I had posted just recently about having trouble loosing this bit of a belly I've still got. Well, over the last 9 days I have been watching it "very" closely. To start I was 5' 10", 172 lbs., and now I am 167 lbs. 9 days later and I seem to have dropped around 5 lbs! Needless to say I was a bit exited, especially since my target weight is only 160. I've been drinking a gallon of water a day, which I didn't do previously (so it may be water weight), and eating a pretty solid 1900-2000 calorie diet, with about 5-6 days of intense exercise a week. My concern is that this amount of loss is just "too" quick. For example, according to my scale I dropped a pound and a half in two days. Now, I "know" I'm not eating "that" few of calories, 4500 calories under level over 2 days is a stretch :P So is it water weight? Or is it that my body is just finally ready to get rid of the fat and is burning it up rather quick? I can definately see a difference in my body already.... You guys think I should up the calories a bit to play it safe?

It could be water weight, but you sound like you're doing a lot of exercise for the amount you're eating. It's probably a combination of water and fat loss. I would do as you were thinking and add more calories in case there is some muscle loss as well. You don't want to risk losing muscle.

It depends. How high is your sodium intake? Was it higher the week before than it should have been?

A lot of times, people store and intake too much sodium (salt), and that allows your body to retain more water. Oddly enough the most effective way of getting rid of this (other than going to a sona [sp?]) is drinking MORE water. All bodily secretions be it sweat, tears urine etc. has a high sodium content (why sweat burns your eyes). Drinking more water will allow you to sweat a bit more during your workouts and more over, use the bathroom more heavily. As you release this extra water with all this sodium, your water weight will fall dramatically.

I think it is only due to you drinking more water this week. Check it with next week's weigh in, if you find the same amount of loss, up your calories by a few hundred a week.

But as long as you are hitting the weights properly, your body isn't going to get rid of muscle. So I doubt you are in any danger.

Good luck.

Thanks alot guys, I'll be sure to keep an eye on it for next week and see how it goes :)