It is completely doable if you are just starting a radical diet. I'm not saying it would be good for you, certainly not. But when our bodies change and adapt to something new, we see the most amount of changes at the beginning. So it is possible? Sure. Is it good for you, not really.

So where is that 8 pounds of weight loss coming from? Not all fat, that's for sure. And if it's not all fat, then a lot of it will be temporary water loss, and some lean muscle loss.

This is where only being interested in scale weight is crazy.

Because I stopped drinking coffee (I'd sneaked back up to about 6-10 cups a day and wanted to stop the 'need'), had no alcohol and I wasn't aiming for lbs but that's what happened. Did 12 days of clean eating, my body reacted to 'change'. I drank (and still do) 2 litres of water a day, green tea and exercise regularly. On another post I clarified I had no doubt a couple of lbs of that will go back on which it did, I've fluctuated about 2lb back 1lb down this week and I've following my clean eating changes 80% of the time since. My aim was permanent eating changes not a temp fix liquid diet, I explored new foods/recipes and more not just sat on my butt hoping for miracle results.

A) I didn't say it was fat loss (although I had a change in fat % too) I was very much bloated and took pictures before and after this. I wasn't aiming for lbs but that's what happened.
B) I didn't say I was only interested in the scales and would rather words weren't put in my mouth ... I'm actually targeting body fat right now (I just don't confirm this in every single post) and the detox was not restrictive food or calorie counting or liquid it was meant to be all food but I mostly always use shakes for breakfast any way only I've started making smoothies instead with added in fruit even eating new and more fruits than I did before ...just changes to how I eat healthier (good fats, whole grains, more veg/fruit changes, label reading, fresh ingredients over cheats etc).

Just because they were my results doesn't mean it's negative instantly. I've lost a good amount on scales (weight and body fat) and inches over time, I regularly take pictures which are my biggest motivation and I'm normal as far as flutuating goes.

I reached my results healthily, exercising, plenty of water and with more permanent life style changes in mind, I have felt so much better for it too .... I didn't dive into 10 coffees filled with 2 sugars each and cream cakes after it and don't expect my body to be losing any more than 1-2lbs after my recent changes although if my body is changing (recognised by clothes and pictures) I don't care if I lose 0-0.5lb a week

I've done 3 lbs per week and that's with my calorie intake at 1600 and never below 1200. It wasn't easy and I was hungry so it was easy to gain it back. I find big sudden weight loss hard to maintain once I've hit my target.

Good for you. My point was a lot of people get really hung up on these diets that promise huge amounts of weight loss purely because they think weight loss is the valid metric of how effective the diet is, which it is not.

Certainly wasn't pouring scorn on your results, reduced bloating, less water retention, and some fat loss too is a great thing.

Pleased you are happy with it.

As you'd replied previously to thread and it was just coincidence I'd had a recent 8lbs result same number mentioned in subject your question of wondering was in line with my reply so I needed to point out my results were in no means unhealthy, a quick fix or damaging, I don't want people to think that's what I did. I was amazed with the results and as much as I love the scales going down it's not my main or only focus... Nothing wrong with being a tad excited over the scales at same time though.

To be honest I don't like calling the plan I did a 'detox' I think the word associates automatically to unhealthy but mine was a permanent food change plan in minds not starving myself supping lemon water all day dreaming of food , those diets/detox's I don't believe in, encourage or like ... I'm so glad I'm not drinking 6+ coffees a day now, headaches from withdrawal were horrible but I got it mild compared to reading other people's stories!

Fat loss was a 0. reault but any result is a result

A quick weight loss is a great motivator for many at the start, and contrary to the general assumption that weight loss should be slow and steady, there is a case to be made (for those with a lot to lose) that rapid 'fat' loss in the first 4-6 weeks is a very positive outcome, which can install discipline and motivation for the long haul.

I mean, even someone like me without much to lose gets pretty irritated at the idea of 1/2 loud a week (which is what I am looking at), image a pound a week when you have 150 to lose.

So I definitely think there is a case for large calorie deficits in the short term PROVIDING everything is done to minimise muscle loss, like adequate protein, and some resistance training.

Super low fat is awful, it stuffs up people's hormones. damages cellular membrane health if done chronically, but a moderate protein, lowish fat, lowish carb approach can see some pretty spectacular results if you dial in those macros properly and set the calories correctly.

Good luck to you, hope things are going ok

Ooo I'm glad this thread's popped up again! I've had a 4lb loss since Sunday, which according to the scales includes 1.6% body fat! I've done no exercise bar strength training because, well, I can't and have eaten absolutely loads each day. Macros are almost spot on too.

I'm not expecting to keep losing at this rate, it's a combination of a sudden diet change (now clean eating and vegan) and losing the weight I gained when got injured. It'll probably slow down from now and I'll lose very little. BUT it is possible to lose that much weight that quickly and healthily even if you've not got a lot to lose! (I'm 8st11 and 5'3)

I kind of wish I knew. I know a few weeks ago I ended up losing 4.2 lbs in a week but you know the following week I gained a good bit of it back. My husband swears it was water weight but that makes me wonder why I am carrying around so much water, and if others losing this much that quick are doing the same??

When I said, where is it coming from, I already knew, just wanted to put the question out there.

It is almost all water weight, and this is really caused by the fact that most people's carbohydrate consumption goes down a lot when they start dieting, irrespective of the diet, unless it is a 'twinkie' diet or something, but even then, if you are working with calories, you can't eat a lot of twinkies.

You can store around 500 grams of glucose in your body, glucose obviously being the end result of carbs being broken down by the body.

For ever gram of glucose stored in muscles/liver, the body also holds 3 grams of water. 3 gof warer x 500 (grams of glucose) = 1500 grams of water = 1.5kg = 3.3 lbs of water PLUS the glucose that is also stored if you have depleted yourself a little over the pervious few days.

Try it, eat low carb for 4 days, weigh in on the 5th day, then eat loads of carbs. You'll gain so much weight, and if you do the maths, you couldn't have eaten enough calories to gain that much.

Some people can see 3-4 lbs of weight loss on a regular basis if they are very overweight, but for the most part, these rapid loss diets are generally losing water and a small amount of fat.

It's a great initial motivation, but if, as happened to you, it all goes back on, then the motivation is usually stiffled unless you know what is causing it.

I wrote a post about why the scales lie, hope it's ok to post, definitely useful

http://www.leanerbydesign.com/2014/0...o-do-about-it/