Considering I've been on plan sine 1/3 I've been really doing wonders for myself. I'm definitely eating much healthier, and I'm even exercising 6/7 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes!!! But the scale likes to yo-yo on me
This week on WiiFit alone I fluctuated like the wind! I started out at 213 and ended at 222!! I went back to analyze my week and did notice that 3 of the days were high calorie days (1500+) and one low day (>1000). I don't feel like I deprive myself of anything I want ... I don't want this to be a "diet" I want this to be a "lifestyle".
My body must love me b/c instead of the Golden Arches it was so used to seeing, it has a variety of fruits and veggies that I never ate regularly. I've even added fish to my diet (which I <3 so much). And the exercise has worked wonders on my mood!! I always feel on top of the world after exercise.
So now I"m hoping that I've lost inches b/c the scale has me down ... I know don't listen to the #s, that's all they are, they don't define me and the process I'm going through, but even though I now fit into a pair of pants snugly (I couldn't button in December), I'm still getting stuck on numbers!!
Please tell me this will pass as I see results! I'm new to my lifestyle change, and I know it will take quite some time to get into a healthy weight range. I think the first week of 7 lb weight loss got my mind set on big numbers ... but the smaller the number, the more likely it will be GONE FOR GOOD!!
So buh-bye fat ... give me that lean muscle I long for. Sorry to vent, I know this won't be easy - but I already feel better just getting it off my chest!!
I empathize with your frustration at sl-o-o-o-o-o-w numbers and fluctuations. You can feel great, you can fit better in all your clothes, you can even notice how much more energy and stamina you have, but it's still annoying to see the same number on the scale, isn't it?
I feel ridiculously slow compared to other people I see on the forums. But the number you see on my ticker isn't really accurate. I only count a pound as lost when it stays lost for two days in a row. My actual weight is anywhere between 209 and 213 pounds, but I refuse to count those low numbers until they stay.
What keeps me going is knowing that a lot of the fluctuations are because of exercise. If you're doing anything that's building muscle or causing you DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness, that hurts-so-good feeling the day after exercise), you've got extra water weight. From what I've read, your body sort of packs muscles that have gone through major exertion in fluid as they heal; a big workout means a little uptick on the scale. I'm trying to see those upticks as a good thing--as a sign that I really worked out to my limit.
I'm also trying to do more stuff that isn't exercise in addition to the hours of exercise I do each week. I walk to the store for small things now. I do more housework, park farther away from my destination, do a few squats before sitting down or after standing up (it probably looks like I'm comically indecisive when I do this, but hey, it's for my own good). I'd made a habit of being VERY sedentary in the past and believe that it'll take more than half an hour of biking or lifting to offset that. I'm trying to make my default setting reasonably active instead of full-on lying-down couch potato, and that means more activity throughout my day.
I hate to have to ask this, but I have a feeling I won't be the only one: how many days do you dip below a thousand calories? For most people, that degree of restriction can lead to a backlash of hunger, cravings, and eventually going way off your plan. It sounds like you're combining those very low days with 1500-calorie days, but what's your weekly average? It's tough to make sure you take in enough nutrition when you go under 1000 calories; be sure that everything you're eating counts as good, solid nutrition.
I completely understand!
While the theory of weight loss is so easy (calories in versus calories out, balanced healthy diet, exercise) it's still kind of a guess and check game. Everyone is different so it takes time to find what works for your body and even then, as your body changes it needs different things once again.
Very frustrating! but you'll figure it out and it will be so worth it in the end!
Congrats on your progress so far!
ps. I also use WiiFit to track my weight loss (I usually verify the accuracy on my gyms scale) and I find that if the little wiifit pad is getting low on battery power that it seems to go crazy with the numbers. Also make sure that if youre using it on carpet that you have the little leg things on, even on a thin industrial style carpet. Idk its something to do with the electrical signal and carpet movement haha
Another thing I do with the wiifit is wear the same thing everytime you do a body scan
I lose weight really slowly because I have PCOS/IR and I can tell you that after a while, you will see results.
It was only recently that I suddenly realized that I lose 30 lbs since my highest weight!!!! Which is absolutely amazing.
(although, I had a friend who I told yesterday that I had lose that much weight and she asked me how long it took me and then scrunched her face and said "Well, that took a long time but I guess it means you'll be able to maintain it when it's slow weight loss." I wanted to say something to her but I kept it to myself..... she has no idea how hard it's been and how hard I work at it!!!!)
I have gone through some similar experiences with the scale yoyoing and the numbers just plain moving slow. I started my journey on the 6th of January. I have lost 11.2 pounds so far. I have been eating about 1650 calories per day and exercising 5 days a week for 30-60 minutes. I measured myself when I started and will measure again next Thursday so we will see what has changed. I'm happy as long as I am feeling good and preventing myself from gaining anymore. But, I really look forward to reaching my goal weight! So, I just want to say good luck and we are behind you all the way!
I empathize with your frustration at sl-o-o-o-o-o-w numbers and fluctuations. You can feel great, you can fit better in all your clothes, you can even notice how much more energy and stamina you have, but it's still annoying to see the same number on the scale, isn't it?
I feel ridiculously slow compared to other people I see on the forums. But the number you see on my ticker isn't really accurate. I only count a pound as lost when it stays lost for two days in a row. My actual weight is anywhere between 209 and 213 pounds, but I refuse to count those low numbers until they stay.
What keeps me going is knowing that a lot of the fluctuations are because of exercise. If you're doing anything that's building muscle or causing you DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness, that hurts-so-good feeling the day after exercise), you've got extra water weight. From what I've read, your body sort of packs muscles that have gone through major exertion in fluid as they heal; a big workout means a little uptick on the scale. I'm trying to see those upticks as a good thing--as a sign that I really worked out to my limit.
I'm also trying to do more stuff that isn't exercise in addition to the hours of exercise I do each week. I walk to the store for small things now. I do more housework, park farther away from my destination, do a few squats before sitting down or after standing up (it probably looks like I'm comically indecisive when I do this, but hey, it's for my own good). I'd made a habit of being VERY sedentary in the past and believe that it'll take more than half an hour of biking or lifting to offset that. I'm trying to make my default setting reasonably active instead of full-on lying-down couch potato, and that means more activity throughout my day.
I hate to have to ask this, but I have a feeling I won't be the only one: how many days do you dip below a thousand calories? For most people, that degree of restriction can lead to a backlash of hunger, cravings, and eventually going way off your plan. It sounds like you're combining those very low days with 1500-calorie days, but what's your weekly average? It's tough to make sure you take in enough nutrition when you go under 1000 calories; be sure that everything you're eating counts as good, solid nutrition.
From my understanding, you should go below 1200 calories a day without some kind of doctor permission. You don't want to hit that starvation mode.
From my understanding, you should go below 1200 calories a day without some kind of doctor permission. You don't want to hit that starvation mode.
That's what I've read as a general rule too, but I know there are other posters here who think that the 1200-per-day rule is more of a suggestion than a rule.
It sounds like the OP is eating an average of 1200 calories a day, but is dipping down to 1000 calories on some days. For a lot of people, going that low is unsustainable even if it's only an occasional thing, and going so low can mean backlash eventually.