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What Affects Weight Loss?
Today, we bring you some information about what affects weight loss and why our scales occasionally fluctuate.
How Much Weight Will I Lose?
Weight loss can be any one of or a combination of the following: water weight, muscle weight or fat weight. While dieting, if you are just looking for the number on the scale to go down and not seeking to lose sustainable fat weight, you will be disappointed when the weight comes back quickly, because fat loss requires more time.
While following GOLO, you should expect to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. (If you are losing more than that, it is most likely water or muscle loss. So, make sure that you are following the GOLO SmartCard as closely as possible because it was designed to help you lose FAT). NOTE: Most people lose more weight during the first week or so on any diet but it will slow down to 1-2 lbs once your body gets used to the new way you are feeding it.
A Loss is a Loss, Right? So Why Should I Care if I Lose Muscle?
It’s important to lose fat and not muscle because every time you lose 1 pound of muscle, your metabolism slows down. The more muscle you lose, the quicker your weight loss will plateau. The advantage of slow and steady fat loss is that it is sustainable, which means it will last. And as you lose weight slowly and consistently, you are adopting good healthy habits that will ensure the weight stays off.
Keep in mind that you didn’t gain the weight overnight, and it’s best to take your time to lose it the right way.
What Can Make the Scale Fluctuate?
It’s important to remember that it isn’t possible for your body to gain pounds of fat overnight, or lose it for that matter! If your weight fluctuates throughout the day or week, there are many reasons that cause these fluctuations:
Water: Your body is constantly trying to maintain the right balance of water to keep you healthy. When the body maintains balance (homeostasis), then all the body’s systems can function correctly and you can maintain optimal health and well-being. Women have about 55% and men about 60% of water in their bodies. We continually lose water through our sweat, urine, breathing and bowel movements. And, other things cause our weight to fluctuate, including medications, diet, exercise, stress and temperature.
Sodium: Depending on what you eat each day, your sodium level changes. When you eat more sodium, the body has to retain more water to make sure the right balance is maintained, and when you eat less, it adjusts accordingly. Sodium is an essential mineral but often we consume too much, especially through processed foods. The average person’s daily sodium intake is over 3,000. The body needs much less than that amount to survive.
Glycogen: Glucose (blood sugar) that is not used for immediate energy is turned into glycogen and stored in your muscles, which affects the balance of water in your body.
Building muscle: When you do resistance exercises to build muscle, you are ‘breaking down’ the muscle so it can rebuild. The muscle needs water to help the cells rebuild. This means your body may hold more water, which is a good thing and it means you are positively changing your body composition.
What does all this mean?
WATER! The amount of water in your body will make the scale fluctuate. It does not mean you are not effectively losing fat, or ‘sticking to your diet’. And since your goal is not ‘water weight loss’ but ‘fat loss’ it’s okay if you do not weigh the same from day to day.
In the end, your weight on the scale is only one measurement you should consider. This number measures water, fat, muscle, bone and everything else that makes up your body. It’s important to look at all the measurements and percentages to get an overall picture of what the number on the scale really means. Other measurements of progress, besides what the scale says, include inches lost, especially in your waist and belly area, clothes fitting better and of course feeling better and having more energy. These are all signs that you are moving in the right direction.
GOLO® is committed to providing you with the helpful tips and resources needed for personal success on a lifelong journey of health and wellness. It’s time to become #YourBestYou.
Visit GOLO.com to access all the weight loss tools GOLO has to offer!
1-800-730-GOLO(4656) support@golo.com