Everyday Systems

I have been doing so good at only weighing on the first of the month. BUT, I've been doing so good at keeping N days green and not going overboard on the weekend that I wanted to make sure I hadn't gained anything back. At last check I had lost a few pounds (190.. Well, this morning it said 197.5. WHAT?!So I did what anyone else would do....I moved the scale to various parts of the house and checked again. Haha. The lowest it registered was 196.0. Now, I do remember reading about Reinhard gaining / losing ten pounds overnight. I know that many things can cause weight fluctuations. I'm trying really hard to not let it bother me, but it is. I really just want to give up. My immediate reaction is that I need to start counting calories again because there's no way I gain as long as I stay under my allotted amount of calories. But that sounds so miserable. I know my food choices aren't always perfect and I am still allowing myself a soda (sometimes 2) a day , but I have not snacked or had more than my one plate at each meal. There's no way I gained 7 pounds , right?? Those girl scout cookies in the pantry are calling my name now, because.....what does it matter? Sorry to be a downer.

I had the SAME thing happen to me. I went up 5.8 lbs after 3 weeks of No S & felt super discouraged. 8 days later I registered my lowest weight since starting. Don't let the scale get to you!! It really does lie. I've decided to start looking at the average weight each week because I don't really think the highs & lows count.

Thanks for your response, Jen! I needed to be reminded that scales lie!

I weight most mornings and the variation is huge. I have the flu at the moment and I gained 4.5 pounds (2kg) in two days. I often gain that much during ovulation and just before I get my period my weight will commonly go up twice that.


I think the scale is a good tool but I think you need to weigh often and then you will see your bodies weight trends (so sudden gains don't freak you out). If the scale affects your mood maybe using body measurements is a better way to measure your progress.

Just a reminder, you would have to OVEReat by 3,500 calories to gain ONE pound of fat.

I cannot understand the research that keeps saying weighing leads to more weight loss. I have seen it lead to much more misery and less determination, not more way more of the time.

I agree that if you are going to weigh, weigh more often. I think every day, and a weekly averaging, is best. There are sites that let you track it and show the trend. It takes quite awhile to establish a true trend.

MaggieMae wrote:I am still allowing myself a soda (sometimes 2) a day

I retain water easily when I have pop--especially if I have more than 2 a week. It's possible that soda-consumption is affecting things for you.

I also find that I can vary quite a bit depending on my cycle.

I'm one that weighs daily (except on Sunday). I find it gives me much more information. I see if eating trends are affecting me, but also other things occur to me (like swollen muscles for a day or two after more strenuous work or exercise, or extra salt consumption, pop etc....) It helps me to see that weight can jump or dip and to know what's "normal" for me. And, then I also know if I get a whacked-out weight one day, it might just be that one day--and in a day or two it has evened out.

Pre-NoS, if I didn't weigh for weeks, I was sure to have gained weight. (I haven't gone to not weighing on NoS, so I'm not sure if the same would hold true for me now!) I have a time each month when I drop 2-3 pounds, and then jump up several. If I weighed one month at the low point, and the next month at the high point, it would be pretty discouraging. With daily weighing, I know that's just how my body rolls. (Ahem, hopefully soon less rolls!)

Anyway...don't throw in the towel over one whacked-out weight check.

GREEN
Thanks, everyone, for the words of encouragement! I think I will try weighing daily for a while and watching the trends. No S is definitely the way to go. Had dinner with my husband tonight at our favorite Italian restaurant. I didn't worry about calories or carbs. I ordered my favorite... lasagna.... And cut it in half. The rest of the plate was a delicious salad. I'll have the other half tomorrow for lunch. Looking forward to enjoying the holiday weekend out of town and eating treats with the family....guilt free.

I, too, haven't eaten whole restaurant entrees from the beginning, though I had started that habit even before No S. Now I even ask for a container before I start and put the extra in there. I tend to even forget about it, and there's no draw to pick at the food just because it's there.

Reminds me I once went to an Italian place after a long while of rarely eating out. Got lasagna that came with bread and salad. I could eat only half the bread and lasagna. Towards the end of my meal, the waiter came by and I asked him if the typical patron ate the whole thing. He said, "And dessert, too." I would feel like my stomach was going to burst if I did that these days, though I can still do a job on desserts.

MaggieMae wrote:GREEN
Thanks, everyone, for the words of encouragement! I think I will try weighing daily for a while and watching the trends. No S is definitely the way to go. Had dinner with my husband tonight at our favorite Italian restaurant. I didn't worry about calories or carbs. I ordered my favorite... lasagna.... And cut it in half. The rest of the plate was a delicious salad. I'll have the other half tomorrow for lunch. Looking forward to enjoying the holiday weekend out of town and eating treats with the family....guilt free.

YAY for green!

Enjoy your lasagna--I love leftovers like that .