I got the flu...
 

So, I got the flu, and I have lost quite a bit of weight this week. I know most of it is going to come back simply because it's water weight, but I also want to make the best of an opportunity.

I've been drinking tons of water and my appetite is slowly returning. Does anyone have any suggestions for how I can ease from what has essentially been a few days of fasting back into my diet without having all the weight rebound?

Ugh, I'm sick too! :( Hoping it's not the flu, but it has been going around here.

As far as I know, most of the rebound weight from fasting is water weight due to carb consumption (this also where initial losses come from). A little bit of it is the actual weight of the food in your digestive track. (Obviously the other avenue for rebound is straight up overeating.)

So if you don't want the numbers on the scale to jump all at once, add carbs back in slowly.
Personally I would just go back to dieting/eating as per normal and not get back on the scale for like a week, until all the water fluctuation had settled down completely. Take care! :hug:

I was sick for a few days and lost like 7 pounds from not eating. After I started feeling better I started eating around 1300 calories a day sometimes a little more and my weight has not come back.

Hope you feel better soon :):hug:

Me too:(

I hate to be harsh but... if you know it's water weight why try to fight a rebound? Obviously water weight losses from being SICK aren't good and your body doesn't want to be that dehydrated.

Besides, gaining back the water weight is going to happen eventually, right? Why be so hung up on the scale? You were SICK. Your body was not SUPPOSED to lose that water.

I would recommend you just go back to eating nutrient-dense foods in order to help your body fight off what might remain of the flu and get healthy again. That way you can continue working toward your FAT loss goals.

Well, the truth is that I don't really know what amount is water weight and what amount is fat loss. I am not worried about gaining back water weight. I haven't had the flu since elementary school and I have never been on a fast, so I don't know what happened to my body and how it is going to respond once I start eating regularly again. Does anyone have experience with that?

I know some people look at times like this (after a fast or an illness) as an opportunity to ''restart'' their body and habits, and I am looking for any ideas people have for ways I can do that. Right now my body is only interested in eating oranges, for some reason. I don't think I should go force oatmeal or a sandwich... or maybe I should.

This is what I am hoping for-- that it will end up being a positive thing for me in the end.

I probably will end up adding grains and carbs back in last, and fruits and veggies and fish first, but you are right, I should maybe stay away from the scale because it might be all over the place (of course, it usually is for me anyway).

I have been drinking a ton of water this whole sickness, so I am hoping that less is water weight and more is fat!

Yeah, I think that the best advice is to immediately go back to plan (or if you stomach is giving you trouble, work your way back to plan). I think you will still see some of the loss - just possibly not all of it. But its also possible being back on plan will just help you maintain the flu weight loss. Fasting isn't the worst thing - particularly if your insulin and body is working normally. It may not be water weight and you may not gain it all back.