You all might remember that I wrote last week about my disappointing weigh-in (gained 4 pounds after a mini-vacation.) Now, whether that 4 pounds was water or fat or....cotton candy, I don't know, but I was bummed about it. I worked extra hard to try and get that 4 pounds off for this week, though.

Went to my weigh-in tonight....and I'm down 4.6 pounds from last week. Which means that I lose the 4 pounds I gained last week, plus another .6. I guess maybe it's the .6 that I'm a bit disappointed in? I don't know. I mean, I know I lost the first couple of pounds pretty quickly (as in, 24 hours after my weigh-in last Wednesday, I was down 2.5 pounds.) So I keep trying to be positive, thinking to myself, "Hey, maybe you really only gained 2.5 pounds of water weight last week, and the other 2.1 pounds you lost this week was actual fat!" But the negative part of my mind keeps going, "You did all that work this week, did all that walking (15 miles' worth!) and you only lost .6 lousy pounds? WTF?"

I think I'm my own worst critic sometimes.

That kind of thinking is understandable, because I've done it plenty of times. However, it's not productive and negative thoughts can lead to negative behaviors. I'd say focus in on the fact that you got yourself back on track! That is a HUGE deal and lots of people don't, so you have much to be proud of....and you lost .6 lb, which is actually quite a lot. The whole 1-2 lbs. a week loss is just a bunch of hogwash, in my opinion. I think any move in the right direction is a cause for (nonfood) celebration! I hope you'll use this weigh in to fuel the fire in your belly and to continue to stay on plan. That way, if you stay on plan and lose .6 lbs., you'll know that you did your best and that's all that matters. What you did this week is actually an incredible accomplishment and you are being super critical of yourself.

Thanks for this. I'm just going to keep chugging along and know that as long as I'm doing what I need to do, any movement in the right direction is good, no matter how small.

I think it's most likely that you did in fact gain some actual weight from your vacation splurges, so the fact that you are showing a net loss is really fantastic. Try to give yourself more credit for what you did do - getting right back on track after a vacation gain. So many people use that as a reason to just keep going downhill and you didn't. You are right back on track and need to take a LOT of pride in that. And yes, a loss is a loss is a loss, so yay on .6 too!

I thought we all agreed that the scale was and to stop giving it more power over us!!

Great job!!!!!

Hey at least you lost that... be proud of it.. as long as your trend is going the right way then don't stress it...

Sounds as though you, like many of us, get caught up in the numbers game. Like others here have said, it's not about the numbers--it's more about being in control of your eating.

I believe that being in control is not rigidly sticking to some perfect "diet", but eating well most of the time and after over-eating once in awhile, getting back on track--exactly like you did.

As one wise poster says on this site, the scale is not the only measure of our success, just the most convenient. For myself, being in control is just as important as the numbers on the scale; that "control" includes being off plan once in awhile and getting right back on.

I think you did wonderfully well and if you continue as you describe, you have the key to long-term weight loss and maintenance.

Well done!

I totally agree with Heather and Blueheron! That scale likes to do funny things to our heads. I am more like Blueheron and a total control freak though... so here are the only words I will add:

You had a chance to splurge, enjoy, and not fully have to think about what went in your mouth for a mini-vacation...and yet... simply 1 short week later you are no further behind for it... I would call that amazing! Great job, super perseverence, and way to stay to your path of improving your health!!!!! You should pat yourself on the back and simply realize that you are accomplishing something huge every single week! Truly a wonderful job!