How much muscle can you lose in a week?

[mirramar]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 11:18am

I've had a cold for nearly a week, so I haven't been able to work out at the gym for almost a week.

I've been eating as I usually do, but I've still lost around 2 pounds. Is it possible that I've already started to lose muscle mass in just a week?

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 12:20pm

No. You're losing body fat. It's all good.

[mirramar]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 12:28pm

I've noticed that I always lose weight when I'm unable to work out, even though I eat the same amount of calories. I've been at the same weight consistently for around a month now, so I think it's a little weird that I've dropped 2 pounds so quickly while I've been unable to exercise.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 12:30pm

Nope. Trust me, you're not losing muscle mass, not in a week.

[mirramar]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 12:31pm

Ok, phew. I was really worried that all my hard work would go down the tubes b/c of a stupid cold!!!!

[raphael06]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 1:22pm

Obviously try to eat a lot of protein still. Otherwise your muscles will get fatigued and feel weaker.

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 2:52pm

2 pounds is not even a "loss"...you can normally vary that much in one day, easily...and for one week PFFFFT it is not significant at all.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 2:54pm

It's probably water.

[mirramar]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 3:03pm

gymdudeva, I definitely fluctuate throughout the day, but usually weigh the same every morning. It usually takes me a couple of weeks to lose a pound. However, I've been holding at the same weight for the past couple of days. I generally don't have a 2 pound fluctuation when I weigh myself in the morning.

Yeah, it probably IS water loss. All that sneezing and coughing, it makes sense.

At least I'm feeling a little better now!