Makes no sense!

bobnstuf · June 2010

I've been lurking the message board for several weeks now, but this is my 1st post.
Been keeping a diary of all the foods I eat and logging in my exercise etc. 5 weeks went by and while I was walking/jogging further and faster each week, but my weight loss fluctuated between 3 and 4 lbs, I was disappointed with the results. Then I go on a business trip to California and totally lose my momentum. I ate sensibly, I didn't go into a binge food fest, but I didn't keep a diary either. There was no working out at all and most of the meetings were sedentary. Then I get back from my business trip and drive to Atlantic City for the weekend with the family. Again I made good choices for my meals, but I didn't deny myself a few cocktails here and there and once again no diary. As far as exercise, we walked the boardwalk one day just browsing the shops (and my wife stops at just about all of them), plus we went to the pool all 3 days, but leisurely swimming, sun bathing and playing with the kids for less than an hour I guess, no hardcore training at all.
So here comes Monday after Fathers day and it's time to get my focus back and after the morning 4 mile walk/jog I step on the scale fully expecting to have gained back the 3 - 4 lbs I worked so hard to lose and I am amazed/perplexed/stunned to see that I lost 5 lbs!
I know I'm on the right track and even though I wasn't making progress I wasn't giving up as I have sooooo many times before, but I must be doing something fundamentally wrong. The first 10 - 20 lbs always used to drop off right away (Atkins diet e.g.), now I start off struggling.
Any thoughts?

curlygirl71 · June 2010

This same thing happened to me and my doc said my body hit a platau and started to go into shut down mode. Once I started to let it have a few more calories I started losing weight again. The trick was just not to go too far and to know when to stop. If I work out twice a day (which I do 3 times a week) instead of just once a day, then I let myself have a few more calories (say 100 to 150 if I burned over 1000 calories that day).

fitandhealthy · June 2010

Hmm....since I've seen so much success on this site, including myself and my boyfriend, I would suggest starting over by looking at your settings/goals. Make sure that you really are calculating correctly; your weight, your BMR, etc and that you have a reasonable daily deficit. Make sure that you are calculating all your caloric intake correctly. Be honest and when in doubt, always over-calculate. Also use caloriesperhour.com, the calories burned calulator to determine your exercise calories that you should be eating. If you don't eat your exercise calories, that is a problem (there is lots of info on this site about this topic-read up on it), after all that, my advice is to just keep going. Your body metabolism/momentum might still be going in the weight gain direction, and just needs a little time to stop and turn in the other direction. Keep at it; you are living a healthier life, and it WILL catch up to you! Good luck!

jasonweinberg · June 2010

i think people are more active when they are away from home. i also think sometimes they snack less because they aren't constantly "near the kitchen".

skygoddess86 · June 2010

This totally happens with me, has this whole 25 pounds. I always lose weight immediatly following a splurge day or a rest day. Now granted on splurge days I'm not going totally ape **** or anything. But like we go camping and I will eat a couple maple bars, not a normal every day food item, and I am pretty active, but I don't have internet so I'm not logging. I always drop weight right after that. I don't think you are doing anything wrong the body just works in weird ways. Make sure you take a day off of exercise and have a moderate splurge day every week. It keeps your system from getting complacant.

Makes no sense!

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