My pound gain got a couple of extra pals this morning on my home scale. It was a Chinese Buffet experience gone horribly awry. And naturally I'm panicking, thinking that I need to slam on the brakes to get back on track.
I was averaging going down ten pounds each month. In January I was in the 310s, in Febuary I was in the 300s, in March I was in the 290s and in April I saw (briefly) the 280s. I like this ratio. I really do. If I can keep this up I can hit the 140s by next June, even though I've given myself till next August to hit goal.
But the problem is, I went back up to the 290s, and that puts off the 270s I would like to experience in May. And I don't like to go backward, not when I have come so far forward.
To me, gaining a pound, even if it's "just" a pound, is a huge step toward failure. If I gain, I tend to binge, and I give up staying on the straight and narrow figuring what's the point?
So I'm scared spitless of hitting a plateau. As a lifelong dieter, I know that this is inevitable. So I see a gain, or lack of loss, and I will panic.
Steven, on the other hand, is very concerned that I will go overboard. My plan is to hit a 1200 calorie week (or two) to get myself back on course. It worked a few months ago when I went on Richard Simmon's blast off week, and so I figure this is my Plateau Buster. This is what takes me over the hump and back on the downward slide of weight loss I had enjoyed for so many months.
And of course the exercise has GOT to increase. With the heat, our walks are much shorter than I'd like. Winston just can't handle it. We have to take the shorter route, and there's no walking from my house to the park anymore. The last time I did that he got sick. In fact, yesterday our super walking Pug went promptly to the shade and laid down. He'd never done that before. But he wasn't going anywhere.
So I go with Steven, we drive over there and walk the mile route. The good thing is I am walking a lot more frequently, doing it each day. Missed today because the heat reached the 90s.
BUT I have my work out of the way for the evening and I'm going to ride the bike tonight. It's in my house and I've just gotten so lazy about it. This journey is only going to give me what I put into it, and I've been lacking. I have lost a lot of my enthusiasm.
So it's time to get serious and get it back. I WILL be at the 100lb mark in August, I WILL lose down to the 270s in May. I WILL NOT FAIL. Because I WILL NOT QUIT.
And that means I have to get honest with myself and realize I already have quit in a lot of ways. I've let myself off the hook, spoiled myself instead of pampered myself, like I discussed in the December entry: Spoiling vs. Pampering. Maybe it's time for me to print all these out and reread my journal and let the more diligent and stronger me inspire ME.
Calories: 1853 / 12%
Sodium: 3312mg
Water: 72oz
Exercise: None
6 comments:
I really liked your "spoiling versus pampering concept" and will try to keep it in mind. It really was a "little nugget of wisdom"! Thanks!!! DB
I thought of an idea while I read your entry, make a graph bar or line, of your success. Put it on your fridge, on the front door, somewhere where you will see it, smile and say to yourself "Look how far I have come!" Good Luck to You! and be careful of the heat...
I too NEED to slam the brakes here and get back on track ... I want smaller jeans not tighter jeans. We can do this!
Smilin Mon
Dear Gin,
We learned in my "weight loss" psychology class that it's the 3rd day after you cheat that the weight shows up. I still don't understand the mechanics behind that but I do know it's true. Perhaps tomorrow will show some loss. :)
Keep positive girl, you've done well so far! Love, Jeannie
Chinese is the all-time worst food for trying to drop weight. Usually it contains Mono Sodium Glutamate (gluta--as in gluteus maximus; mate--like Coffee-mate is to coffee MSG is to glutes LOL--I do get carried away don't I?) it also has tons of SUGAR, and lots of regular salt, and special spices (a good thing actually) which will stir up toxins by swelling the tisssues to remove them. Read--temporary water gain. All of this --this entire situation nutritionally--(ever check out those sumo dudes?) is a spawning ground for fat. However, all is not lost!!! It is what I term "pre-fat." It works very well with place-holder water which is just itching to restore your former white fat which was removed recently. That is its job. Brown fat is deep-seated and will be the last thing to go. But for someone trying to remove all excess fat Chinese (unless steamed w/o the usual sweetstuff) is not your way to go. You have gained nothing, however the caution light is definitely on. Just continue drinking water, keep moving (for your lymphs' sake) and avoiding such foods and the weight will come off to your former and probably lower. Try to eat some high fiber food to sweep this stuff out of you; some prunes would help too. Don't fret it if continues to go up before it goes down; the weight gain when doing nothing wrong is a GOOD sign. The danger period is 10 days. Noticeable in some cases almost immediately but often within the first week or so depending on all of the variables. Result of story? Try a different Chinese restaurant; have the food made to order. Buffets tend to be the biggest offenders for adding in cheap things that are not healthy for your body but good for the sellers receipts. Mexican food is the second worst because it often has prodigious quantities of LARD in the bean items. I truly would like to see a law for restaurants to post their ingredients;
Sounds like you've realized what some of the *problems* are and are on the right track! You sure have a lot of determination!!! I think going to 1200 or maybe 1400 for a week or 2 to break the plateau and increase your focus is a good idea. It will be hard...these *weight loss journeys* are sooo long, lol! But the renewed focus, and visual success (a bit of quick loss) will help you stick to it.
Is there somewhere indoors...and a bit cooler...where you could walk?
Of course, I'm sure you'll figure out what's best for you! You always do. <g>
--Jacqueline
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