This week's stats:
This week's gain :( = +4.2 lb
Total loss = 30.2 lb
Now, I know I should still be proud of my 30 lb loss, and I am, but it is frustrating. This is a real journey though and that means that each week won't be perfect. I've been losing at least a little bit of weight without a gain for practically a month and a half. I've been doing a great job, but life isn't perfect and this journey is hard. I wish I could snap my fingers and be my goal weight, don't we all? But, that doesn't happen. It isn't realistic. Gaining occasionally, plateauing. . . that is realistic.
Going into this week I knew that I would be retaining water. However, I was so excited about starting with a personal trainer. I put in 2 great workouts with her and then stepped on the scale this morning to see a BIG gain!
I was told that sometimes after starting more exercise, like I did working with a personal trainer, and having some intense workouts that your muscles are really trying to recover and tend to hold in a lot more water. Anybody find this to be true for them?
I know I didn't eat enough calories this week to justify that sort of gain. However, I'm not completely innocent. I did attend a lovely bridesmaid's tea for a wedding that I'm in on Saturday. I guess enjoying the little tea sandwiches and tiny cakes the day before a weigh in really isn't a good idea. But, at the tea house it wasn't like you could select from a menu. You got what you got. Now, no one forced me to eat that bite size chocolate brownie, I did that all on my own. Hey, we need to live a little sometimes! But, I do take responsibility for dipping into my extra 49 weekly points a little much this week.
What do I plan to do about it this week?
When I was struggling gaining and losing the same 2 lbs back in December I was so close to throwing in the towel. I was ready to just walk away and accept that maybe I was just going to be overweight forever. Today, that isn't the case. I'm ready to fight for this, for me.
I accept that this is a long journey that I am on. It will take me over a year to get to where I need to be, but it will be worth it. I really do believe that.
Because my muscles are recovering from doing things that they have not done in awhile, I need to really drink more water. This week I will be working on increasing my water and adding more fruits.
I also did not track every day last week. I added up everything in my head, but I often didn't enter dinner into my tracker. I need to track everything that I eat.
Lastly, I will work out with the trainer 2 times again this week, but I need to brave the cold and get out for my walks again during my lunch break and at least do a little on the elliptical to keep working out my muscles on my off days.
Yes, it is frustrating that I gained. I'm not happy about it, but I can fix this!
How did your week go? I really hope your weigh in was better than mine!
Week 5 = + 4.2 lbs
Total challenge loss = -3 lbs
Good job girlfriend - don't let a little slip-up hold you back!
ReplyDeleteAnd in my experience, I am always heavier when sore from a new or more challenging workout. No clue why.
Gains are always hard to deal with. Specially when it says so much in one week. You're doing great by pushing through. I have also heard that your muscles retain more water when you start working out harder or doing something new. True or not, I dont know. Way to go on getting 2 workouts in! Keep pushing through!
ReplyDeleteHey! This may be a little TMI and you certainlty do not have to say anything about it if you don't want to... but in my experience I have noticed (and been told) that when you are getting close to having or are on your period, your body will be heavier. You tend to bloat and retain water. Don't beat yourself up. Honestly, your inches probably reflect a HUGE success because you DID work with a trainer. :) Keep that in mind and keep on truck'n! :) You're amazing.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you had a disappointing weigh-in! Keep on keepin-on girlfriend! You can do it, I believe it! You sounds very determined and dedicated so I have no doubt.
ReplyDeleteuh I'm totally right tehre with you. I didn't have a successful weight in either and its so frustrating. I got myself all thrown off this morning thinking of where or what I did to go wrong. I was so brain dead. It was bad. But we can only move up(or I should say down) from here! So keep focused get on track! WE GOT THIS.
ReplyDeleteYou are completely right, it is probably just some water retention. Don't get discouraged, next week will probably be better. We all have to go through gains in this journey (especially if we have a lot of weight to lose). I'm glad your trying to make a plan for this week!
ReplyDeleteIt's common to maintain/gain a bit if you've just started working out or have significantly increased how strenuous your workouts are. If you google a Chalene Johnson article about it (sorry, I've read it but don't have it), she explains why. So don't get too discouraged.
ReplyDeleteI can understand your frustration.
ReplyDeleteLook at it this way though....you have put yourself in a position where you have to be accountable each week by getting on the scale. People forget the importance of that! Because of that accountability, you know you are up and what you need to do the following week to counteract that. Could you imagine if you didn't get on the scale? That is what I say each week when I gain.
