Weekend Discouragement

SazzySuze
SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
edited November 17 in Social Groups
Every week I lose 1-2 pounds and every weekend I gain it all back. I'm beginning to really hate weekends. I thought it was the restaurants we were going to so we stopped going out and started grilling on the weekends so I know for a fact what I'm eating and nothing is hiding in the sauce, so to speak. Still gained my weight back. So then I thought well maybe it's the alcohol that is ruining me. So yesterday not a drop of that lusciousness, either. And I still gained my weight back. Those were the two things I looked forward to on the weekends, eating out and alcohol. Now they are both gone and it's not helping. Wtf am I doing wrong? Yesterday I weighed all my food, logged it, etc. Was under my calories, under my carbs...all good things. And I still wake up to a pound gain which is what I averaged losing last week. I have been doing low carb for about a month but didn't start logging til a few weeks ago. I have no problem losing through the week but weekends somehow screw me over every time. I hate weekends now. I'm not even kidding. Feeling like I don't have much to look forward to, not even a permanent loss. Can anyone help me?

Replies

  • FIT_Goat
    FIT_Goat Posts: 4,224 Member
    You're only a month in. Give it time. And, ignore things like daily changes on the scale. What was your average weight for all 7 days the week you started? What was your average weight for all 7 days this last week? If that shows your weight going in the right direction, don't stress about weekend.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    FIT_Goat wrote: »
    You're only a month in. Give it time. And, ignore things like daily changes on the scale. What was your average weight for all 7 days the week you started? What was your average weight for all 7 days this last week? If that shows your weight going in the right direction, don't stress about weekend.
    165 pounds was the average for the first week. 162 pounds was the average this week. So 3 pounds? What's going on here? I see most people saying they lose 3 times that much just in water weight alone. I guess 3 pounds is 3 pounds but if I weren't gaining it back every weekend, I'd have lost over 12 pounds by now. Is there not anything I can do to stop this from happening?
  • totaloblivia
    totaloblivia Posts: 1,164 Member
    What's your carb intake per day in grams?
  • FIT_Goat
    FIT_Goat Posts: 4,224 Member
    Some people have more water weight to lose. Some people have more pressing issues their body wants to deal with before the excess (and mostly benign) fat stores. Each person will lose at their own rate. Everyone envies those who lose it quickly (even I did). But, it doesn't happen for everyone. I didn't get a huge loss at first. Those with the biggest initial losses seem to run into longer stalls a month or two into the process, which evens it all out.

    The short answer to your last question is, "no." Your body is in charge of this process and it will do things at the pace it wants. Attempts to force the issue usually backfire and slow the whole process down in the long term. You didn't put the weight on in a couple months, give your body time to take it off while ensuring health.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    What's your carb intake per day in grams?
    I have it set for 56g but I usually average around 15-30 Total carbs. Yesterday was 14 total carbs, 11 NET. Gained a pound. :(
  • FIT_Goat
    FIT_Goat Posts: 4,224 Member
    I started a lot heavier than you (over 200 pounds) and lost a grand total of about 5 pounds the first month. Would I have liked it faster? Sure. Would I trade faster start, but unsustainable losses, for the results that I did get (slow, mostly steady, and permanent)? Not a chance.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    FIT_Goat wrote: »
    Some people have more water weight to lose. Some people have more pressing issues their body wants to deal with before the excess (and mostly benign) fat stores. Each person will lose at their own rate. Everyone envies those who lose it quickly (even I did). But, it doesn't happen for everyone. I didn't get a huge loss at first. Those with the biggest initial losses seem to run into longer stalls a month or two into the process, which evens it all out.

    The short answer to your last question is, "no." Your body is in charge of this process and it will do things at the pace it wants. Attempts to force the issue usually backfire and slow the whole process down in the long term. You didn't put the weight on in a couple months, give your body time to take it off while ensuring health.
    disheartening to think I can't do anything about it but thank you for your honesty

  • GSD_Mama
    GSD_Mama Posts: 629 Member
    Maybe try to lower your carbs and drink tons of water, your body might be retaining it. I can't see your diaries so I don't know what you're eating. You need to be patient and give it time. Stop weighting daily, you'll drive yourself nuts!
    Do you work out, and gaining muscles? Do you lose inches? Those are better indications of your progress than the scale.
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
    Weight loss is not linear. You didn't gain your fat in a few weeks, and you're not going to lose it in a few weeks.

