On Monday I had oral surgery to remove a wisdom tooth. Since then I haven't been able to eat much (veggie soup, yogurt and icecream). I also haven't worked out since the day before Thanksgiving (I had the horrible toothache and was conked out on pain meds most of the time). I've lost 3 pounds since weighing the day after Thanksgiving. I usually only lose about a pound a week. So, once I'm able to eat normally (if ever) and workout, I'll gain the weight back (or more), right?

Sigh....I am wondering the same thing, as I am suffering tooth pain and heading to the dentist on Monday. Don't know what they'll do. My appetite is way down and the pain keeps me from wanting to eat much.

I guess we'll find out!

Well if you lost due to a calorie deficit then as long as you maintain a calorie deficit, you won't gain it back. If you are dehydrated/not drinking then it is possible that once you rehydrate, the scale will bounce back.

When I lost some extra weight after getting my wisdom teeth removed, I think I was able to keep it off... I forget though

Thanks for the replies! I'm going to go back to the surgeon on Monday. Hopefully he'll give me the okay to workout, at least. I have a cut (from him rubbing too hard, being too rough) that is kicking my a$s. So until that's healed, I don't think I'll be eating much.

I don't think you'll gain it back either. It depends on whether you start eating a lot more once you can eat normally again.

I was hospitalized and while I was there, I easily lost 5 lbs which I *never* regained back. But I was able to keep it off because I didn't try to gain it back either!

The problem with "starving" (intentional or unintentional) is that at some point, it won't be sustainable to eat that little anymore and you'll liable to binge and eat more to make up for not eating those days/weeks/whatever.