Losing too fast?
 

Hi just wanted to check in with someone more experienced. I've gone from 201.2 to 195.4 in about 11 days. Losing almost 6 lbs that quick was shocking. I'm assuming most of it was water weight. Should I be worried? I'm eating 1400 to 1500 calories a day. I basically cut the junk-fast food, my daily bag of popcorn and eating veggies with all meals as well as water as my only source of beverage.

Thanks! I know the best way to lose is slow and steady. I'm just worried dropping this much early on is going to set me up for failure later.

Higher weights tend to come off faster at first, and yes there's a good chance some of it was water. It will slow down...Unfortunately. Your caloric intake is fine so just keep on going. :)

Usually when you start a new diet, the weight will fly off at first, typically just water. It will likely even out over the next couple of weeks.

soak it up as momentum to keep going. Congrats on your progress.

Thanks guys, that's what I figured. :)

I lost 4 lbs a week all the way down. It was quick. I could feel the strain on my gallbladder (it hurt a little) but all worked out well in the end.

Sounds like you've done some research to know if what you lost was mostly water weight which is correct. Good job! Since you already answered your own question I'm going to give you a bit of information which seems basic but it is profoundly accurate.

People regain not because they lost too fast but because they return to the habits that got them overweight in the first place when the "diet" is over. Success occurs when people are able to establish dietary habits they can live with forever that keep the weight off.

Your goal shouldn't be to lose weight but rather to figure out a way of eating (WOE) that will restrict intake without you having to obsess over it. Losing weight is easy for most people. Losing a lot of weight is much more challenging but the ultimate challenge is maintaining.

Totally normal. Weight loss in the first week or two is artificially inflated because of the drop in water weight that occurs at the start of caloric restriction. It'll level off all too soon.;)

F.

Thanks guys! John and therein lies the multi billion dollar weight loss industry. I know I'm not going to be able to resist beer forever, I just wanted to save it for "special occasions" instead of my post work wind down. Everything i cut out was to become a treat as opposed to daily intake as well as to help me no longer feel like Crap.

no, it's all good. congrats!!

Originally Posted by :
I know I'm not going to be able to resist beer forever, I just wanted to save it for "special occasions" instead of my post work wind down.

Ahem, I never stopped drinking beer. I am just lucky that I don't feel the compulsion to eat when I do drink beer.

Everyone will disagree with me but alcohol does not cause weight gain. It's the sh!t you eat when you drink alcohol that causes you to gain weight!

Drink and don't eat. Problem solved. I've got 110lbs+ lost under my belt to prove it, and I drink the good stuff way more often than I should.

It's the fact that people go eat a burger or pizza or chips after a beer that causes the problem. Not the beer itself. Don't trust me? Well try it. Beer...no snacks. Let me know what the scale says.

My "bro science" theory is that the body has a hard time turning energy/calories from alcohol to fat. So if you drink but don't eat, any excess energy from the alcohol will not be stored as fat. Body can't do it. But if you eat and drink, the alcohol will be used as energy and the food stored as fat. Try it. Prove me wrong.

For the record, I also think that the body is very inefficient at converting protein to fat as well. But that would be another post.

But that is why I drink a lot of beer and eat a crazy amount of fish.

I can cosign what Ian is saying. There was a time when I had liquid dinners and I was 127p. I couldn't do that now though. ;)

As usual, I will entirely disagree with Ian. It may work for him, but it sure as heck doesn't work for me! I hope you figure out something that works for you though, as that's all that matters :)

Someone posted a study not too long ago debunking the myth that fast weight loss equals less ability to maintain. What slower weight loss will do for you is to allow you to ingrain habits that may (or may not) last a lifetime. I choose to lose fast (as much as that is a choice for me to make). I have tried and tried and tried the slow weight loss, but it's like SatinPumpkin said, faster losses translate into motivation for me. I have lost 32 pounds in 8 weeks, and though the sharper deficit has its downside, I have also really internalized the whole "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" because I actually feel thin, even though 207 is not "thin" in anyone's world. It is much thinner than I was, and I feel much, much better. Right now, I wouldn't trade that for a lifetime supply of junk food.

Originally Posted by IanG:
Everyone will disagree with me but alcohol does not cause weight gain. It's the sh!t you eat when you drink alcohol that causes you to gain weight!.

Hey, I don't disagree with you! I drink 8 oz white wine 6 nights out of 7. I did it throughout my 50-pound weight loss and continue to do it through almost 3 years of maintenance. I don't believe there's any food or beverage that mysteriously "causes" weight gain. It's all about balance: If you want more X, you have to have less Y. That sucks a little, but it is what it is.

F.

I disagree there. A calorie may be a calorie when it comes to weight loss.

But for weight gain, specifically fat gain, it's different. I challenge anyone here to get fat eating fish (not fried), for example.

