Fell off the plateau with a mighty thud

[Greenhorn Gal]

Lots of you know my story, so I'll keep it short...
I am 5'8", F, age 33
October, weighed 270
Dec 28th, down to 255
Today 246.

Holy crap! 9 lbs in 13 days! These are weights taken on my doctor's scale, and were all on the same actual piece of equipment. I unfortunately recently fell quite ill, AND threw out my back, so had the occasion to see my doc on Dec 28th and today.

I was really excited until I realized that since I probably lost muscle due to being too ill to work out!

Yay--drat--yay--drat--yay--drat!

Now, I only do one official weigh in per month, and that won't be for about 10 days. I guess my goal will be to actually still weigh 246 at the official weigh-in. I am hoping the chiro will release me back to the gym today after I see him. I will set a goal to get my muscle back, and hopefully trade muscle lbs for fat lbs!

Do you guys agree that it is probably muscle? I had an 11-day gym break, and have worked out 3 times, low/moderate intensity to avoid additional injury to my back, over the past 16 days. Is it possible to lose that much muscle that fast?

 

[theGOOCH]

It's unlikely you lost 9 pounds of muscle that fast. At your heavy weight it's probably some fat and some water, with a bit of muscle. Really it takes a few weeks to start losing any significant muscle in the first place.

This is what annoys me about that "Biggest Loser" show. Contestants sometimes lose like 20 lbs in a week and everyone cheers then they get all upset when they "only" lose say 3 lbs. (which is a lot)

I think people at home watch that and think that's how they should lose weight

 

[theGOOCH]

um, no

I was actually agreeing with you. I think you are looking for an argument where there isn't one.

I think a lot of people see that show and think it's great to lose 9 lbs in a two weeks and they think they have failed if they lose 1 or 2 in a week which is actually ideal

 

[Greenhorn Gal]

Let me just be clear that I do not expect this sort of weight loss or feel disappointed if it doesn't happen.

My goals are for a healthy, sustainable weight loss. I had plateaued for awhile, and was simply sharing the "fall" off the the plateau. While I cannot bring myself to lie and say that I am unhappy about it, I do not have any expectations of it to continue at that rate and would, quite frankly, be alarmed if it did.

I was mostly wondering if perhaps I had backpedaled and lost muscle because I was ill. That was one of the many possibilities that ran through my mind as I considered water weight losses and many other things.

So, no, it isn't the goal--I hope it wasn't wrong for me to say here that it happened--I'm not looking to create drama or cause problems. I was just looking for some insights as to "why--could this possibly be true??".

 

[theGOOCH]

LOL, no problem. I wasn't really singling you out either. I guess I just made a mildly off topic comment and steered your thread into the ditch.

Keep workin' it!!

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

This is what annoys me about that "Biggest Loser" show. Contestants sometimes lose like 20 lbs in a week and everyone cheers then they get all upset when they "only" lose say 3 lbs.

I think people at home watch that and think that's how they should lose weight

I totally agree...that show entirely messes with people's perception of realistic weight-loss! My own (ignorant) brother once scoffed my taking 3 weeks to lose 2 pounds....he doubted my efforts by telling me how those FF's on BL lose double-digits each week, implying that I wasnt' trying hard enough or cheating on my eating. :azzangel:

Look, my brother works at NBC and he's privy to what goes on with that program. Most those people are eating 1,500 calories per day and doing about 3 hours of exercise each day (cardio & weights). They're huge and given the opportunity, their bodies are just dying to drop major poundage! Early and dramatic results are typical...but won't last.

Let me just be clear that I do not expect this sort of weight loss or feel disappointed if it doesn't happen. My goals are for a healthy, sustainable weight loss.

I was mostly wondering if perhaps I had backpedaled and lost muscle because I was ill.

I was just looking for some insights as to "why--could this possibly be true??".

Sara (Derwyddon) is right and Gooch is correct in agreeing with her. There's way too much hype about catabolism (loss of muscle). It can happen, but it takes serious deprivation/exertion and today we ring that alarm way too quickly. I had a pro-trainer once tell me that when I do weights I'm breaking-down the muscle and then by following-up immediately with cardio I was then consuming that same muscle: ABSURD!!!!

You know what this REALLY comes down to? That darn scale. Listen folks, the scale is merely an instrument that measures your total weight, IT IS BLIND TO COMPOSITION. It can't discern between fat, muscle, water or even the gold fillings in your teeth.

My own example. Towards the beginning of my program I went one month: I biked till water poured from my helmet, I swam laps, weight-trained, played racquetball and kept my calories down. After one month I felt & looked lighter & leaner. I went in, got on the scale and I had gained 2.25 pounds!!!!!!! But then my guy slapped the body-fat calipers on me, they sank much deeper then before and we found I had lost an amazing 2.8% body-fat.

It's ALL about the fat. Focus people, focus!!!

I once came in early for my appointment and swam in the indoor Olympic pool. A lap is back & forth across 25-meters. It took me a bit over 2 hours, but I swam 100 laps (a wee over 3 miles). I then went to my appointment and recorded my biggest loss of 5.25 pounds (in 3 weeks). My guy and I both knew it was a "false low"....from 2 hours swimming I was dehydrated. My body-fat still had a loss of like .7%

So that's weight down 5.25 pounds, body-fat% down .7%

Sure enough, 3 weeks later I came in w/o having swam....on the scale, I had GAINED 1.5 pounds since my last visit. Did I stress??? Nope...I knew the game. We slapped the calipers on me and sure enough, another .5% drop since the last visit.

