Weight-Loss Up then down...and repeat!

[CheifBear]

Firstly I will apologise, I seem to be monopolising the board at the moment....I just don't know what to do though!

As I previously advised, I lost 3lb last week...after a week where I had 2 take outs and alot of alcohol....Kara posted a very interesting article about the effects of alcohol on diet and I read with interest.

I have stuck to my 1400 calories religiously this week and have gained 1lb...sorry but I don't understand

These are my weigh ins (in stones) for the last 6 weeks:

w/c 29.03.10 - 10.2 1/2
w/c 04.04.10 - 9.13 3/4
w/c 11.04.10 - 9.12 3/4
w/c 18.04.10 - 10.0 1/2
w/c 25.04.10 - 9.11
w/c 02.05.10 - 9.12


It's up and down all the time!

For my height you can be anything from around 8 stone to 10 stone so it isn't like I am any where near even middle range for my healthy BMI. I have to either up my calories or drop them.....I am thinking drop to be honest, though that goes against everything that the stickys advise on here. I just don't see how upping my calories will improve the situation.

I will do what I am advised to lose weight as long as it is healthy....but it is so dis heartening when you are doing what should work and it isn't working.

Again apologies for posting a different question most days.......once I have cracked it I will leave you all in peace :0)

Siobhan

 

[KaraCooks]

No problem with the questions, but I will say this to you - stop obsessing over a pound.

Look, weight fluctuates. Your body is not a machine. It doesn't stay the same from day to day to day. Hormones, water, sodium, exercise, the temperature outside, the temperature inside, etc., etc., etc. ... all affect your weight. Freaking out and feeling like you're failing over a pound ... that's the sure way to make yourself insane.

Also ... I'm gonna say something that not a lot of people agree with - I think weekly weighing contributes to that mindset. Either weigh daily or weigh monthly, but weekly (for me) is a recipe for disaster.

Let me show you my recent weigh-ins:

Thurs- 171.4
Fri - 171.2
Sat - 171.0
Sun - 171.4
Mon - 171.2
Tues - 169.8
Wed - 169.6
Thurs - 173.4 (!!!)

Now if my weigh in days were only Thursdays, I'd look at last Thurs and today and freak the F out - because I'd gained weight. But because I weigh daily I know that there's no way I ate enough between yesterday and this morning to gain 3.8 lbs. I know that this blip up from 169 HAS to be water. I think about what I've been eating and I know that (a) I had quite a bit of salt last night and (b) I'm due to start my period in a few days.

So I don't freak out about this. I know that overall I'm on a steady downward trend and I know my body and know that if I drink a lot of water today, I'll shed that extra 4 lbs by tomorrow or Saturday morning at the latest.

But all of that to say that you CANNOT obsess about 1 lb. And if you freak out because of 1 lb and drastically drop your calories, you're setting yourself up for failure.

You're going to have periods where you don't lose anything. You're going to have periods where your weight bounces up. It's going to happen. YOu're going to have to figure out a way to deal with it w/out freaking out and making drastic changes. That's what dooms most people who diet .. they won't stick with anything long enough to see consistent LONG TERM results ... because every time they see something they don't like they go "THIS ISN'T WORKING!!!!!!" and panic and change everything up again.

 

[aravind82]

I was 183.8 Thursday of last week. This Monday I was 190.8! That's from higher sodium intake over the weekend and running a half-marathon. I was a tad sore so I was most likely retaining some water. Don't fret over fluctuations!

 

[Penguinita]

I agree with KaraCooks and aravind82

Your weight will fluctuate, but don't stress over it. There were periods where I would work out for 7 days straight for two whole weeks and not loose anything (While eating right). My doctor told me I just gained muscle, good weight to have.

Good luck on your weight loss journey!