Weirdly fast weight loss now?

[elderwanda]

Sorry this post is so long; I just like to be thorough.  

A few weeks ago, I started reading about Jason's Fung's book, The Obesity Code.   I ordered the book and finished it a few days ago, but began experimenting with meal timing before that.   @Daves_Not_Here, I know you expressed interest in that book. 

I have about twenty years experience with trying to lose weight, by tracking my calories in and out.  I have definitely experienced the phenomenon of cutting my calories to 1300 per day and still not losing any weight, so Dr. Fung's ideas about insulin resistence were intriguing to me.   

Anyway, here's the thing.   From about June 1st to July 1st, I was on a 750 calorie deficit, according to my Fitbit.  I was losing about three-quarters of a pound per week, which is less than one would expect with that deficit, but pretty typical for me.  I was eating around 1400 calories a day and exercising constantly to burn about 2150, more or less.   I was eating my calories spread throughout the day and evening, which has always been my habit. 

Around July 1st, I started experimenting with limiting myself to three meals, with nothing after dinner.  It seems weird to call that "intermittent fasting", but I guess it's a basic version.  I have kept my calories at about 1400-1500, and cut back on the exercise so I'm only burning about 1900 per day, thus decreasing the calorie deficit.  I have not been hungry.  In fact, I'm sometimes too full from trying to fit 500 calories into a single meal.   My calorie deficit is now about 400-500 a day.  (I say "about" because I allow a bit of a range, but I track it pretty accurately.)  

One would expect that I'd be losing weight more even slowly than before, because of the smaller calorie deficit (400 vs 750).   However, that has not been the case.  Looking at my weekly averages, I lost four pounds the first week (mostly water, I assume), then two pounds the next week, then another two pounds the next.  

I'm very happy to be losing the weight, but it seems weird to be losing at this rate now.  If I hadn't just had my annual physical, with normal lab results, I would be seriously be starting to wonder if I had some hidden illness or something!   

I wonder if anyone else has experienced disconcertingly fast weight loss simply by changing their meal timing?  I don't know if this has anything to do with insulin or not.   I have never lost weight at two full pounds per week in my life, except for a few short instances of extreme diet/exercise behavior.  To lose that much while in what appears to be a modest calorie deficit seems odd.  Should I consider this a resounding success, or be concerned?  

[oh_suzanney]

You're most likely just blowing out water weight. I wouldn't worry, unless it continues. In which case, time to see your doctor again. 🙂

[Baltoscott]

It will be interesting to follow your story and see if the increased rate of weight loss continues @elderwanda.

I also went to fewer meals/day when I lost about 40 lbs in 2017.  I tried three meals/day at first, but added a late afternoon snack because dinner time sometimes wound up very late -- so since about February 2017 it has been four meals/day.  I will suggest that pattern to people who have reduced calories and complain of being hungry all the time for one of the reasons you point out -- it can almost be hard to eat all your calories in three (or even four) meals.  That means you feel full for substantial portions of the day even on a reduced calorie diet.

I don't think the eating pattern really changed my weight loss rate, but it did make it easier to count calories. Snack amounts are easy to mess up if you don't record them right away so when you shift from eating throughout the day to 3x/day, it is easier to log contemporaneously and accuracy tends to get better.  That may be part of what you are seeing.

Since you just read the Obesity Code I also wonder if you changed your macros.  Fung advocates a lower carb and somewhat lower protein diet to manipulate insulin in addition to intermittent fasting, and reducing carbs will result in water loss which will tend to be most apparent in the first few weeks after the diet change.  

[elderwanda]

I did change my macros, yes.  I was aiming for 150 grams of protein before, because of my strength training (I need all the help I can get).  It's pretty much impossible for me to get more than about 70 grams a day with food alone, so I was having whey protein shakes.   Dr. Fung said whey protein raises insulin more than just about anything else, and made the shakes sounds like such frankenfood that I was compelled to give them up (mostly.)   I have mixed feelings.   The only ingredients in mine are "Ultra-filtered whey protein and soy lecithin".  It sounds processed, yes, but not horrible.  I add a spoonful of unsweetened cocoa powder and a tablespoon of peanut butter (ingredient: peanuts).   I'm not convinced it's all that terrible, but I have mostly cut that out for now just be be on the safe side.  I have not really replaced it with other protein sources, because eating an entire chicken every day is not sustainable for me.  

I'm eating a lot more fat, about 60+% of my calories if I recall correctly.  I'm eating more veggies, which I cook in butter and/or olive oil, and having one of those "bulletproof coffees" once or twice a day.  That's coffee with a spoonful of coconut oil and/or butter.  It's actually pretty good.

