On Friday I was down to 204, 11 pounds lost! Saturday and Sunday I did not weigh.
Saturday was a technical disaster (was at an huge annual party/bbq all day and ate A LOT and also drank A LOT of beers) Sunday I was 100% on plan. Monday I weighed and was up to 208, ok I can deal, I was little bummed because I only expected to be up maybe 2 pounds (especially after being totally on plan on sunday and working out HARD sunday night). So monday I'm also 100% on plan, calories are even a little lower than usual (by about 200 or 300) and this morning I wake up at still weigh at 208, what the ****!
I've always weighed every day and I'm 100% familiar with how my body works after I have a splurge day, it's always up 2 or maybe 3 pounds but then gone within 1 or 2 days. Why am I still retaining? It's frustrating because I was SO happy to hit 10 lbs. lost (205) and this is really getting me down, even if I know I haven't gained 4 pounds of fat on that one day I just can't get past this mental block and it makes me want to go out and eat slices and slices of pizza in the worst way!
I know what I have to do, I have to just stick with it, I have to ignore the day to day fluctuations and look at the whole, I have to stay strong. BUT IT'S SO HARD!!
I'm sorry to break this to you, but I think your scale may behaving as it should be, given the circumstances. Why are you still retaining? Do you mean as in retaining water? Well you're most likely not still retaining - you've probably gained some fat amongst those 4 lbs. You ate a LOT and you drank a LOT (your words), so how could that possibly be all water weight? I also don't think it's a *fluctuation*. Remember, you can't have it both ways. You can't eat the high calorie/high quantity foods AND expect to have a weight loss. It just can't be.
It takes calorie restriction to create a deficit and when we go off plan even one day we wipe out any deficit we may have created the other 6 days of the week. And depending on how much we go *off* on that one day, not only won't you lose, but you may very well gain, which is what appears to be the case here. It's a lot easier (& faster) to gain a pound then to lose it. Stay with your plan and those pounds WILL come off - eventually.
Yes, you DO have to stick with it. But why not make this enjoyable? Find deliciuos, healthy foods to eat so that it will be easier to stay on plan. Find some strategies to get you through stress, boredom, and BBQ's/ parties , so that you're not dealing with regain.
It may be hard - initially - as you learn these new healthy habits - but it's no where near as hard as the hard of being overweight. You've got to remember that.
Last edited by rockinrobin; 07-13-2010 at 11:40 AM.
I can relate to you Bombe in regards to how my body works. When I am in serious restriction mode and being EXTREMELY disciplined, falling off track one day will bump me up about 3 pounds. However, it typically takes me about 4 days to overcome that and come back to my 'low weight'
And depending on what you mean by ALOT, well you very well may have gained actual pounds of fat back. If you consumed 3,000 calories that day, then more than likely you haven't actually gained back, however if you consumed 10,000 calories then those are pounds you will have to work really hard to get back off.
I understand what you're saying rockinrobin however I know I did not consume 14,000 calories that day even taking into account both the food and the alcohol. That's how many calories I would have had to consume to gain 4 pounds of fat. That's why I think I'm retaining water. I figured maybe 1 pound of fat, 3 pounds of water.
My estimates are around 4000 calories for the day, and that is "A LOT" for me! I'm pretty positive I'm not underestimating, I'm not new at this. I realize that I said I've lost 11 lbs. in my original post but I've lost nearly 50 lbs. in all, I've been at this for quite a while so I know how my behavior affects my weight and this is unusual for me.
I'm not trying to negate what you're saying, you have some good advice, I guess I'm just feeling needlessly defensive. I'll blame my moods, I've been grumpy as **** today! Thank you for the response
I understand what you're saying rockinrobin however I know I did not consume 14,000 calories that day even taking into account both the food and the alcohol. That's how many calories I would have had to consume to gain 4 pounds of fat. That's why I think I'm retaining water. I figured maybe 1 pound of fat, 3 pounds of water.
My estimates are around 4000 calories for the day, and that is "A LOT" for me! I'm pretty positive I'm not underestimating, I'm not new at this. I realize that I said I've lost 11 lbs. in my original post but I've lost nearly 50 lbs. in all, I've been at this for quite a while so I know how my behavior affects my weight and this is unusual for me.
