Weigh loss from temporary illness

Options
jjodoin22
jjodoin22 Posts: 1 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I recently had the flu and lost 6 pounds (in four days!) is it possible to keep that off? Although I don't want to be sick and glad to be feeling better I don't want to see that scale go back up either.

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    Remember you didn't lose 6lbs of fat in four days.
    So expect a bit of a bounce back when you resume eating normally.
  • Kimblesnbits13
    Kimblesnbits13 Posts: 369 Member
    Options
    6 lbs is a lot of sick weight. I lost only 2.5 lbs when I had food poisoning and gained 1 back after recovering. I think most of the 6 lbs is water weight and maybe a little of that is real lbs lost. I'd say eat your normal way for a week then weigh yourself and that's probably the true lbs lost.
  • Owlfan88
    Owlfan88 Posts: 187 Member
    Options
    I agree it's probably mostly water weight. However, your stomach has also probably shrunk a little bit or at least is used to less food. I used an illness 2 years ago to start my weight loss journey. When I did feel better, I wasn't so hungry, so I ate lighter for several days and tried making good choices. I think I gained back some of that water weight I lost, but certainly not all.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Options
    At most you may have lost a couple of pounds of fat in four days. The rest is something else and you'll regain it as things go back to normal.
  • 1stgardengirl
    1stgardengirl Posts: 34 Member
    Options
    My normal range is 125 - 128. A couple of months ago I had a bad flu and lost down to 119. I was careful about how I regained it - in a healthy way. It took a few weeks to get back into my range.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    Options
    You will probably gain it back because it wasn't real fat loss, you were sick.

Categories