Tomorrow will be the end of my 5 day water fast. I’ve been drinking at least 64 oz (2 full nalgene bottles) of water per day with electrolytes. I’m 5’7, 232 lbs. A total of 5 lbs lost. How can I tell the difference between water weight and actual weight? Thanks.
Google TDEE calculator and put in your stats. That’ll give you an estimate for your body’s maintenance calories. Times that number by the number of days you fasted then divide by 3500. That’ll give you a rough idea of how many pounds of body fat you lost.
I also saw that you were wondering why you don’t gain all the water weight back after a fast. It really depends on your diet. A person who was eating really unhealthy is gonna retain a lot more water weight. If that person goes on a fast then chooses a healthier diet after they complete the fast then they want gain all that water weight back.
There’s also other factors that determines how much water weight your body retains. For example, if you’re a female you’ll gain water weight around your cycle.
It depends on what your diet was like before you started your fasting. If you had a diet that consisted of mainly carbohydrates before starting the fast then a lot of the weight you are losing will be primarily glycogen/glucose storage reserves (water weight).
I’d say for most individuals depending on their bmi, and previous diet habits won’t see true fat loss until they drop 10% in lbs of their starting weight. The body holds on to a lot of water weight depending on the diet a person is on. Of course everyone’s body, and diet circumstances are different but this is what I’ve come to learn with my body. After that 10% mark your body should be in full ketosis whenever you are fasting 24hr+ because by then you would have depleted all of your glycogen/glucose storage (water weight).
I’m not a doctor so take this with a grain of salt 🥸
I’m honestly wondering now what water weight even is, every month I’ll a 4 day fast, for example I’ll go from 92 to 90 kg, but after eating I do not regain any weight. Although I do OMAD so I am always in calorie deficit, but you would gain water weight anyways according to people.
I don’t worry about the scale too much. If you’re fasting, you’re losing weight. Try not to go too crazy on your refeed days. Water weight will certainly fluctuate, especially when you don’t eat carbs (fast).