I'm not trying to negate what you're saying, you have some good advice, I guess I'm just feeling needlessly defensive. I'll blame my moods, I've been grumpy as **** today! Thank you for the response
I am well aware of the 3500 calories overage = 1 pound, but *for me*, it takes waaaaay less than that to gain weight, and I'm not talking water weight here. I DO think a lot of people get messed up by that way of thinking. Logically, scientifically, whatever-ly, you shouldn't gain a pound of fat from eating less than 3500 calories, but I think if you were to take a poll, you'd find out that most of us do. Just as if when I create a 3500 calorie deficit, I am by no means guaranteed of losing a pound.
And being at this for awhile, and having your body respond one way for quite a bit, is also no guarantee that your body will remain responding in a particular way.
This is not the end of the world for you by any means or the end of your weight loss journey. I hope you'll view it as a valuable, eye-opening experience and take the data that you've been handed and learn from it.
Now start setting yourself up for success - make yourself some rules and boundaries to go by, plan out your meals ahead of time, make them delicious ones at that so that *sticking* to this will be waaaay easier. Much easier to stay on plan when you've got one. Stop making it an option to go off plan, get yourself in a good groove and watch your grumpiness fade (along with the pounds). Eating well, adhering to a healthy lifestyle is a great way to combat grumpiness.
I maintained at 230 for years (I used to be 250) by being fairly good during the week and then going crazy on the weekends - both eating and drinking. Every weekend, I undid all my good work during the week.
Alcohol is particularly tricky. It isn't just about the calories. After consuming just 2 oz. of alcohol, your body stops digesting fat and works soley on ridding your body of the toxin. That lasts for 24 hours. So for 24 hours, your body takes a break from even working on the fat you consume. Then you add in the fact that alcohol depleats your body of all kinds of vitamins and minerals which you need to eat to replace.
Don't get my wrong - I am not knocking the alcohol. I could happily have a drink (or two) every day. Sunday, I had four (strong) drinks and two beers. They were worth every drop. But it took me unil today to get back to were I was on Friday. If I behave again this weekend like I did last weekend, I will not see the results I want to. So I have to choose. Since I am working SO HARD at eating veggies, limiting my calories, running on the treadmill, running outsite when I am on vacation, lifting weights, going to Zumba, etc. I am more and more often choosing to NOT have that drink and to not load my plate up at picnics. It's hard... but it is getting easier.
Saturday was a technical disaster (was at an huge annual party/bbq all day and ate A LOT and also drank A LOT of beers) (
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bombe
My estimates are around 4000 calories for the day, and that is "A LOT" for me! I'm pretty positive I'm not underestimating, I'm not new at this.
Hi Bombe,
When you say A LOT of beers, how many is a lot? More than the legal limit? If you would have driven home could you have been arrested for DUI? I'm not trying to be a smartalec, but my point is, the legal limit of alcohol (when driving) is very low, because it has been determined that even a small amount of alcohol effects ones judgement significantly.
If you drank A LOT, (Your words) I would say that there is a very good possibility that your judgement could have been off on calculating calories. You say 4000, but for *me* after A LOT of beer, I tend to forget about the little wedges of brownies, and the small handful of nuts, and the mayo on my burger and many other little detail that I would never forget without alcohol. Alcohol totally screws up my eating judgement... That is one of the many reasons I don't drink anymore.
I used to think that I retained fluid after I ate too much salt. But it's seeming, more and more, that there's something else afoot here. I think ... think ... that grain carbs and sugar do the same thing. But that fluid retention is not as easy to wash away.
I think you're on the right track. Since you weigh everyday, you'll become accustommed to how different foods effect those fluctuations. Perhaps having a few glasses of wine instead of the beer or steak instead of ribs ??? Whatever it is ... since you are dilligently learning your body ... you'll figure it out.
Have you, um, gone to the bathroom.... since your binge? There is that added weight.
For me, weekends are always my hardest, and if I go overboard, I can easily see a 3-4lbs gain on the scales that will usually take 2 to 3 days to go away. Lots and lots of water, and lots and lots of extra fiber to recover. If I don't get the fiber and my colon doesn't cleanse itself, then those lbs will stick around.
And like Susan B above, salt, simple carbs and sugar end up causing retention for me as well. The grainy carbs also cause bulk and bloating that stick around until I go to the bathroom
The few times I have had a really bad splurge day or meal, I tended to only gain one or two pounds BUT for the next week I would stall out completely and I would have to be ultra disiplined to get the scale to move again.
My Scale Isn't Behaving (rant)
