Why your body wants a break from WL

[Yam-Yam]

I posted this on Kimberly's "I'm Stuck" thread but thought I'd copy it and paste it in here in case there might be someone tempted to give up the fight because of a weight loss stall or break:

I was just reading about the body's rebellious "Weight Rebound Reaction." And, it's very interesting.

"When a body has lost a good number of pounds through effective dieting, several reactions conspire to put the weight back on." (or to stop losing for a while).

Here are 3:

1. Increase in appetite: "triggering hunger pangs to encourage you to eat more."

2. Reduction in energy consumption: "...if you earn less money, you spend less money. Biological organisms react in a similar way. This is why many people complain about feeling cold during weight loss diets; your body is using less energy to keep you warm." Tiredness can be another way of your body reducing energy consumption because if you move less, you burn less calories and fat.

3. Maximum extraction of calories consumned: "Finally, the body's third reaction is the most efficient and the most dangerous one, whether you are trying to lose weight or are stabilizing, as it consists in assimilating the calories from your food more efficiently. An individual who ordinarily extracts 100 calories from a slice of bread might end up assimilating 120 to 130 calories from the same size slice after dieting. Each morsel is sifted through, and everything possible is absorbed. This increase in calorie extraction takes place in the small intestine."

Interesting stuff, huh?? And this is all because of our body's biological proclivity to store fat in case of a coming famine. IF helps thwart this with the re-feed on UDs. However, our stubborn bodies will try every trick in the book to stall or dissuade us from losing any further.

It goes on to basically talk about how, each time we lose a chunk of weight (amount varies I guess) the body needs about 5 days per pound lost to accept and get used to the idea of the loss. This explains the "resting" period Beeb and Sophiecat and others have mentioned. We could probably also call those "set points" as some have talked about.

In August I started LC WOE weighing 230 and lost 14 pounds fast. Then my body "rested" for 2 weeks before starting to lose again. When I hit 20 pounds down, I had another period of time where nothing budged. I just bounced up and down the same 2-3 pounds. Finally it started moving slowly downward again, but came to a halt at 27 pounds down.

That's when I started JUDDing. I lost 5, gained 2 and was stuck at 199-200 for a while. In March I had a nice loss and got to 193 but in April I'm just dancing around at 194-195.

So, if the weight rebound reaction info is true, I shouldn't be surprised that my body is "resting" for 30 days. After all, if it takes 5 days per pound lost for my body to accept this latest loss and I lost 6 pounds in March: 6 x 5 = 30.

So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this means I should start losing again very soon!!!

Is this at all helpful in understanding that our bodies do "rest" for a while after a drop??

One thing I'm thinking is that in the past, when I was doing WW or LC, if I stopped losing on the scale for a month I would become discouraged and quit!!! That's when the body's rebound and rebel action wins!!! I would rapidly gain the weight back in the past!!!

Not this time. I enjoy JUDD so much and don't want to lose the "magic" gene effect that I'm going to hang in there. And, this weight is going to drop! I'm not giving up and I'm not giving in and I'm not giving my body any other choice!!!!!

Just wanted to share. You know I'm an info junkie. HTH!! It was meant to encourage you to hang in there with me! WE are BUDDS!!

[KeirasMom]

Very helpful, as usual, Yam! Thank you!

[Yam-Yam]

Originally Posted by KeirasMom

Very helpful, as usual, Yam! Thank you!

I so appreciate the affirmation!!

[sterlinggirl]

I think we need a GReat post Button.. dont you?? I so needed to read your research today YAMYAM Lov ya girl

[InTheLight]

Excellent information Yam-Yam!!!! When LCing, I would see the stuck numbers on the scale, and I would get so discouraged, would quit, and then not only gain back the pounds I had lost, but even more pounds were gained!!! A perfect read for a Friday afternoon; you go gurl!!

