Friday, November 14, 2008
What The ....
You know what I find so freaking frustrating about maintenance? That there is just NO correlation between a good week scale wise and a good week action wise. I mean seriously. I think this is a major part of what has made it so hard for me to toe the line the last few months.
I'll be 100% on board with my plan.. workout a ton... eat in range... and there will be no loss. Or a loss followed by a gain. Or a gain. Then I'll get mad and frustrated and I won't stick to my plan the following week or two and that's when I lose weight.
The past 2 weeks have been horrible. I've hardly worked out. Last week I made the dreaded White Trash again... and... ate it all. This week I was too tired (and that's legit) to workout... and I made chocolate covered chex mix... and... ate it all... and my weight is DOWN. What the fuck?!!
You'd think I'd be excited about the loss... or about the fact that I'm finally back in my maintenance range... or that after 3 months my body fat has finally budged a teeny tiny 1.5 % down. But I'm not as super happy about it as I might have once been. Because I've found maintaining weight loss to be a very VERY slippery slope with very little consistency on both my part and my body's. It was much easier when I was losing weight... and there was a more consistent and direct reward (or punishment) for commitment.
When you work hard and get the result you are looking forward to it helps motivated you to stick with your program the next week. Instead I find I start every week back in the same spot of *trying* to motivate myself to give it another try. It's tiring and maddening at times. I've felt like I've completely lost touch with my body ... which has been hard. During weight loss I finally felt that I'd figured my body out and I was getting maximized results for that understanding.
Now I'm grappling to find that delicate balance again... and I keep missing the mark. Sure I'm down this week, but my intake and exercise level was seriously sub-par and I'm sure I'll see the gain next week. And that is frustrating and kind of knocks the wind from sails.
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26 comments:
Maybe you're losing muscle? It happens when you stop working out. You'll see a loss at first, but it's not the kind of loss you want to see.
Just a thought.
"During weight loss I finally felt that I'd figured my body out and I was getting maximized results for that understanding."
EXACTLY!
I'm going through the same feelings of frustration (even though my "maintenance" at the moment is maintaining my loss, but not having reached my goal weight yet). I'm also finding that effort and results are not lining up the way I think they will, and while that's sometimes a relief, it's also totally screwing with my head about what I should and should not do.
I need to somehow fall ass backward into whatever zenlike state I had going on when I first stared losing weight, because this determined "I'm going to be good this week!" thing just isn't taking hold with me. It sounds like we both go full force and then get pissed off by less than stellar results and then violently backslide. Thank god I'm keeping myself from looking up the monkey munch recipe...
Smoochie,
that just scared the shit out of me ;)
I just used my scale and you are right I've lost about 3 pounds of muscle since the move! That probably accounts for my metabolism shift.
Haley,
We are in the same place my friend. That is exactly how I feel... and what I'm doing.
New to your blog and I think it's great. I just can't lose weight period...not one pound! I walk and started working out five days a week an hour a day...nothing! I contribute my not losing weight to mostly stress...but, I feel your pain Mrs. Furious..totally!
Wow. I may have actually known what I was talking about for once. Dang!
My sentiments exactly. Can't win for losing sometimes.
I let a car accident in May really *f* with my head, and gained 10 lbs in 3 weeks (after 18 months at my ideal weight). The weight would not come off. I blamed being bored, unmotivated, exhausted, and frustrated - now I have 10 lbs to lose before Christmas.
I re-dedicated this week to getting back to my ideal weight, I'm recommitting to WW Core, and have been perfectly on plan since Tues. I even started a blog to start getting accountable again. I am not going to accept an almost-rocking body. None of us should.
Good Morning!
Just catching up on my blog reading.
I wish I was as motivated as you to take better care of my body. After having Baby M, I feel fat but not bothered by that.
Hmmm. I haven't exercised in YEARS!! How do you get back into that?
Michelle
Wow, now I actually feel better about having so much to loose. (20lbs to the top of my target range, more, obviously to the bottom, I haven't specified a specific ammount yet)
Still pretty much unable to make myself exercise very much. I am coming to terms with the fact that I'll need to at a certain point in order to keep loosing.
But hey, I think I"ll be able to reach my 10% goal by Christmas!
Mrs. C,
hmm... stress will hold you back.
I hope you start seeing a loss soon. I know how frustrating waiting for a valid result on the scale can be!
bi0nicw0man,
I keeping thinking it should get easier... and then it never does.
P/F,
"I am not going to accept an almost-rocking body. None of us should."
I'm with you!
Supermom,
For me it took having a TIVO hooked up in front of my treadmill.
Elizabeth,
"But hey, I think I"ll be able to reach my 10% goal by Christmas!"
Woohoo!
and I didn't start exercising until I needed to in order to keep the weight dropping... which was about half way.
Is there any way you could do some kind of resistance workout with baby? Maybe get a kettlebell and get her a little pretend kettlebell and do, say, 20 minutes together? (Or 10 or whatever! Spread it out if you have to).
