I was nervous about weighing myself and today I did....

So...my weight loss story started about 2 years ago. I am a major Yo-Yo dieter: no carb, low carb, no wheat-sugar-or-dairy, no thinking about what I eat at all, etc! It's been a rollercoaster of not caring, over obsessing, losing and gaining.

I'm 5'3, gained 20 pounds to 140lbs, after some career changes, etc... and I want to get back to 120lbs, my happiest weight.

I found that while I was dieting, and working out for weight loss, everytime I weighed myself it would disappoint me and I would start binging on junk and get off my workout plan. So the last couple of weeks, when I've gotten back on the wagon, I avoided weighing myself. But I knew I had to do it sometime to track my weight loss, track my calorie loss per workout, etc. 

I started running for the last 2 weeks and am running 2-3K, 4-5 times per week. I cook almost everything from fresh and eat healthy and balanced. Because I'm running, I have incorporated whole wheats and healthy carbohydrates again, and eliminating sugary-white-flour sweets and desserts, although I do give myself a break atleast once or twice a week. And by break, I don't mean I go out and binge on cake, I just let myself have a few squares of dark chocolate, etc. The only thing bad about my nutrition would be red wine: I have a few glasses per week.

So, I've been waking up feeling GREAT lately! I feel more energetic, I feel slimmer and I feel like I'm on track. But today, I weighed myself at the gym and I'm a whopping 141lbs! I felt like I had lost 5 or so...this isn't the progress I was looking forward to, and this is why I HATE weighing myself. And now I feel like poop :(

Does anyone have something motivating to say that could help me out of my bad mood?

Been there done that................not helpful but too true!

If you feel better then you ARE doing well!  You can't let a number on a scale be the end-all of what you think about yourself!  If you're more cheerful, healthy, athletic, and happy without the scale, what's the point of a number?  Isn't the number supposed to represent all those things?  Don't we diet to be happier, more energetic, healthier, etc?  We don't diet to see a number move around, or else everyone could just buy a scale that said 1lb less every time they stepped on it!

Oh man do I know what you mean.  Working out like crazy - obsessing about what I'm eating etc etc.....feeling like something is happening and get on the scale and BAM! - all the motivation goes in the toilet.  Sucks.

What I can say is - time - it's going to take time.  You just started running which is wonderful for weight loss.  In the beginning - we retain a lot of water - ALOT apparently...lol, but in time if you are consistent you will begin to see the changes and results you desire.

When I get on the scale I feel like a failure if it doesn't move in the right direction.  So - I weigh myself every 2 weeks or so (haven't lately for this very reason)......I KNOW with all the changes I've made that it has to show up somewhere!

Just make sure you are getting enough of the good calories -and keep working out - the scale will catch up.

I'm banking on it.

Oh - and take measurements.  This is the most accurate way to see changes even if the scale doesn't move at first.  Measure you hips, waist etc - I do this and have decided at the end of every month I'll do it again and see if I've lost inches.

Let's see, your running 2 to 3 K, 4 to 5 times a week.  My unit converter tells me that 1.5 miles is equal to 2.4 K, so fair to say you're running 1.5 miles at one shot.  I'm the same height as you so I plugged some numbers into the Activity Log.  Assuming you go 5 mph, the slowest run speed given, you'd be doing a 12 minute mile.  So I have to assume you are running for 18 minutes, 4 to 5 times a week.

I certainly don't want to be mean, or belittle your efforts, but if you want to see some results on the scale you might have to dedicate more than 2 hours a week to exercise... 

You mentioned you've been eating healthy.  Eating healthy doesn't necessarily mean that you're consuming an appropriate number of calories for your activity level.  And to be honest, I've never been able to lose weight by giving myself a break once or twice a week.  

My weight yo-yos up and down too, so you have my sympathy.  You mentioned you weighed yourself at the gym.  Did you weigh yourself at the gym the last time you weighed as well?  Scales are not all alike.   

