Active Low-Carber Forums
Atkins diet and low carb discussion provided free for information only, not as medical advice.
Home Plans Tips Recipes Tools Stories Studies Products
Active Low-Carber Forums
A sugar-free zone


Welcome to the Active Low-Carber Forums.
Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, Neanderthin (Paleo Diet), CAD/CALP, Dr. Bernstein Diabetes Solution and any other healthy low-carb diet or plan, all are welcome in our lowcarb community. Forget starvation and fad diets -- join the healthy eating crowd! You may register by clicking here, it's free!

Go Back   Active Low-Carber Forums > Main Low-Carb Diets Forums & Support > Best Of
User Name
Password
FAQ Members Calendar Mark Forums Read Search Gallery My P.L.A.N. Survey


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   ^
Old Sun, Feb-24-08, 10:48
cricket56's Avatar
cricket56 cricket56 is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 6,654
 
Plan: my own low carb
Stats: 100/100/100 Male 50.0 inches
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default Why The SCALE CAN LIE

I thought this might be of help to anyone like me who wanted to toss the scale out the window!


WHY THE SCALES CAN LIE

by Renee Cloe,
ACE Certified Personal Trainer

A biologist at Berkeley shared something very revealing on the low-carb BBS system about 4 years ago that helps us all through the erratic weight fluctuations you invariably encounter: Fat cells are resilient, stubborn little creatures that do not want to give up their actual cell volume. Over a period of weeks, maybe months of "proper dieting", each of your fat cells may have actually lost a good percentage of the actual fat contained in those cells. But the fat cells themselves, stubborn little guys, replace that lost fat with water to retain their size. That is, instead of shrinking to match the reduced amount of fat in the cell, they stay the same size! Result - you weigh the same, look the same, maybe even gained some scale weight, even though you have actually lost some serious fat.

The good news is that this water replacement is temporary. It's a defensive measure to keep your body from changing too rapidly. It allows the fat cell to counter the rapid change in cell composition, allowing for a slow, gradual reduction in cell size. The problem is, most people are frustrated with their apparent lack of success, assume they have lost nothing, and stop dieting.

However, if you give those fat cells some time, like 4-6 months, and ignore the scale weight fluctuations, your real weight/shape will slowly begin to show. The moral of the story - be patient! Your body is changing even if the number on the scale isn't.

PATTERNS OF WEIGHT LOSS

Common patterns of weight loss from tracking a lot of people who become assimilated into the low carb lifestyle, a pattern emerges.... the 2 week induction is pretty heady...weight lost just about every single day, enormous and unbelievable amounts of weight loss are reported. This is often followed by complaints that weight loss "stalls" or that the rate drops to only 1 pound per week.

Many people just don't know that fat-loss ...the actual goal when on a weight-reduction" diet, is rate-limited. In other words, the human body has factors that prevent more than a certain amount of fatty-acid release from storage...and even more factors that prevent those released fatty acids from being used up instead of stored back into the fat cells.

A priority of the human body is survival. Anything that threatens its survival results in the cascade of events to maintain the previous status quo. Water fluctuations are one way the body does this. OK...so you done good on Atkins' during induction...lost 10 pounds the first 2 weeks. Maybe 7 the first week and 3 the second. But, whoa! Weeks 3 and 4 there is NO loss! And weeks 5 and 6 is only 1/2 pound each!

So... what gives? Initially, the body jettisons the water attached to the glycogen stores that we diligently deplete to get into ketosis...this accounts for about 3-5 pounds of water. In addition, muscle stores of glycogen are not being replaced when used...which will account for the rest. All in all...MAYBE 1/2 pound of fat was metabolized during the first week... and MAYBE 1/2 pound of fat was metabolized the 2nd week. Of that 10 initial pounds, only 1 pound was fat and 9 pounds water...

The body senses this lack and sirens start shrieking: Warning! Warning! Losing water... new thing...got to get back to the status quo! Brain tells body to produce and release that vasopressin anti-diuretic hormone....more water is retained, and no weight loss noticed. Fat loss is still occurring, MAYBE even 2 pounds per week, because ketosis is firmly established and appetite suppression is in effect...but water retention is hiding that continuing fat loss. The body is preventing dehydration with this mechanism, and that's a *good* thing.

