Editor’s Note: Konstantin will be answering questions in the comments section at the end of this post so feel free to chime in with your thoughts and questions to keep the weight loss discussion going.  Konstantin will be posting a column on The Healthy Home Economist for the next few weeks.  If you haven’t been able to attain your dream weight no matter how hard you’ve tried, these posts will help transform your understanding of how to best attain your optimal weight using Traditional Diet  – without failure and side effects – for life!
Statistically speaking, losing weight and keeping it off permanently is just as challenging as becoming a millionaire, perhaps even more. I discovered the core reason behind this enigma while investigating the weight loss plateau phenomenon of low carbohydrate diets. This finding has helped me to cross the last nine yards toward attaining normal weight, and remaining that way for the past twelve years.
As all serendipitous discoveries go, this one was remarkably simple: weight loss diets fail because doctors, nutritionists, dietitians, and celebrities who promote them (and people who follow their advice) do not make a distinction between the reduction of body weight and the reduction of body fat. In other words, losing weight and losing fat isn’t exactly the same thing!
To understand what the distinction between the body’s fat and weight means in real life, let’s review the most basic physiology of weight loss:
- There are two principal components of body weight — constant weight and variable weight.
- The variable weight is a sum of all the digestive fluids inside your GI tract, the undigested foods already in your stomach and the small intestine, the stools inside your large intestine, and water, which can be safely lost with sweat, urine, and perspiration. These variable components of your body weight represent between 15 and 30 pounds, depending on your original diet, your current weight, and your digestive health.
- The constant weight is everything else – the remaining fluids, such as the blood plasma and lymph, the weight of your skin, bones, internal organs, muscles, and adipose tissue, or body fat – the sole substance you actually want to get rid of.
- Variable weight swings from day to day depending on the amount of foods and fluids you consume and expel, workload, and environment. A day on the beach, an hour in the hot tub, or an intense workout in a sweat suit, for example, can reduce your body weight by several pounds simply from sweating.
- Constant weight remains stable for longer stretches of time because loss of body fat is quite slow on any diet, and requires a considerable time to produce measurable and permanent results.
In practical terms, when you start a weight loss program, the first 10 to 20 pounds of weight reduction are almost exclusively made up from the following components:
(a) A reduction in the total weight of foods that you have consumed over the past few days. It may be considerable, especially if you love to eat.
(b) A reduction in digestive fluids. As soon as you start eating less, your body reduces the amount of saliva, gastric, and pancreatic juices involved in digestion. This amount ranges from 6 to 7 quarts per day, and may be halved by the reduced calorie diet.
(c) A loss of water throughout your body, particularly with urine. This happens because reduced calorie diets have a pronounced diuretic and dehydration effect.
(d) Loss of stools from your bowels. As you reduce food intake, particularly fiber, the total volume of stools inside the large intestine may drop three to five times.
I refer to the total of all of the above as a phantom weight loss. This universally ignored fact of human physiology is behind the ubiquitous promise of the near instant weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds on the covers of diet books, supermarket tabloids, and diet plans.
The precipitous – two weeks or less – loss of phantom weight also explains why so many people yo-yo back to their original weight as soon as they stop dieting – the cumulative weight of foods, digestive juices, water, and stools starts to come back the moment you return to your regular diet.
A quick reduction of the waistline is also a popular diet hoax: as your stomach, intestines, and bowel clear out their respective contents, the waistline around them shrinks down a few sizes, even though practically all the body fat remains exactly where it was before commencing the diet.
The proverbial weight loss plateau is another gimmick intended to absolve weight loss counselors from any responsibility for their advice, and to blame you and your metabolism for an inability to lose weight. The truth is – when you can’t overcome weight loss plateau, it simply means that you have lost only phantom weight, but not an ounce of body fat, and, quite possibly, you have gained even more!
So, let’s summarize what I have just described:
- Anyone commencing a reduced calorie diet will demonstrate an appreciable loss of weight, but this is not a loss of actual body fat, but a loss of phantom weight related to the much smaller intake of foods and fluids.
- Weight loss diets that have a pronounced diuretic and dehydrating effect may demonstrate an even larger phantom weight loss at the expense of body fluids. You can accomplish pretty much the exact same effect by restricting fluid intake or sweating out in a sauna.
- Reaching a weight loss plateau simply means that you have lost only phantom weight, but have not lost and won’t lose any body fat.
- A rapid weight rebound shortly after resuming a regular diet simply means that you’ve simply restored the weight of fluids, undigested foods, and stools in your body back to their original volume.
At this point you may be asking yourself a rightfully indignant question: why have all those diet books I’ve been reading for so long not been telling me about this?
Two reasons, I believe. First, their authors simply may not know or may not want to know about this unsavory phenomenon. Second, telling readers the truth — that it actually takes a LOT of time and a LOT of effort to lose body fat — gets in the way of selling no-sacrifice diet books, cookbooks, classes, tests, and diet-branded foods and snacks.