[vilanteira]

Holy cow, this makes a world of sense to me, and I'm crossing my fingers, but I think that may have been what was going on with me! I lost 16 lbs and got down to 108 in an acceptable period of time (for me anyway, since I didn't have as much to lose and had a crazy slow and resistant metabolism too), but I'd been at 108 as my low since about mid-January and didn't lose a single pound in 3 months. For some reason, through no change in my life or my diet at all, I went down to 107 this past weekend and then 106.5 yesterday. Maybe my body was just going through that rest/recovery period in the past few months and is now finally ready to release some more fat!

Thanks for sharing this info, Yam Yam!

[Yam-Yam]

Originally Posted by vilanteira

Holy cow, this makes a world of sense to me, and I'm crossing my fingers, but I think that may have been what was going on with me! I lost 16 lbs and got down to 108 in an acceptable period of time (for me anyway, since I didn't have as much to lose and had a crazy slow and resistant metabolism too), but I'd been at 108 as my low since about mid-January and didn't lose a single pound in 3 months. For some reason, through no change in my life or my diet at all, I went down to 107 this past weekend and then 106.5 yesterday. Maybe my body was just going through that rest/recovery period in the past few months and is now finally ready to release some more fat!

Thanks for sharing this info, Yam Yam!

Woo-Hooooo!!! How exciting to finally get that drop!!! Thank you for sharing this! VERY ENCOURAGING TO US ALL!!

[Yam-Yam]

Originally Posted by InTheLight

Excellent information Yam-Yam!!!! When LCing, I would see the stuck numbers on the scale, and I would get so discouraged, would quit, and then not only gain back the pounds I had lost, but even more pounds were gained!!! A perfect read for a Friday afternoon; you go gurl!!

Valerie: I cannot tell you how many times this has happened to me, too! Now we have to remember this and keep fighting the body rebound reaction. I don't feel like I'm suffering doing JUDD. On other WOEs I would get so frustrated because my hard work and suffering was not paying off! That's why I would quit! Then I'd go back to my old, junkie, high carb eating habits and varrrrroooooooooom! the weight would pile right back on at the rate of a speeding bullet and, like you said, bring friends!

[Yam-Yam]

Originally Posted by sterlinggirl

I think we need a GReat post Button.. dont you?? I so needed to read your research today YAMYAM Lov ya girl

Right back at you, your Royal Sweetness!!!

[Becky]

This is extreamly helpful! Thanks for posting!!

[b_lou_who]

thanks for sharing that sweets!

[mykidsteacher]

Thanks for sharing. So with my 22 pound loss since last Aug (hit that mark in Jan), I was due for 4 mos of 'resting'. And that's mostly what's happened, with a bonus 5 pounds thrown in for good measure during that time. Interesting.

Also gives a possible reason why people keep losing in maintenance. They 'rest' on purpose, holding their weight steady, and then suddenly, the body releases more without really needing to do anything, once it has assimilated the loss.

[Speck333]

Yam-Yam, I think it's a great post and I'm glad you posted it! JUDDD or otherwise, anyone endeavoring to lose weight can benefit from understand this.

[ellgee]

I think this is timely for a whole slew of us!

But that doesn't mean I want a three month rest!!! But it does help me understand how things might work. I have to learn to be patient I guess. And like some of you have said, in the past I would give up and go crazy. I'm trying to talk myself in off the ledge right now. LOL! I certainly don't want to undo any good I've done.

One day at a time. One day at a time.

[arkie1]

Yam-Yam...thank you so much for this post! It explains away so many of my "whys?" that I have. You are a true JUDDD-BUDDD to take the time to research and report!

Carole

[nickicaps]

Very interesting indeed! You know, after I lose 5 to 10 pounds, I always instinctively eat to maintain the loss for at least a few weeks (also to prevent diet fatigue)

I was thinking that after I lose my first 10 pounds I may going into 50% for a while then dip back down to 20%...

What do you guys think?

[KeirasMom]

I've been considering doing the same thing.

[Yam-Yam]

Originally Posted by nickicaps

Very interesting indeed! You know, after I lose 5 to 10 pounds, I always instinctively eat to maintain the loss for at least a few weeks (also to prevent diet fatigue)

I was thinking that after I lose my first 10 pounds I may going into 50% for a while then dip back down to 20%...

