Useful & Interesting tip from my LLC!

hannahwil2002

Full Member
Hi all,

Was discussing weight gain when starting on RTM and she said statistics show that you will generally put on the same amount of weight that you lost in your first week when going back onto foods.

I thought this was very useful in helping to know which weight goal to reach in Foundation. Knowing roughly how much I'm likely to put on will help me refocus on a lesser goal weight, knowing that if I were to put on the weight from my first week losses, that I'd still be in a healthy range.

Having lost a large 9lbs in my first week, if I were to aim for a lighter goal weight, the 9lbs that statiscially I'm likely to put back on shouldn't effect my ideal weight in the long run.

Hope that makes any senses (lol!!), and helps anyone!

Hx
 
Really? I lost a massive 15lbs in my first week so there is a possibility I could put all of that back on? Are you serious?
 
That does sound like a large amount of weight to put back on in only 1 week, but maybe that includes water too?

Will be interesting to see what peeps that have been on Rtm actually put on.

Louale x
 
From reading a little in the RTM section I thought you could expect to be there or therabouts the same if you stick to it. Maybe + or - a few.

But, I don't know.
 
Potentially, yes. :( It'll happen over time though, not all in one go. Her explaination being that all the energy type foods and protein that you'll be eating will be absorbed straight into your muscles and liver as they had been deprived of food.

I pretty much understand it though. All the weight loss in our first weeks would mostly be from the lack of the heavy foods we were previously eating and the sudden drop to liquid only and muscle loss rather than actual fat loss. Especially as we wouldn't have been in ketosis until perhaps day 4.

Hx
 
From reading a little in the RTM section I thought you could expect to be there or therabouts the same if you stick to it. Maybe + or - a few.

But, I don't know.


I'm sure it's possible to still regulate it a little, but our bodies will all want that extra we'd then be eating! lol

Hx
 
I believe that of what you lose in week 1, is water and glycin stores, etc. You will lose some fat but the majority of it isn't fat.

So if you get to the end and put a similar amount on, as the body replenishes it's glycin stores, etc, then you're also not putting on a lot of fat. I lose 12.5lbs in week1. If I put that on after RTM, and it's not fat, then I won't *look* fat either. So I'm not worried about it.

It does mean though that I will be considering losing more than I would have.
 
How can the body want extra and it doesn't need that extra any more? Plus LL is a ketogenic diet so you also burn fat in your first week. I know you will gain a few pounds because your glycogen stores will be replenished but it can't be that much. Plus if you go through maintenance then you gradually introduce food so your body adjusts to the regime? I also know you gain back some water, I think 1 litre of water is 1kg which is about 2.2lbs so that is expected.

Plus you say that we lose muscle, well you can't gain in terms of muscle unless you exercise as we can't generate new muscle. So if you exercise and build muscle i.e. increase the muscle size not generate new cells then yes you can gain muscle.

This has boggled me, will have to do some research into it. I was in ketosis by the end of my 2nd day so that's 5 days of ketosis.
 
I believe that of what you lose in week 1, is water and glycin stores, etc. You will lose some fat but the majority of it isn't fat.

So if you get to the end and put a similar amount on, as the body replenishes it's glycin stores, etc, then you're also not putting on a lot of fat. I lose 12.5lbs in week1. If I put that on after RTM, and it's not fat, then I won't *look* fat either. So I'm not worried about it.

It does mean though that I will be considering losing more than I would have.

This is true! So although my current BMI is 24.6 (a healthy weight), if I were to put back on the 'weight', not necessarily fat, I would then be back in the over-weight range.

Hx
 
Hannah said:
All the weight loss in our first weeks would mostly be from the lack of the heavy foods we were previously eating and the sudden drop to liquid only and muscle loss rather than actual fat loss

You don't lose muscle while on a medically-guided VLCD so long as you do it properly, if you did then it would be dangerous to do.

your first week loss is a combination of glycogen, the weight of the solid food being digested in your stomach, and a small amount of fat loss from the early stages of Keto.

So, it is highly likely that once you start eating again, yes, the weight of the glycogen stores and the physicaly food in your stomach will make you gain back most of the apparant loss of week 1.

But as Andy rightly said, it's not fat weight, so you shouldn't worry too much about it.

Yes, it's a good idea to lose a bit under your goal weight to compensate for the (almost) inevitable glyco-food weight.

It also helps to have a healthy weight range to aim for rather than a set weight target to try and stick at (i.e. between 12 and 12.7 stone rather than trying to be exactly 12.3stone all the time, which would be impossible anyway as weight changes throughout the day every day)
 
How can the body want extra and it doesn't need that extra any more? Plus LL is a ketogenic diet so you also burn fat in your first week. I know you will gain a few pounds because your glycogen stores will be replenished but it can't be that much. Plus if you go through maintenance then you gradually introduce food so your body adjusts to the regime? I also know you gain back some water, I think 1 litre of water is 1kg which is about 2.2lbs so that is expected.

Plus you say that we lose muscle, well you can't gain in terms of muscle unless you exercise as we can't generate new muscle. So if you exercise and build muscle i.e. increase the muscle size not generate new cells then yes you can gain muscle.

This has boggled me, will have to do some research into it.

It's not 'extra' as such. Sorry if I confused you :) but our bodies are currently going without things at the moment which we do actually need. Hence, for example, we're all told to try not to exercise too much as your bodies couldn't handle it and we'd get tired quicker.

When people don't exercise they can look slimmer (my Dad a prime example after he had surgery and was bed-bound for a few months). This is due to muscle loss.

Hx
 
You don't lose muscle while on a medically-guided VLCD so long as you do it properly, if you did then it would be dangerous to do.