Some foods seem more conducive to weight gain than others. Personally, I think those high in carbs and/or "bad" saturated fats are the main culprits. But lean, high protein foods do not seem to cause fat gain as easily. Regardless of calories.

So it's not a two-way street.

Cut calories to lose.

Eat different foods (even a lot of them) to maintain and forget the calories.

That's been my experience.

I should be massing the pounds on now based on the calories I am consuming. But it ain't happening and I put that down to the composition of the calories I am consuming (lots of protein).

I am not losing either, but like I said that's where calories matter. On the loss side of the equation.

It's the what you eat that matters for the gain.

In my experience...

My bro science hypothesis is that the body will use all foods for energy but excess calories from carbs or bad fats are more easily converted to fat than excess calories from foods high in lean protein (and perhaps those high in good fats too). And by implication of my earlier post... fat gain from alcohol...nope. No chance. But to reduce weight (fat & muscle) you have to reduce all sources of energy.

I am gonna get so killed for this post.

I'm not trying to discourage anyone from what works for them! I believe the human body is infinitely more complicated and that various people are going to find different things that work for them. When I drink a beer, I want to eat a bag of popcorn with it, etc. And because there's so many excellent beers, it's hard to stop at one. Which is why it's becoming an occasional treat for me.
There were three things that I think led to my weight gain in the first place:

1. Daily alcohol intake. Either 2- 3 beers or a whiskey and diet coke or two.
Replaced with water, I almost created a calorie deficit there. :P

2. Eating fast food after a crazy shift. I needed to incorporate more small meals into my shift, I figured out how, so I don't go home and eat 1000 calorie meal because I hadn't eaten for 9 hours. Celery and portion controlled peanut butter, carrots and small serving of hummus. Etc. I just have to remind myself fast food is meant to be a treat, not for daily life.

3. Not being active enough. Yeah, I'll walk 10-12 miles a day at my job, but sitting on my butt on my days off did me no favors.

So those were what I changed, and it's working beautifully.

Hoping that when I lose the weight I can figure out a good maintenance plan. Which means I'll harass you all even more. ;)

Yeah I only eat fast food once a week and we go to a sit down restaurant once a week too, I dont think 2 times out of the week is bad, The rest of the week is home cooked meals.

Well, all this thread has done for me is make me want to go have a beer! LOL

Lol, i had on yesterday. I forgot corona is just ok and wish id wasted my calories on a Belgian ale....but just water now

*Cheers!*

I am enjoying a New Belgium Imperial IPA called "Rampant".

Ian, you reckon that all the beer you drink makes you feel full so that you eat less?

I'm all for finding the right WOE (JohnP) and not counting calories (Ian). Relying on my body's hunger signals has certainly been my mantra in maintenance.

I'll also add that in addition to those, you need to find a WOE no.2 (way of exercising) that will keep you fit and active such that it does not feel like a chore or burden to keep up. I never found my exercise ideal until recently (end of last year). I'm not "exercising" for weight maintenance now, I'm focusing on performance and getting better and better PBs. The "side effect" of this is that I find that I have to eat more to maximise performance.

To the OP, I think what you are doing is fine. Your beginning losses do contain a large amount of water. However, I would consider increasing calories to about 1800 and slowly decrease as you lose. 1400-1500 is good maintenance level for about 135 or so....if you go too low at first you risk bottoming out too soon.....increase your protein intake. Munch on avocados and nuts etc. ...

To the OP, you have a great attitude! Enjoy those fun drops on the scale, the warmth of their glow will be there to sustain you during weeks when the scale inexplicably gives you cr@p feedback! Just keep doing what you're doing.

Originally Posted by :
Ian, you reckon that all the beer you drink makes you feel full so that you eat less?

I'm all for finding the right WOE (JohnP) and not counting calories (Ian). Relying on my body's hunger signals has certainly been my mantra in maintenance.

I'll also add that in addition to those, you need to find a WOE no.2 (way of exercising) that will keep you fit and active such that it does not feel like a chore or burden to keep up. I never found my exercise ideal until recently (end of last year). I'm not "exercising" for weight maintenance now, I'm focusing on performance and getting better and better PBs. The "side effect" of this is that I find that I have to eat more to maximise performance.

Thanks magical. For me (and it is highly personal), beer just does not seem to affect my weight. So it is entirely off the balance sheet and has nothing to do with my diet. I just drink it. For eating, I did find counting calories was useful to lose weight. But there the trick is to eat foods that make you feel full but are low in calories which, for me (again it's highly personal) worked out to be fish and salad. If you are really good, you should be able to find foods that are low in calories, make you feel full, that you enjoy eating and are nutritionally great for you. That's when you become a master. I see a lot of people eating foods they either don't like or are not nutritionally balanced. While probably OK for weight loss, diets like that must suck a little. So experiment. Play around. Diets aren't marriage.

