Why water weight ??? Myth? Truth?
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From what I understand (and my understanding is very limited) the initial calorie reduction when you begin a weight loss program also results in depleting glycogen stores (which, as I understand it, helps your body to retain water). When these stores are reduced, you drop weight, most of which is water. The caloric decrease that we've subjected ourselves to simply does not yet merit a five pound drop in fat, though it can still feel very good to lose that weight.
There's nothing wrong with this process. It's natural for this to happen. It doesn't really matter to me just when you start dropping fat versus water, because as long as your calories in are less than calories out then it will happen eventually.0 -
To lose a pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories. Many times people in their first week lose up to 7-10lbs. That would be 24,500 to 35,000 calories burned that week if it was true fat loss. So do you really think people are burning 3,500 to 5,000 calories a DAY as a beginner in their first week? Or even 2nd week? Or even 3rd week? This is why water weight loss is the most logical answer and actually proven.So I have heard many people say that their first few weeks of weight loss was water weight.
Why? This makes no sense to me, why would it be water weight? Why wouldn't the weight loss actually be fat loss?
And if it is true.... that it is just water weight...then when, at what point do we start to really lose fat ???
You do lose fat every week if you are consistent, it's just not a huge amounts at a time.0 -
Sorry, but you should know gaining muscle on calorie deficit is practically impossible. To gain muscle you need to be in calorie surplus.Don't listen to those stupid dieting myths. Sure, you do have water weight, but exercising and dieting isn't going to make you loose water, it's going to make you loose fat and gain muscle.
As a lot of people use as their excuse for "water weight" is your sodium to water ratio. Well, sure, you may have a couple pounds in water weight, but you'll loose some fat in the process, too.
Dieting myths like this are so irritating and get passed around on this site more than any other place I've ever seen. Even some of the things that the actual website tells you aren't true.0 -
I was wondering when you show up on this one!:happy:
To lose a pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories. Many times people in their first week lose up to 7-10lbs. That would be 24,500 to 35,000 calories burned that week if it was true fat loss. So do you really think people are burning 3,500 to 5,000 calories a DAY as a beginner in their first week? Or even 2nd week? Or even 3rd week? This is why water weight loss is the most logical answer and actually proven.So I have heard many people say that their first few weeks of weight loss was water weight.
Why? This makes no sense to me, why would it be water weight? Why wouldn't the weight loss actually be fat loss?
And if it is true.... that it is just water weight...then when, at what point do we start to really lose fat ???
You do lose fat every week if you are consistent, it's just not a huge amounts at a time.0 -
Anecdotes aren't evidence. You would need to show through peer reviewed clinical study what you say is FACT to prove it is a fact.Sorry to rant, but I must prove your stupid little dieting myths WRONG.
How could you possibly say that 2 weeks is the definite time? Well guess what, I know for a fact that's not true. (And before you judge me, I want you to know that I did not intend on getting an eating disorder, it was a good diet gone bad.) Oh, and it truly depends on your diet and exercise plan. THERE IS NO DEFINITE TIME. Even if two people were doing the same diet and exercise plan, they may not get the same results. If a 180lb person ate what I ate, they'd probably loose insanely fast, where I don't loose as much because I have less body fat, and a lot of other things play a role into it, like metabolism and so on.
I lost a pound a day when I first got my ED. Guess what! That was approximately 14lbs in 2 weeks. Eventually the weight loss slowed down, but that was because I had a lot less fat on my body to loose. I started at 162 and am now at 124. The weight loss slowed to about half a pound a day when I got to 140, and got increasingly harder once I hit 130ish, but that happens to anyone who is at a good weight. The more fat you have on your body, the easier to loose.
Oh, and while we are talking about dieting myths, I have proven the "starvation mode" myth wrong, too. I eat around 500cal a day, and don't eat whenever it is possible - but I still loose weight. Look at Holocaust victims and tell them that starvation mode is true. They wouldn't have died.
Sorry for the ranting again, but I hate false information being passed around. It drives me insane.
And I want to let you all know I am not proud of my ED, and if you guys really understood what I go through on a day to day basis, than I doubt you would still hate on me for it.
It sounds like you're convinced on your own opinion, so there's not much more to try to prove to you.0 -
A pound of muscle weighs 600 calories. If you're eating 500 calories like you say, then how are you gaining muscle? Mathematically it doesn't work out. You cannot build muscle without supplying the calories needed to build it. And the "fat" that you think you're losing isn't turning into muscle since that's physically impossible.Wait a second. This sounds oddly wrong. I can fast for days and still gain muscle. Wait no, that can't be true because I'm not eating any surplus calories! Oh wait, that must be true because I have a lot of muscle I didn't used to have.
You sound angry. Look at it scientifically and try to explain how you gain muscle without calories?0 -
I agree, she seemed mad. Thanks for laying it down peacefully and scientifically for the OP.0
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Maybe she was swimming in sweats!:laugh:
A pound of muscle weighs 600 calories. If you're eating 500 calories like you say, then how are you gaining muscle? Mathematically it doesn't work out. You cannot build muscle without supplying the calories needed to build it. And the "fat" that you think you're losing isn't turning into muscle since that's physically impossible.Wait a second. This sounds oddly wrong. I can fast for days and still gain muscle. Wait no, that can't be true because I'm not eating any surplus calories! Oh wait, that must be true because I have a lot of muscle I didn't used to have.
You sound angry. Look at it scientifically and try to explain how you gain muscle without calories?0 -
You know me............always the late one in.I was wondering when you show up on this one!:happy:0 -
OMG, I just practically laughed really loud right now!!!!!!
