Ditch the scales!
gordon53
Posts: 20
My weight has been static for about three weeks and I've been trying a variety of things to kick start the weight loss which had started so promisingly, including hard work in the gym with a personal trainer, eating back exercise calories and not being paranoid about having the (very) occasional excess day when I didn't stick to the calorie recommendation. Even been watching my macros. Since I started the journey, I feel better generally, and had a suspicion that there was a "weight shift" rather than a "weight loss" as a fair bit of the gym work has been core strength, probably about 30%, although I've also been working on cardio as well.
So, before I started the serious eating/exercise regime, I bought some new summer shorts, and, optimistically, got them 2 inches smaller round the waist than those they were intended to replace. Inevitably, I couldn't button them up, so the challenge was set that I would lose enough weight by the time I needed them next, which was likely to be not before June when I'm scheduled to go abroad on holiday.
Well, I tried the shorts on today, and they fit, so my suspicion that there was a weight shift seems to be well founded. The logic is that I've lost at least a couple of inches around my waist, otherwise the shorts would still not fit. So quite encouraged really, despite the seeming plateau in the weight loss measure. I won't stop the discipline in anticipation that the stone or so I'd still like to lose will eventually go. Indeed, think I'll have a drink tonight to celebrate - after all I've got about 500 calories to play with today!
So, before I started the serious eating/exercise regime, I bought some new summer shorts, and, optimistically, got them 2 inches smaller round the waist than those they were intended to replace. Inevitably, I couldn't button them up, so the challenge was set that I would lose enough weight by the time I needed them next, which was likely to be not before June when I'm scheduled to go abroad on holiday.
Well, I tried the shorts on today, and they fit, so my suspicion that there was a weight shift seems to be well founded. The logic is that I've lost at least a couple of inches around my waist, otherwise the shorts would still not fit. So quite encouraged really, despite the seeming plateau in the weight loss measure. I won't stop the discipline in anticipation that the stone or so I'd still like to lose will eventually go. Indeed, think I'll have a drink tonight to celebrate - after all I've got about 500 calories to play with today!
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Replies
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Great advice Gordon, I'm in the same boat myself as I'm sure you know. My waist is shrinking yet weight has remained static.
Tried a spike day yesterday, and going to go for an extra hour at the gym this week, so we will see what happens0 -
good luck! We can compare notes next week....0
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sounds like a good plan Gordon53 to stick with it!
I had a static weight 2 wks ago, lost inches as it was very apparent that my trousers were loose....
lost 1 1/2lbs last week (after a 'spike' day!!! including imbibing in 'some' alcohol.....
).
I have only been on MFP for 3 wks, so hard to find a 'pattern' yet, I am sure it will emerge in time!! will look again at 'the reports' and try and work out what the balance is for me...........
good luck0 -
My dietition has told me that the best indicator of weight and health, is to mesure your waist. Thats where most of us lay down the fat.
The more inches that come of your waist the more healthy you will be. She said that weighing your self only tells part of the story.
I'm off to find my tape mesure!0 -
Since I started on here last October I have only lost 12 lbs in weight but I have lost FIVE INCHES off my waist.
So I agree that scales are not the only measure of success and jumping on them every day is a sure fire way to become paranoid about it all. Scales can be very destructive to people's motivation and self confidence. I don't own a pair of scales and only weigh myself every couple of weeks at the local gym.
Weight fluctuates so much on a daily and even weekly basis that it can sometimes seem like you are making no progress - but there can obviously be a lot of stuff going on in the background that isn't registering on the scales.
Good luck with your journey.0
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