From the perspective of the scale, it can be discouraging. Which is why the mantra: Water retention masks fat loss (repeated frequently to oneself) is helpful. Water retention will mask ongoing fat-loss for as long as the body retains the water. We can combat this by drinking more water...but we aren't going to totally overcome this mechanism during the initial water-loss phase of the Atkins diet. By weeks 5 and 6, things start to get back in balance, and the scale will begin to reflect the true fat-loss...which, as mentioned before is rate-limited.

Individuals vary, but max weight loss runs about 2 pounds per week...under extremely optimal conditions... or 1% of body weight (whichever is the lower number). So don't use the scale as an excuse to undermine your progress. Even when the scale is in a stall, fat loss can be occurring.

----------------

We've been told over an over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can't resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can't bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence it's readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale.

Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body's water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don't understand what's happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto it's water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water.

Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium. Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it's easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn't have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts.

The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That's why, when it comes to eating, it's wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains. Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners.

Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum.

Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it's packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it's stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates.

As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it's associated water. It's normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you're prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.

Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it's wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you've had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It's the actual weight of everything you've had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you've finished digesting it.

Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it's not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, it's likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in.

Generally, it's only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it's physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you're really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle.

This brings us to the scale's sneakiest attribute. It doesn't just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn't necessarily mean that you've lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you've lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you're just sitting around. That's one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.

Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn't differentiate between the two. It can't tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat.

There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current.

If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn't appeal to you, don't worry. The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don't be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride.

It's a matter of mind over scale.



http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspar...eight/scale.htm

Last edited by Kristine : Sun, Feb-24-08 at 16:57. Reason: fixing formatting
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2   ^
Old Sun, Feb-24-08, 12:05
Ptrcmcc6's Avatar
Ptrcmcc6 Ptrcmcc6 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,570
 
Plan: Eating healthier
Stats: 185/178/150 Female 5 feet 3 inches
BF:
Progress: 20%
Location: Jersey Shore
Default

Very interesting reading. Although I'm a scale-a-holic I tend to really not let the numbers bother me anymore. Of course, I'm excited when I see the numbers go down but I've learned to accept the fact I am eating healthier and as long as I continue to eat this way.....the numbers will eventually go down. No matter how slowly it takes........ .
Reply With Quote
  #3   ^
Old Sun, Feb-24-08, 14:54
amandawald amandawald is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,737
 
Plan: Ray Peat (not low-carb)
Stats: 00/00/00 Female 164cm
BF:
Progress: 51%
Location: Brit in Europe
Default thanks for this interesting info

I shall approach my scales with a totally new outlook tomorrow morning!
amanda wood
Reply With Quote
  #4   ^
Old Thu, Feb-28-08, 20:54
cricket56's Avatar
cricket56 cricket56 is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 6,654
 
Plan: my own low carb
Stats: 100/100/100 Male 50.0 inches
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default

I wish more would take the time to read this. It would explain so much to so many.
Reply With Quote
  #5   ^
Old Fri, Feb-29-08, 06:12
Ptrcmcc6's Avatar
Ptrcmcc6 Ptrcmcc6 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,570
 
Plan: Eating healthier
Stats: 185/178/150 Female 5 feet 3 inches
BF:
Progress: 20%
Location: Jersey Shore
Default

I did read this last week and left a post saying it was very interesting reading but..... my post is gone now.

Patty
Reply With Quote
  #6   ^
Old Fri, Feb-29-08, 06:30
ellenalesa's Avatar
ellenalesa ellenalesa is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 196
 
Plan: Modified Atkins
Stats: 194/192.5/184 Female 5'3"
BF:
Progress: 15%
Default Thanks!

I've been doing Induction since 2/18 and have lost 4.5 pounds. I was hoping for much more. I started weight training on the 25th (3 x a week) and am adding cardio.

I need to focus on non-scale victories (NSVs). For instance, I have so much more energy now!

