[mrsaugie]

I have been coming and going from this site for a while and making a post (usually about every 6 months when i have the time.) Anyway since i was last here i have lost a bout ten pounds since thanks giving and between then and now i have noticed that i can do real good at the weight loss during the week about 3- 4 pounds but once saturday rolls around i gain most of it back. I know i do not excercise that much on the weekend. especially on sunday which is when we usually do things with family since that is the only gaurenteed day we have as a family. what i am looking for i guess is a little support to make it through the weekends and keep me on track to keep going.


Thanks in advance for the advise if i do not get back before tomorrow

[shrinkingchica]

Well, here is some support!
Now, what happens on saturdays that makes you gain?? do you overeat? binge even? because that seems like a major gain for one day a week.
Check out the Chicks in Control forum. That is where we can seek and receive support for any binging/purging/starving or any other ed issues that one might have.
I encourage you to check it out and see if that helps.
Other than that, I don't really know what to say as I don't have enough information.......... ?

[JayEll]

Hey mrsaugie! On the days that you don't engage in activity like exercise, you have to adjust your food downward accordingly. That way you can avoid getting caught in between eating too many cals and not burning enough.

For weight loss, you need to stay pretty much on an even keel all through the week. Otherwise you're essentially doing maintenance and you won't see much change. See what you can do about adding more physical activity on the weekends. Can you play with the kids? Go for a walk all together? And don't let the weekend be timeoff from your food program.

Do you use any kind of calorie or food tracking program? Those can help you see exactly how it's all working out. Sometimes just trying to "eyeball" portions or guess at calories doesn't work the best...

Good luck!
Jay

[mrsaugie]

thanks for the advise. and sorry it took so long to get back on. I usually have to fight my husband for the computer. especially now with storm season fast approaching

[Nikaia]

I'd like to point out that, considering that it's 3500 calories per pound of fat (ie, it takes consuming 3500 excess calories to gain a pound of fat, and conversely you have to create a 3500 calorie deficit to lose a pound of fat)...it would be VERY difficult for you to "gain" 3-4 lbs in one day. You'd have to have eaten at least 10,500 extra calories all in one day. It's *doable* (having seen that one special on whatever channel it was on, with people who consumed like 33,000 calories/day, I'll never say it's not possible) but you'd have to have had a pretty bad binge to do that.

So if you're only losing slowly, odds are it's just that your overall calorie deficit isn't as big as you think it is, or as big as you'd like it to be. Try tracking everything you eat, every day, for one week. Weigh, measure, etc. Enter it into Fitday, or write it down and calculate the calories by hand. At the end of the week, add up how many total calories you ate. Use one of those base-calorie-count calculators to figure out approximately how many calories you burn per day. Calculate how many calories (approximately) you're burning through exercise, add that to the basic per-day numbers. Compare the two numbers. The first number (your total calorie intake for the week) should be lower than the second (your total calories burned for the week), and how *much* it's lower by is what's going to tell you how much weight you're losing. It's the calorie deficit over time that matters, not one bad day per week messing with you. If you want to lose weight faster, mess with your calories-per-day until you find something that works. Just don't put *too* much weight on the weekends - yes, bad behavior on weekends can mess with what you've done during the week, but keep that perspective of "deficit over time" versus "every single day must be good" and it might help.

I wish I could help more about the family stuff on weekends, but actually...that's one of my worst demons right now. Love my family dearly, but I'm the only one seriously trying to lose weight (although 90% of my family could stand to try it themselves, but I'm not gonna preach at them about it), so it wreaks havoc with me when we go to Tahoe Joe's (really good steakhouse with huge steaks, incredibly yummy mashed potatoes, and very tasty "specialty" margaritas) or Johnny Carino's (Italian. Enough said.).

I'll let you know if I come up with any strategies. You do the same, ok?

[chick_in_the_hat]

I second the advice on tracking what you are eating...

One other thing that nails me on weekends is that when i cook at home I use a LOT less salt than what is in restaurant food. My weight goes up after eating out, too. Drink lots of water - it sounds silly, but it flushes (no pun intended ) out the excess sodium in your system.

[JayEll]

chick in the hat, where you been? Missed you!

mrsaugie, going back to the 3-4 pound gain, I agree with Nikaia that it's probably water retention, not fat. Drinking more water does help, oddly.

Jay

[GatorgalstuckinGA]

i think its key to track what you eat on the weekends to help you out. And i actually find the weekends are when i get to work out more (not tired from long work day). However on that note...it is family time...but make good use of family time that helps you stay active. I know its probably not warm yet where you are...but get out, go play with your kids. Do hide and seek or tag or football. It may not be a gym routine...but it is exercise..and speaking from experience...as a kid...i LOVED when my parents played with me. Good luck and just be tough about it!