The last few months I've had this battle with the scale - to weigh or not to weigh. I can be feeling amazing, then I step on the scale only to find I have either not lost anything, or even have gained. Last week I thought I had finally conquered this. How? Because I saw a lower number than I've seen since I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. That was a week ago. I had a KILLER week where I did everything right. I journaled everything honestly and worked out a ton. I was convinced I would see an even lower number on Friday. After all, I felt great. I felt like I looked great. And I did everything right. Certainly I lost at least 1...if not more!!!
Nope.
Up .4.
What?
Totally deflated.
I have been fighting with gaining and losing the same 3 pounds or so since May. I finally thought I had conquered the plateau and was moving on. Not so much.
Why do I let myself be so tortured by that number? Why is it that I can have myself so convinced that it doesn't matter only to discover that it does - and then let it dictate my mood?
I sit around and try to rationalize why the number was up. It's been very hot and humid, so maybe that was part of it. We had turkey club sandwiches the night before - maybe it was the sodium. Maybe Spark is telling me to eat too many calories. Maybe I'm not eating enough. Maybe I'm one of those people who can't lose weight while running (although the science on that doesn't work).
I feel like the scale mocks me. I can go a couple of weeks without stepping on it and feel fantastic and free. Then I get on it and it's as if the scale says, "Ha ha. You really thought you were something, huh?"
I fully realize this is not a healthy line of thinking. It's self-depricating. But, I'm frustrated, and I need to write about it. I could put the scale away and focus on eating right and exercise and know that eventually the science will win out. Rely on how my clothes fit. I could start weighing weekly again. Or just once a month. I honestly don't know what to do at this point. I think no matter what I decide I will be watching that scale out of the corner of my eye. I wish I knew how to banish the thoughts of "the number" and focus on "the feeling."
I have no resolution to offer. Mostly I just needed an outlet to vent. Any thoughts and encouragement are certainly welcome.
At any rate, thanks for reading my rant. I'll be back on top soon :o)
Have you tried taking measurements and looking for those changes? I haven't done that but I hear it helps when the scale numbers don't change but then when you measure you realize that those numbers have changed. Also about the not losing weight when running, I was talking to the PE teacher at school and she said when running you almost have to do intervals to lose weight. If you do straight running you get out of the fat burning. Good luck! I was a little frustrated myself this past week cause I didn't lose either. But I also wasn't as diligent this past week. Back on the wagon tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget, fat ways less than muscle. So, you're going to eventually hit a certain point where you stop shedding fat and start gaining muscle, and your number will go back up a little. All it means is that you're hot & ripped.
ReplyDeleteAww Liz I'm sorry you're discouraged :( I do know what you mean though and I completely understand how the scale changes your mindset from feeling great to feeling lousy. You need to get the scale right out of the picture so as to change the focus. Put it somewhere it's hard to access (your husband's car trunk so it's gone during the day maybe?) or do like Amy's husband did..he took the battery out of it so she couldn't obsess over weighing in. Take measurements like your friend above suggested, go with the fit of your clothes etc. Most of all don't give up! <3
ReplyDeletePut your scale in time-out so it can think about what it has done and how to make better choices in the future. While its gone, focus on how you feel, how your clothes fit, and what kinds of strength/endurance gains you are making in your workouts. You're doing great!
ReplyDeleteYou have every right to feel frustrated but I hope that you'll take control of that frustration and use it to your advantage. Switch things up until you find out what that missing piece is that's keeping you from dropping those three pounds for good. You said you journaling everything. How about measuring? I'm always off when I just guess-measure. What about weights? Lifting any? TOM? Not enough water? It could be anything. I'm proud of you for having a killer week and doing everything you wanted to do even if the scale didn't show it. Stupid scale. So not my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI too echo the others. I'm sorry for the internal struggle and hard feelings. And I too would suggest measurements once a month. I was shocked when I did this routinely what the results were.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that I wanted to point out is what my ww leader said defines a plateau. Take your last four week's worth of weigh in's (if you have four weeks in a row) and add them up, then divide them by four. WW says a healthy weight loss is .5 to 1.5 pounds. So even though you were down low, only being up .4 may not be creeping on that horrible plateau again. See what happens next week. And all in all know that you're doing wonderfully and making life changing habits and choices. You are an inspiration, Liz. You really are.