After finishing my blog post yesterday, I weighed myself and I have in fact still lost weight this month. Only 2 pounds, but 2 pounds is 7000 calories. Let’s talk about that for a minute.
7,000 Calories =
- Running approximately 70 miles
- 53 1/2 of my chocolate chip cookies
- burning or consuming 233.33 calories LESS a day than my body burned.
Does that surprise you? Have you ever been disappointed because you only lost “a couple pounds”? Once you realize how difficult it is to lose one pound I hope you can be proud of yourself.
Also, lets talk about weighing ourselves for a minute. How often should someone who is trying to lose weight weigh him/herself? I don’t think there is one right answer for everyone. You should find what motivates you and works for you, but there is one rule I have about weighing myself. I do it at the SAME time every day and without clothes on. I have found this is the best way to learn about how your body fluctuates with water weight and gives me the most accurate idea of how much true weight I have lost. You don’t have to do it in the morning or without clothes, but I suggest picking the same time and wearing the same clothes for each time you weigh yourself. Secondly, the number on the scale should not have power over you. If you find that it ruins your mood, dampens your motivation, or upsets you in any way, PLEASE take a week or two off weighing yourself. Track your calories. Still try to stay motivated. But just give yourself a break from the scale.
Sometimes I would be doing so well with my eating and exercising and I would get on the scale and it would be up a couple pounds. I would be so upset and discouraged that I would eat terrible all day and tell myself, “Well if i don’t lose weight being good, why should I try?” (VERY BAD ATTITUDE THAT ONLY HOLDS YOU BACK) Eventually I learned that several things can cause your body to suddenly gain a couple pounds. Testosterone is increased in women just before the beginning of their menstrual cycle. (Which can increase acne too) Testosterone causes the kidney’s to retain salt and thus water (water follows salt). These hormonal changes cause water retention that fluctuate all month long. Eating more carbohydrates one day can cause water retention. Being dehydrated… etc. There are a lot of reasons why the number on the scale can be deceiving. So be patient. This is what my weight loss has looked like over the past year.
Be patient. Don’t get discouraged or give up.
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