What do you guys think?

I like it!! It almost seems like another way of tricking our bodies into keeping weight off as our metabolism will run at high energy level. I'm going to be really interested to hear how this works for you. My suspicion is that after maintaining for a time and then dipping back down to WLM, that next weight loss might be faster.

Could be that in the long run a lose-maintain-lose pattern may get us to goal faster that staying constantly in WLM. Hmmmmmmm....something interesting to think about and experiment with.

[sunday]

Originally Posted by Yam-Yam

Not this time. I enjoy JUDD so much and don't want to lose the "magic" gene effect that I'm going to hang in there. And, this weight is going to drop! I'm not giving up and I'm not giving in and I'm not giving my body any other choice!!!!!

Just wanted to share. You know I'm an info junkie. HTH!! It was meant to encourage you to hang in there with me! WE are BUDDS!!

Been waiting till I left the office to read this! I can verify personally. Since I can recall the fast losses during Hcg Protocol, it is exactly as you have said. No one has ever lost over 30 to 40 lbs before having a pause or break as you state. I have read and watched so many others who have lost a lot of weight speedily and this happens every time! It is okay though, because we are going in the right direction which is DOWN BABY!

[nickicaps]

Originally Posted by Yam-Yam

I like it!! It almost seems like another way of tricking our bodies into keeping weight off as our metabolism will run at high energy level. I'm going to be really interested to hear how this works for you. My suspicion is that after maintaining for a time and then dipping back down to WLM, that next weight loss might be faster.

Could be that in the long run a lose-maintain-lose pattern may get us to goal faster that staying constantly in WLM. Hmmmmmmm....something interesting to think about and experiment with.

Okay then I am officially the guinea pig for this little experiment! At the end of next week it will be one month of JUDDD. I will weigh myself and report back with my plan!

[mykidsteacher]

Originally Posted by Yam-Yam

I like it!! It almost seems like another way of tricking our bodies into keeping weight off as our metabolism will run at high energy level. I'm going to be really interested to hear how this works for you. My suspicion is that after maintaining for a time and then dipping back down to WLM, that next weight loss might be faster.

Could be that in the long run a lose-maintain-lose pattern may get us to goal faster that staying constantly in WLM. Hmmmmmmm....something interesting to think about and experiment with.

This is exactly what I did, although not intentionally.

When I started, lost 2 pounds the first week, then gained one back in week 2, and took 2 more weeks to lose it plus 1 more. So 3 pounds in 1 month. Decided to declare maintenance, since I had achieved my original goal, and maintained for the next 6 weeks or so (with a week off for dealing with my food allergies). Went on vacation (where I lost another pound ) and came home wanting to lose 4 more by Easter (2 weeks).

Dropped back to wlm and had NO problem losing those 4 pounds in the allotted time. Shocked the puddin' out of me.

And now I've been maintaining again, on the same amount of calories, same kind of food, even though I wouldn't mind dropping a bit more.

So, I just decided yesterday to just be in maintenance, since that's apparently what my body wants to do, and if I lose more after a few weeks here, so be it.

I will say, even when I was maintaining, I was still reshaping and whittling inches (or at least fractional inches) from every place I measure.

It will be interesting to see if Nikki has similar results. And if I'm able to shed a few more after a time at this weight.

[Spank'd]

I completely agree with Yam Yam, and would like to add a bit more.

Once you hit maintenance, the body will continue to try to put the weight back on. After dieting, hormone changes may fuel weight regain - CNN.com

It's a hard pill to swallow, but I have faith that hormone levels will return to normal eventually.

The only reason JUDDD is working for me is the way it confuses the metabolic rate. No other diet has worked like this one. I don't think it's SIRT1 (sorry ladies). I think it's just plain caloric restriction, formulated in a way to make the body unable to adapt.

I like it very much.

