Weight Loss - science......

milese

My weight has always yoyo'd a bit and at the moment I'm back on it in order to get fitter, faster and thinner. I'm 5' 8".

This time last year I weighed about 14 stone. I then lost about half a stone before September, and another half stone from Sept to Dec.

Over Christmas I didn't go too wild, and at one weigh in put on 2lbs, taking me to 12stone 12lbs.

So from Monday this week I've been really careful with what I've been eating, but not being stupid. Eating proper portions, not being hungry but eating the right stuff. Cycling to work 7 miles each way before breakfast.

Now according to the same scales (2 sets actually, at home and at work, at the same times of the day, same clothes etc), I've lost 6lbs in 5 days, to 12 stone 6lbs.

I think numbers wise, with 3500 calories in a pound of fat, I dont think its physically possible to lose 6 lbs of fat in 5 days.

So what's going on? Its not like I quickly put on weight and quickly lost it again, as I've not been this light for 18 months.

Is lots of water stored with body fat hence the numbers not adding up?

Pokerface

Weight in the body fluctuates on a daily basis. Can depend on anything from hydration to how much undigested food is still in your system (or your bowels, etc).

I've had my weight fluctuate 5 pounds in 2 days at times.


Keep weighing yourself and you may see the weight rise again, or stay the same (when you think it should be falling).

Or you may have just had a good week and lost loads of weight! But it's not all fat.

milese

Yeah I get all that and always stick to weighing at the same times, hydration, dress etc.

I weighed every day this week and each time was over a lb lighter.

Weighed again today and I'm still 12 stone 6bs.

I'll stick to what I'm doing and see where it takes me!

Pokerface

In that case it sounds like a tapeworm.

Bill D

FWIW my weight goes up and down by as much as 4 lbs from day to day. I think this daily fluctuation is more about the actual weight of what you eat the day before than its calorific value. For example, a plate full of pasta weighs much more than an all day breakfast : it's got more water in it. The calorific value of your food shows up over a longer time.

Garz

I'd go with water, you will fluctuate over the day.

milese

Now 12 stone 4lbs.

Weighed every few days and my weight only increased once, and that was by a 1/4 pound!

Avoneer

Weighing is over rated anyway and doesn't count for anything.

Real BMI (ie, nto Wii or calculated BMI) is the only thing that counts.

If you're training more, you will be burning fat but building muscle which will weigh more anyway, even if you are becoming slimmer.

Look in the mirror - if you like what you see, keep it up.

Pat...

Pokerface

Avoneer wrote:

Weighing is over rated anyway and doesn't count for anything.

Real BMI (ie, nto Wii or calculated BMI) is the only thing that counts.

If you're training more, you will be burning fat but building muscle which will weigh more anyway, even if you are becoming slimmer.

Look in the mirror - if you like what you see, keep it up.

Pat...

Well - you were ALMOST correct there. The part where you said burning fat/building muscle will affect your weight is correct.

However - it can drastically skew your BMI - which is a very good reason to ignore it. BMI doesn't take body composition into consideration.

For instance - by BMI standard, I was technically obese at 14 stone and 6 feet tall -with a 36 inch waist but a lot of muscle. Go figure.

vitesse169

Weighing in so often throws up all the variables - i weigh just once a week, same day, approx same time. either sun/mon on rising from deep sleep after night shift generally...I find this is the best way of cutting out all the varying from the equation...

SBezza

I weigh myself daily, though it's on a Friday that I record my weekly weight difference.

For some people weighing does mean alot, for me I don't really care what my body shape is, I want to be a certain weight at the start of the race season, so measuring my weight is the only way I know if I am on target or not.

terongi

Bill D wrote:

FWIW my weight goes up and down by as much as 4 lbs from day to day. I think this daily fluctuation is more about the actual weight of what you eat the day before than its calorific value. For example, a plate full of pasta weighs much more than an all day breakfast : it's got more water in it. The calorific value of your food shows up over a longer time.

??

what is an "all day breakfast"?

How can you eat breakfast all day long?

Is it one normal sized breakfast that you spread throughout the day, or do you just eat nothing but cereal and eggs all day long?

Is it some kind of fad diet?

milese

terongi wrote:

Bill D wrote:

FWIW my weight goes up and down by as much as 4 lbs from day to day. I think this daily fluctuation is more about the actual weight of what you eat the day before than its calorific value. For example, a plate full of pasta weighs much more than an all day breakfast : it's got more water in it. The calorific value of your food shows up over a longer time.

??

what is an "all day breakfast"?

How can you eat breakfast all day long?

Is it one normal sized breakfast that you spread throughout the day, or do you just eat nothing but cereal and eggs all day long?

Is it some kind of fad diet?

A fry up, so called because its on the menu all day, not just at breakfast time.

rake

just put the miles in and it wont matter too much what you eat. otherwise sit back and dont worry if you dont do big runs.

milese

Now 12 stone 1lb