Since I am not constrained by similar goals, I can tell you the hard truth as it is: If you are contemplating losing weight, it must the fat under your skin, not undigested foods, fluids, and stools inside your gut. Losing actual body fat takes time, because even on a very low calorie diet you can (at best) count on losing just a few ounces (under 60 to 90 grams) daily.
So, the next natural question then is: how long does it take to lose real body fat, and how much effort is involved? Well, that is exactly what I am going to explain in the next post: How Long Will it Take You to Lose the Weight?
Once you realize and appreciate the difference between the loss of fat and the loss of mere phantom weight, you will have a much easier time managing the actual process of weight loss (not the make-believe one), and attaining your desired weight and size.
For your health and safety, please read these important Weight Loss Common Sense Warnings and Disclaimers before commencing a reduced calorie diet.
I have lost about 50 lbs. over about 2 years. During this time I had to also give up my regular exercise routine but only switched to a whole, mostly organic diet. I am still considerably overweight, but have, by necessity, been seperated from my husband for about six months and will continue for the next two years or so. In the past six months my diet has been largely processed/convenient food and about 10 pounds have crept back on. Going back to whole, not always convenient food and hope to get back on track…thanks for sharing!
Holly,
Staying at normal weight for people with a genetic predisposition for weight gain is a challenge even in the best of times. Don’t give up and watch your diet, so by the time your husband is back you don’t need to be overly concerned about your weight. Hopefully Sarah’s work and my contribution will help to accomplish this goal.
Incidentally, we, men, love our wives regardless of their weight, so whatever you are going to do, do it for yourself.
This is going to be a wonderful series! I am really anticipating the future posts. As a 56-year-old post-menopausal women who can’t seem to get rid of 10 lbs, I am very interested in this. I am fit, eat real and traditional food, and very healthy – but “cosmetically” 10 to 15 lbs overweight. I am beginning to believe that maybe there is nothing I can do about it without losing valuable bone and organ mass – which I won’t do. I strength train so don’t worry about losing muscle mass. I hope I can either gain some helpful insight or acceptance from your series. Thank you so much for doing this!
Tina,
Thank you. As we age, our body composition changes, and by the age 50 the ration of body fat to muscle and bone tissue increases considerably. The only answer to this dilemma is what is called a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD). These diets are quite phone to side effects, especially in our age group (55+), and I’ll address the ins and outs of them in the future posts.
This is me too! I am 56 yrs old post menopause and about 10 lbs overweight its like it is glued to me and can’t rid it no matter what! I eat a good tradtional diet. i have pretty much given up all sweets- only occasional. Hope I can get some good insight from here. I will follow this series for sure.
Hmmm, I’m 53, post menopausal, 120# and about 17% body fat–that’s my winter weight. I eat around 2300-2500 cals a day with macros of 20-25% prot/20-25% carbs and the rest from healthy fats. I do exercise regularly and when I do want to lean out–even at this age, I drop my cals (mainly fat/carbs) by about 15-20% and voila it melts right off. I find an online food diary helps me know where I am and what to adjust for the first few weeks.
We are all different, Paula. Good for you though. I think the other two post-menopausal women have similar problems that are more common than your experience. Maybe the expert guest author can help them and others that share their difficulty.
the real reason is because people keep on eating eggs dairy and meat, and because their meals contain more than 20% fat and more than 20% protein. Eating plant/starch Carbs does not make people gain weight, i’ve lost 20 pounds by eating more than 3000 and 4000 calories a day. Mostly Carbs, a little bit of fat and only plant based protein. Legumes, Starches, gluten free grains, fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables… Not only you lose weight, but you regain your health and peace of mind.
Alexandros,
You must be a miracle of nature, and I envy your physiology. Consider writing your own weight loss book on how one can eat 3,000 to 4,000 calories a day and lose weight. As they say, the proof is in the pudding.
Alexandros, indeed you are an anomaly! I am not acquainted with a single soul who has been able to lose real weight and regain true, long lasting health on such a diet, particularly women who are bearing children like myself.
I ate the way you did for several years and it wrecked my health, all the while it caused me to gain considerable weight. And I was eating high quality foods, not the junk!
What many don’t realize is that if you can gain health eating a plant-based diet it is only for two reasons: one, you have given up bad food (including conventionally produced meats & dairy) and two, you were at least reasonable well nourished as a child. Our future generations are breaking down at a rapid rate for this very reason-we are on our 3rd and 4th generation on a poor to very poor diet-our off spring don’t have much of a chance anymore! Epigenetics and Francis Pottenger come to mind here-check them out!
Have you read Dr Fuhrmans books Eat to live?
Alexandros, I suppose you stopped eating processed foods. Am I right? If that is the case, it is the elimination of those in your diet and not the animal products that have caused you to lose weight and feel better. I was a vegetarian for almost 10 years and several of those I was a vegan. I still ate processed foods. I ended up overweight, diabetic, and had major brain fog. Most “vegetarian” books or documentaries out there eliminate processed foods. Then the participants feel so much better, and they attribute it t to eliminating the animal products not the processed foods. That’s fuzzy logic. You might feel great eating that way now, but add in some animal products and you’ll feel even better.
3000 to 4000 calories day of plant based foods must be a mountain of food.
This sounds like a 80/10/10 where most of the calories comes from fruit. These fruiterians do a lot of running to burn off the sugars and calories.
I’ve been on the weight watchers program for the last 16 months and lost 61 pounds. The one thing I do differently than they suggest is the dairy. I still drink full fat milk, (raw when I can get it), eat lots of real full fat butter and use raw cream. I eat meat, (preferably grass fed beef), and have recently started eating… LIVER! I feel so much better!!!!!! I still have 100 pounds to lose, so I am really looking forward to this series! Previously, I have gotten to within 54 pounds of my goal weight and just quit losing.
I’m eager to hear part two of this series. I’ve given up trying to lose weight.
Alana,
Thank you. Actually, there will be 35-40 more parts to this story, well into the autumn of 2013, and perhaps longer! So, please don’t give up. The genetic difference between you and me is only 0.1%, so if someone like me was able to lose weight, so can you. There is a great deal of technique in this process. Once you master it, it is still a challenge, but it is no longer insurmountable.
Me too! I have gone to such lengths to lose weight and stay the same! It is so frustrating!
I am looking forward to hearing more!
Very interesting, can’t wait to read the next post. Hopefully topics like thyroid will be covered? What about hcg? It’s taken me about 2 years, but I’ve lost 55 pounds doing hcg. Could I have really lost 55 pounds of phantom weight? (started it a year after baby #4). Curious if anyone has thoughts on hcg. Although, it is funny…..I’ve been at a “plateau” for quite some time….
See his reply to Jodi further down…
Jodi S, I’ve lost 75 lbs on hcg, which I started over a year after switching to a WAPF-style way of eating and eliminating gluten. I also have thyroid issues which the hcg seemed to overcome weight-wise when nothing else could. I think hcg is a medical miracle, but not for everyone…I think it works best on those of us who are metabolically and hormonally damaged or sick, but isn’t necessarily for those otherwise healthy people who just want to drop a few pounds. And no, I don’t think going from size 18 to size 6 was just a loss of phantom weight, but certainly some of the weight lost was from eliminating food and fluid from my digestive tract (and there’s an allowance for regaining those lbs as you transition to a stable weight).
I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series. Often, I don’t agree with the diet experts since my own illnesses have made me realize that most of what we “know” is wrong, but I do like to read and learn, and I keep an open mind.
Jodi I am so interested in how you lost so much weight, I am going to watch the post Konstantin has on here. This is going to be interesting, I started traditional eating too. I also have thyroid problems, but also other health issues. I would love some tips if you have time.
Thanks
Kathy
I have thyroid issues, too and struggle to lose weight…
Konstantin, can you please add comments (or include in a future article) regarding the effects of parasite cleanses on weight loss? (and the effects of carrying parasites in your body on weight/weight loss)? Thanks…
Eliza,
Great question, thank you. You’ll be happy to learn that people who are affected by parasites are usually underweight, and their overall concern is to gain weight, not lose it.
The so-called “parasite cleanses” may demonstrate a considerable “weight loss” not because they relieve your body of any parasites, but because their laxative and diuretic properties cause an immediate loss of phantom weight, a phenomenon that I just described in my post.
This was information I have never read before…very interesting. Looking forward to the next article.
It makes me sad to see people on “diets”. They just don’t have a clue.
Sara,
Weight loss dieting isn’t about “having a clue,” but about regaining health, preventing premature aging, averting cancers, affirming self-esteem, confronting persistent disinformation from Big Food and Big Pharma, nurturing healthy and well-adjusted children, conforming with societal expectations, finding a better job, meeting a partner, and a myriad of other equally important wants and needs that each of us is entitled to.
If you already have all of the above and are happy with your weight, please enjoy your good luck, but show some humility for those who don’t.
Your article about phantom weight loss was a real eye opener. Can real body fat loss and weight maintenance be achieved on low carb diets like Atkins? Many thanks/Chris
Chris, thank you for reading and sharing. Technically speaking, the loss of weight can be accomplished on any kind of reduced-calorie diet. That said, the low-carb approach is best because it spares your body from the loss of bone and muscle tissues, as well as the ensuing complications. I will tackle all of these issues and distinctions in the consecutive posts.
Fascinating post. I cannot wait to read the next one.
Thank you, Tara! Please come back next week, and share this post with your friends!