It's normal for your weight to go up and down and you can't stop living your life to satisfy the scale. Our TOPS group has one older woman (80ish), who happens to be the only one who has lost her weight. She eats the same thing everyday, doesn't allow her self to eat this or that. To me, while I appreciate and admire her dedication, it's boring and at her age, she should be able to a roll at dinner or dessert once in a while. To each his own though and that is what works for her.
So, enjoy the journey, it is making you a better and stronger person!
I know exactly how you feel girl! It's so hard not to let the scale control you, especailly since I just started weighing myself. Just look at it as an extra push to try even harder this week and maybe you'll have a big loss :)
ReplyDeleteFound your blog via the MNB blog hop.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are in the middle of an amazing journey. I can't wait to follow your blog and hear about it. Great job starting with a personal trainer - don't be discouraged. You are doing all the right things!
Elizabeth @ livingrunningcooking.com
I've definitely had weeks like that, too! Often I DO find that if I try something new or work out more, that my body does retain water/gain muscle that makes the scale look worse. If I may suggest, I overcame the weight loss mind game part of this problem by measuring my inches once I started working out. That way, even if I retained water, or the scale plateaued, I could still see MAJOR progress.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you're still doing so much right!! Keep up the good work!
Yep, I'm in the same boat as you. Since I started the Xtrain series a few weeks ago (lots of heavy weights) after a long hiatus from working out, I've been gaining weight. I know it's not from what I'm eating or doing wrong...I've actually lost inches. And yep, I'm trying to drink my water. That's the part I'm not very good at. Good luck, hun....we'll get through this!
ReplyDeleteI know its uber frustrating. It happens to me "weekly"
ReplyDeleteAll i can say...that if we do it right it will happen right. Keep the faith.
I was up 3 pounds this morning as well..sucks, but i had lots of super bowl treats and I knew this morning that the scale would be up, but I am right back to it this morning and will bump up my exercise this week and it will be gone again in a couple of days..I am a big water retainer and i weigh myself every morning and that darn scale flustuates so much from day to day that it sometimes freaks me out! Do not give up, or beat yourself up..just keep going!!
ReplyDeleteDon't get disappointed girl!!! You go this!!! From experience when I add more exercise I have gained weight, and realized that I was burning a ton of calories and not eating enough and my body was starving. I added more calories (went from 1200 to 1400/day) and I lost weight! Just a little tip! It worked for me!!! Hope you have a great week!!! :)
ReplyDeleteHold you head up high!! you are doing amazing! Maybe it was just extra sodium? Drink some water with lemon this week and flush it all out. You will do amazing next week!!
ReplyDeleteYou can do it! I am struggling with a gain also, it's very discouraging I just have to remember that if I want it, it's attainable. That there will be ups and downs, and are ups and downs, but that it's worth it in the end to be healthy. :)
ReplyDeleteYou can do it! These types of weeks are the easiest to give up on. This week is your week!
ReplyDeleteDon't beat yourself up, you do still have to live or else you will be miserable and throw in the towel. A give and take is natural. You will be back on track in no time. Be conscious this week but still enjoy yourself. Have a great time at the wedding this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat really stinks!! Don't beat yourself up, just try to remember why you are doing this! It is so easy to just say, "screw it, I'm not eating a carrot and working out with a trainer to gain 4 lbs in a week" but that does not solve the problem! Good for you for still putting this out there, because it would be really easy to not post this, but this is real! Sometimes we eat decent and exercise and still gain weight!! I think it's awesome that you put this out there for people to see it is normal unfortunately!! Next week will be better!
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to get discouraged, but DON'T BE! You're still doing a great job! Good luck this week! I know it'll be better!
ReplyDeleteyou are probably just turning your fat to muscle from the training! keep up the good work and you will start losing weight again soon.
ReplyDeleteYou can do it! I have had this happen several times. On the weeks that I work out REALLY hard I almost ALWAYS gain or stay the same.
ReplyDeleteYes I always gain after I start weight training, and on weeks that I kill the weights like so hard that Im sore I lose no weight but the follwing week I go cardio crazy and I can see a difference. It is all good. Its a journey for a reason. You got this!!! you are doing an amazing job!!!
ReplyDeleteI gained this week too. I'm blaming the pizza but it can't be all that....I know I didn't eat THAT many calories.
ReplyDelete