I have a question, hopefully some of the seasoned "been there, done that" maintenance phasers can help me out.
This past week, I have officially started [this diet] eating better, I'm trying to stick to around 1600 calories a day (which is a definite decrease from my usual intake), 30-35% protein, 25% fat, etc. I am eating healthy foods, eating 5-6 times a day (which is VERY new to me). I'm not hungry in between meals and snacks, and haven't increased my water consumption very much. I am exercising regularly, to avoid any diet yo-yos. No gimmicks, no crazy bars or diet shakes, just normal stuff, Lean Cuisines, etc. Actually, I feel pretty good!
The problem is, the weight is just falling off of me, and fast, which sounds good in theory, but, my big increase in urination tells me that I'm losing a lot of water weight. I want to lose real, permanent weight, not just water weight. Is this just a normal part of the process, or is this a bad sign? I am tracking everything that goes in my mouth in Fitday, but am just worried that this will be a temporary loss that is "just water" and then stop. Does everyone lose this much water weight when they lose weight, no matter how they lose it?
I wanted to pick your brain, because I want to do this right this time, and while the scale is saying good things, I just want to ensure that it really is positive healthy change.
Losing "water weight" is just a normal part of the process. Normally you'll get a several lb loss the first week, maybe even the second week, but it will then slow down to a smaller weekly loss.
So a drop of water weight at the beginning is TOTALLY normal - the problem people run into is expecting that the fast loss they experience at the beginning due to water is going to continue. It won't - your loss will slow. But as long as you're keeping well-hydrated, no worries about dropping too quickly at first. If you're doing all of the right things, you'll continue to lose, though much slower, after you stop dropping water weight like crazy.
I agree with the girls that the first few weeks, up to 3 or 4 even, are water weight then you'll just lose normal for you... A 1600 calorie plan is very good to start. You say : "haven't increased my water consumption very much..." You really should be drinking a lot of water at least 8-10 glasses/day, I'm just wondering why you haven't increased your water intake?
I confess- I'm a "bad" water person.. I don't drink a whole lot... of anything, really. But the reason i mentioned it in my post was to clarify that the excess water loss I was experiencing was not from an increase in water. I can get down 28 oz/daily if I'm lucky, but working on improving this.
I'm also wondering where that magic number is, in terms of calories where my body will think I'm starving, vs. not starving.
So is the water weight actual weight? Fat? Or just water?
So is the water weight actual weight? Fat? Or just water?
I just lost this long post I was working on, so this will be briefer!
Your body is composed of all sorts of stuff: water, fat, muscle, bone, skin, hair... Water is PART of you (a big part) and so when we refer to losing water weight, we refer to some of the water in you.
Of course, the tough part is when you get on a scale and see a gain or loss, the scale doesn't tell you how much of you is fat, etc. So we make some educated guesses. We know that the water in us fluctuates for all kinds of reasons (sodium, time of month, muscles holding water after weight lifting, etc). But we don't lose fat unless we burn more calories than we take in. Similarly, if you get on the scale and it's gone UP 5 pounds in a day, it's impossible for that to be all fat unless you ate 3500 * 5 calories more than you burned the day before.
As for drinking water, it IS important to stay hydrated, but the recent research suggests that we don't have to get hydration only in the form of water. Caffeinated beverages, juices, and the liquids in foods all count toward the water total. So, if you're like me and don't like to track water, if you drink liquids throughout the day, you may well be getting enough. Do be sure to hydrate after exercise and overheating!
Remember that the process by which fat leaves your body requires enough water to do its job. It's a little oversimplified but true that the extra weight has to wash out of the body, and it's the regular healthy intake and output of water that accomplishes the process. I never lost weight efficiently until I started drinking a half-ounce per pound of my body weight, although I do count my skim milk in the total. I wasted a lot of time trying to pretend to myself that caffienated/sugared beverages or even juiced sweet fruits were just as good. My cousin gave up iced tea in favor of water with no other diet or exercise change and lost 20 pounds in a year's time, plus felt better. Why not try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to your water to see if it will help you enjoy it more?
When I was doing Atkins, I went up to 84 oz per day, and my doctor said that it was ridiculous, unnecessary, and that there was no added benefit by drinking any more than 32-48 ounces per day. I know I feel better when I drink water... more alive, more energetic. I will keep increasing as much as I can, I think I should be able to get up to 32 regular ounces of water (not "fluids) in me daily. And working out helps with water consumption, as does taking vitamins.
Any thoughts on minimum calories needed for a dieting female such as me? Please don't place too much weight on my avatar photo; that was me at my thinnest about a year ago. Look at my ticker for accurate weight tracking.
Ginger - When I started a low-carb diet and cut out a lot of the "bad" carbs, I noticed I wasn't very thirsty but had a significant increase in urination. It was kinda weird. I lost about 13 lbs in 3 weeks and thought for sure it was all water weight. I started eating normal again but still relatively low-carb (in other words, not following the strict diet but using some principles) and lost another 2 lbs over the next month. Then I just ditched the diet altogether (as I am known to do) and ate whatever I wanted without paying attention very closely. I started gaining weight of course, but it did take me over a year to put 10 lbs back on, so I feel somewhat confident it wasn't 100% water weight, or I would have just immediately gained when I started eating cruddy again.
I was told the reason for the excess urination once by a nutritionist and for the life of me I can't remember. It had something to do with molecules of solid food and sodium vs liquid but it was complicated. A really simplified version would be that your body holds on to a lot of water to deal with the extra salt and carbs it knows you give it on a daily basis, and when you aren't giving it that crud on a daily basis, then it celebrates by peeing all the water out. Hahahaha. Ok maybe that was too simplified.
What I'm trying to say is, it isn't abnormal what's happening to you. Your body will only get rid of the water it needs to; no more, no less.
Any thoughts on minimum calories needed for a dieting female such as me? Please don't place too much weight on my avatar photo; that was me at my thinnest about a year ago. Look at my ticker for accurate weight tracking.
Gingercakes
1600 seems like a very reasonable place to start, you dont want to start too low or you have nowhere to go. Stick with 1600 for 4 weeks and see how it is working for you.
My appetite is very low.... I usually have a great appetite (hence the size of my pants) but it seems to be going away, making it almost difficult to eat. Is this normal stuff too?
Losing too much water weight?
