Last Updated on October 3, 2024 by Michael Brockbank
So, I managed to drop five pounds over the span of two days. And while that might sound pretty amazing, it’s actually a bit of a false-positive from the scale. Yes, I’m lighter today than I was Monday, but there are a few distinct reasons why.
No, it wasn’t thanks to some fad diet plan or fasting. In fact, I really didn’t do much outside of my normal routine.
How Did I Lose 5 Pounds in 2 Days?
Starting Monday, I decided that I truly want to lose as much as possible before the end of the year. This also meant finishing a few case studies I’m working on for various physical activities.
To be honest, I am not surprised that I was able to drop five pounds rather quickly.
Digesting Food from the Weekend
I made quite the pig out of myself over the weekend. It was so bad, in fact, that I had rotten egg burps. This is a common indicator of overeating.
So, from the sheer volume of food, I weighed in at over 245 pounds the next day. This didn’t mean that I gained five pounds of fat over the weekend. It just meant that I still had a lot of digestion to do to decrease the volume.
Regardless of what diet plan you choose to follow, the first few days you start, there is a good chance you’ll drop a lot of weight. This is because you’re giving your body a chance to digest the junk from before the diet.
If you binge as a kind of “last meal” before tackling your diet plan and exercise routines, of course you’re going to drop weight quickly. At least for about two or three days.
In my case, it was a ton of Taco Bell, Cane’s, and a slew of other goodies. Not to mention a bit of damage done from eating ranch dressing that was seven months past its prime.
I really need to clean out the fridge.
As the human body takes between 24 and 72 hours to fully digest food, a large portion of that weight loss was literally flushed down the toilet.
Focused on Burning More than I Consume
The case studies I am doing on myself rely on burning roughly twice as many calories as I’m eating. This is forcing my body to use fat stores for energy, which is the basis for most diets out there.
Between increasing my physical activity and digesting food, I was able to drop the five pounds with relative ease.
To put this into perspective, I burned an average of 3,220 calories per day thanks to playing for at least 20+ minutes of the Xbox Kinect. I only ate 1,589 calories on average each day.
For my unique physiology, this all but guarantees I’ll lose close to half a pound per day in fat. I know this because I’m a geek with a spreadsheet and have done numerous test studies on myself.
What can I say? I love numbers.
So, by combining exercise with digestion, it’s easy to see how you can drop weight rather quickly for the first couple of days of your diet.
Keeping the Carb Intake Below 200 grams
Thanks to my spreadsheet, I often see a pattern of losing greater amounts of weight if I keep the carb intake below 200g. For most, this is simple enough. I often aim for around the 100g mark, but sometimes that’s not realistic.
Well, at least for me.
I love sugary goodness, especially during the holidays. But I’ll still lose weight because I keep myself active enough to burn off that sugar. At least that’s the general idea and how I’ve been able to do it in the past.
Besides, a lot of diets out there nowadays focus on a low-carb intake. I’m just not as strict with my diet as something like Keto. My diet plan centers around increasing physical activity.
In any case, keeping the carbs low is part of what forces the body to use those fat stores. It’s all about using that fat as energy for the muscles. The more active you are, the more energy you’ll need to stay conscious and moving.
How Much Can I Lose in a Week?
Aside from digestion, I can lose anywhere from 3.5 to 5 pounds per week by eating fewer calories and remaining physically active. Mostly, this comes down to the overall quality of food I eat on any given day.
This is also dependent on whether I can maintain my level of commitment for longer than a few days at a time. Though, I am feeling pretty good about things lately.
As it currently stands, I will lose about seven pounds throughout this first week. Then, it should drop down to the average I just mentioned.
However, since I am focusing on a lower carb intake, I’m curious to see how much of a difference it’ll make over the long term. I doubt I’ll hit my goal weight by the end of the year, but I wonder where I’ll be by January 1st.
See, this is why I love monitoring my progress on a spreadsheet. You can discover all kinds of things about yourself.
According to the CDC, a good average weight loss for people sits at around two pounds per week. So, to have a better chance at a healthy weight loss while keeping it off is all about the long game.
Sure, there are diets out there that will help you drop weight rapidly within a week. But are they diets and routines that you can see yourself continuing for the next decade?
Losing weight and keeping it off is mostly about changing your habits and lifestyle. If you don’t learn anything through the process of losing weight, you’re more likely to it all back afterward.
The Scale Can Be Misleading
The most important thing to keep in mind is that the scale can be misleading. Sure, it says I’ve lost five pounds over the last two days, but it’s not taking into consideration anything I mentioned above.
There are a lot of things that can cause your weight to fluctuate.
Does this mean that I can lose 2.5 pounds per day for the rest of the year? Nope. While it would be nice, it’s not realistic while keeping myself prime and healthy.
Although I still use the scale in a lot of data, I also consider other elements that demonstrate actually losing fat. For instance, how clothes fit is a key indicator that your mass has decreased.
Even if the scale says you’re the same weight, keep in mind that the volume of muscle weighs more than the volume of fat. Muscle is much denser than fat, like comparing lead to aluminum.
This is when you pay attention to how clothes fit. If you’re able to slip into something you haven’t worn in years due to your size, you’ve eliminated some of your mass. In this instance, it’s more than likely fat loss.
Taking before and after photos of yourself is also a good method of viewing your progress. Though, you’re probably not going to notice a five to 10-pound loss. It all depends on where you carry your fat.
Still, monthly comparison photos can do wonders to boost your esteem if you’re on the right track and are actively working on dropping the pounds.
Keeping On Track to Finish the Year Strong
As of this post, I’m on track to be at 230.3 pounds by January 1st. This is still six pounds lighter than I was at the beginning of 2022. So, as long as I can maintain myself, I’m going to call it a win.
Nonetheless, I am doing a few things these next few weeks that might drop the weight even further. I’m quite curious to see what I can do for myself before the end of the year.
Any takers on whether I can get into the 220s?