And yes, the body will slow down or stop from time to time, it needs an adjustment period to figure out how it can fight the weight loss. BUT, because it's JUDDD, it simply CAN'T.

That's the real magic!

[Sheridan]

This is terrific information, Yam-Yam, and a big for posting it. I think this is important enough to be a sticky!

[Lianora Mosswood]

I heart this post right now. I am in a rest period, apparently, and even though I have had these stops along the way, it's a nice reminder that things won't always stay here.

[Kissa]

Originally Posted by vilanteira

Holy cow, this makes a world of sense to me, and I'm crossing my fingers, but I think that may have been what was going on with me! I lost 16 lbs and got down to 108 in an acceptable period of time (for me anyway, since I didn't have as much to lose and had a crazy slow and resistant metabolism too), but I'd been at 108 as my low since about mid-January and didn't lose a single pound in 3 months. For some reason, through no change in my life or my diet at all, I went down to 107 this past weekend and then 106.5 yesterday. Maybe my body was just going through that rest/recovery period in the past few months and is now finally ready to release some more fat!

Thanks for sharing this info, Yam Yam!

Hey that is wonderful!

Originally Posted by mykidsteacher

Thanks for sharing. So with my 22 pound loss since last Aug (hit that mark in Jan), I was due for 4 mos of 'resting'. And that's mostly what's happened, with a bonus 5 pounds thrown in for good measure during that time. Interesting.

Also gives a possible reason why people keep losing in maintenance. They 'rest' on purpose, holding their weight steady, and then suddenly, the body releases more without really needing to do anything, once it has assimilated the loss.

Makes total sense to me.

Yam Yam, this was a brilliant post. I think a lot of people will find it helpful. You are such a great JUDDD BUDDD.

[sterlinggirl]

This was great to read again.. today after an UD i almost did not get on my scale, i really didnt feel like tracking that 2-3 pound bouce up again, it always shows up by that many every time since ive started,, but i told my self to "put on your big girl panties" and get on that scale and track todays number.. I did get on,,, and .. this awfull number ive been looking at was still there.. 194.4.. and then it dawned on me.. HOLD THE PHONE>> that is not suppsed to be my number after an UD!!! OMG.. I was thrilled finally with the same dang number that has plagued me for almost a week now! This means i will finally see a DIFFERNT number tommorrw!! Just wanted to share with you YAMYAM and every one else.. it sure seams like when i cant take it any more,, there is magic here in the forum just in the sharing of my feelings!!

[oropendola]

Thanks, Yam-Yam. This explains why I sit at the same number for weeks then finally go down again. Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue...I wish it were one of mine! Having said that, I'm very happy with JUDDD. That I can eat my favorite foods again is wonderful. I know I need to branch out more, but...I guess I'm still scared to.

[oropendola]

Originally Posted by sterlinggirl

This was great to read again.. today after an UD i almost did not get on my scale, i really didnt feel like tracking that 2-3 pound bouce up again, it always shows up by that many every time since ive started,, but i told my self to "put on your big girl panties" and get on that scale and track todays number.. I did get on,,, and .. this awfull number ive been looking at was still there.. 194.4.. and then it dawned on me.. HOLD THE PHONE>> that is not suppsed to be my number after an UD!!! OMG.. I was thrilled finally with the same dang number that has plagued me for almost a week now! This means i will finally see a DIFFERNT number tommorrw!! Just wanted to share with you YAMYAM and every one else.. it sure seams like when i cant take it any more,, there is magic here in the forum just in the sharing of my feelings!!

Woot woot!

Wooo Weight, I'm losin' you!
I can feel it in my bones,
Any day you'll be gone,
Oh yeah, I'm losin' you

(I Know) Im Losing You - YouTube

[CharlotteChick]

YamYam, thank you so much for this post I don't know what I'd do without you all -- you keep me rocking and JUDDDing

[MintQ8]

Great post and so true!!

Took me 3 months to lose just over 30lbs and another 2 months to lose just over 8lbs, but I feel I am on the weight loss path again! 1 month, I bounced around the same 4lbs!!