The Whooosh! Effect and Some Observations

Maybe you're wondering, "Amy, what the heck is the Whoooosh Effect?"

I first heard about it a couple months ago when someone posted a link to this site in the MyFitnessPal forums. As soon as I finished reading the article, I realized that the way my body seems to lose weight is not so unusual – it's an actual thing, even!

I tend to drop a big chunk of weight, and then hold for what often amounts to weeks, almost a month like what happened most recently. This was the longest time I'd waited – usually it's two, maybe three weeks. I was definitely getting discouraged. But sure enough, the past two days I saw major losses amounting to an 8 pound loss since my last official weigh-in last Friday. It still astounds me even though it has happened so many times.

There seem to be some correlating actual physical things that happen just before a whoooosh. I especially noticed it this time. For the past two days, I have been peeing like crazy, even though I've only been drinking my usual amount of water, 8 to 12+ cups. I mean, like semi-frequently and heavily. It's wild. Then, this morning before hopping in the bath, I noticed that my arms looked different in the mirror. They're big, and they're floppy and they have cellulite still, yes, but it almost looked like the composition shifted somehow, in a really dramatic way. In a positive way.

And then I stepped on the scale. I had shown a three pound loss yesterday and was thrilled with that, but I wasn't expecting much, if any, more. That's what I got, though! I was absolutely shocked to see the number 319 on the readout. And just the other day I was whining about how I should be below 320 by now. Har!

I am super excited that this happened again, finally. It's great on it own, but it's also great as an acute reminder of how we sometimes need to be patient when we're making big changes in our lives. There's no accounting for how our body works deep down – I know I'll never figure it out. But at least I can do what I can to gain an awareness of how it functions and just keep doing what I'm doing, keep the positive changes en force and feel happy about being healthier, if nothing else. That's really what it comes down to.

Happy halloween, by the way! We don't hand out treats; we're one of those Scrooge houses who turn off all the lights and hide. We'll be watching a couple scary flicks: John Carpenter's The Thing and hopefully, Alien. Yes, I am making some hot buttered popcorn on the stove, and I can't wait.