My advice:  keep track of your calorie intake, make sure you're getting a good nutrient combination, up your exercise minutes.  I'm eating about 1,400 a day, with a 20% Fat, 20% protein, 40% carb combination.  I do about 60 minutes of aerobic exercise on a daily basis, not hugely strenuous, but walking uphill on the treadmill, or riding my bike.  And I'm losing about 1 pound a week.  Develop a plan, stick with it and you'll be down to 120 in a few months :)

Thanks for your post guys...

tealparadise, thanks for your kind words! And you are absolutely correct, it's a lifestyle I'm living not a diet. I am stronger, more energetic and alert. But...the scale-episode seriously threw me in a mood! 

melissaann, I have been tracking measurements and after writing my post, I measured myself again and lost 0.5 inches on my waist and thigh circumference so that's a little pick me up. I hope the scale catches up soon!

figurethefat, you're right, I should run more but because I just started a running program, I am working at increasing my mileage 10% per week to avoid injury. On top of running, I also walk a minimum of 6K, 5 days per week, to and from work. I also snowboard, mountain bike and cycle on the road a few times per week. I'm really active, but there's definitely room to grow there as well. 

I think I might need to reevaluate my food intake...

My typical day:

Mornings: eggs scrambled with onions and zucchini, cooked on a non-stick pan with cooking spray and an apple or orange. a large coffee with sugar-free caramel and a dash of half and half.

Snack: Diet coke. Or 4-5 raw almonds.

Lunch: Soup (chicken, red beet, or tomato) and almonds. (Something quick and low in calories)

Snack: snap peas or baby carrots.

Dinner: Roasted broccolli (delicious! a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of salt and stick it in the oven for 10-15mins...mmm), grilled chicken breasts. Or other times, I have sushi; like a salmon sashimi salad or something.

Before bed: I get way too hungry before bed if I don't eat something so I usually have a piece of fruit, or a small portion of yogourt (sugar-free, fat-free). Sometimes I'll have a sugar-free, small fudgesicle (it keeps my sweet tooth at bay and is only 40 calories!!)

When I'm out with friends though, I stick to my eating plan but the wine totally throws off my diet! I usually have 2-3 glasses...YIKES! I'm guessing that's where my calories are going??

I think at some point you'll have to spot-check the calories.  So many people 'eat healthily' fail to lose weight and end up scratching their heads and the simple reason is often that they're eating more than they think they are.  Although your menu as described seems overly light.  Another common diet mistake is to undereat badly for long periods and follow up with a session of overeating... Or simply undereat in total and crash the metabolism.

Either way, the wine probably isn't helping.  I'm a wine-lover myself and, even though I don't drink a lot of it, I find that cutting it out has a big effect on my weight.  Whether it's the calories, the fluid retention or whether it affects my appetite the rest of the time I have no idea but the benefit seems bigger than it should logically be.  Two or three home-poured glasses can easily be five or six official 'measures'.... and that's too much.

So I'd suggest you cut out your red wine for a week and see what happens.  Drink more water instead.  And also spot check how many calories you're getting.  For your size and activity level I think 1400 or so should allow you to lose weight.

As happens so often, I agree with Jane!  I think many of us eat too much, underestimating our calories, leaving things out "by accident", over estimate our exercise, etc.  As far as "feeling good " Just trying to be healthy makes me feel better and it is sure a good first step but I find that for me personally when the scales don't move over a two week time, it comes directly back to the fact that I have eaten too much or exercised too little.  The truth hurts sometime but I do believe, for me, that is the truth.  Hard not to lose with calorie control and exercise.  There are a few people who find themselves in this spot but not many.

Sometimes, the best thing we can do is NOT step on that scale.  You're exercising, you're eating healthy food, you said yourself that you feel great, pay attention to those things instead.  If the scale sabotages you, put it away.  Have a friend or family member hide it, and don't weigh again for a month, or two.  Track your cals and exercise.  You may want to limit your wine a little.  And treats are fine, just limit the quantity, and log it procisely.
You've started running, it's quite possible that you are building muscle while you are losing fat, and that's great!  After all, we say we are losing weight, but what we really want to lose is fat.  So put that scale away, pay attention to how you feel and how your clothes fit instead.

