What the heck?

We had a pot luck at work last Wednesday and my eating was a bit out of control for a couple of days (there were lots of leftovers and we continued to eat them until Friday). I ate a lot more carbs than I had been eating previously. I had been stalled for about 6 weeks now and thought that this three day eating extravaganza would actually cause me to gain a pound or four, but when I stepped on the scale yesterday, I had lost 3 pounds! How on earth did that happen? Has anyone experienced an increase in carbs that actually caused weight loss?

Body must have needed some carbs. Congrats on lost, I bet you were nervous prior to stepping on scale.

Not a great idea to go for....but, yes...sometimes changing up your routine a little produces some great results! The best strategy, however, is to stick with the program!!

I lost my last ten pounds eating only fruit and vegetables and no protein. It took about a month. Then I went back to high protein and low carbs.

The trick is that you must control one or the other. Not high protein with high carb.

My guess is that you were eating carbs and protein and your weight loss is a coincidence.

My grandmother told us that the first time you go to the racetrack the devil lets you win so that you will get hooked and lose all your money gambling.

My high carb diet still had no bread, flour, rice, potatoes or sugar. Just fresh fruit and vegetables.

Don't believe for a second that you lost weight because you ate carbs. That belief paves the road to hell (hear me now and believe me later!).

When you are "stalled" it's because of water weight - not fat weight. You dropped 3 lbs. of water, maybe a bit of it was fat, and who cares why? You probably would have dropped the weight regardless of what you ate.

During the first year of weight-loss mode you pretty much can't screw this up and you'll even feel a bit bullet-proof. Like: I can eat that and still lose weight. Be careful, my friend - because that ALL changes in maintenance.

Have to agree that the weight loss isn't from eating carbs. I have yet to correlate a specific event or meal with what happens on the scale the next day. For my body it just isn't that linear. (A week, or a month, of non-stop indulgence? Oh yes, and I have a lifetime of experience to back THAT up. But not a meal, or a day or even two days.) As previous posters have said, the best plan is to just follow your food plan, day in and day out. The weight will take care of itself. And then will come that amazing time, maintenance, where you'll be eating and not losing. On those days now when the scale doesn't move, you're practicing for how it'll be for the rest of your life. :-)

Thank you guys for the comments. I was just amazed that I didn't gain because of all that I had eaten. I am at 13 months out (this Friday) and just can't manage to get the last 20 pounds off but I'm working on it. Good luck to all of you!