explanation of weight loss stalls
I just got this off another list. It really made sense to me. It
explains why after sudden weight loss many people will stall. Here
goes:
**Common patterns of weight loss From tracking a *lot* of people who
become assimilated into the lowcarb lifestyle (hehe…resistance is
futile!) 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 antidiuretic 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)
Take-home message: Even when the scale is in a stall, fat loss can be
occurring. Don’t use the scale as an excuse to undermine your
progress!** (Take measurements, you may be losing inches and not
pounds too.)
Hopefully some will find this useful!