    Everyone has their "own row to hoe" and so I would straight up ignore the claims of weight loss rates by others. (a) i think they're often exaggerated either due to most being water weight or people just being excited and catching the scale at the right time and (b) that's their body, their food, and their lifestyle, not yours.

    re: your weekends and restaurants and alcohol, I would examine what about those things you look forward to. Not to read between the lines too much, but it sounds a bit like you enjoyed the "cutting loose" aspect. Well, unfortunately, "cutting loose won't cut it" if you're trying to lose fat. Maybe attempt to reframe your leisure activities, and focus on the friendship of those you're with and the activities you're sharing, rather than the food & drink aspect of the gatherings.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    itcphotog wrote: »
    Maybe try to lower your carbs and drink tons of water, your body might be retaining it. I can't see your diaries so I don't know what you're eating. You need to be patient and give it time. Stop weighting daily, you'll drive yourself nuts!
    Do you work out, and gaining muscles? Do you lose inches? Those are better indications of your progress than the scale.
    My diary settings are set to public. I just double checked. Not sure why you can't see it. Sorry about that. I'm actually eating lower carbs and more meat on weekends. .which is when I'm gaining the weight. I guess that's why it's so confusing. Yesterday was my lowest carb day for the whole week, I think. I am not exercising but perhaps that would help. I need to find something I can do with a toddler in tow. I'm not sure about inches. But I look and feel exactly like I did when I first started and my pants don't feel any looser.
  • jabegakis
    jabegakis Posts: 4 Member
    I completely understand the frustration of the diet roller coaster, especially as women who enjoys socializing on the weekends.
    Have you tried to schedule more intense workouts on the weekends?
    I found that if I planned a long cardio or weight training session on Saturdays and Sundays I saw my performance level increase and my weight stabilize. I suspect it is because I tend to consume more kcal on Friday and Saturday nights and my body thrives on all the extra fuel the next morning.
    If your not into hard core exercise, try to plan long hikes with your girl friends on Saturday or Sunday - followed with brunch of course.
    Hope that helps!
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    kirkor wrote: »
    Weight loss is not linear. You didn't gain your fat in a few weeks, and you're not going to lose it in a few weeks.

    Everyone has their "own row to hoe" and so I would straight up ignore the claims of weight loss rates by others. (a) i think they're often exaggerated either due to most being water weight or people just being excited and catching the scale at the right time and (b) that's their body, their food, and their lifestyle, not yours.

    re: your weekends and restaurants and alcohol, I would examine what about those things you look forward to. Not to read between the lines too much, but it sounds a bit like you enjoyed the "cutting loose" aspect. Well, unfortunately, "cutting loose won't cut it" if you're trying to lose fat. Maybe attempt to reframe your leisure activities, and focus on the friendship of those you're with and the activities you're sharing, rather than the food & drink aspect of the gatherings.

    I know I'm not going to lose it all in a month. I'm just discouraged because I'm not seeing any progress. What I looked forward to about the restaurants is that's the only time off that I have from the kitchen. I feel like I'm constantly in the kitchen cooking for me and everyone else and the weekends were like my break. What I looked forward to with the alcohol was my time to unwind from a long week after my daughter went to bed. As far as enjoying the company, some things are more enjoyable slightly intoxicated rather than not. My pain tolerance is heightened and my inhibitions lowered. The "gatherings" you are talking about is just me and my partner. We have only been able to get a babysitter once in almost three years. We are trying to do different things instead of our usual with alcohol. Last night that consisted of him playing on the computer while I watch an episode of Bates Motel. Fun fun huh
  • GSD_Mama
    GSD_Mama Posts: 629 Member
    SazzySuze wrote: »
    itcphotog wrote: »
    Maybe try to lower your carbs and drink tons of water, your body might be retaining it. I can't see your diaries so I don't know what you're eating. You need to be patient and give it time. Stop weighting daily, you'll drive yourself nuts!
    Do you work out, and gaining muscles? Do you lose inches? Those are better indications of your progress than the scale.
    My diary settings are set to public. I just double checked. Not sure why you can't see it. Sorry about that. I'm actually eating lower carbs and more meat on weekends. .which is when I'm gaining the weight. I guess that's why it's so confusing. Yesterday was my lowest carb day for the whole week, I think. I am not exercising but perhaps that would help. I need to find something I can do with a toddler in tow. I'm not sure about inches. But I look and feel exactly like I did when I first started and my pants don't feel any looser.

    Sorry, I still can't see your diary, you're welcome to friend me :)
    I understand getting away from kids, that's probably exhausting. I can't comment on alcohol as my drinking days are very few and in between. I miss my good dark beer but I can't afford it until I get to where I'm going, yes, I have a lot of will power to better myself and no drinking going to help.
  • katharineshalia
    katharineshalia Posts: 243 Member
    SazzySuze wrote: »
    kirkor wrote: »
    Weight loss is not linear. You didn't gain your fat in a few weeks, and you're not going to lose it in a few weeks.

    Everyone has their "own row to hoe" and so I would straight up ignore the claims of weight loss rates by others. (a) i think they're often exaggerated either due to most being water weight or people just being excited and catching the scale at the right time and (b) that's their body, their food, and their lifestyle, not yours.

    re: your weekends and restaurants and alcohol, I would examine what about those things you look forward to. Not to read between the lines too much, but it sounds a bit like you enjoyed the "cutting loose" aspect. Well, unfortunately, "cutting loose won't cut it" if you're trying to lose fat. Maybe attempt to reframe your leisure activities, and focus on the friendship of those you're with and the activities you're sharing, rather than the food & drink aspect of the gatherings.

    I know I'm not going to lose it all in a month. I'm just discouraged because I'm not seeing any progress. What I looked forward to about the restaurants is that's the only time off that I have from the kitchen. I feel like I'm constantly in the kitchen cooking for me and everyone else and the weekends were like my break. What I looked forward to with the alcohol was my time to unwind from a long week after my daughter went to bed. As far as enjoying the company, some things are more enjoyable slightly intoxicated rather than not. My pain tolerance is heightened and my inhibitions lowered. The "gatherings" you are talking about is just me and my partner. We have only been able to get a babysitter once in almost three years. We are trying to do different things instead of our usual with alcohol. Last night that consisted of him playing on the computer while I watch an episode of Bates Motel. Fun fun huh

    As a mom of three under the age of 8, I hear you loud and clear. I'm not worrying about this weekend but I did initially lay off the wine but then again my sanity is more important and hey, if your carbs read low then I'd call that a successful weekend. I try to get out and walk with the youngest but that can turn on a dime. Here's what works for me after trial and error: join the YMCA, they can watch your toddler for an hour of you time and you are never more than 10 feet away from the care center. It cost about 80$ a month for a family of five where I am and it has really helped my sanity level. Also, happy mother's day, don't get discouraged.
  • sweetteadrinker2
    sweetteadrinker2 Posts: 1,026 Member
    FIT_Goat wrote: »
    Those with the biggest initial losses seem to run into longer stalls a month or two into the process, which evens it all out.

    I'm going to second the part about rapid loss in the beginning leading into stalls. In my first 6-8 weeks I lost 20 pounds, now I'm fighting just to keep the scale from going up. Don't stress, stress kills weightloss efforts.
  • shai74
    shai74 Posts: 512 Member
    I don't think you can expect to lose 12lbs water weight in the first two weeks when you only weight 165lbs. If you're 250lbs maybe. You also said you've been low carbing for a month but didn't start logging til a few weeks ago. What's a few weeks? You need to give it time. You need to record everything, and be consistent.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    jabegakis wrote: »
    I completely understand the frustration of the diet roller coaster, especially as women who enjoys socializing on the weekends.
    Have you tried to schedule more intense workouts on the weekends?
    I found that if I planned a long cardio or weight training session on Saturdays and Sundays I saw my performance level increase and my weight stabilize. I suspect it is because I tend to consume more kcal on Friday and Saturday nights and my body thrives on all the extra fuel the next morning.
    If your not into hard core exercise, try to plan long hikes with your girl friends on Saturday or Sunday - followed with brunch of course.
    Hope that helps!
    No, I haven't tried incorporating any exercise on the weekends. :/ I should probably at least get a decent walk in every day.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    itcphotog wrote: »
    SazzySuze wrote: »
    itcphotog wrote: »
    Maybe try to lower your carbs and drink tons of water, your body might be retaining it. I can't see your diaries so I don't know what you're eating. You need to be patient and give it time. Stop weighting daily, you'll drive yourself nuts!
    Do you work out, and gaining muscles? Do you lose inches? Those are better indications of your progress than the scale.
    My diary settings are set to public. I just double checked. Not sure why you can't see it. Sorry about that. I'm actually eating lower carbs and more meat on weekends. .which is when I'm gaining the weight. I guess that's why it's so confusing. Yesterday was my lowest carb day for the whole week, I think. I am not exercising but perhaps that would help. I need to find something I can do with a toddler in tow. I'm not sure about inches. But I look and feel exactly like I did when I first started and my pants don't feel any looser.

