|
Progress today, progress yesterday, progress every day. I'm reminded time and time again that scales can lie. Jumping on the scale, you are weighing everything. Water, organs, bones, whatever you ate that day... there are so many things that can cause your weight to fluctuate and that daily weighing unless you understand how and why your weight goes up and down can be very discouraging. This week, although I have been following my diet very strictly, I've gone up two pounds. I ended up at 168 and stayed for a few days before coming back down. Now, fluctuating weight is nothing to panic about. Just a reminder to everyone there that there are other ways of measuring success. Callipers, if you can get your hands on a pair are great, but my greatest weapon of all? My clothing and a tape measure. I put on a shirt I haven't worn for two weeks. I bought it not long ago, and it was fairly tight against my chest. This time, putting it on it was loose over the breast area, and using the tape measure I confirmed that I've lost another 0.5" across. I've had to tighten all my bras where the cup still fits to the 2nd out of 3 clasps, so this is great news! Measuring and trying on clothing has been my gauge of my success. It always had been, because in the end, the number doesn't matter, it's the physical results that do. When I switched over to Atkins from weight watchers, I took initial measurements which were 43"-Bust, 39"-Waist, and, 46"-Hips. Today I am at 39.5"-Bust (need new bras!!!), 35"-Waist, and, 43"-Hips. Slowly I am working my way down. Besides eating right, I am also working out 6 days a week. For the time being because the weather is so bad here in Southern Ontario I have been using my elliptical, but typically I do a combination of outdoor walking with my dachshund, elliptical and yoga. I like to be moderately active for 35-40 minutes a day. I heard that to keep heart disease at bay, a person needs to do 30 min a day, 6 days a week. To REVERSE/HEAL heart disease that has already started to form in cholesterol levels you need to do 60. I have a lot of work to do in order to build enough stamina, but my fitbit reminds me to keep active. As always, here are some pictures for the record to keep a visual log: My battle station: My battle outfit tonight: A couple things I've put on (I almost fit nice in this M Blue Jays Tshirt, and this is my jacket I got too fat for four years ago size 10): Bonus: I like to knock things over in stores with my purse. Oops!
|
166.4 lb
Lost so far: 31.6 lb.
Still to go: 26.4 lb.
Diet followed reasonably well.
|
gaining 0.6 lb a week
|
 Comments
Wow...thanks for sharing. You are doing great!!!
10 Apr 16 by member: SjF60
|
10 Apr 16 by member: The Japanese Zombie
|
You are doing great. Not having a scale, I, too, gauge my weight gain/loss by trying on my clothes.
You have a piano(I'm on mine at least an hour a day): maybe that contributes to your great loss, too? :-)
10 Apr 16 by member: PokeyJack
|
Thank you PokeyJack!
Yeah, I'm trying to ween myself off using the scale so much. It's just not a good measurement of accuracy. Rings are great for signalling weight gain and water retention, so are clothing. Also, just generally how you feel as well! Has trying on clothing been working for you too then? I tend to try something on and then not wear it for a couple weeks, then try again.
And yes! I have an old yamaha keyboard. I also play for about an hour a day, although it's starting to go, the pedal isn't working right and I'm missing one octave above and below (not a full-sized keyboard, and unfortunately, not weighted keys!)
10 Apr 16 by member: The Japanese Zombie
|
You look great. I agree with you about the daily weighing. I've only owned a scale for a couple of months because I was weighing once a month by going into the doctor's office, which they didn't seem to mind. And it was just a lot better for me. Now that I have a scale, I'm finding there is a pattern to my weight fluctuation during the week: I weigh the most on Fridays and the least on Tuesdays, so I choose Tuesdays as my weigh-in day. I have no idea why this is the case, but it's pretty consistent. Have you found something similar to be true? P.S. I have a dress I bought right before I fell off the wagon in 2011, and I've tried it on once a month since I started losing again. It fits pretty well now, but it's a winter dress and by next winter I firmly intent it will be too big! Keep up the good work -- you really do look fantastic.
10 Apr 16 by member: Hermiones Mom
|
Hermiones Mom, definitely there is a pattern, for me because my glycogen levels are depleted my weight is based on the volume of food I eat in the evening. I tend to go on the scale at 8am on Monday mornings that's when I'm lightest as I eat less over the weekends. I try to have heavier foods earlier in the day and save 'dinner' as something lighter and vegetable based. That's funny that you find that too!
Congratulations on the dress! It feels good doesn't it?
I fell off the bandwagon too the same year actually. My mother came back from Romania with a size 12 dress that I hadn't been able to fit in since she bought it, but I kept it. Summer dress thankfully. Fits perfectly now. I also intend for it to be too big by next year :)
10 Apr 16 by member: The Japanese Zombie
|
Hi Japanese Zombie, you shared some valuable info to me... I think I might need to take measurements to be fully understanding of my current body. The part where you explained the clothes was also spot on, I never figured that if the weight wasn't going down, I'm not getting smaller. You gave me good insight, thank you!!
10 Apr 16 by member: smartygirlCA
|
You can hold off trying on your clothes for a WHOLE TWO WEEKS?!?!?! You have way more discipline than I do. I'm very random: I tend to check the mirror the first time I put on something that hasn't been worn for a couple of years. I like your method better.
10 Apr 16 by member: PokeyJack
|
The funny thing is, I tend to eat more over the weekend than during the week, because if I eat out with friends or family, it's more likely to be on the weekend. So I'm not quite sure why Tuesday is my low weight, but it's very consistent. I'm hoping to see a drop this Tuesday. A pound would be thrilling.
10 Apr 16 by member: Hermiones Mom
|
Hi smartygirlCA,
I'm glad I was able to help. It's always a good idea to have multiple methods of measuring success. No one method will give you 100% insight to what is happening. So long as you stick to your regimen you are making progress, even if the scale is not showing it. For instance, I'm in Ketosis. I check once in a while to make sure my body is still burning fat and producing keytones. If it is, despite if the scale is moving or not, I know it's making a difference and try not to worry about it. You glycogen levels can also be partly to blame for unmoving numbers on the scale. Your body needs water to process carbs of any kinds. If you eat more carbs? Your body will store more water to turn them into glucose for the brain and body to process.
11 Apr 16 by member: The Japanese Zombie
|
PokeyJack, Two weeks! I have another shirt I put aside that is super tight on me. I tried it on last week. Wont probably try it on for another two weeks to see if it fits any better. This one was back when I was a size 10 so I'm not expecting drastic notable changes!
Trying on old clothing is fun though! If you wait that long it's a good surprise to see where you were and where you are now! My old summer shorts (both size 16 and 12) are now too big for me. Time to go shorts shopping if it ever stops snowing in Southern Ontario!!
11 Apr 16 by member: The Japanese Zombie
|
Hermiones Mom, I'm wondering if it's the intake of more nutrition during the weekend, and then a drop on Monday that causes you to be at your lowest on Tuesday? It makes sense, doesn't it?
11 Apr 16 by member: The Japanese Zombie
|
I have no doubts that the shirt will fit 2 weeks from now, you're doing so well! You're right about trying on old clothes being fun, and the surprises are so nice. One good thing about trying to buy shorts after a snow storm: they're probably going to be at a lower cost than when it's sunny and warm. :-) Or, at any rate, that's how things were where I grew up, in Michigan. We were practically neighbors!
12 Apr 16 by member: PokeyJack
|
| |
|
|
| |
Submit a Comment
You must sign in to submit a comment
|
|
|
Other Related Links
Members
|
The Japanese Zombie's weight history
|