Lag time for caloric daily net gain or loss to show up in weight gain or loss

Thanks running. I am expecting a pattern to develop, just not sure what it will be. Having ALL information recorded daily allow me to tweek my studies.

I agree Brit. I know that part of it is psychological for me. I am prone to that "the sky is falling" thing. If I wake up and weigh the same or picked up some weight from the day before, even if my trend is really good, that ONE WEIGH IN can sink me. Sooooo, I found that looking at concrete info helps keep me in a better frame of mind (this time). So I got a three ring note book and some graph paper and just plotted stats in different ways on different sheets, and it really helped to show me that disaster was in fact not at my front door, maybe I was in a semi plateau, but it actually motivated me to get back out there and stay focused instead of considering throwing in the towel.

That may sound crazy, but my brain will do crazy things to me. Charts, graphs and analysis of real info on where I am from where I started, and everything in between, FOR ME, keeps me grounded to fight another 15 minutes or day.

Luckily I kept my daily info from my last weight loss project in 2013 which lasted for 8.5 weeks. I have done a day by day comparison of those 8.5 weeks versus my daily journey this time (I am in week 7 right now). I know that the last time I really had no plan except to "lose weight" and I remember clearly how I would starve (skip meals) in order to "get that scale weight" that I wanted so badly, which worked, but of course, it was followed by (for me) that desire to gorge myself and reward myself. I did not yo-yo during that 2013 program, but I did hit a very obvious plateau (which shows up on my graph) and I now understand why and what was going on then. I have pledged to myself not to fall victim of those short term psychological needs this time, and so far I have been successful. But I think it really has helped to have these various statistical analysis's at my fingertips to peruse and calm my tricky brain down when I am having those "throw in the towel" moments.

I really did not think I could do this again at 52, but surprisingly I am seeing that age (for me) seems to not be a factor, age is just a number. Sure my muscles are not building like they used to, but the weight is coming off consistently.

My goal starting out this time was to lose 1 pound per week and to not strive for ANY OTHER NUMBER. If I did better then super. If I did worse, then I would just keep searching for new solutions. So far so good. If I even lose .5 pounds, or .00001 pounds per week, but over time I consistently continue to lose (while diligentlly lifting and doing my cardio) then I also know that I am shifting (hopefully) the fat into muscle (I keep that thought in mind WHENEVER I miss my number on the scale). That "positive thinking thing" - and well it partly SHOULD be true. If WE are doing weights and cardio, weight should be shifting. So ZERO loss should at least be translating into a physical improvement. Hence, any loss on the scale on top of ZERO is a good thing, no matter how small.

Okay, so putting this down into messages seems to also be motivational to me. I missed my number this morning on the scale, but now I am motivated to focus on the here and now and not worry about what my eye's saw at 8:15 this morning.

Thanks Sconnaway!!!. Yesterday was kind of a pivotal day in that the scale pissed me off in the morning, but I refocused and concentrated on only the day ahead. I refilled my one gallon bottle jug and keep up my water intake.

This morning I hit a new low weight on the scale so it is just a reminder to not let little hurdles derail me. It was a pleasant exercise to input this mornings numbers and see that progress is still occuring.

Well like we have all read throughout MFP, the data input is what is so critical. I really see how easily non-reporting can add up. I had not really considered "I can't believe it is butter" spread on a piece of toast was actually 60 calories, multiplied by two pieces of whole grain bread, well, that is 120 calories I was considering "not a big deal" before. Or the sauce that goes on some of our home made "healthy meals", there is another 40-60 calories. There is a healthy takeout restaurant near our home and we will get healthy salads from them. I always eat the saltine crackers - uh, not any more @ 35-40 calories per packet of 4? Times 6-8 packets, then the croutons I was eating that I considered "NOMINAL"? AT some point all of the little unimportant condiments add up to full meals. I am working too hard to lift and cardio and watch my calories to blow calories on these calorie busters. BUT, I can see where they were really messing with my "plan". I had built in fudge factors for undercounting but suddenly saw how it was probably worse then I thought and some days I was probably over my maintain caloric intake. Just crazy stuff, but hell, this is why we are all here. So I think I have seen immediate positive results in the last few weeks from this easily overlooked sesspool of hidden calories that surround me at every turn.

So the lag time that I got from the head trainer at Gold's was 24-48 hours. Really no lag time unless retention of water due to excessive sodium intake.