"It jsut water weight........"

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 16, 2007

I lost 10 pounds in Vietnam . . all that sweating . . it was water loss.
But I gained it all back.
It seems like my body likes this weight . . even though I hate it. I hate the roll around my middle. Even my 6 year old said yesterday "Mommy, you are putting on weight". I said "Where?". And he said "Here, around your middle". And patted my abdomen. :o:o:o:o:o:o:o
steph

You just said it: "My body likes this weight". That's the key here. Your body is not the same as it was when you were 25, and you can't expect it to be. Midlife does that to us. Biology, in this case, IS destiny, for women tend to put on a few pounds around menopause no matter what we do to keep them away. It's not realistic to try to maintain the body of a young woman when we are no longer young. It doesn't mean giving up and eating everything in sight, or letting ourselves go completely to seed; it just means accepting our bodies as they are, and celebrating the fullness of our midlife selves. In every sense of the word.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Sep 17, 2007

I feel your pain, steph. My almost-3-yo says unfailingly if he sees me changing clothes..."Mama, you have the tummy. A big one." I remind him of how it got there about 3 1/2 yrs ago....

MS._Jen_RN, ASN, RN · Sep 17, 2007

Tweety, a gallon of water weighs 2.2 pounds. Any 'water' you lose by restricting fluid intake is at best temporary, since most cannot restrict their fluid intake long term. The fifteen pounds you need to lose, can be lost be restricting the number of calories you eat. Or if you want, severely restricting the number of grams of carbohydrates you eat each day, like to 32 gms per day. Of course once you resume eating your normal intake of calories or carbohydrates, you will regain unless you increase your level of activity. Isn't life fun?
Woody:balloons:

Not to be picky, but I think that a gallon of water weighs closer to 8 pounds.

~jen

allnurses Guide · Sep 17, 2007

Not to be picky, but I think that a gallon of water weighs closer to 8 pounds.
~jen

I just asked my dh . .. he said "7 or 7 1/2 pounds, something like that".

Wow, I never knew a gallon of milk weighed that much.

steph

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Sep 17, 2007

Thanks to those for taking the time to answer. It's still a difficult concept to grasp.
I need to lose 15 lbs........again.:angryfire So the question popped into my head.
I definately will not being doing low carb this time. I'm not a big fan of all that meat and am leaning more towards a vegetarian approach like McDougall. I like fruit and grain too much.
So I guess my water weight loss won't be as much?

When I started exercising last year, I lost 12 pounds in the first 12 days. I didn't really diet, so I think it's just common to lose a good amount in the beginning, and then slowly after that.

woody62, RN · Sep 17, 2007

I just asked my dh . .. he said "7 or 7 1/2 pounds, something like that".
Wow, I never knew a gallon of milk weighed that much.
steph

A gallon of milk does not weigh 7 or 7 1/2 pounds. If it did, I wouldn't be able to lift it. Since it is a liquid, more then likely it weighs the same as water. But I'll bring the next gallon of milk I buy, Tuesday, and I'll weigh it. :lol2:

Woody:balloons:

Grace Oz · Sep 17, 2007

you just said it: "my body likes this weight". that's the key here. your body is not the same as it was when you were 25, and you can't expect it to be. midlife does that to us. biology, in this case, is destiny, for women tend to put on a few pounds around menopause no matter what we do to keep them away. it's not realistic to try to maintain the body of a young woman when we are no longer young. it doesn't mean giving up and eating everything in sight, or letting ourselves go completely to seed; it just means accepting our bodies as they are, and celebrating the fullness of our midlife selves. in every sense of the word.

i knew i liked you so much for good reason, marla!! :lol2:

you're woman after my own heart!

woody62, RN · Sep 17, 2007

Actually according to my google search, a gallon of water, at room temperature weighs 8 1/3 pounds. But unless you are overload of fluids, such as edema, it is kind of hard to lose a gallon of water., unless you are using a diuretic. Then you need to eliminate the extra fluid because of the strain it puts on your cardiac and respiratory systems. But, of course, we all know that, don't we;)

Woody:balloons:

abundantjoy07, RN · Sep 17, 2007

Why is it that when someone loses weight or a goodly amount in their first week they invariably say "it's just water weight.....".
Is there a fluid balance shift when someone restricts their calories? I always thought the weight loss was adipose.
Anyone know?

In regards to the first statement, people say that because they know they look hotter and thus want to try to act like it's "no big deal." At least that's what I did when I started losing weight. I acted like I was a sexy mama all along! :cool:

*it's soooo past my bed time*

EmmaG, RN · Sep 17, 2007

I just asked my dh . .. he said "7 or 7 1/2 pounds, something like that".
Wow, I never knew a gallon of milk weighed that much.
steph

Think metric... 1 liter = 1 Kg = ~ 2.2 lbs.

nightmare, RN · Sep 17, 2007

I really hate it when people say "oh most of it is water!" I have just lost 24 lbs and am proud of the fact and I don't think it is all water! It has been a lot of hard work and exercise and I intend to keep going and bring this diabetes under control.

woody62, RN · Sep 17, 2007

Think metric... 1 liter = 1 Kg = ~ 2.2 lbs.

But one gallon doesn't equal one liter. It is more like three liters equal one gallon. Or something like taht. I haven't bought gas in Canada in four years and I have forgotten just what a gallon is equal to in the number of liters. And they sell their gas by the liter. :lol2:

Woody:balloons: