Weight Loss Breakdown-Muscle/Fat/Water

[Nomoreexcuses]

Hi everyone!

Just completed my second week of Cohen's down 1.6kg this week which I am very happy with! Got this idea in my head that I won't lose weight but am being nicely surprised is a very effective diet. Unfortunately my bubble was burst when the lady at my gym measured me on her super scales and broke down my loss into: 600g fat, 300g muscle and 700g water loss.

This definitely took the edge off my excitement as only 600g of fat sounds a lot less than 1.6kg and 300g of muscle in a week is significant. I know water and fat loss go hand in hand so I am unconcerned with that side of things but I am worried about the muscle and that I will end up "skinny fat". Have been doing some research and am thinking will start doing resistance training (weights) three times a week to preserve my muscle.

What is everyone else's take on this issue of weight loss breakdown and of fat vs muscle?

Hope you all have a good day x

[Be light]

Very Interesting, I have no idea really but I do think bringing in some training is a great idea, so far I havent as Ive been afraid of expending too much energy, but I am going to get some kettlebells this week and start a light toning program.

[lil_doll]

It's hard to say how that would go on someone with more to lose.

You only have a small amount to lose and by your BMI you're already in the normal range, so I expect your results would vary a great deal against someone like myself.

It will be interesting to see what the results are the next time you get weighed at the gym.

[Kohinoor]

Hi NME,

Unfortunately my bubble was burst when the lady at my gym measured me on her super scales and broke down my loss into: 600g fat, 300g muscle and 700g water loss.

It is easy to get "all caught up" in this brave new world (one you may have never ventured into before). Beware of shooting yourdself in the foot though

I see it like this - you've read all the good stories of Cohens, you've conversed with others on here, and you've had any questions answered by your clinic, and then, you've stumped up the cash !! In essence, you have trusted Dr Cohen to "do what his Plan says it will".

Suddenly, there is "another player" in the equation. Someone at your gym, using some unknown "super scale". Now, if it is the kind we hear about on here (where it breaks down your muscle %, your fat %, etc) then these are notoriously fickle things. Just having slightly wet feet when you stand on the scales (sweating a bit?) can change any reading HUGELY !!! If your feet were drier or wetter than "last time" (when I presume you first stepped on these) then all bets are off as to what has really happened.

There "could" be some muscle loss, granted - and, if you consider the muscular strength needed to propel someone who is 50+ Kg overweight, wouldn't it be a GOOD thing if some of that "extra" were trimmed as they lost weight? If not, they could reach their goal, and immediately go into a "body builder competition" with HUGE muscles on a slim body. Desirable??? Over to you on that one.

NME, you are new into this - be careful that you don't overthink this whole thing. Sure, a wee bit of resistance exercise probably wouldn't hurt too much, but DO check any such thoughts with your clinic FIRST, OK? That is simply because it is advised NOT to start any exercise program while on Plan.

And, if you really want to, ask that person with the "super scales" if you can try an experiment next week. Take your weight in the usual way, calculate muscle/fat/etc losses, then go wash your feet, but don't quite dry them - take another reading. See what happens......

Oh, and one more thing (just me "thinking it through" here) - do you realise that it is possible to LOSE muscle weight, yet still have your muscle % RISE ?? Maybe ask that person (with the super scales) what your muscle %age is (as a percentage of your total body. Again, this should maybe be done over several weeks.

I'll say it again - you could lose muscle grams, yet still have muscle percentage RISE.

Hang onto your dream - and don't give it up by getting too much new information. If you trusted what could be on Cohens, and have observed others doing similar on here, don't start doubting now.

Rock on, NME,
Koh

[Ciors]

Hi NME...my clinic said it takes about a month for the body to really get into fat burning mode, I can assure you, that I haven't lost a lot of muscle on Cohen's, in fact, now my muscle tone is starting to show more and more, especially as now I'm getting more active again. You're body will start consuming fat, not muscle. My understanding is that the body looks for the easiest food source to consume, which is the carb and sugar that we generally feed it when not on Cohen's, on Cohen's that changes and the food source becomes fat, and then finally after refeed, the body gets more food, and consumes the food, and not the body fat.

I also assume that this gym measured you previously? Get them to support you with some gentle (seriously stressing the gentle!!!!) toning exercises if you're concerned about muscle loss.

Remember that Cohen's pretty much goes against the grain of what MOST nutritionalists, personal trainers, gyms think we should do....they are based on food in vs exercise out, and that just doesn't work for all of us. Cohen's works on balancing your hormones.

[Never Give Up]

Hi NME, I was told a lot of the weight you first drop is fluid, but after about 21 days (from memory - but as Ciors says, her clinic said it's a month) you start dropping fat. Don't let this lady at the gym upset you - look at how many people are on the forum - and some back again - this program WORKS, and yes, you do have muscle after. I remember after dropping about 15 kg, getting close to my refeed time, I was able to run without any difficulty, whereas before I didn't run at all. So, you do keep muscle. Once the fat strips away, you'll be surprised at how much muscle you do have!

[Nomoreexcuses]

Thanks everyone I feel much better about everything. I will try to focus on the overall number going down and just do some light training (if it doesn't make me too hungry) and if in the end I lose muscle I guess that's a consequence of losing fat and is certainly worth it! I can always build muscle after when my body fat is much lower

So far have been so happy with the results and I should just focus on that (tend to overthink things. must.stop.). The lady at the gym was questionable as well she tried to tell me not to drink diet coke because it is filled with sugar. I couldn't even bring myself to correct her haha.
Thanks again for all your advice! xx