Success is not a straight line

Weight loss takes time

Losing weight can be likened to a journey or a marathon, not a sprint. To lose weight in a healthy manner takes time and patience. Sometimes you think if I just do this, this and this the weight will come off, but in reality it is not as simple as basic math. It’s more like advanced calculus.

Sure when you start you probable see results quickly. When losing 100 pounds the first 10 to 20 may seem fairly easy, but with each pound you lose your body seems to adapt and the weight comes off slower and slower.

By the time you reach the last 10 pounds seem like an eternity to come off.

The idea with losing weight is to eat 500 calories less than your body needs each day. If you eat 500 calories less each day that will add up to 3500 calories a week which is equivalent to one pound of weight a week.

Though that is the logic of weight loss, reality can be different. You have to understand a few things about your body so you don’t get discouraged.

The ups and downs of a day

The first thing to realize is your body weight changes constantly throughout the day. I weigh myself in the morning right after I wake up. It is at that time your weight will be at it’s lowest during the whole day.

It’s good to weigh yourself each morning at this time. This way you can keep track of where you are with your weight.

If you can’t weigh yourself first thing in a morning, pick a certain time of the day when you can weigh yourself. The reason for that is because your weight can fluctuate as much as 2 – 3 pounds throughout the day.

I have the habit of weighing myself several times a day. For me it helps me keep track of my day and I have learned how my body fluctuates. It will go up and down based upon what I drink, what I eat or how much or little physical exertion I go through in a day.

Body weight is fickle

Don’t let your lack of losing weight consistently concern you. During my entire 105 pound weight loss process I think I only lost weight on three consecutive days once. The days in which I lost weight on two consecutive days probably could be counted on both hands. For each day I lost weight there would be at least 5 or 6 days where my weight would fluctuate above that lowest weight recorded.

Because your weight fluctuates so much day after day, my suggestion would be that if you are recording your weight, only record when your weight goes down. For me even when I was losing a full pound a week the weight would only lower one or two times a week.

There is no sense in recording every up and down that happens. Your goal is to lose weight so only record that weight when you lose it.

Sometimes weighing yourself can leave you scratching your head.

You can do everything right, keep your calories below your goal, exercise, get enough sleep and still you will get on the scale and weigh more than the day before.

Then there can be other times when you have a big meal because your boss decided to buy pizza for everyone and you have gone over your calorie goal for the day and the next morning your weight is down.

I have come to think, only from by my experience, that what you do today sometimes takes a couple days to affect your body. I have never read anything that can back up this idea of mine but it seems that whenever I have a good day where I’m 500 calories or more below my goal of 500 calories less than what I need to maintain, it never seems to show up on the scale for about two days.

Some explanations to this mystery of weight gain and loss could be for whatever reason you are retaining more water than usual. Maybe your food had more sodium causing the water retention.

Maybe it is the time of the year. In warm weather you sweat more allowing you to shred extra water weight. Maybe you burned more calories with work than normal or it could even be that spicy food for dinner. I’ve heard you can burn more calories eating spicy food.

The exception to this mystery weight gain or loss would be when you pig out and overdo it at times like Thanksgiving. That weight shows up on the scale immediately the morning after on the scale. The problem with that is you may go up 2 or 3 pounds and it may take a week or two to take it back off.

The Holidays can be difficult

Speaking of Thanksgiving, the holidays from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day can be the most difficult time of the year to lose weight. From what I have heard, the average American actually gains about 5 pounds of weight during this time of year.

Trying to lose weight during this time can be nearly impossible.

Throughout my journey to lose my 105 pounds I have gone through the holiday 3 times. Each time from about December 10th through January 10th I have never lost weight. The best I have been able to do was to stay within 2 or 3 pounds of my lowest weight and get back on track after the holidays were over.

You don’t have to fuss over the holidays. Enjoy them! Just don’t enjoy them too much!

Play for the long game

I not trying to discourage you here. What I am trying to say is there is a lot of ups and downs when you are losing weight.

Learn to accept them and keep doing the things that will eventually take the weight off. There is nothing more encouraging than stepping on that scale and seeing it is less than the day before.

Record it and be thankful.

To do it right takes time and patience.

Nothing worthwhile happens overnight. In the long run you will be thankful that you stuck with the journey and reached your healthier life. Then make the most of it.

Have a wonderful and blessed day.