Sorry but I don't think running for two weeks, probably even two months would make your muscles "weigh more".  Most authorities say this is one of the myths that is passed on.  If anyone has authoritative information that this is wrong I would love to read it.  It takes a lot of muscle to make you weigh more and very few people reach that point.........and surely not in two weeks!

Original Post by plaidpooka:

Sometimes, the best thing we can do is NOT step on that scale. 

TOTALLY. Scales are not a measure of health and fitness. 140- a "whopping" 141 ?? Seriously? As a frequent dieter you know there a million reasons for a fluctuation on a SCALE. Meaningless!

Girl I TOTALLY feel your pain. The best thing I ever did was to throw out my scale. Scary, but true. I focus on eating when I'm hungry, exercising & enjoying life instead of trapping myself in to the image of "thin" that exists soley for the purpose of advertising.

It sounds like you are doing really well establishing a healthy relationship with food. Make sure you are satisfying yourself. If you want that pizza with refined flour, have a slice. Or two. Whatever.

Eat normally (read: no crazy eating "rules" or "diets), exercise = healthy.

For me, using athletic achievements is far more gratifying than meeting a certain calorie intake or number on the scale ever was. 57 toe pushups in 1 minute versus 1300 calories in a day is more healthy, gratifying and AWESOME.

How you feel MATTERS. It should be #1, with no reserves.

Healthy athletic girls = SEXY. Period. Especially when they'll have pizza and a beer without going crazy about calories.

Original Post by bibsey:

Sorry but I don't think running for two weeks, probably even two months would make your muscles "weigh more".  Most authorities say this is one of the myths that is passed on.  If anyone has authoritative information that this is wrong I would love to read it.  It takes a lot of muscle to make you weigh more and very few people reach that point.........and surely not in two weeks!

 Bibsey, it's not that muscle weighs more (lb=lb) it's that with exercise (read: not "DIETING") lean muscle mass increases while fat cells shrink (lb=lb)

The "myth" I think you're thinking of is that muscle weighs more than fat.

no, freshbakedpi, it's that running for two weeks will not result in a gain of muscle mass that people always seem to hope for and claim.

A new fitness routine can make your muscles retain water, leading to a temporary weight gain, and beginners at weight training can put on a little muscle (newbie gains), but in general, the "maybe you've gained muscle" doesn't happen nearly as often as people think it does.

It take a lot of time, effort, weight bearing activities under a calorie surplus with a good balance of nutrients to put on a measurable amount of muscle. Running for two weeks at a calorie deficit is not that.

I think between the new fitness routine (retaining water, not new muscle), the wine, and maybe not tracking calories as well as one would hope, we've got a good idea of what's going on.

focus on the facts that you are working out, eating well and feeling better!  If you are consistent with these things - particularly the running and adding more intensity/diversity to your workouts- the weight will come off.  Be patient  with yourself and onlyweigh 1x per week maybe?  Pick one day and time per week and stick with it.  My weight can vary  several lbs each day - depending on time, what I ate that day or the prior few, my menstrual cycle, etc.    Don't get discouraged!

Since you need a way to track your progress, you might want to consider using body-fat analysis. If you go to a gym, your gym may do this for free. Mine does. I have a home body-fat analyser that cost me about $30. It's probably not as accurate as the manual method, but it gives me a general idea of where I stand. If you still want to track weight, you could weigh in once a month.

Original Post by freshbakedpi:

Original Post by bibsey:

Sorry but I don't think running for two weeks, probably even two months would make your muscles "weigh more".  Most authorities say this is one of the myths that is passed on.  If anyone has authoritative information that this is wrong I would love to read it.  It takes a lot of muscle to make you weigh more and very few people reach that point.........and surely not in two weeks!

 Bibsey, it's not that muscle weighs more (lb=lb) it's that with exercise (read: not "DIETING") lean muscle mass increases while fat cells shrink (lb=lb)

The "myth" I think you're thinking of is that muscle weighs more than fat.

 Could have sworn that was what I said!  We are on the same page.  My point was that 2 weeks of running will not make much difference in making you "weigh more".