Losing weight too fast?

[PoopofMauricio]

I'm 6'5 300. I started working out Monday and already I've lost 7 pounds in 3 DAYS!! I really haven't changed my diet all that much. I just stopped drinking and am currently on the South Beach Diet. I used the treadmill for an hour on Monday at 3.0mph, just to get myself started off on the right track. Yesterday, my legs were too sore to do any form of cardio, so, instead I decided to start lifting. I did 3 reps of Bicep curls at 20 pounds and started benching a 100 pounds- not sure how many reps, I just did it, for the hell of it. Anyway, my question is the 7 pound I've lost the past two days a fluke? Is it just water and other bodily fluids? Am I losing weight at a dangerous rate? I know it'e only been two days, however I want to play it safe. Also on that note, should I start lifting or should I stict strictly to doing cardio until I get down to a reasonable weight?

 

[ENIGMA16]

Are you weighing yourself at the same time of the day? I weigh myself in the morning after I wake up. This minimizes weight fluctuations due to daily activity/diet.

Also, you can do lifting and cardio at the same time. The idea that you have to lose fat before you start building muscle is simply not true; you can tailor your diet to prioritize fat loss, certainly, but you should not be solely focusing on it. And why would you want to? Why would you want to just focus on losing fat when you can also focus on building muscle?

I do cardio Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and lift Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Effort was kind enough to help design a cutting diet for me that prioritizes fat loss while building muscle. When I lose the fat then I can switch over to a bulking diet which will prioritize building muscle while burning/maintaining fat. The two are not exclusive.

 

[PoopofMauricio]

Typo: I lost 7 pounds in 2 days, not 3.

I weigh myself first thing in the morning, as soon as I get up.
What weight do you think I should get to before I start bulking?

 

[lorekeeper]

although my expertise is nothing compared to that of a doctor, I belive 7lbs in 2 days at 300lbs is possible, it will eventually slow down, your first few weeks weight loss will be immense.

I went from 250 to 220, then decided to start bulking up, and went to 265 in the course of a year. my first week of cutting i lst 9 lbs, but eventually it tapered off to a meteocre 2lbs/week.

I regret doing that. I should have started bulking when i hit 180-190 lbs. I was the strongest Ive ever been, but pretty chunky.

so from my experience, with your current weight, and your height, I'd suggest you drop down to the 220 range and get as cut as you like before attempting to put on mass.

once again, it's just my 2 cents, and should not be taken as seriously as the suggestion of a serious trainer with experience!

 

[Throttle]

in my experience with more than one trip up and down with bodyfat, water retention can account for at least 5-10 pound swings in your weight, even with an accurate scale. At 300 pounds, stripping off bodyfat is more important than adding muscle, but any exercise is good. However if you're going to spend any real energy lifting and getting sore, it's worth figuring out what you're doing to see if you really enjoy it. There are a number of good guides on this in the stickies.

given that a pound of bodyfat equals about 3500 calories, and at your weight you probably burn about that amount in a day, over three days you would only lose 3 pounds even if you ate absolutely nothing.

if you're looking to lose a lot, it is generally recommended that you only try to lose up to two pounds a week over the long term. in my experience, that's about all your body will allow past the first few weeks anyway, before starving yourself becomes very counterproductive.

Half the battle is not just staying on a diet, but figuring out what you're going when (a) you're relatively satisfied with what you've lost or (b) you just can't stand the diet anymore. the vast proportion of dieters eventually put the bodyfat back on plus a bit more. the only way to prevent yourself from being a statistic is to have a plan, stick to it, and if and when you fall off, be ready with a new, more realistic plan.

 

[thedude4242]

as long as your are getting enough food.

 

[mikeyb]

as long as your are getting enough food.

And water. Make sure you drink at least 1L per day outside meals and excluding what you drink after you work out.