    Sorry, I still can't see your diary, you're welcome to friend me :)
    I understand getting away from kids, that's probably exhausting. I can't comment on alcohol as my drinking days are very few and in between. I miss my good dark beer but I can't afford it until I get to where I'm going, yes, I have a lot of will power to better myself and no drinking going to help.
    I sent you a friend request. Thanks!
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    SazzySuze wrote: »
    kirkor wrote: »

    As a mom of three under the age of 8, I hear you loud and clear. I'm not worrying about this weekend but I did initially lay off the wine but then again my sanity is more important and hey, if your carbs read low then I'd call that a successful weekend. I try to get out and walk with the youngest but that can turn on a dime. Here's what works for me after trial and error: join the YMCA, they can watch your toddler for an hour of you time and you are never more than 10 feet away from the care center. It cost about 80$ a month for a family of five where I am and it has really helped my sanity level. Also, happy mother's day, don't get discouraged.

    Thanks so much. Happy Mother's Day to you, too! The YMCA wouldn't be a bad deal but I'm not sure if we can afford it at the moment. We just signed our daughter up for daycare last Friday and she starts in a week. It costs more than I was hoping to pay, but I've been looking for work and recently had to turn down a nice job offer because I couldn't get childcare with only a day's notice. When she goes to daycare I should be able to get out and walk till my heart's content, though. I could take her with me before then but she doesn't walk fast enough for me to get my heart rate up.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    shai74 wrote: »
    I don't think you can expect to lose 12lbs water weight in the first two weeks when you only weight 165lbs. If you're 250lbs maybe. You also said you've been low carbing for a month but didn't start logging til a few weeks ago. What's a few weeks? You need to give it time. You need to record everything, and be consistent.
    I'm not necessarily expecting to lose 12 pounds water weight. I was just expecting the weight that I've lost to not return on weekends. If I had no gain and no loss on weekends, then I'd be 12 pounds lighter now. I guess I should have been more clear. A few weeks ... I've been logging for 19 days. I am very a*al about recording things now. If I have even a piece of lettuce, I log it.
  • FitnFierceJamie
    FitnFierceJamie Posts: 4 Member
    There are so many factors that play into weight loss...not only food and water intake, but sleep cycles, medications (if I take ibuprofen, I hold water for 3-5 days after), changes in activity levels, monthly cycles, etc. Stay the course...the whoosh fairy will visit you eventually.
  • PasPlus
    PasPlus Posts: 31 Member
    SazzySuze - just had a peek at your diary and noticed a pattern. You tend to frequently go high on protein and low on fat. For some this is a problem. Could you maybe try to reset the balance there - maybe add some meat with a little more fat on or just reduce the protein somehow and maintain fat.

    Just an idea - good luck.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    PasPlus wrote: »
    SazzySuze - just had a peek at your diary and noticed a pattern. You tend to frequently go high on protein and low on fat. For some this is a problem. Could you maybe try to reset the balance there - maybe add some meat with a little more fat on or just reduce the protein somehow and maintain fat.

    Just an idea - good luck.
    Yes, weekends are a lot more protein and a lot less fat because my foods have been primarily based on whatever was cooked on the grill (meat and veggies). I'm not really sure how I can increase fat intake eating grilled foods. We buy ground turkey from Costco because it's actually a lot cheaper than the ground beef. But I can see if he's willing to pay the higher price for ground beef. Any other suggestions on how to do that?
  • AreteAndWhimsy
    AreteAndWhimsy Posts: 150 Member
    edited May 2015
    Budget is a huge concern here as well. Don't worry about specifically getting fatty meats, just add more straight fat. As I said elsewhere, I struggle with getting enough fat, and I finally just started drinking a cup of broth with a huge knob of butter in it whenever I knew I was going to be too light on fat for the day. Sodium and fat and yum. I've also started buying very inexpensive blocks of cheese and cutting them into string-cheese sized snacks and just eating them. String cheese is just too expensive here even though I adore it. I don't really have any dairy sensitivities, so this is working for me. I also dip cold roast chicken into mayo, which is a treat I've enjoyed since I was a kid and packs a good dose of fat onto an otherwise leanish meat. There are a lot of other things out there, but these are the most inexpensive ones for me.

