. enjoy your success ..and please .. BE ENCOURAGED!!!! Don't let other people steal your joy and drive. You can do this and you're off to a wonderful start.
Why would someone be discouraged by the truth and why is it cruel to tell it? There is nothing bad about losing water weight and there is nothing wrong with pointing out that it is water weight and that one shouldn't expect that amount of loss on a week to week basis. Nothing cruel about that at all. All I wanted to do was help soften the blow that might come to someone super excited about losing 7 pounds in their first week when the second week inevitably does not replicate that.3 -
elisa123gal wrote: »I'll never forget when I lost 8 pounds my first week of dieting.. and an "expert" on my fitness site could not wait to deliver the news that it was most likely water weight and not real weight.
Women are petty and cruel that way. I went ahead and lost 2 pounds a week..and a 1 pound week on my worst weeks ever. I always went down on the scale..
So..dear friend.. enjoy your success ..and please .. BE ENCOURAGED!!!! Don't let other people steal your joy and drive. You can do this and you're off to a wonderful start.
The first person to point out that it was water weight was a man. Not all women are petty and cruel, most of the women here are supportive and encouraging. There's always bad apples of course. Maybe it's time to look for the good in people rather than the negative.
I see lots of support as well as some great information in this thread. When I started out I wish I knew that the initial loss was mostly water and that it wasn't going to be that way every week. I might have seen the people as petty and cruel, but now that I have years of education and experience (myself and others) I see that for the most part people here are simply sharing information. I think a huge initial loss is great and can definitely be motivating. It can be the thing that someone clings to when times get tough. It can also be discouraging when the next week isn't as good.
Try not to read too much into tone or intention, it's only going to hurt and frustrate you.5 -
Who cares if most of it is water loss? Yay for seeing the scale go down anyway and yay for losing the bloat!2
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