Help me understand. (Experience answers only)

[sourmash1973]

Most of you here know me. I've been cutting for the better part of a year. I know how to lose weight. I stay in a deficit, eat what I want within reason (IIFYM), I weigh everything religiously and I log everything I consume. I also lift weights 3-4 times a week, I lift heavy with compound lifts and I do cardio 3-4 times a week.

Here is what I'm curious about.

I decided to take a couple weeks off from lifting and cardio. I've been going almost a full year with only a few small breaks and just felt like my body needed a good long rest. It's felt great too and I'm more than ready to hit the weights again. During this break, I decided to go ahead and stay on my deficit. The only thing I changed diet wise was I started doing IF to help me keep better control of my calories while not training and my macros have not quite been the same (a little less protein and a little more carbs). While I was training, I was eating 2000 calories and during my break I've been eating the same. Right before the break I was 197 and losing, on average, .5 Lbs per week. So I start my break at 197, been eating the same amount of calories and have done no lifting or cardio but I've lost almost 3 Lbs in the last week and a half. Is this due to not as much water in the muscles because I'm not lifting? Does this mean I could be cutting at higher calories when I get back to training? Just curious as to why this is happening and trying to understand my body a little better. Thanks in advance for any logical answers.

[dmacdonal9]

I've found all kinds of things generate short term fluctuations like that. In your case, I'd think dropping the physical stress from cardio and lifting probably released some water.

[DarkSideHome]

Any supplements change? I ask coz similar thing happened to me when I stopped taking Assault during my last vacation and I dropped 5lb in 4 weeks, mostly water (Assault has Creatine and/or Creatine HCL iirc)

[sourmash1973]

I've found all kinds of things generate short term fluctuations like that. In your case, I'd think dropping the physical stress from cardio and lifting probably released some water.

That's kind of what I was thinking.

[sourmash1973]

Any supplements change? I ask coz similar thing happened to me when I stopped taking Assault during my last vacation and I dropped 5lb in 4 weeks, mostly water (Assault has Creatine and/or Creatine HCL iirc)

I stopped taking my daily scoop of protein. Other than that, the only supplements I take are my multivitamin and fiber when I don't hit my requirements for the day.

[AnnieRhi]

You know, in the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, they found that even during refeeding/rehabilitation at the end of the experiment, people continued to lose weight due to loss of water. Not that you were starving yourself to the same extent, OP. But the same could apply, if you have been in a deficit for such an extended period of time.

"For some, the rehabilitation period proved the most difficult part of the experiment. Many were surprised when they initially lost additional weight after being provided a bit more food, a result of losing the excess edema fluid in their bodies."
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/6/1347.full

[vismal]

I've found all kinds of things generate short term fluctuations like that. In your case, I'd think dropping the physical stress from cardio and lifting probably released some water.

This is what I thought too. Decreases in stress often lead to decreases in water retention.

[sourmash1973]

I dropped to 193.4 this morning. I don't think this is ALL water weight. I'm happy though!