How long...

So I posted a thread about my being on a "800-1200 calories per day" Medifast diet thing... I decided to mostly ditch that and shoot for 2000 calories a day, but I'm surprised at the jump of weight on the scale that I've had within three or four days of going off the Medifast.

I assume this is because of water (though I drink 10+ glasses a day) or something, but I have to wonder... Is my body adjusting to the new calories?

How long DOES it take, exactly, for a body's metabolism to recover? How can we help speed up a metabolism besides exercise? I'd do research on my own, but I'd like to hear it from real people that have gone through this first.

Thanks for any advice!

You're not seeing any sort of significant fat gain in 3 to 4 days.

I wish people could understand this. It's not about your metabolism. Muscle and liver glycogen, water retention, volume of food in the stomach and digestion, etc can easily change your weight by 5-10 lbs in a very short period of time. When you go from eating a very small amount of food, all those factors lead to an increased scale weight; though not due to fat.

Original Post by thexnest:

How long DOES it take, exactly, for a body's metabolism to recover? How can we help speed up a metabolism besides exercise? I'd do research on my own, but I'd like to hear it from real people that have gone through this first.

Thanks for any advice!

You won't get an exact answer because there are multiple factors that determine how fast an individual's metabolism recovers. That isn't a realistic question...maybe to ask for people's experiences but no one can tell you how long YOUR body will take to recover...it's simply impossible to tell.

Original Post by ibez:

You're not seeing any sort of significant fat gain in 3 to 4 days.

I wish people could understand this. It's not about your metabolism. Muscle and liver glycogen, water retention, volume of food in the stomach and digestion, etc can easily change your weight by 5-10 lbs in a very short period of time. When you go from eating a very small amount of food, all those factors lead to an increased scale weight; though not due to fat.

Please note I said 'weight gain'... :P Not fat gain. Like I said, I'm pretty sure it's water or some other bodily process, but I've been dealing with a doctor that doesn't really help me and I was simply wondering if there will be additional pounds on the scale from switching over to a higher calorie meal plan and how long that generally lasts for most people.

But thanks for answering my question! :D

In response to Chrissy...

Maybe I worded it wrong, but I don't expect anyone to tell me how my body works. I was looking for trends people generally noticed and things that helped them get things back in order. I realize everyone is an individual. :]

Well, if you're going from a depleted state to a normal state, it's only natural that you might carry an extra 2 or 3 lbs until you lose 2 or 3 lbs of fat to compensate. A race car weighs slightly less if it has no gas in the tank, but it can't operate without gas so it's not realistic to discount the weight of the gas in the first place, you know?

Original Post by ibez:

Well, if you're going from a depleted state to a normal state, it's only natural that you might carry an extra 2 or 3 lbs until you lose 2 or 3 lbs of fat to compensate. A race car weighs slightly less if it has no gas in the tank, but it can't operate without gas so it's not realistic to discount the weight of the gas in the first place, you know?

 Nice analogy!

I know my weight can flex from 135 to even 145lbs I find that its when I am eating less but still drinking plenty water I am around the 135lb mark and that when Im not eating less, drinking less water and eating meat that I am much more on the scale. I think that if you get on (or maybe you are already on one) a regular exercise routine that will help you.