Swan, I know exactly what you mean. I used to weigh myself several times during a day and it nearly drove me to the brink of insanity! I would weigh different in the mornings and evenings (as much as 5 pounds!) and I could even manage to come up with different weights weighing as little as 5 minutes apart. Plus, the day after a "good" day, I would often maintain or even gain weight and after a "bad" day, I would often lose weight. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the numbers showing up on the scale. My obsession with the scale (and negative reactions when it didn't show what I thought I deserved) led me to pick up the scale one morning and march out to the garage in my bathrobe and chuck the scale (pretty forcefully I might add) into the garbage. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

I think your observation about slower weight loss being the result of gaining muscle and losing fat is also right on the mark. Although the slower weight loss is discouraging, the importance of increase in muscle mass cannot be overstated. With more muscle we are able to burn more calories and we look smaller, even at a higher weight. For instance, at 179 pounds, I'm now wearing a size 12, which is the same size I used to wear at 160, before I gained the weight (and before I exercised consistently). So even though I weigh 20 pounds more, I am about the same size--and I look better now too.

Also, if you are exercising more during the week than you are used to, your muscles and joints tend to retain more water to heal.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far!

Marcie

Swan, I expect that being shorter has something to do with losing weight less quickly, though I have no idea why that would be. (I'm 5'4".) I also wonder if you've got to do a lot of cardio to lose weight. Pilates and yoga and strength training are all good for you, but I'm beginning to think I've got to do more aerobic activity to move the scales. I'm going to try to do aerobics three times a week and strength training twice. That's what I'll work toward, anyway.

--Lauren

Lauren: You tower over me. I'm 4'11". So, what you're saying is that I'm not fat. I'm just too short!! LOL

2oM

Hello everyone

Well I haven't started walking yet, but does dancing count. Last Friday and Saturday I went dancing probably got in a good 1-3 hours of dancing over the weekend. I lost 1.5 pounds on Tuesday and I had really gone over board on the pizza on Sunday afternoon. That just proves it to me, excerise will speed up that weight loss. I have very heavy calfs and it really feels to me that i lost an inch off each in the last couple weeks. Yes!

Take care everyone

Way to go, Canadian!

Yes, 2oM, you're not overweight, you're undertall! I get such a kick out of your posts.

Today I worked out with real weights for the first time. Yowsa, what a workout! I am going to try to incorporate more aerobics, though, maybe keep the weight training to a couple times a week.

--Lauren

Yes, Canadian! Dancing counts. That can be as much a workout as traditional exercise. Good for you.

2oM

Greetings, fellow challengers!

I appreciate all the discussion around the impact increased exercise (or the introduction of regular exercise) has on weight losses and gains. It really helps to get the additional perspectives. I know I had expected to see my losses increase, presuming that 1) I'd be using more calories, 2) I'd create more muscle mass, which uses more energy than fat to maintain and 3) I'd speed up my metabolism. Well, all these are presumably happening, but that doesn't necessarily translate into losses, especially at first.

It's lucky that I'm enjoying the exercise for other reasons than just speeding up my weight loss. Otherwise, I might have stopped doing it. I decided to really get into it (I may have mentioned this before) because research indicates that those who exercise have a higher probability of maintaining losses, something I'm highly motivated to do.

So, I've maintained my exercising habits for all of February so far. I've exercised between 30 and 60 minutes every day this month.

Didn't WI last week due to work conflicts. Am hopeful a loss will register next week due to a drop I've observed on the home scale.

Happy challenging!

Judy in freezing rain Massachusetts
338/244/175

Judy, WOW! You're doing great on your goals!

I'm doing OK -- didn't get in the whole 140 minutes last week, but I feel good about this week so far. I've decided to incorporate more aerobics into my plan, maybe just do the weight training a couple times a week. The aerobics really do seem to have a better impact on my weight loss.

How's everyone else doing? Hey, March is almost here!

--Lauren

Hi

Well down another 1.5, and it was the dancing again.... I plan to go out and walk at least a couple times this week.

Judy: WOW, you're so close to that 100 pound magic number, keep it up. You're helping yourself and motivating all of us.

Happy challenges everyone.

Brenda
430/150.5/180 in 2002

Hi challengers. My losing streak has finally come to an end. I was up 1.2 this week. I went to Las Vegas last weekend and thought that I did ok by doubling up on the exercise and making what I thought were reasonable food choices. The scale did not agree. Oh well, I had fun and I was able to stay completely OP as soon as I returned (it was challenging though).

I just noticed today that spring is just a little more than two weeks away, let's make them good ones!

Marcie

Greetings, fellow challengers!

Managed to successfully finish up February by exercising every day, including a few mornings at a hotel in West Palm Beach, FL. Took the first two days of March off (exercise-wise), then got back to stepping (that's what I do, though I'd prefer a treadmill).

Was really happy to register a 5 lb loss at my last WI. Looking back over my WI results, I realized to my great chagrin that, prior to that loss, I'd only managed 5 lbs in the last 5 months! I am really hoping that regular exercise will now kick the weight loss speed back into gear.

Marcia - Where did you stay in Las Vegas? LV is my favorite city! And speaking of spring, we're due in the Northeast to have a huge storm - easily over 1', maybe as many as 2'. I am so ready for spring.

Canadian - I am also so ready to hit that 100 lb mark! Only 1 to go now.

Lauren - Good luck fine tuning your exercise plans.

Judy in soon-to-be-snowy Massachetts
338/239/175

Woo-hoo, Judy!! Way to go on that marvelous loss! And only one more pound to go to hit the 100 mark -- WOW. Boy, that's impressive. You've been doing great with your exercise goals, too.

I'm doing much better with my exercise goals as well; got my workouts in last week and have gotten 2 in this week already. And -- amazingly -- I'm starting to enjoy it. I'm seeing real progress in my stamina. Hopefully weight loss will follow at some point.

Swan, how are you doing?

--Lauren