Is there any "science" behind a "whoosh"?

[downsizer55]

I have experienced a "whoosh" and am wondering if there is any
controlling such an event? I haven't really tried anything different,
just sticking to what has been working for me, so in my mind they
"just happen". Do any of you think there's a method to prompt it?

[Lovely]

Could be a big loss in water weight (like the first week of weight loss) or *ahem* using the bathroom a lot, but as far as I've always seen it's just "The body loses as the body decides." And when it's time for the pounds to drop, they just do.

[peanutt]

The only thing that will "prompt" a whoosh is to just keep on your eating and exercise plan. Our bodies are constantly changing - holding on to more or less water, using fuel differently, etc. Don't get derailed by those small fluctuations, stay on plan and keep your mind on the ultimate goal.

[Emmy1979]

I think it may be a hormonal thing. I don't know, but I notice my whooshes correlate to my monthly cycle for the most part.

But, I could be completely wrong! It might just be that each person's body reacts differently to weight loss.

Interesting post!

[zoodoo613]

A whoosh is your body letting go of fluid it's been storing. The reasons your body might be storing water are numerous and for the most part not very controllable. There are things you can do that might make it happen once, (such as taking a diuretic) but you can't make it happen over and over again, because once you've gotten rid of the water, it's gone and can't be gotten rid of again.

There might be ways to avoid retaining the water in some cases in the first place, such as keeping sodium low, and that might be a good idea for a variety of health reasons, but it's not going to lead to a more rapid weight loss. Reasons like hormones you can't do much about though.

[onthedietagain]

Originally Posted by zoodoo613

There are things you can do that might make it happen once, (such as taking a diuretic)

In my case 10 oz of wine ….whoosh 2-3 lb overnight. It happened few times, when I stayed on the plan for a week or so without any changes in weight and then had my big glass of red wine on Saturday after dinner and “lost” 3 lb following morning.

From what I understand, body keeps losing fat (calorie deficit must be in place), but body camouflage it with water and that is why it can drive us crazy do not see the change on the scale. Once you have some alcohol, for example, or asparagus, you make your body to release water and as a result see the weight loss over the night, which in reality occurred in few days/weeks before that.

Cheers!

[JohnP]

I suspect it is also related to stress.

[TooManyDimples]

I read or saw (can't remember exactly where) not that long ago that when fat leaves a cell it can fill with water before it shrinks. If the cells are holding onto that extra water then it probably helps explain some whooshs when the cells let go of that water.

[ShanIAm]

I don't know but I like it. I like it a lot!

[kaplods]

I've been dieting for 40 years, and while I've noticed some patterns that I can manipulate, most of them are more trouble than they're worth, or are counterproductive in the long-run.

I eventually realized that attempting weight loss by the "full-speed ahead, by any means necessary" and the "must have 100% control over my body" methods were keeping me in yoyo mode.

For me, lasting weight loss required giving up the frustration, and the only way to do that was to relax my expectations and take the "full-steam ahead" out of the equation. It meant looking at one lb per week weight loss as the same as 4 lbs one week and 0 lbs the next 3.

They are the same. "Whooshes" don't matter at all. Getting rid of whooshes won't speed up your weight loss. Even if you're successful (and you probably won't be, when you tend to whoosh, you tend to whoosh. You might be able to even them out a little bit, but getting rid of them entirely may be impossible, and you're still going to end up with the same average weight loss).

Whooshes are like paychecks. Usually you don't get to decide when or how often you get paid. But it doesn't matter, because whether you get paid on Thursday or Friday or Monday, and whether you get paid weekly, biweekly, monthly or quarterly - the money is still the same. You may find one system more convenient than another, but you usually don't get a choice, and it doesn't matter anyway, because the pay rate doesn't change. Whether you get $80 per day, $400 per week or $800 every two weeks, it's still all the same salary.

[Arctic Mama]

For me, mine tend to be hormonal. I can feel them coming about the third week of my cycle (I'm a 28-day gal when I'm not breastfeeding) and it is usually preceded by coldness and and unusual hunger, if I stick it out on plan I tend to see several pounds drop overnight.

[stacygee]

Originally Posted by Emmy1979

I think it may be a hormonal thing. I don't know, but I notice my whooshes correlate to my monthly cycle for the most part.

But, I could be completely wrong! It might just be that each person's body reacts differently to weight loss.

Interesting post!

My whooshes also correlate to my monthly cycle. The week after my period is over I have a whoosh. I think it is water retention during my period that offsets regular weight loss... then when the water retention goes I have a whoosh. But then I have a stall. Go figure.

[stacygee]

Originally Posted by TooManyDimples

I read or saw (can't remember exactly where) not that long ago that when fat leaves a cell it can fill with water before it shrinks. If the cells are holding onto that extra water then it probably helps explain some whooshs when the cells let go of that water.

YOu know I think I read that somewhere too. Sounds familiar.

[downsizer55]

Some very sound theories and information. Thank you all. I don't want
to control anything besides what I eat, so I am going to keep plugging along
and appreciate the slow loss and "keep my eye on the prize".

[schubunny]

I really don't think a woosh is water related. The reason being I drink 6-9 glasses a day, my urine is clear, but I still got a woosh just today.