So that's weight UP 1.5 pounds, body-fat% down .5%

Do ya see what's happening here??? That's right, your scale weight is about as critical as the number of freckles you have on your body. Look at the bigger picture, LOOK AT THE ACCURATE PICTURE!!!

Diane (GreenhornGal)....you're right. You didn't lose all that weight in pure nasty FAT. You loss some fat (GOOD FOR YOU GIRLFRIEND)...but much of your drop on the scale was likely water and a depleted glycogen supply. Typical of the losses Atkins people have. Once you start eating proper again, you'll rehydrate and replenish your glycogen. In summary, at your next weigh-in, don't be surprised if you haven't lost any numbers on the scale....but you will have lost more fat.

So long as you maintain some degree of exercise, you're telling your body not to burn that precious muscle....and so long as you eat healthy and not starve yourself....true muscle-loss is just not going to happen!

Again: at each monthly visit I've watched my weight go up and down, but each visit always brings a lower and lower body-fat reading. That's where the battle is won or lost. Learn it, accept it...live it!

 

[Chillen]

Holy crap! 9 lbs in 13 days!

When you were not sick:

What sort of diet were you on during this period? What type of deficits? Low carb approach, etc? How often did you train per week? What did you do when you were training? Exercisies, etc.

Did you keep a diary of your training? Did you keep a diary of your diet?
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Do you guys agree that it is probably muscle? I had an 11-day gym break, and have worked out 3 times, low/moderate intensity to avoid additional injury to my back, over the past 16 days. Is it possible to lose that much muscle that fast?

My goals are for a healthy, sustainable weight loss. I had plateaued for awhile, and was simply sharing the "fall" off the the plateau.

Does this period inlcude your illness....along....with your injury?

Lets examine some rather obvious facts and other notes here.

1. Your level of energy expenditure declined in contrast to recent past history.

2. A question: How was your diet during this period of illness/injury as compared to the time you were activily working out and reletively healthy? Any changes? For example: Could you hold food down? Did you over eat, etc?

From what I know at the moment, your energy in V energy out changed, and thus could have played a crucual role in your plateau. I think its rather safe to assume this was a MAJOR player along with some illness considerations. It is obvious your activity level decreased which in turn "lowered" your calorie requirments. Therefore, your diet was a MAJOR player in the illness/injury period.


Think about this: Isnt it true that the period "before" the illness/injury your progress was obviously different in contrast to the illness/injury period? During the illness/injury period some "differences" tend to favor the "negative" side of the equation and I think it logical that the results then were going to be different than the period your were not ill and/or injured. Dependent on the the aspects of the diet.

While I cannot bring myself to lie and say that I am unhappy about it, I do not have any expectations of it to continue at that rate and would, quite frankly, be alarmed if it did.

NEVER lie to yourself. I am an advocate of tracking diet and training. One major reason I am, is that the material logged can be used as tools to combat complications when they come up, and give information "toward" making appropriate adjustments.

I was mostly wondering if perhaps I had backpedaled and lost muscle because I was ill. That was one of the many possibilities that ran through my mind as I considered water weight losses and many other things.

The body adjusts to outside stimulation all the time. In addition, I think its "fairly" safe to say that when ILL (dependent on the illness type) the body isnt at its peak, and will tend to be "weakened" when its ill. Some strength can be lost dependent on the length of the illness. However, losing actual muscle can be a different situation from losing strength, IMO. They dont "necessarily" go hand in hand.

Within 16 days (with illness and injury) the body had ALOT on its table to handle. Then if you factor in less training (and the aspects of your diet), it is safe to say---the body had to make some adjustments. Muscle loss, I dont know. This can vary from person to person, and YOU may not have suffered any at all. I just say, TRUCK ON! ADAPT AND OVERCOME and the body will likewise follow your leadership.

Keep ROCKEN!


KEEP TRYING

NEVER GIVE UP



Chillen

 

[Wrangell]

I was mostly wondering if perhaps I had backpedaled and lost muscle because I was ill. That was one of the many possibilities that ran through my mind as I considered water weight losses and many other things.

I was just looking for some insights as to "why--could this possibly be true??".

I think ' muscle loss ' would be further down on the list of the possible ' likely causes ' of your perceived drop in weight IMO.

For example, you were ill and incapacitated for a time. Not knowing the exact nature of your illness, the possibility may exist that your inactivity & illness led to you being relatively dehydrated, being in a relatively higher calorie deficit due to a lack of appetite ( i.e. and thus, possibly depleting glycogen stores...which also has a strong hydration component ) etc. etc. - all of which may have been contributing factors to some degree.

And, things like whether you wore the exact same clothes, and whether you got weighted at the exact same time of day ( i.e when you had you last meal etc. ), and the accuracy of the doctor's scale on one day versus the other ( i.e was it a digital scale ? ) etc. etc. also need to be considered as possible confounding variables.

Even for people who aren't ill, I'd think one's weight could easily fluctuate 2 - 5 pounds over the course of a day under normal circumstances....with meals and water retention ( i.e due to water intake, salt intake etc. ) being big factors driving daily weight fluctuations IMO.