As for exercise, I think that is key in maintenance. It gives you more wiggle room to help your weight stay in check. But most importantly it's the other health and pschological benefits it brings, like fitness, a good body, less anxiety etc. Again, I read a lot of people lose weight without exercise (some diets even limit it) and I just shake my head. Just losing weight can be a different game to obtaining a healthy lifestyle but there are overlaps and for each of us I do believe there is a sweet spot...but no one-size-fits all. I drink beer, eat fish, run a lot and weight train. It works for me but that does not mean my lifestyle choices would work for you or anyone else. Each must find their own.

Originally Posted by dstalksalot:
To the OP, I think what you are doing is fine. Your beginning losses do contain a large amount of water. However, I would consider increasing calories to about 1800 and slowly decrease as you lose. 1400-1500 is good maintenance level for about 135 or so....if you go too low at first you risk bottoming out too soon.....increase your protein intake. Munch on avocados and nuts etc. ...

I doubt Id ever get to 135. Id be hospitalized! My goal is actually 1600 calories a day but because one of my food goals is 5 veggies a day and drink water only its sometimes hard to reach. I do eat some avocados. I avoid nuts except very occasionally because I can trigger with them and eat way more than i meant to. I love crunchy things too much.

Originally Posted by :
I doubt Id ever get to 135. Id be hospitalized!

At 5'10" I agree with you there! I also agree that it is good to limit nuts. They are good for you but the calories are high. The same with avocado. Make sure you measure that stuff out.

On veggies, I have had lots of success with mixed greens, lettuce, spinach, argula. All low in calories so I do not bother measuring. I also eat a lot of kimchi (spicy, fermented cabbage) and...when I can...boiled brocolli.

I also eat hummus, but like with avocado and/or guacamole I need to measure that sucker out to make sure I do not eat too much.

Originally Posted by IanG:
I disagree there. A calorie may be a calorie when it comes to weight loss.

But for weight gain, specifically fat gain, it's different. I challenge anyone here to get fat eating fish (not fried), for example.

Some foods seem more conducive to weight gain than others. Personally, I think those high in carbs and/or "bad" saturated fats are the main culprits. But lean, high protein foods do not seem to cause fat gain as easily. Regardless of calories.

So it's not a two-way street.

Cut calories to lose.

Eat different foods (even a lot of them) to maintain and forget the calories.

That's been my experience.

I think it depends. Frequent exercise seems to give a lot of wiggle room so your experience and mine are about the same, whereas someone that doesn't exercise at all might not be able to maintain on large amounts of fish and veggies. I stopped counting calories in maintenance too. I just watch what I'm putting in my mouth and run. A lot.

At this point I just use common sense.

Originally Posted by IanG:
At 5'10" I agree with you there! I also agree that it is good to limit nuts. They are good for you but the calories are high. The same with avocado. Make sure you measure that stuff out.

On veggies, I have had lots of success with mixed greens, lettuce, spinach, argula. All low in calories so I do not bother measuring. I also eat a lot of kimchi (spicy, fermented cabbage) and...when I can...boiled brocolli.

I also eat hummus, but like with avocado and/or guacamole I need to measure that sucker out to make sure I do not eat too much.

I'm a sucker for hummus too. Trader joes Mediterranean hummus, I could devour the entire container in one meal...
I've been pretty good about measuring. The mostly eating veggies thing seems to help a lot.
Glad you like broccoli, I can't say it's my fav. I'm a squash, fresh green bean person myself.
My moms visiting during her vacation and the meals out with her is screwing me up. :/.

I agree with the success with eating a lot of veggies, especially greens. I've been eating a lot of them recently and am finding that they fill me up fast and I don't bother measuring them either. I used to eat a lot of veggies when growing up and was thin and I'm starting to think that was the reason I was thin.

Originally Posted by :
Thanks magical. For me (and it is highly personal), beer just does not seem to affect my weight. So it is entirely off the balance sheet and has nothing to do with my diet.

Interesting Ian. Lol, I erm... loathe beer so I'll be wishing you success forevermore till you're an OAP!! :D

I think we (and the other PPs) have the same mindset regarding eating foods that we like and enjoy. I love broccoli, avocado, veggies in general and also enjoy fish (mostly the oily variety) and chicken. Love hummus, chickpeas, lentils too... Also enjoy my oats, bananas and yes, chocolate and Nutella and peanut butter! Everything in moderation but of course, you're right, we get to eat more of the low calorie foods.

Interesting magical.

I do not do oily fish in moderation. I do it to excess. I normally have about 6 servings of fish or seafood a day with at least 2 of those being oily. It has done wonders for my health.