Your other two factors: stress + sleep. One you have too much of, the other too little. That will really mess with any fat loss.
Also, I hate to say this, but I don't think you are really committed if you are making chocolate covered chex mix. Out of sight, out of mouth, if you will. Perhaps you'd be better off not stressing it for a few weeks (without going hog wild, 'course)and then trying again if things settle down?
Just some suggestions from a lurker who loves your blog!
AT22,
Oh I'm definitely not really committed. That's the problem. I'm not sure how to maintain being "really committed" indefinitely. Since I don't show loss even when I am committed I get frustrated and then eat what I want since ...I'm not losing anyway... then I'll lose. It's totally whack.
And YES my lack of sleep is an issue on all fronts... having the energy to workout, having the energy to resist temptation, having increased sugar cravings, having a slowed metabolism. It sucks.
I really wish I could move my reformer up to the deck... it would be easier to use it in the day while Baby is playing... the only downside is it is a fairly dangerous piece of equipment to leave in a play area. I'm going to look into things I can do in the day. That way I don't have to give up my cardio time in the evenings.
Ok. Here is a CRAZY thought. Now, remember, this is coming from an insane pregnant woman so take it for what it's worth. (nil)
What about giving up the scale? (or checking it once a month?)
just go for a total change of focus: pilates, cardio, eating well, consciousness/awareness, feeling good...
See? crazy I know.
but just think if it WORKED! And you could somehow attain the holy grail of freedom to NOT weigh yourself every single day for the rest of your life.
ok, that's enough talk from someone who is not walking the walk right now, lol...
Katieo,
I'm scared... I'm scared...
what if I instantly gain 5 pounds?!
I guess I should be more scared of the strawberry bundt cake Kid talked me into buying...
thanks for typing that up so I can just copy, paste it onto my blog ;0) - great time saver, sweet!
What frustrates me to no end is the water weight gain with my monthly cycle - it is usually 5-7 lbs that vanishes a couple days after my period ends. But for about 8 days of the month (before/during my period) I can't tell my real weight. It's SO demotivating. From what I've read/talked to my Dr. this is fairly normal occurrence for many women. Does anyone else experience the same thing? How do you deal with it and not let it derail your confidence? Even if I avoid the scale during that time the feeling of being 'extra fat' is very real and hard to overcome.
Hang in there Mrs. F...
Emily,
YES!!! That's why my weight dropped today. I find the only time my weight seems accurate is the day after my period. Even knowing that I let it mess with my head... I still feel that my weight should be more reflective of my week's work and not my cycle. I find that it is getting worse as I get older. I don't think it was such an issue last year because I was still postpartum. My cravings are more intense and it is really hard for me not to eat more the week before... I'm really hungry. Then I feel like as soon as it's over and my weight drops I start retaining water again for the next cycle. Super frustrating!
Does that answer your question ;)
Shirls,
Ah my pleasure ;)
Re: hot chocloate, I'm not judging, those could totally be fat free marshmallows!
Also: I was sleeping and I dreamed my family was MOVING to the ranch. Craziness no? I would NOT want to be there in the winter.
Elizabeth,
Oh they're fat free!
LOL... I dreamt 3 times last night that I was making these little treats out of pretzels and rolo candy.
Oh and it's probably cause you saw my mug the other day.
YES!! It does... at least I know it's not just me. I agree, I honestly feel like the day after my period is over is the only time I can be sure what I weigh. GRR!
And postpartum is definitely, definitely better in that respect. I so enjoyed the break from the monthly weight roller coaster while extended breastfeeding (and burning those extra calories too)... sigh.
When I was a faithful Weight Watchers meeting goer, I remember hitting a plateau and I was very frustrated. My meeting leader told me to eat a few more points than my allotted value because the increase in calories would spark my metabolism into "calorie burning mode".
Sure enough I had 3 more points a day that week and I lost three pounds. The next week I went back to my regular points allotment and lost another two pounds. I couldn't believe it. I'm not sure if it works for everyone, but it worked for me.
I'm just working out the salt, chocolate thing I've had going on, now I'm into bloat....its lovely and that damn treadmill, this week, I swear...this week!
Oh and get this, I just found out that my cousin, who lives here at the beach, works and trains in a Pilates studio....how have I been missing out on this hookup??? I'm getting right on this after this crazy weekend. Its Friends and family at the store.
Unwrap Rolo candies and place in bowl for later.
That is my favorite part of the Rolo/pretzel recipe. "Place in bowl for later." Later...? Like 30 seconds after they're unwrapped later? Oh, and 50-60 a cookie sheet? I wonder how many that means I can fit in my stomach at one time. I'm guessing 50-60.
What if you live vicariously through me for motivation? In another handful of weeks, I'll get this kid out and get the okay to exercise, then you can workout to my weight loss numbers. Hmm... I'll probably have to think that through a bit more.
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