You know that feeling that you would get if you were holding a lottery ticket while you were watching the balls being chosen - and you hit the lottery? You realize that you just became a millionaire?
Then, do you know that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you would have if you realize that today was Sunday, and the lotto ticket you were looking at was for last weekend's drawing, and that you didn't win anything?
Yesterday's Weigh In: 271.5
Today's Weigh In: 276
I have no idea why this happens. I know it can't be 4 1/2 pounds of fat in one (perfect eating) day, and I know that the 271.5 was a major drop for the day before, but damn it if this took the wind out of my sails. Less than 24 hours ago I seriously thought that I would be coming Monday actually accomplishing something. I would have been great with seeing 272 or even 273 on the scale - but 276? And hell, not that I should be watching the scale every night with the way the body fluxuates, but I just stepped on it and it read 278.5. It completely boggles the mind on how my body works.
Without this Coalition, today would have been the day I threw everything away and binged the shit out of myself. I'm so frustrated beyond words - after a solid week, I end up another Sunday higher than I was the Sunday prior.
This is what my full plan was for yesterday:
Nutrition Report
 |  Fat - 28.7% (54 grams) Protein - 17.3% (74 grams) Carbohydrates - 51.5% (219 grams) Alcohol - 0.0% Other - 2.6%Daily Sodium Intake - 3,769 mg Daily Cholesterol Intake - 741 mg Daily Fiber Intake - 28 grams | Nutrition Grade A- |
| Date | Calories | Grams | Fat | Carbs | Protein | Grade | |
| 2007-10-06 | 1,701 | 970 | 54 | 219 | 74 | A- |
Honestly, I really am pretty down about this today. When I stepped on that scale this morning and saw the number, it sent me into a frenzy. Doubt, anger, frustration, you name it - it was there.
All I can do is continue on, and that's what I'm going to do - but when I write that book in a few years about how I lost all this weight .. when I talk about 'ultimate highs' and 'ultimate lows' - this morning's weigh in is going to be on that second one's page.
14 comments:
I'll blog about this same thing tomorrow. I work my ass off, eat perfect, and I PUT ON weight? Last month, I only worked out a handful of times due to back issues, and I lost 11 pounds. Now I work every day, eat great, and I go backwards.
Maybe it's something in the water.
Don't lose sight of the fact that what you're really aspiring to is not an immediate gratification, but a permanent lifestyle change. If you accomplish the change, you will lose the weight. There will certainly be slow-downs and gaps in the weight loss, but it will come off. I've found that my level of hydration and the amount of fiber I've been eating (directly related to the amount of food being retained by your digestive system) can cause my weight to fluctuate by about ten pounds in either direction. Doesn't mean I'm gaining or losing anything significant. I fight it by making sure I stay well hydrated, and by getting as much fiber as I can. Just my $0.02.
Your scale has your weight fluctuating by 7 pounds in one day, that seems like a lot of fluctuation (although i've never weighed myself other than first thing in the morning.)
Take a deep breath and see what the next few days holds. I suspect it will go back down over a few days.
as you know this is really the downfall of weighing yourself all the time. It really is like watching water boil. Let me ask you this, if you had not weighed yourself, would you be this angry? Would you really have known the scale was going to be 7 pounds higher than it was the day before? My guess to both of those is probably not.
I've had it happen to me too where my weight has fluctuated wildy in a short period. Let's say you ate 1000 calories yesterday, but you had the bulk of them late in the day or at night. I can bet you'll weigh more today than you did yesterday. In the overall scheme of things you're still headed in the right direction.
My answer: if this type of thing is that hard for you to see, and it effects you mentally that much, I'd highly consider only weighing yourself a few times a week, and stay off the scale otherwise. There is really no good reason to weigh yourself that much anyway, including even daily in my opinion. All is it is an emotional headache.
Sorry to hear about this Rob. Your doing what you need to be doing so just keep going and it will come off. I kind of wonder if your scale is crazy too. 7bls is allot to fluctuate. I pretty frustrated after a descent weekend too.
7 lbs is not unusual for a big guy to fluctuate depending on what you eat that day.
I agree with anonymous and Brian, to some extent. I think we place a bit too much emphasis on the scale.
