:( Someone snap me out of this.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2004
:( Someone snap me out of this.
7
Wed, 02-02-2005 - 9:14am

I can tell I am going into a huge rut!


AS I posted earlier this week, I have been really really sore. I went from 5 days a week to 6, I used to take two days off back to back, my weigh in day (Thursday) and Friday since I work late and than usually work Saturday morning. I incorporated Fridays back in to speed things up.


Here is my dilemma. I am up a #, which I know is not a lot in the grand scheme of things, I have my offical weigh in tomorrow. I have been working out, eating right, and trying to stay motivated. I keep telling myself that I will quit all together if I see a gain tomorrow. I know I can't do that, I have come so far and still have a ways to go.


I am a little undereducated when it comes to these things. If I am gaining muscle does that eventually even out on the scale? Am I hurting myself by sticking to what has worked for me in the past as far as my workouts are concerned? I have switched the pattern in which I do my machines, bike, first or treadmill first etc... Started lifting some, but still keeping about an hour of cardio in my routine.


I am seriously frustrated and to be honest, really scared. I fear one # will become two and in the end I will be back at square one. I don't want to fail but I don't want to feel like this either. Working so hard and not seeing results on certain weeks.


I have gained a total of two times since I have been on WW. Both of them were .5 gains. I have maintained twice as well, other than that in 41 weeks I have lost 107.5#s


I think I need a kick in the butt to keep going, to know that this WILL come off.


293.5/186/150

~~ JODI ~~


HOOK EM HORNS!


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 02-02-2005 - 9:38am

I've been mostly absent for awhile so I don't have your full back history but I am going to jump in here with a couple of concerns. First, you say you've lost 107.5 pounds!!! Have you crunched the numbers on that? What percentage of your body weight was that? You know most folks who lose weight never reach more than a 10% loss. So a 200 pound woman normally only achieves about 20 pounds. What you have done is GREAT and you should be VERY proud of yourself.

Second, WW is a great program in many, many ways. It is however lacking in that the weigh in and stress surrounding it for most participants can become an unhealthy thing emotionally and mentally. Worry about being up a pound prior to weigh in is a prime example. Your weight can vary as much as four pounds on any given day due to water weight, and various other factors. I'm currently up three pounds from yesterday, it is just that time in my cycle and it happens...

The other downside to WW is the fact that the program does not account for body fat percentages and the effects of working out. That is what it sounds like you are facing here. Any program for weight loss should factor in three things and their effects on the body (diet, exercise and mental/emotional health) and WW is only factoring one and in my humble opinion reinforcing the negative in the mental/emotional arena in an increasing number of participants.

So, my advice. Take the pound gain and tell them to kiss your firmer than you started behind if they say anything. Muscle DOES weigh more than fat. You are working out and increasing your lean mass and it does show on the scale sometimes. Don't get discouraged, even if you do slip--which I don't think this is, because remember that third element in this equation, if you let go mentally and emotionally over a slip you will then fail.

You are doing great. Go pull out the old pants or look at an old picture then give yourself a looksie in a full length. You have achieved something others only dream of. Don't let one pound or pushy WW women ruin that for you:)

~K~

~Kiervin~

Co-author of:  MONSTER'S INK HORROR ANTHOLOGY By Cyber-Pulp Press

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-15-2004
Wed, 02-02-2005 - 9:46am

It sounds like you need a healthy dose of perspective and I'll do my best to give it to you...

You say that you realize that one pound isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of the things, but the tone of your post says otherwise. Did you know that your body weight can fluctuate up to six pounds in a 24 hour period based on rate of digestion, hydration, elimination and water retention? During weight loss, fluctuations are totally normal and I honestly think that if one pound is freaking you out this much, you need to take some time off from the scale. (I say this because it takes one to know one and I am exactly like you in this regard.) It is SO easy to lose sight of what you're accomplishing when you're defining your progress by a single number.

People with a good deal of muscle are generally heavier than those without. I know WW obviously tracks weight, but I think it would be highly beneficial to you to start tracking your body fat as well. I think that's a much better indicator of progress and since you can really only test it every 4-6 weeks, it can keep you from being too obssessive. :)

Additionally, you have lost a great deal of weight in a pretty short period of time and there comes a time when the body just needs to maintain before you can start losing again. I've lost a significant amount of weight as well and I KNOW how easy it is to get freaked out about gaining a pound or two.