    And for the grill, make yourself up some tasty dipping sauce for your grilled veggies. Melted garlic butter, some sort of creamy mayo soy sauce concoction, whatever sounds good to you!
  • DianaElena76
    DianaElena76 Posts: 1,241 Member
    Budget is a huge concern here as well. Don't worry about specifically getting fatty meats, just add more straight fat. As I said elsewhere, I struggle with getting enough fat, and I finally just started drinking a cup of broth with a huge knob of butter in it whenever I knew I was going to be too light on fat for the day. Sodium and fat and yum. I've also started buying very inexpensive blocks of cheese and cutting them in to string-cheese sized snacks and just eating them. String cheese is just too expensive here even though I adore it. I don't really have any dairy sensitivities, so this is working for me. I also dip cold roast chicken into mayo, which is a treat I've enjoyed since I was a kid and packs a good dose of fat onto an otherwise leanish meat. There are a lot of other things out there, but these are the most inexpensive ones for me.

    I was going to suggest adding butter to things. I also add sour cream, cheese, mayo, Ranch dressing, guacamole, and other fatty condiments to my meats. Because, frankly, I just don't like fatty cuts of meat.
  • SazzySuze
    SazzySuze Posts: 119 Member
    Budget is a huge concern here as well. Don't worry about specifically getting fatty meats, just add more straight fat. As I said elsewhere, I struggle with getting enough fat, and I finally just started drinking a cup of broth with a huge knob of butter in it whenever I knew I was going to be too light on fat for the day. Sodium and fat and yum. I've also started buying very inexpensive blocks of cheese and cutting them in to string-cheese sized snacks and just eating them. String cheese is just too expensive here even though I adore it. I don't really have any dairy sensitivities, so this is working for me. I also dip cold roast chicken into mayo, which is a treat I've enjoyed since I was a kid and packs a good dose of fat onto an otherwise leanish meat. There are a lot of other things out there, but these are the most inexpensive ones for me.

    And for the grill, make yourself up some tasty dipping sauce for your grilled veggies. Melted garlic butter, some sort of creamy mayo soy sauce concoction, whatever sounds good to you!
    Thanks. That's a big help. :)
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    SazzySuze wrote: »
    Every week I lose 1-2 pounds and every weekend I gain it all back. I'm beginning to really hate weekends. I thought it was the restaurants we were going to so we stopped going out and started grilling on the weekends so I know for a fact what I'm eating and nothing is hiding in the sauce, so to speak. Still gained my weight back. So then I thought well maybe it's the alcohol that is ruining me. So yesterday not a drop of that lusciousness, either. And I still gained my weight back. Those were the two things I looked forward to on the weekends, eating out and alcohol. Now they are both gone and it's not helping. Wtf am I doing wrong? Yesterday I weighed all my food, logged it, etc. Was under my calories, under my carbs...all good things. And I still wake up to a pound gain which is what I averaged losing last week. I have been doing low carb for about a month but didn't start logging til a few weeks ago. I have no problem losing through the week but weekends somehow screw me over every time. I hate weekends now. I'm not even kidding. Feeling like I don't have much to look forward to, not even a permanent loss. Can anyone help me?

    The other major thing I always ask is whether you're getting enough water. Most low carb "rules" suggest having 100 oz of water a day, but I prefer going by the weight rule. I think I read above that you weigh 165, so to calculate your water is 165 /2 = 82.5 ounces of water minimum daily. That is just under 10.5 glasses of water a day or if you drink "standard 16.9 oz water bottles," it is about 5 water bottles a day. Whether or not you drink the wine or anything else, your body needs this water to flush the toxins, burned fat, and such from your system. If you are consuming wine on the weekend, you should be drinking one additional ounce of water for each ounce of wine, so it would be your 82.5 ounces of water, plus for this example 12 oz of wine (a glass is 6 oz, right, so 2 glasses?), so 12 additional ounces of water, making that 94.5 ounces of water, about 12 glasses of water, or at little over 5.5 water bottles...

    I know that aside from my problem with eating more dessert-y options than fat bombs on weekends later is killing my progress, that water gives me far more problems on weekends than the food. On a day I drink 40 oz. or more less than my goal, I can gain over a pound of water retention the next day. I work short days on Fridays, so if I do this 3 days in a row, I can retain 3-5 pounds just from not getting enough water!!! So please check into your water and see if that might help - because your wine may or may not be the problem - and when we are forced to give up the things we look forward to doing - it is harder to stay on our health plan. Another option might be to switch to spirits with unsweetened juice if your preferred wine is carby. Something like vodka with unsweetened cranberry juice or crystal light might be an option.

    And if you are eating out and choosing your food options well, that should not be the problem, unless there are a lot of hidden carbs in preparations and sauces and such. Try to check out any restaurant's nutrition information online...
  • aholt7286
    aholt7286 Posts: 11 Member
    Captain Morgan and Diet Root Beer........Mmmmmmmm......
This discussion has been closed.