Monday, August 22, 2016

The Pros and Cons of Daily Weigh-in

 

     I just love Pinterest!  I used to think that it was about crafts and decor.  It is so much more!   It is my hub of education.  I can find out about anything.   This is good and bad because there is so much that you really have to look at and read.  So many different opinions!  "Do this, do that." "You've been doing it wrong all these years!"  Really?  Is it that bad?  Everyone has something different to say about the frequency of weigh-ins.

   There are basically three different camps when it comes to weighing yourself.   1.  Daily weighing.
2. Weekly or monthly weighing.   3.  No weighing, just measuring.

   I belong to the first group.  This keeps me constantly accountable and aware. It helps me to stay focused.   There is one problem:
                                        THE DREADED FLUCTUATION

 My weight can fluctuate up to 3 pounds from one day to the next.  Three!  This can be rather discouraging unless I realize that it's temporary.  If I am good today about my food, it will be back to what it was yesterday, or even less!   What is important is to know that you cannot really gain 3 pounds of fat in one day, so you don't need to freak out and quit.  Now if you find your weight going up day after day, you really need to reevaluate your diet!  Figure out what works best for you and stick to it. Don't let fluctuations be a discouragement to you. 

Saturday, August 20, 2016

In shock

   The other day, I had the opportunity to see a show called "My 600 pound life."   I had never seen it before because we don't have cable, but had heard of it.
   I was understandably shocked, which is, of course, the whole point of the show. You ask yourself, how does any get to that point? It is like anything else.  We are all capable of getting so far away from normal.

   It was very sad.  Some of these people needed counselling, not just surgery. All of them needed Jesus.  What really hit me hard was watching the families.  Most of the families were also very overweight and they just watched their loved one eat his way to misery.  Often, they were enablers, buying junk food and looking the other way.   I saw one episode of a young man who lived with his parents.  They wanted him to lose weight, but when he needed to lose 50 pounds in order to get surgery, they we unhelpful.  They all kept eating mac-and-cheese and other high-fat foods.   I know that it is everyone's own choice but I believe that we have an obligation to one another.  Wouldn't it be great if everyone pitched in to improve the whole family's diet?   I know that it was "reality" tv which isn't real at all.  But it was interesting!

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Celebration. A major Milestone

Happy Dance!
I weighed this for two days in a row, so I feel confident about posting it.   Yay me!
You may say, "So what?"  "You've lost 25 pounds, so what?"   So what?  It's hard!  It's sacrifice.  It's work.  I'll tell you, it doesn't get any easier.  Every pound lost is a huge victory.  It is never easy.

I still have people telling me how I "should" be losing weight.  Here is a tip.  If someone is losing weight, be a friend.  Congratulate them, be happy for them and don't sabotage them.   That is all.  They really want to succeed.  They really want your encouragement.  I am so thankful for all my friends who are so very encouraging!

Again, here is how I roll:
1 Eat whatever I want, just less. Much less.
2 Exercise, both cardio and strength training.
3 No eating after 6 pm.   (This is a biggie for me)
4 Pick protein-filled foods over simple carbs.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Weight loss and grace

  We all should know that salvation and God's blessing are by grace.  Unmerited favor.    We also know that many of God's blessings are, in fact, conditional.  If I do this, He will do that.  But of course, it's never really tit-for-tat with God.  We don't, can't, force Him to bless us just because we did something.

  Weight loss is very interesting because it hasn't been as "scientific" as I thought it would be.  I thought "I will just eat this many fewer calories and workout and burn so many calories and I will lost this many pounds."  Some days I do that, and don't drop an ounce.  Somedays I lose more that I thought I deserved to.   I like to think that this is weight loss by grace.  I set my heart and mind on pleasing God with my actions, regardless of weight loss, and then let Him decide what to do with my body.  That way, it's all for His glory.  My motivation is from Him and my results are all for His glory.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Back on track

Well, it's taken a month, but I am back on track, slowly losing the weight. Yay.  Now I am back to slowly easing down. .2 or .4 of a pound does not seem like a lot, but week after week it adds up to serious weight loss.  I think watching the Biggest Loser is really dangerous because you see the contestants "lose" 5-12 pounds a week.   That is not realistic, healthy or sustainable in any way.  On the flip side, losing .4 of a pound in one week seems practically unnoticeable.  But that is a pound and a half a month which is, as anyone can do the math, 18 pounds in one year.  Anyone can do that!  18 pounds less is awesome.  So I guess that .2 or .4 less every other day or so is a real, long-term triumph. And I am all about triumph!

Friday, August 12, 2016

Frustration!

So it happened.  Weight loss has come to a screeching halt.  I am still doing the same things I was doing before, only the weight is not coming off.

Here's the plan.  I will continue to do what I have been doing.  I will not give up.  I continue to exercise.  I will continue to eat less.  I will be more vigilant of mindless snacking.

The exercise will be great, because even if I don't lose weight, I will continue to improve my body's shape, not to mention improve my physical condition.

I am kind of scared to share this because I really don't want people to start telling me to do this or that.   Seems like everyone is an expert.  I am the one who has to live with my decisions and my choices, long-term.  I have to remember that I got this far.  22 pounds lost.  I will break through this and I will continue to lose weight and get fitter.

I think of other people who are fighting battles similar to mine, but harder, like drug addiction and alcoholism.  It seems like you never get to a point where there is no battle.  Everyday is a struggle in this area and every defeat feels like failure.  I have not failed, even though I see no advance in the battle.  Every time I don't give in to temptation is a victory, even if I don't get approval from the scale.