About Fogdog's Weight Loss

Don't Focus on the Goal...

If you've followed this blog you know that I've struggled for many years with improving my health. I've finally reached a point where I've managed to maintain a small amount of success. Now it's time to take the next step, but I believe it requires a new way of thinking.

Instead of trying to get healthy, why not shift focus toward learning how to build healthy habits instead. Follow me as I try to teach myself how to Engineer healthy habits that will allow me to take my health to the next level. Let's see where this experiment goes!

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Week #8 Weigh-in

8/24/14 Starting Weight: 347.8 lbs
 
Last Weigh-in: 315.9 lbs
Current Weight: 314.6 lbs
Period Weight Loss: 1.3 lbs

Total Weight Loss: 33.2 lbs
  
 
 
In my last post I wrote a little bit about being obsessed with the scale and indicated that I might actually take a break from getting on the scale for a while.  Today's weigh-in gives me my answer but not for the reason that you think.  I've become convinced that there is too much variability in weighing ourselves (my next post).  Just 24 hours ago I got on the scale and weighed +7 pounds.  Yes that is not a typo, +7 pounds.  This morning, just 24 hours later, I have somehow managed to lose 8.3 pounds.  If you can believe that, then let me go write a book on my miracle diet and I can sell it to you.  No, for me, the issue with my scale is around water.  After 8 weeks I've started to see that just the smallest changes in my salt intake can cause major fluctuations in my weight.  I've said it a couple times, I have been drinking a gallon of water every day.  I had to Google it... a gallon of water weighs a little over 8 pounds!  When you are putting almost 60 pounds of fluid through your body each week you are going to see more fluctuations than normal.  Yesterday and today have confirmed it for me, it makes no sense for me to weigh-in every single week.

Lowlights:
  1. Stress, Stress, Stress!
  2. Not enough exercise
  3. Feeling a little worn out
Highlights:
  1. I'm learning about my path and making smart changes
  2. Passed on donuts in the office Friday (small victory #23)
  3. Still following my eating plan and doing very well
  4. Water consumption has become automatic
So I've now had 2 consecutive months of weight loss (at least that's what the scale says).  I'm proud of that; it's the longest I've ever gone without having a week of relapse.  Regardless of the weight I haven't had one of those weeks where you do bad all week long and then "hope" the scale helps you out.  I feel good where I'm at right now; I'm making progress every week with still plenty of room to grow.

I mentioned above that I feel a little worn out, but not from the eating.  I need a vacation day or two from my job; I have to survive for one more week and then I can take a day or two off the following week.  An extra long weekend might be just the thing I need plus I can use the time to get some much needed chores done around the house.

As for the weigh-in, here's what I've decided to do...

When I started this journey I made a promise to commit to 3 months of healthy eating and I now have 4 weeks to go to complete that promise.  I've decided to make another small promise to stay off the scale until those 4 weeks are up.  I will continue to do my Saturday post with my highlights and lowlights, but just without a number.  On week #12 I will weigh again and we'll see just how I fared in my first 3 months of a lifelong transformation.  To the blogging community: Thanks for all the support so far!

 
Stay Strong!
-FogDog
 
 

6 comments:

  1. Congratulations on another great week and for all the water you are drinking. I struggle with my water intake so am very impressed with yours. I like your plan with the scale. Hope you have a great week and with less stress.

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  2. FD, Work stress is a terrible thing, I'm sending you good vibes so you can get through the week and get your long weekend. Makes sense what you have said about the fluctuations with water. I've noticed that as well. Congrats on your progress so far, thanks for sharing!

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  3. I can go as high as 13 lbs on the water front, I'm a human sponge, apparently! What I found was that I needed to weigh Thurs/Fri/Sat and take the lowest of the three to weigh weekly, and some swings were just wild!

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  4. You are doing so great, and in such a good mental place too (with your eating and weight, maybe not with your work). I'm feeling a lot of calendar regret right now - we started carb cycling at around the same time but I gave up after two weeks when I had an unexpected gain. If I'd stuck to it maybe I would have lost 30 lbs by now... maybe maybe. Oh well, starting from where I am.

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    1. We did start at the same time... but it's not too late for you. Everyone's path is a little different; I've started and restarted more times than I can count! What matters is that we don't give up and we keep trying. I believe in you, but you have to believe in yourself.

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  5. loving that you committed to just 3 months to start! in this journey, it makes much more sense to go small so you don't go home (back to bad habits because you didn't kill in your plan) plus a 3 month change isn't so scary as a life time change. You got this FG!

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