Hi Pete,

I'm not sure this is really true. Before being over-weight I was a regular gym goer and even at my heaviest always had a firm body from still doing regular exercise. Since losing 2 stone on LL my body has never been 'saggier'! I've always had a firm butt (lol!!), but now have a much squidgier (sp?)one and no longer see definition on my thighs!

Hx
 
Hannah said:
It's not 'extra' as such. Sorry if I confused you :) but our bodies are currently going without things at the moment which we do actually need. Hence, for example, we're all told to try not to exercise too much as your bodies couldn't handle it and we'd get tired quicker.

When people don't exercise they can look slimmer (my Dad a prime example after he had surgery and was bed-bound for a few months). This is due to muscle loss.

While I mostly agree with what you've said, it is a slight falsification of the facts to say we are going without things we need.

On a daily basis, we have everything we need between the packs and our own fat stores. If you had an unlimited supply of fat, you could do LL forever, it is only the lack of bodyfat at the end which means we have to go back to eating regular food.

Also, yes, bed-ridden people will 'waste' and lose muslce, but just to reassure anyone who is reading this and is worried by is, let me say again;

while on a VLCD like LL of CD, you DO.NOT.LOSE.MUSCLE.

your body will not turn to it's muscle stores for energy while it has fat - it will only burn muscle instead of fat in "starvation" mode, which CAN'T happen on a VLCD so long as you have all your packs and water.


Not knocking what you're saying Hannah, just trying to keep things clear for those who are new, don't want people getting worried or put off of a VLCD :)
 
I understand the concept of gaining back glycogen and water and I was prepared for that. I just don't understand what muscle has to do with it.

I have to correct you though, you Dad hasn't loss muscle. He is in a state of atrophy. He isn't using his muscle due to being bed ridden so the muscle cells decrease in cell size. It's the same thing with Arnold Schwarznegger, he used to body build alot and he doesn't anymore and now his body looks saggy and more fragile.
 
hannah said:
Since losing 2 stone on LL my body has never been 'saggier'! I've always had a firm butt (lol!!), but now have a much squidgier (sp?)one and no longer see definition on my thighs!

I'm sure others have said similar (I think anna has mentioned "suidgy" butt syndrome a couple of times!) I would be inclined to think that the 'firmness' comes from fats around the muscle.

I can only go by what I know, but I know that although my Dad is 17stone and has a "beer-belly", his stomach feels solid, it's always puzzled me how my belly was wobbly and his wasn't, but the fact remains that he has "solid fat" on his stomach. Strange but true.
 
Hi Pete,

I'm not sure this is really true. Before being over-weight I was a regular gym goer and even at my heaviest always had a firm body from still doing regular exercise. Since losing 2 stone on LL my body has never been 'saggier'! I've always had a firm butt (lol!!), but now have a much squidgier (sp?)one and no longer see definition on my thighs!

Hx

Oh you haven't lost muscle, you are just not exercising as much as you were so the muscle loses it's definition. That's all. When you get back to exercising muscle tone will return.
 
Bijoux, that's very true.


Think of muscle cells like a balloon - when you inflate it, it firms out and looks bigger. When you stop inflating it and start letting air out, it gets smaller and less firm.

Same for muscle, while you are exercising the cells are firm and strong, when you stop exercising the cells losing their firmness and some strength, hence loss of definition too.
 
While I mostly agree with what you've said, it is a slight falsification of the facts to say we are going without things we need.

On a daily basis, we have everything we need between the packs and our own fat stores. If you had an unlimited supply of fat, you could do LL forever, it is only the lack of bodyfat at the end which means we have to go back to eating regular food.

Also, yes, bed-ridden people will 'waste' and lose muslce, but just to reassure anyone who is reading this and is worried by is, let me say again;

while on a VLCD like LL of CD, you DO.NOT.LOSE.MUSCLE.

your body will not turn to it's muscle stores for energy while it has fat - it will only burn muscle instead of fat in "starvation" mode, which CAN'T happen on a VLCD so long as you have all your packs and water.


Not knocking what you're saying Hannah, just trying to keep things clear for those who are new, don't want people getting worried or put off of a VLCD :)

Quote from an exercise website:

Losing muscle has more to do with inadequate diet than with excessive aerobics. If you suspect you are losing muscle there are four likely causes:
1. You are not eating enough protein. Protein is the only nutrient that is actually used to build muscle. To stay anabolic you must eat five to six protein containing meals. Each meal should be spaced out approximately three hours apart. Research has proven that if you are physically active, you need a minimum of .8 grams to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.
2. Your carbohydrates are too low. Low carb diets are often used for fat loss, but it is a mistake to cut your carbs too drastically. Carbohydrates are protein-sparing, so even if you are eating large amounts of protein, you can still lose muscle if you your carbs are too low.
3. You are not eating enough calories to support muscle growth. This is the most common cause of muscle loss. When your calories are too low, your body goes into "starvation mode." Your metabolism slows down and your body actually burns muscle tissue to conserve energy. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, requiring a great deal of caloric energy just to maintain it. That's why your body will shed muscle if it thinks you are starving.
4. You are not training with weights. It is a common misconception that if you want to lose weight, you should start with cardio only and add the weights later - another big mistake! It is the weight training that keeps you from losing muscle while you are dieting.
 
The packs supply you with all the protein you need to prevent muscle damage and they also provide you with sufficient carbs to ensure you can generate energy but still maintain a mild state of ketosis. That's why it is dangerous trying your own type of VLCD. Am not sayin that that site is wrong, it is right. You get all your protein and nutrients on VLCDs like LL so if you have all the packs you are required to have you shouldn't lose muscle.
 
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