Riddle me this: losing inches without pounds?

This is my "I'm being neurotic" post. I am in a slugfest this month, having lost only 4 lbs in the past two weeks. Daily, calories have ranged in the 500-700 range, carbs in the 30-40 range, protein easily meeting the doc's goal of 60. I am active each day, with longer, more focused exercising (now walking on hills) a couple of times each week. Water intake has been good for me, and at or above doc's goal of 48 oz/day.

For awhile, I was losing inches despite not making progress on the scale. Now that's stopped too. To say I'm despondent and really disheartened about this is an understatement. I am now officially in the category of worrying "what if I am the one for whom this surgery doesn't work?" I am praying praying praying that Month 3 is better, my body figures this out, and I get back to business of working toward my goal of 150. At this rate, I will be the world's skinniest 220 lb person. UGH!!! That sound is me, banging my head on my desk.

But I digress...

I have spent the past few nights looking for a scientifically supported explanation of how I could lose inches but not weight. People are quick to say "it's because you're building muscle" but I really don't think I am. I haven't been hitting weight training at the gym. Nor have I been doing heavy cardio. I can accept that I have been burning fat and this allows me to still sleep at night, but wouldn't there be a weight change at some point?

If someone can help reason me through how losing inches does not reflect on the scale, I'd appreciate it. It would seem that fat disappears almost like air - certainly it weighs SOMETHING since the scale says 220. But why, as it disappears, does nothing change?

Thanks,
Laurie

lost inches without pounds = water retention

48oz is not even close to being enough, you need to be 80+oz. More like 100, especially if you are exercising. You are retaining water and water is very heavy. If you up your water intake to 80-100, over the next couple of days you will see the scale drop significantly.

I will try...but how? This is probably the post-wls rule I struggle with most. What are others doing to get THAT MUCH water in each day? I seriously could use some tips here.

And, why does inch loss = water retention? What is the biologic process in which that happens?

And, I just realized I had a math error. I am regularly getting 64+ oz in, but not as high as 80. Still, the request for tips on how to get more in still applies!

So what I did early out was take 4 16 oz bottles of water to work with me and I had to finish them before I left work. That's 64oz, the bare minimum we are supposed to have, everything else the rest of your day gets you that much closer to 80-100 oz. Now I work from home and I have a 24oz tumbler that I fill with ice and water and I sip on them all day long as soon as it is empty I fill it.

Why does lost inches = water retention, the inches lost were fat, but the scale didn't move, you lost something, the fat but your weight did not change which means something is taking the place (weight wise) of the lost inches. Water is heavy and it shows up easily on the scale with very little in you. One gallon of water (128oz) weights about 8 pounds. So retaining a quart of water can be almost 2 lbs on the scale. 

When you get adequate water supplied via diet your body does not feel the need to store water for other times, so it is important not only to hit those big numbers but to spread it out over you day right up through bed time.

There are other things I do for water intake too, iced tea, Mio (water flavoring), crystal light, etc. Anything sugar free that you enjoy drinking. Now that being said 80-90% of what I drink is water. Pure water is the most important because it flushes your liver (where the fat comes out) and kidneys and even at your cells. I could go further and suggest distilled water because it supposedly flushes at the cellular level much more effectively. I drink spring water because it has more minerals than tap or drinking water.

Welcome to the stall zone!  Your body is just adjusting - replacing stuff, shifting stuff.  While you aren't losing pounds at the moment, you are losing inches - so you are moving in the right direction.  Once your body is done its adjustments, the scale will reward you with a nice loss!  So just take a deep breath and enjoy losing inches while you wait for the scale to get a move on again!  (We've all done this - it is normal!!!)

Thanks! Please throw me a crumb of hope and tell me it will not be THIS much of a battle for the rest of the way to goal...??? Please?

Just expect a stair step experience.  Loss - pause, loss, pause.  It's ok - your body is still losing and it is a healthy part of the weight loss process!  If you are losing inches - you are losing (you can see it via a scientific tool - right!)  It just isn't on the one tool that we are all so focused on.  But that tool will drop again - just stay on course and you will be losing again!

Weight loss - it's not for the feint of heart! 

I will second what Keith said - get more water.  64 ounces is a minimum, and just a general one at that.  The formula for proper hydration is 1/2 your weight in lbs in ounces of water.    

Water is what fuels all of the weight loss engines in your body.  Your liver needs water to breakdown fat, to flu**** out, etc.  Proper hydration will als help insure tat the byproduct will wash out of your gall bladder.

 

if you are properly hydrated, this is likely just a stall.  Hydration will help you break a stall as well.  As far as getting the water in, you just have to do it.  Always have a bottle handy, always sip.

 

 

Great info. I had no idea that would lead to a stall. I am not getting my water in. It is hard esp since no drinking 30 mins before and after neals. I will beef up my intake and see if that helps.