Don't Weight Up

The scale nudged up this week—so depressing when I'm doing everything right! I wasn't at the 21 or 22 points of week 1, but that isn't something a person is supposed to stick to ANYWAY. My real recommended range is 22-26 points, and I am allowed to eat all 26... yet I never did, which means my points were on target.

I exercised all the days I was supposed to. The only thing I fell down on was I didn't stretch as often as planned. I promise you, being a day short on stretching, should NOT cause weight gain.

So what to do...

I could spend a lot of time analyzing why...

In fact I'm pretty sure I KNOW what the problem is... the pizza last night, that though it WAS within points FEELS like it is STILL sitting in my gut—some things process slowly. Tuesday night we had Quiznos, which is similarly slow...

It's a rare week when we get take-out twice, and in the long run, so long as I've REALLY counted points (as opposed to the pseudo counting it is easy to do if your heart isn't in it) then it should just process like normal food... in the short run however, high sodium, lots of cheese... those things stick with you longer... won't get into a repulsive intestinal convo, but you know it's true. It is lingering... I've felt heavier since eating each of those things.

So I am not believing my current tip up is real, or rather, it's real, but it will go away.

Another option is I've been doing some strengthening this week (last week too) and muscle weighs more than fat. I have a hard time thinking I gained MUCH in terms of muscle, but maybe in fact I did. Even a pound would explain it (except that I behaved in a way I should have LOST, but never mind).

Then again, possibly last week was a fluke that it was DOWN so much and maybe this is where I am... And that's not terrible, after all, being down 7 pounds after two weeks isn't the end of the world. It just SEEMS terrible because I was down a little MORE last week.

Do you see how the scale might drive a person insane?



So HERE is the real point of this blog. I have a back up plan.

On day one I measured. I measured EVERYTHING. It was sort of silly, but all are places I'd like to lose (well, one, not so much, but best know what happens there, as it always comes off anyway)... I didn't measure again last week, figuring every two weeks is closer to how inches move (as opposed to those pesky pounds that jump around all the time)

So in two weeks I've lost an inch across the bust and waist, nothing across the hip bone, but the BIG one, is my butt is two inches smaller. A person with butt issues can hardly complain when she gets evidence hers is shrinking. So THAT is what I will cling to going through next week (that, and the fact that if the scale was falsely high this morning, then next week's weigh in might indicate BOTH weeks' loss).

Shrinking butts also mean eventually smaller pants... yet ANOTHER measure I try to keep track of.


So I guess my advice, or recommendation, is don't put too much stock in just one measure, because it WILL at some point depress you. Far better to keep your eye on a couple different things.

And to let anyone KNOW... I started a FB group to support people trying to lose—it is 'closed' because I didn't want it to get unruly with a ton of people I don't know, but if any of you wants to join—it is called Hopeful Losers, and it is for weight loss OR fitness gain support, so just give me a shout if you want to join and I will send you an invite.