I would seriously consider working with a personal trainer for a little while. I say this not only because I am one, but because I believe in what I do. A PT can help you evaluate your current routine, decide if it's challenging enough and help you tweak areas where you may be lacking. Also, it's nearly impossible to get the same workout on your own as you would with a trainer pushing you. I'm a trainer and I work out with a trainer once a week. We ALL need to be pushed.

Hang in there okay? What you've accomplished is something to be very, very proud of and do NOT let the stupid scale take that away from you. *hugs*

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2004
Wed, 02-02-2005 - 9:57am

Thanks Ladies.


I know it is me that is obssessed with the scale. I feel that dictates all of this. It tells me how I am doing. I never look at the overall picture.


I need to relax. I think WW can be a great program and it has honestly taught me so much about how I eat, when I eat and what I eat. I just need to stay focused.


I wasn't really aware that my body may need time to adjust to all the changes, that I may have weeks where I maintain or gain, due to my muscles changing and it taking time to flush out the fat. I do hope this is the case.


I know I can't quit. I started this whole journey in the effort to have a baby, that wish has not changed and I know I need to finish this. Ijus have t keep my head above water here and push through.


Thank you so much for your kind words!


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Wed, 02-02-2005 - 10:22am
not much to add to kiervin and kel's wise words, except that it is completely normal to have plateaus when you stop losing weight for a few weeks, or for your weight to go up a bit before you start losing again. i would be surprised if it didn't. just a reassurance that everything is still on track, even if your weight goes up a bit, it doesn't mean that you are necessarily doing anything wrong. just have faith. and i agree with kel that even just one session with a trainer will ease your mind and help you fine tune your program to get the most out of it.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wed, 02-02-2005 - 12:10pm
There's not much I can add to what Jen, Kel and Kiervin have already said. You CAN gain weight and lose inches, as you were asking.





iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 02-02-2005 - 3:05pm

Hey! Everyone has given you some great advice and great perspective with what is going on.

My first reaction to your post was WOW! Congratulations on losing over 100 lbs! My second reaction was you may need to lay off exercising for a week or two to get past the soreness.

I know this is a hard thing to hear and do, but I have a very good friend who had a degree in Exercise Physiology and personal trains people in the Hamptons. Anyway, when people lost a lot of weight and hit a wall like you, she would tell them to lay off for awhile. You don't lose a lot...you don't start losing your gains until after 5 days of doing nothing and then you only lose 1 day for every 2 you take off. When you go back to exercising after that time, you will start to see gains again in your workouts and losses in your weight. It does work. Your body gets used to what you are doing and it sometimes has to be shocked.

Then my next reaction was WW itself. I did WW and got to goal and I am a lifetime member. My weight loss was very slow since I was already exercising and eating well. I had to eat less to lose and actually, it wasn't enough food. That was why I was losing so slowly. It was proven to me since I lost the most weight on maintenance when you get to eat more! WW can teach you about nutrition and portion control, but sometimes you have to mix it up.

I think you are doing flex points. Maybe you should try the CORE program. I know someone who lost over a 100 lbs too and she couldn't lose weight anymore and was down to about 18 pts a day and very strict. I know now you have to have 20..but she gained if she did. Anyway, she is doing CORE now and is losing weight at a faster rate than she was on Flex points.

So...those are my thoughts. I hope it helps to give you some ideas of what to do. Whatever you do, do not start eating less. OK?

Take care and as I said before...

Congrats on your great weight loss!!

Grace

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2004
Wed, 02-02-2005 - 3:27pm

Thank you so much Grace :)


I was glad to see you have done Weight Watchers as well.


I was thinking of cutting a lot of things out at the gym for a few days, concentrating on some yoga, or pilates, staying away from all the hard workouts and tough cardio. Maybe do something more relaxing to get me back into the spirit.


I may try core. I am going to print a bunch of ideas off their site, for some new meals on Flex Points and see if that helps. If not I am going to switch to core next week.


I am going to try and shake up the eating pattern and the workout pattern as well to see if my body reacts.


Congrats on your weight loss you are an inspiration. It is always helpful to see someone who was successful on the program to keep my chin up and to keep going.

~~ JODI ~~


HOOK EM HORNS!


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