In January I think I didn't eat enough calories. I was doing the 30 day challenge (intense cardio and strength training) and eating between 1200-1500. The reason it was so low is I was eating super clean but having trouble getting in more than that before the day is done (me, not eating enough food? That's a first).

So since this week was vacation, I ate like a pig (well, between 1400-1900 calories -1900 on one day, but most of it was in the 1500 or above range) but kept the fattening foods to a minimum (when I had fast food, I picked the healthiest choice). I haven't exercised but have been out every day either shopping or just walking around stores, but no actual workouts. I've been drinking my usual 10-12 cups of water a day.

I get on the scale today and I'm down 3lbs for the week, and I remember Friday was usually my down day, so if I skipped some days I'd make sure to weight Friday.
I did take my measurements but they aren't any lower, though I admit I haven't been tracking them since my messed up whoosh in mid-January (which I made a thread about), which showed a significant loss. I think that was all bloat and I am waiting patiently for my measurements to show what I had in the beginning of January, since I feel it was more accurate. It is very very close!

I do have a few questions since I'm confused.

1. Did I lose weight this week because I wasn't eating enough calories before?
2. I didn't eat clean when I lost my first 40lbs, does this mean I work better this way? It sounds weird, but when I eat clean I seem to go nowhere.
3. I am thinking of putting my ticker back up to 190, what do you guys think?

As always, thank you!

As someone who's recently been eating super clean myself (I'm halfway through the Whole 30 challenge) I think we retain less water/have less fluctuations on whole foods. Though I've been having a heck of a time getting enough calories in as well (it's so *hard* when you're eating clean!) when I finally did up them in the past couple days, my weight started to go back down.

So I think it's two-fold; less water retention means less fluctuations means less dramatic drops, and also your calories probably need to be a little higher to lose. I don't think eating junk is the answer, much as I sometimes wish it was.

I'm not eating junk, just not as clean as last month. I think my body is used to how it eats, and when I change it (good or bad) it seems to go haywire. So maybe I should try to find a happy balance between all three!

Sorry, these days I tend to think of 'junk' as anything with an ingredients list. I didn't mean it as an insult.

I always drop a few pounds of water when I stop intense exercise.

It's ok, no offence taken whatsoever I just wanted to clear it up, as I wasn't very specific on what I was eating.

Do you know if that happens right away or after a few weeks?

Usually within a few days