If it were all about the scale, you could just eat 1200 calories per day and lose weight for a long time, or just stop eating and lose weight indefinately.
Keep up the good habits, maybe start posting your food on the blog, and keep moving forward.
This phenomenon kills me. Destroys me. I've found I usually weigh the most the morning AFTER my 750 calorie days. WTF? You know what? This is why we average. Actually, I also keep track of my weight trend in another way, too. Check out
http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/online/hdo.html
they have a tool that graphs your weight trend, so even when you fluctuate, if your weight stays below your weight trend, then you're losing weight. I find this tool reassuring, since one or two bad days can really throw off a 5 day average.
Swanky, you're absolutely right about the averages being used instead of the weigh ins. It does help a little bit.
But averages, no averages, trends, you name it - I just set these huge goals for the next few months and I feel like I can throw them all in the trash after two weeks worth of work have been erased - and it feels like for no good reason other than "that's how it goes".
I mean.. that *IS* how it goes, but it doesn't keep it from sucking any less.
Btw, here's a comment I got from another board (calorie-count.com) on my other journal I keep (same content, different site). I thought this was a little bit helpful.
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I agree with the other comments. Your sodium is high and I think you are holding water retention.
When all else failed (and it did, for months) I decided that I had to completely switch up the types of food I ate. I now eat high protein (minimum 55 g per day), high fibre (minimum 35 g per day) and low carbs (maximum 130 g per day) and the weight is finally coming off. Our bodies process different foods in different ways. It could be that your body simply is not good at metabolizing some of the foods that you are eating now. For instance, even though fruit is supposed to be good for a person, I have had to cut down to 1 serving per day. (And I love fruit). Whole grains are supposed to be good for you too but I have to limit them severely. On the happier side, you will find some foods that seemingly have no effect (on the weigh scale) - mine are vegetables and sugar believe it or not. That means my body is good at metabolizing them but horrible at metabolizing grains and carbs.
It is a "hit and miss" process and there will be many times you get frustrated until you find the right combination of foods. When you do find the key diet for you, there will be some sacrifices AND some pleasant surprises.
A good nutritionist and doctor can help you figure this out as well or you can read and research on your own like I did.
I know that, because I am hypothyroid, this method is a necessity for me but I really think it could help lots of people whose bodies get "stuck" on neutral and refuse to comply to all the work you put into eating well and exercising.
Whatever you decide, if you choose to change your diet, pick your goals and stick to them for one full week and then note the outcome. If that diet doesn't work, switch it up and try another combination. If nothing else, you'll confuse your body and that alone can help you to drop weight! Good Luck!
I agree with brian. The scale is controlling your life, in a very very unhealthy way. We cant let the number on the scale dicatate how we feel or how we react. We have to be in control. You streak has been consistent and your feeling good right? Dont let the scale derail your progress. In the end its only a number, and we are aiming for a healthy lifestyle. I know easier said than done right?
Rob I totally agree with what your calorie count comment said. Peoples bodies handle foods differently. Like I know I would loose faster if I went low carb but I am having a really hard time with that this time around. However you have already lost 100lbs.... what worked for you? look back and replicate that. What was most effective? You know what your body needs to loose weight. Get back to that new low and say goodbye to the 270s.
See, that's the wierd thing. I haven't changed anything in these past 100 pounds - maybe I should.
I pretty much have the same diet that I've started with - try to be lower carbs, higher protiens, not too many sugars (not a sugar fan really anyway) - and it's been fine. I'm not sure what I should do.
I was always good just doing 'low calories' and working out. I've been doing great on that lately, yet the scale's been a complete bitch on the subject. Pretty confused about it right now.
Maybe it is time for mission shock and awe... Try some totally different things exercise wise. Diet , maybe up your calories but keep them clean. The body is a weird thing. Believe me I am pissed at my damn scale too, I almost threw it through the bathroom window this morning.
You gotta watch that sodium, Tuck. Last week for the 3 day, I ate a ton of salt over the weekend because the doctors there told us too. I came back five pounds heavier...and lost it all in two days. You might want to watch that salt intake for a day or two, and see if that number drops a lot. It might not, but it's worth a try.
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