Friday, January 9, 2009

Fluctuating, gaining and LOSING

The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster on the scale...unfortunately, mostly going UP. As I mentioned last time, I had "gained" 9 pounds between December 19 and December 31. By the time I weighed this Wednesday (two days ago), it was over 10 pounds. And, my friends, this was not COMPLETELY water/sodium/one-day-overeating gain. It was real. I felt it in my clothes and even out of my clothes. While I did overeat over the holidays (who HONESTLY doesn't?), I continued to exercise and I certainly didn't overeat the way I USED to. I am not in denial about this...I think I am pretty aware of what I eat...even when it is bad.

So, after I weighed this Wednesday, I went back to my records of weigh-ins for the last couple of years. I am SO happy that I have these records. I think they are really important in helping me understand seasonal patterns in my eating/weight. The records showed that I always gain substantially at this time of year. This differences this year? I started out substantially lower than last year and I got serious immediately this week when the "Holiday Excuse" was over.

The result is that I have already gotten rid of almost 5 pounds of the "gain" that registered on the scale just two days ago. I still have many pounds to go, but this is a cause for optimism for me.

While I know that a lot of people feel differently, the scale is a real help to me in keeping REAL about my weight. Even when I think it's kind of UNreal that I can gain so much so fast. I almost want to put "gain" in quotes because it doesn't feel like a real gain when it comes off so fast after getting a grip. But "fast" is relative. It ALWAYS takes longer to come off than to go on. And I really REALLY hope I can remember that next year when the Holiday Challenges appear...I hope that the Holiday Excuse has a little less power for me.

Like most people at New Year's time, I am reassessing. I weigh less than I did last year at this time and that makes me feel good, but not as little as I did last June (when I still wanted to lose a little more). I think I have to start to really let it sink in that I can't eat the way I did when I was younger and not gain. So the old ways of losing and maintaining are going to have to be replaced with new ways that work for ME. I'm not sure what those are yet, but I'm thinking a lot about it. I am thinking about the period last year when I was consistently losing and thinking about why I was successful then. I plan to be successful again. But, good gosh, this is a JOURNEY, eh?! ;-)

Tonight DB and I have a date to see Slumdog Millionaire, then sushi for dinner (I know, but sodium on weigh-in day is ok...I have a week for it to work out of my system!). Tomorrow I am planning to shop for new glasses (also with age, I've kind of decided that I see better with glasses than contacts so am thinking of wearing glasses a lot more than usual), take down Xmas decorations with DB, go to the gym (of course). Sunday, after our beach walk "rut", DB leaves for his week in Nearby Town. Then I go to the gym and go to the mall to finish shopping for his and Muffin's upcoming birthdays.

I have a lot of thoughts going through my mind about what the coming year will bring as to changes in my health routines...as Cindy says, "more will be revealed.". :-)

3 comments:

Vickie said...

I don't have any idea how close you are to goal - but your posting made me think of Sabrina (free weights and yoga) who works hard to lose 5-10 pounds before the holidays - so she can go back up to her normal weight over the holidays. When you get to where you are staying - this would probably work very well for you.

Glad you posted - I have been wondering how you were doing all week. Thanks for the nice note - actually not a bit sad (so far) - timing probably helps - because she was off for a week over the holidays so it was sort of a gradual process (even though I didn't know it at the time).

Lori G. said...

I'm glad you are handling things so well. You're being very consistent and you're right, good records did help you see that this was and could be temporary. Now, if you could only send some of that kind of thinking over to the East Coast. :-)

Vickie said...

you can't have much more to go - do you??? do you have a specific stopping place in mind ???