Danielle,.

You have just hit on the secret to success!! That *switch* is the key to everything we do here. Once it's turned on, any notions of cheating, tweaking, justifying etc. go right out the door. Congratulations, you're going to be one of the true success stories...

Congratulations on your first 4 days It's great, isn't it!..

This is a great plan. In a few days all the negative side effects will subside and then be prepared to be blown away by some awesome results...

You are off to a fabulous start!!!!!!!!! Wishing you lots of success!!!!!!!!..

Sounds like you are off to a great start! Keep up the good work!..

People always say just water weight as if that means it doesn't count. It's still pounds of weight not being carried around by creaky joints and overtaxed feet. It still makes you feel better physically, and mentally, so enjoy every pound of it!.

Congrats on the great start...

Today is my first day back.... and I can't wait to drop some water weight... I feel sooo bloated and puffy..... but after that is what I am really looking forward to... dropping the lbs and inches..... it feels GREAT to be back and I have this board to thank!!!!!.

Keep up the great work !!!!!!.

Kay..

Wow! You are off to a wonderful start. I remember my first round 3 years ago, I lost 7lbs that first week. You probably will too! Medifast is awesome that's why I'm back..

Congratulations!..

The water weight is glycogen, everyone has 3-8 lbs of the stuff (individually varies) and glycogen is a carbohydrate-based liquid form of stored energy. It resides in your muscles.

Glycogen is what your bodies dip into normally every night, to keep basic functions going. The body prefers to burn carbs instead of fat, so you've got to get "through" your stores of glycogen in order to begin burning your log-term fat stores.

As the body makes the transition from burning glycogen to burning fat is where all the symptoms of those "first three days" come into play.

In order to turn glycogen into usable carb energy, the body strips off the water and sends it on out of the system, then uses the carbs as energy..

This is also why if someone who is on a low-carb diet decides to have a carb-binge, they will gain 2-3-4 lbs seemingly overnight. The body is making stored glycogen again out of the excess carbs, and putting it back in your muscles. Hence, you get thrown out of ketosis and have to experience the symptoms of the "first three days" all over again, even if only for a day or two..

Hope this helps...

Thanks for the quick biology lesson.

I was reading online (you made me curious so I Googled "water weight glycogen") and it says that glycogen can hold 3 times it's "weight" in water...so losing "water weight" is getting rid of the glycogen and all that water it holds on to...just like you said Learn something new everyday..

Wow, Danielley! I hope my first week goes as well as yours has so far! You are doing great!..

Wow! Great information..

Last night I really wanted to binge (bad old habit), but didn't. After reading this, not only am I thankful I didn't go for carbs, but very grateful for this post. Great posts, great and important information..

Thank you..