Maybe she was swimming in sweats!:laugh:0 -
Omg thank you everyone who is helping spread that you need surplus calories to build muscle! You have NO idea how many times I hear on the internet and in real life "don't worry babe, you probably just gained muscle". Gained 3 lbs in muscle after a night of carbs, I don't think so...0
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ok I understand the water weight thing now, it does make sense.... doing the math with calories, sodium etc....
@Ninerbuff : Thanks!! you sound very knowledgeable !
If I want to gain muscle i need to eat more calories? Would a surplus of donuts give me muscles, or only protein and plant protein ? If I want muscles I need to eat the right foods right ?
Would you agree that when it comes to building muscles not all calories are created equal ? Thanks for your posts, I'm learning so much tonight !!
And thanks to everyone for their response as well !! :happy:0 -
Well most people don't drink enough, and when you don't drink enough, you store water because your body doesn't know when it's going to get enough. When it gets enough it doesn't have to store it like a camel and your digestive system works better. That is my understanding.0
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A pound of muscle is approximately 600 calories, so the very minimum you would need in surplus is at least that much, however not all the calories are going to build muscle. Muscle is built from protein. It cannot come from carbs or fats. So you increase you protein (1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is a baseline) then you also need carbs to sustain the energy you need to increase your lifts in weight training.ok I understand the water weight thing now, it does make sense.... doing the math with calories, sodium etc....
@Ninerbuff : Thanks!! you sound very knowledgeable ! If I want to gain muscle i need to eat more calories? Would a surplus of donuts give me muscles, or only protein and plant protein ? If I want muscles I need to eat the right foods right ?
Would you agree that when it comes to building muscles not all calories are created equal ? Thanks for your posts, I'm learning so much tonight !!
And thanks to everyone for their response as well !! :happy:
I'll be honest in telling you that for about every pound of muscle you gain, you'll add .3 pounds of fat in the process. It's inevitable and goes with the territory. The better your food choice the less fat you accumulate along with muscle.0 -
when people say all water weight they don't mean that. You will still have fat and some muscle loss approximately equal to how much calories below maintainance you ate for the first weeks. But beyond that weight you will deplete glycogen that is stored in liver and muscle which are hydrated and carries water with them. Thats the "easy gain easy lost" water weight even though its just water and will simply make your muscle look fuller or flat. It doesn't have much to do with the "weight" your looking to lose. So yes... you are losing fat and not just water weight.0
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Think of your body like a dam when it comes to water. If there is sufficient enough rain, the valves remain open to let water out. If there is a drought, then the valves are closed off to conserve water till more rain is available. If there's too much water, then the valves are open to max and it seems the water won't stop (you'd be peeing alot).Well most people don't drink enough, and when you don't drink enough, you store water because your body doesn't know when it's going to get enough. When it gets enough it doesn't have to store it like a camel and your digestive system works better. That is my understanding.0 -
It doesn't matter to me what kind of weight loss it is as long as it comes off and stays off. :happy:
I'm with you!!!!0 -
Think of your body like a dam when it comes to water. If there is sufficient enough rain, the valves remain open to let water out. If there is a drought, then the valves are closed off to conserve water till more rain is available. If there's too much water, then the valves are open to max and it seems the water won't stop (you'd be peeing alot).Well most people don't drink enough, and when you don't drink enough, you store water because your body doesn't know when it's going to get enough. When it gets enough it doesn't have to store it like a camel and your digestive system works better. That is my understanding.
I lost 3 lbs first week and 2 lbs second week. I'm over weight but I have always drank about 2 litres a day for as long as I can remember (I love water).
So the only thing I have changed is I lowered my calorie intake... I'm eating less, drinking the same amount of water that I always have. That's why I thought I have been burning off fat, not water the past two weeks.0 -
What was your calorie deficit in both weeks?I lost 3 lbs first week and 2 lbs second week. I'm over weight but I have always drank about 2 litres a day for as long as I can remember (I love water).
So the only thing I have changed is I lowered my calorie intake... I'm eating less, drinking the same amount of water that I always have. That's why I thought I have been burning off fat, not water the past two weeks.0 -
So what exactly did you prove wrong??? You just gave us YOUR opinion on what has worked and works for YOU like everyone else has.....After almost 2 weeks, IME.
Sorry to rant, but I must prove your stupid little dieting myths WRONG.
How could you possibly say that 2 weeks is the definite time? Well guess what, I know for a fact that's not true. (And before you judge me, I want you to know that I did not intend on getting an eating disorder, it was a good diet gone bad.) Oh, and it truly depends on your diet and exercise plan. THERE IS NO DEFINITE TIME. Even if two people were doing the same diet and exercise plan, they may not get the same results. If a 180lb person ate what I ate, they'd probably loose insanely fast, where I don't loose as much because I have less body fat, and a lot of other things play a role into it, like metabolism and so on.
I lost a pound a day when I first got my ED. Guess what! That was approximately 14lbs in 2 weeks. Eventually the weight loss slowed down, but that was because I had a lot less fat on my body to loose. I started at 162 and am now at 124. The weight loss slowed to about half a pound a day when I got to 140, and got increasingly harder once I hit 130ish, but that happens to anyone who is at a good weight. The more fat you have on your body, the easier to loose.
Oh, and while we are talking about dieting myths, I have proven the "starvation mode" myth wrong, too. I eat around 500cal a day, and don't eat whenever it is possible - but I still loose weight. Look at Holocaust victims and tell them that starvation mode is true. They wouldn't have died.
Sorry for the ranting again, but I hate false information being passed around. It drives me insane.
And I want to let you all know I am not proud of my ED, and if you guys really understood what I go through on a day to day basis, than I doubt you would still hate on me for it.
I'm having trouble understanding why the ED had to be brought into this at all.
hahaha, Some people are just ridiculous.0
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