Still hoping the scale moves soon....
Reply With Quote
  #7   ^
Old Fri, Feb-29-08, 07:14
camaromom's Avatar
camaromom camaromom is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 5,280
 
Plan: Atkins/lowering cals
Stats: 187/143.6/135 Female 64
BF:35.2/ 20%/20%
Progress: 83%
Location: Lafayette, IN
Default

I think this should be mandatory reading for everyone starting induction.
Reply With Quote
  #8   ^
Old Fri, Feb-29-08, 07:56
vavcon's Avatar
vavcon vavcon is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,079
 
Plan: LC, HF, PP
Stats: 214/188.2/140 Female 5 feet, 6 inches
BF:
Progress: 35%
Location: NE OH
Default

I agree! I have a weekly "bounce up" every darned week like clockwork. I am a daily weigher, because it helps me with accountability. I have a weekly goal of 2 pounds (a little under 1%) that is totally arbitrary - I don't think I can do anything more than eat clean and avoid alcohol to hasten my weight loss. That's what worries me, when people depend on the scale and then tweak like crazy when they don't need to. When I think I'm losing too slowly, I look at a few success stories, just the before and after pictures. If it takes me a year to be an "after," so what???? I can either be at 200+ or 140 at that time next year - I'd prefer the latter!!! Even days like today when I get an uptick, I just say to myself, "218 or 206, which would you prefer?" That helps my mental attitude a LOT.
Chris
Reply With Quote
  #9   ^
Old Fri, Feb-29-08, 08:03
cricket56's Avatar
cricket56 cricket56 is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 6,654
 
Plan: my own low carb
Stats: 100/100/100 Male 50.0 inches
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default

Hi everyone! So happy to see the posts here. I know the article is long but it is soooo helpful
When I get to stalls, I will read it agin and again
Hope you all have rainbow filled days
Reply With Quote
  #10   ^
Old Fri, Feb-29-08, 08:15
LAwoman75's Avatar
LAwoman75 LAwoman75 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,741
 
Plan: Whole food, semi low carb
Stats: 165/165/140 Female 5'6"
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Ozark Mt's
Default

This is a great read. For myself, I have been rather frustrated because my weight has been sticking between 159-162 for the past month without cheats. I feel much better now about this and know that eventually, it will start moving downward.
Reply With Quote
  #11   ^
Old Fri, Feb-29-08, 08:37
Tanyaskees's Avatar
Tanyaskees Tanyaskees is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,374
 
Plan: General low carb
Stats: 185/173/150 Female 5'5"
BF:
Progress: 34%
Location: Memphis, TN.
Default

Excellent read...thanks for sharing.

Tanya
Reply With Quote
  #12   ^
Old Fri, Feb-29-08, 10:32
Sandollar's Avatar
Sandollar Sandollar is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,506
 
Plan: LC w/o "counting" carbs.
Stats: 320/259/185 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: 45%
Location: Vancouver Island
Default

I've been at a stall for so long...but I've never been out of ketosis or eaten a "forbidden" food...This morning I was about to burst into tears and reading this just made me feel marginally better....Thanks!
Reply With Quote
  #13   ^
Old Fri, Feb-29-08, 13:37
PghLady74's Avatar
PghLady74 PghLady74 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 683
 
Plan: GEN. LC
Stats: 224.4/214.6/190 Female 64
BF:
Progress: 28%
Location: HOME OF THE STEELERS!!!!
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ptrcmcc6
I did read this last week and left a post saying it was very interesting reading but..... my post is gone now.

Patty


Thats because there is a duplicate thread that was started for some reason.(wonderful computers) Your comment is still there just on the other thread.
Reply With Quote
  #14   ^
Old Sun, Mar-02-08, 14:32
Born2run's Avatar
Born2run Born2run is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 236
 
Plan: Control Carb-own program
Stats: 188/163/125 Female 5ft  3.5 inches
BF:?
Progress: 40%
Location: Port Orchard Washington
Default

I cannot handle weighing myself because that puts me in the dieters mindset and I start obsessing about what I can and can't eat and I am a person to avoid. Lately I have just went by how my clothes fit. Judy
Reply With Quote
  #15   ^
Old Sun, Mar-02-08, 22:35
Ptrcmcc6's Avatar
Ptrcmcc6 Ptrcmcc6 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,570
 
Plan: Eating healthier
Stats: 185/178/150 Female 5 feet 3 inches
BF:
Progress: 20%
Location: Jersey Shore
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PghLady74
Thats because there is a duplicate thread that was started for some reason.(wonderful computers) Your comment is still there just on the other thread.


Thanx, Shari.... . I thought I was going cuck-oo.... .
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 00:07.


Copyright © 2000-2024 Active Low-Carber Forums @ forum.lowcarber.org
Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.