Oh, and I also started "drinking apple cider vinegar".  It sounded repulsive to me at first, until I realize you're not meant to gulp it down straight, but just put a teaspoon in a cup of water.  That's actually pretty good, like squeezing a lemon into it.  I've been have a glass of vinegary water before/with most meals.  Again, I have no idea if it's doing anything healthwise or not, but it's a pleasant enough drink, so no harm. 

[Daves_Not_Here]

@elderwanda -  I find The Obesity Code persuasive and you and I are on similar paths.  Fung contends that fasting increases your metabolic rate.  If so, your calorie deficit may be higher than you think.

I believe that moderating your exercise and eliminating snacking and whey protein will tend to lower your insulin and stress levels, leading to lower hunger and inflammation.  

One thing you didn't mention -- how do you feel, in terms of energy, serenity, fatigue and soreness?

[Baltoscott]

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@elderwanda wrote:

...

Oh, and I also started "drinking apple cider vinegar".  It sounded repulsive to me at first, until I realize you're not meant to gulp it down straight, but just put a teaspoon in a cup of water.  That's actually pretty good, like squeezing a lemon into it.  ...

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That’s pretty funny.  

Regarding protein.  I’ve been adding about 30 grams of whey protein and 15 of casein or pea prolein every day for about a year now to help build muscle.  Like you, I find it hard to hit the gram/lb/day that weight lifters aim for without eating well past feeling full.  There seems to be general agreement that protein helps with weight loss by making you feel full longer.  Fung concedes that in the Obesity Code and interestingly cites a study that indicates whey protein increases satiety better than other types of protein.  That may be why I didn’t feel that hungry when I was losing weight last year.  Though I think my regular eating schedule of eating four times/day had more to do with it by training my body to expect food at certain times during the day.  

If you stay at your reduced protein levels you will probably get the greatest benefit by making sure you get some at every meal.  The Nutrition Diva has a good podcast episode on helping ensure that you actually utilize the protein you eat to support muscle building/repair.

[elderwanda]

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@Daves_Not_Here wrote:

@elderwanda -  I find The Obesity Code persuasive and you and I are on similar paths.  Fung contends that fasting increases your metabolic rate.  If so, your calorie deficit may be higher than you think.

I believe that moderating your exercise and eliminating snacking and whey protein will tend to lower your insulin and stress levels, leading to lower hunger and inflammation.  

One thing you didn't mention -- how do you feel, in terms of energy, serenity, fatigue and soreness?

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I feel great, in terms of all of those things.   I feel healthy, sleep well, etc.

I can't remember if I mentioned it (and I'm too lazy to look), but I do have decreased energy during the actual moments of lifting weights, but that's to be expected on a calorie deficit.  For instance, if you're not in a deficit, and you're struggling to get that last rep, you can work at it for several (10-15?) seconds.   While in a calorie deficit, that moment of failure comes so much sooner, because the energy just isn't there.  That's why I always think it's strange when someone says, "Try strength training as a method of weight loss."   I mean, it's great to try and keep from losing too much muscle while you're losing weight, but if you're actually trying to get stronger while losing weight, that's a recipe for failure.   

[bikerhiker]

Any fasting diet plan will always put your body into a conservation mode.  You will feel fine, but easily tired and can not do much on the weight/cardio training side.  Basically, your body knows you are on a calorie restricted diet, because it is in survival mode.  The body needs the energy to maintain life supporting, immune system functions and bowel/detoxing (liver and kidneys), so these functions need to be taken care of first, so your body will always burn calories slower when fasting.  In the initial period of fasting, you will loose water and then fat then muscles.  When you start eating again to replenish lost calories, the first thing you'll gain is fat through conversion of carbohydrates (starches from your vegetables) into sugar and then absorbed into the blood stream.  You can only gain the muscles through strength training, which is why your doctor recommends you to do strength training, because letting your body operate in conservation mode is never healthy for the long term.  This is a secret that a lot of these diet plans and doctors for money never tell you. 

For one thing, your immune system will eventually weaken and you will have liver and kidney problems.  Fasting can also result in vitamins and minerals deficiencies as well and we need a proper balanced vitamins and minerals to allow our body to function properly.

Loosing weight is good, but only if it is for health reasons.  Obesity has caused a number of alarming type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.  It also increases your chances in developing Alzheimer's disease, which is a type of dementia (short term memory loss) if you have the Apeo4 gene, so eating healthy and exercising can help lower all those risks.  The thing is, I now care a lot of people, some athletes, body builders, models etc who all have various medical and health issues.  You do not see what health effects these diet plan can cause because you may only experience them later on in your life.  Usually, it is more difficult to reverse as you develop secondary complications from these plans. 

I'm speaking from my personal experiences as well.