Fake Loss?

EnchantedEvening
EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
We spent the past few days moving into a new place. I was on my feet, carrying stuff, up and down stairs, for at least 3-6 hours per day.

When I weighed in on Thursday morning, I was 342. When I weighed in yesterday morning, I was 337.

I drank a TON of water because I was sweating so much and didn't want to get dehydrated. Is it possible all I lost was water weight, though? When I weighed myself this morning, I was back up to 341.

Was it a "fake" weight loss, or have I simply gained four pounds of water back? Could 337 be my "true" weight once I subtract the water/sodium floating around in my body?

I'm so confused. I was excited to finally see a loss after a few weeks of hovering around the same number.

Replies

  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
    bump?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    Run the numbers. You had a 5lbs loss. If it was all fat, then the caloric burn was 17,500 calories in one day. 17,500 minus 3500 is 14,000. So if you went by the numbers you worked out hard enough to burn 17,500 calories to get to 337lbsand then the next day ate back 14,000 calories to get back to 341.
    Now you and I both know it didn't happen like that. It's water weight.

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  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
    I did the math, which is why I'm confused. How is it possible to lose so much water weight when I drank lots and lots of water those days? I figured it would all balance out and my weight wouldn't change at all. It's more a body chemistry question than a calorie question. I replaced (or at least tried to) all of the water I sweat out.
  • tcm118
    tcm118 Posts: 54
    Drinking more water means your body does not have to hold on to as much. It will also change the electrolyte balance in your body. You can lose water weight by drinking lots of water the day before (though I have heard others say it bloats them up). Once you resume a normal water consumption, your body adjusts back to its comfortable retention level (which is probably slightly higher).

    I personally lose about 2 pounds from night to the next morning, but drinking a bunch of extra water through the day can make that number more like four pounds...but it goes right back up after another normal day. It's part of those normal fluctuations.

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