What?!? Alright, explain this to me????

[Terry Monk]

I'm currently doing Berardi's Get Shredded Diet and Waterbury's 10x3 for Fat Loss.
I'm only on day 4 and I know better than to expect results already. But humor me for a moment. I decided to weigh myself to see how my weight was after such a calorie deficit the past few days. I was curious. Sue me! :p
Anyway.... in a matter of 4 days (not quite yet) I've lost 5 lbs!!!! WHAT???! I look the same as before (I think) and have not noticed any difference in inches around the waist yet. Ok, maybe about a 1/4 inch but really.......
I'm inclined to say (my brain says) that it's water weight, but how could that possibly be? I'm taking in 20 g of creatine a day (more than I ever have) and still drinking a gallon of water a day!

Anyone care to try and explain this to me?

Oh, and I know.... I'm worrying way too much about it. But again, humor a dumb guy like me? Thanks.

[Frank.S]

Have you dropped your carbs quite a bit since you last diet?

[Lost Dog]

Going from Adam's Diet to GSD reduces your carbs by a lot. No PWO carbs, either, right?

The extra creatine won't have you hold more water, since you were probably already "topped off" from continuous usage before. Once you're loaded up, you don't keep filling up more.

Have you reduced sodium a lot, too? You were eating canned beans and salsa before. The ones that you ate might have been high in sodium.

Finally, less food means less food to make it's way through your system. Usually you're full of it, but lately, you've made more sense, so that must be it. :p

[OldGuy]

Maybe it is what Alwyn said.

[LisaS]

many people find that grains & cereals give them bloating which they just accept as normal - and then when they cut them out -- whoosh - no bloating and things are quite different - so if you've not just cut carbs but cut something that you were sensitive to - you could see a magnified effect.

[Terry Monk]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Going from Adam's Diet to GSD reduces your carbs by a lot. No PWO carbs, either, right?

Right.

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Have you reduced sodium a lot, too? You were eating canned beans and salsa before. The ones that you ate might have been high in sodium.

True. I'm still eating some salsa, but not nearly as much. No more beans at all.

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Usually you're full of it, but lately, you've made more sense, so that must be it. :p

Funny, funny guy. :p

[Terry Monk]

Originally Posted by OldGuy

Maybe it is what Alwyn said.

Please elaborate.

[Jason B]

It's water. Or did you just take a big dump?

[Alcoholiday]

Originally Posted by Jason B

It's water. Or did you just take a big dump?

that would be a big dump

[Lisa~]

What LD said. Five pounds of water loss is easy to imagine.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by Lisa~

What LD said. Five pounds of water loss is easy to imagine.

Oh, I'm so glad you're back!

[OldGuy]

Originally Posted by gymrat

Please elaborate.

From here.

Originally Posted by Alwyn

Assess your hip flexor length. That's the first thing that jumps out at me here.

and

Originally Posted by Alwyn

Without seeing Gymrat (and without seeing him in person everything is just conjecture at this point)- he says he has "penis lines" (the inguinal crease) which means he has very low body fat.

However he is claiming that he has a "roll" of lower ab fat that won't go away. They are in the same area so that points toward it not being just a dietary issue. Particularly as his diet and training program don't appear to have, at first glance, any real problems.

It's also rare to find someone with separation in the quadricep without the torso being leaner.

So all this indicates a non-metabolic issue.

What often happens is that the psoas is extremely tight -- which originates and therefore pulls on the lumbar region causing an anterior pelvic tilt and excessive lordotic curve.

This can give the appearance of a "pot belly" appearance or a lower ab "pooch" as it has been referred. It is typical with some spinning instructors actually who are otherwise extremely lean. And some track athletes you can actually see their abs -- but it looks like a "gut" with a shirt on (if you can picture that).

So - although all the recommendations so far were sound - my instincts are that there could be a postural issue that APPEARS to be a fat deposit. I doubt that dropping 10-20g of carbs from a post workout drink will translate to much of anything.

It's kind of like slouching and being round shouldered -- your chest looks "small" but it's not a lack of muscle in the pecs -- it's poor posture making it appear as if it's a lack of muscle mass.

You'll be seeing him in a few weeks. Maybe he can help.

[Leigh P.]

What a truly excellent explanation. I was aware of that postural "defict" but the method of explaining it truely comes across easily.

[Blackjack]

First time I did the GS diet I think I lost 5lbs in the first week as well. But that'll taper off so don't get discouraged. I lost another 5 lbs in the next two to three weeks. I chalked it up to water as well, but it was inches around my midsection as well.

[Terry Monk]

Well, I am noticing today my arms are tighter and more ripped up. I can't wait til this catches up to my abdominal and lower back. First to come, last to go. :p