Week: 9
Pounds Lost: 17.8
Ouch! I’m Up!
Well folks, the inevitable has finally happened: last week I gained weight. Mind you, it was only 0.6 lbs, but boy, was it a blow! I’d been cruising along for two months in a sanctimonious haze of success. I’d lost weight every single week, I was feeling great. I hadn’t even had a hint of a plateau. Then, on Saturday, there it was: a gain. To add insult to injury, my husband was down over 4 pounds and sailed past his 10% target! *Sigh*
So, I did what any self-respecting weight-loser would do…I searched for excuses! I did honestly have a good week leading up to this weigh-in. I kept on program, kept exercising…everything you’re supposed to do in order to see a smaller number on the scale. So, what could have caused this blip (and yes, I maintain that it is only a blip) in my steady downward journey? Well, there’s the age-old woman’s excuse…it was that time of month, so I was retaining water. But then, why didn’t that hinder me in week four, as well? Okay, how about this? I drank 12 oz of coffee and 8 oz of water before the weigh-in – and I hadn’t visited the little girls’ room yet. My husband just laughed when I tried to subtract 0.6 lbs from 20 oz to see if perhaps I maybe did lose weight this week after all? Then I talked to a friend who’s also in the process of losing a lot of weight, and she told me that if I did do well last week, then I must be “due” some weight loss. Hmmm… now this sounds like a promising theory!
Let’s tease it out a bit:
So, two weeks ago I was on vacation: eating cupcakes, drinking wine, enjoying life. I came home and expected the worst at my weigh-in. I was thrilled to register a 2.2 lb loss! Wow! Well, what if my body is on a two-week weight rotation, and the 0.6 lb gain is actually the hangover from my vacation, and I am really due for a loss based on my good behaviour of last week and this week? Well, I guess only time will tell, and I figure I can live with it if last week’s gain was a consequence of poor eating on my vacation.
All told, I’m trying to take it all in stride and keep a positive outlook. Plateaus and small gains are to be expected as part of the overall journey – I’m only 9 weeks into a much longer journey that is bound to be full of a few ups and hopefully many more downs!
Kath is a regular urbanmoms.ca contributor and mom to Charlotte (5.5) and Madeleine (3). Join her in The Lounge weekly for updates on her weight loss. Please share your own insights, stories and encouragement below in comments.
Hi Kath, I have been following your weight loss journey with interest. I joined Weight Watchers in April (my third go-around, determined that this is the last and forever time I’m doing this.) I’m also closer to the big 5-0 now but was alot younger on those other tries. Well, my age is my excuse this time–this is the most agonizingly slow journey! One week down, one week up; the next week down, the week after that, up! The numbers are alot smaller too–down .8; up .2 and so on…net, net I’m down 7 wonderful pounds, but this is since April! It’s like there is this monster called “THE WEIGHT” that has a mind of its own and does whatever it wants and doesn’t play by the rules most of the time. I always thought there was a direct correlation between the rules (eat 5 fruits and vegetables, drink water etc) and “THE WEIGHT” will come off. What I am finding out on this slow journey is that THE WEIGHT doesn’t care so much about the rules and there isn’t always a direct correclation between what I eat one week and what the scale shows. But that’s not to say that the rules shouldn’t be followed–of course they should be followed because they make good sense. It’s just that I have found I can’t put every little thing I do under the microscope and draw a perfect conclusion. THE WEIGHT has a mind of its own! Anyway, I hope that in some small way (weigh?), my story might make you feel a bit better–in other words–your journey could be worse–it could be slow and unpredictable like mine!!
You’ve got me thinking, Kath. You’re right. That coffee and water weighed 20oz going in and it hadn’t come out yet…
Also, you said you were doing more exercise so part of it is likely muscle gain.
Anyway, good luck this week! Keep on giving it your all and I know you will continue to see results.
Don’t worry – it is a blip – and you will be pleasantly surprised at how much you lose next week I’m sure! This has happened to me before too – party one week, lose weight – stick faithfully to the regime the next week and gain weight. Who can really understand the mysteries of our bodies! But just to be sure, empty that bladder before the next weigh in!
🙂 All the best!!!