Well if you have been following along this past week you will have noticed one thing. I challenged myself to work out at least 20 minutes, six days last week! I blogged on the exercise I did for the previous days. I made it!! Woohoo!
After all the exercising....here are the results for the weigh in. I told you I'd pray things were not as bad as the 4 pound gain I had noticed the previous two days. Well, it's not as bad...it's worse! I gained 4.6 pounds this week! Yep, that's right. I know it's my time of month. I usually gain during that time. However, why did the extra exercise not counteract a gain?? What happened? Any insight will be appreciated.
Unfortunately, my hubby informed me I usual gain weight when I start exercising. I don't really recall that. My sister always does! However, he recalls it and told me that is a big reason I give up! I do know I worked my behind off for two years, a while back, exercising hard, two hours a day. I only lost 10 pounds in those two years! Nope, not kidding! I was in pretty good shape though. I remember one night laying in bed I felt something in my hip area. I was concerned. "Honey, what is this? Feel? It was my pelvic bone sticking up! I was so excited! I also would lift my legs up in the bed and feel the muscles on my hamstrings. The back fat disappeared. But I was not happy with the scale not budging. Only when I quit exercising did I realize how much my body had changed. It's amazing how quick the back fat came back! How quick I lost muscle.
Even though I was more fit, lost inches (although not measuring)...I quit. I was so discouraged because here I was obese and was told the weight will fall off of me. It didn't. Why is that? I don't want that to happen again.
Why can others lose so consistently and never show a gain? I know I shouldn't compare myself, but it is hard. Last week I had lost the most weight I had ever lost in my entire life...37 pounds! It does not come off of me easily! But boy does it sure pile back on quick! I was less than four pounds away from my 20 pound goal and a new necklace. I was only seven pounds away from where I need to be to be able to get health insurance. Can you believe I cannot qualify for health insurance because of what I weigh? So real!
I'll be honest, I cried when I saw the scale. I had a pity party! But you know what I got my exercise in and I am trying to lean not on my own understanding. I will continue exercising. My goal for the month of August is to never let myself go more than two days in a row without exercising. My exercise calendar already looks better than all my previous months. I will keep it up!
I also know with all that people are going through that this is such a minor thing compared to others. How can I wallow around in self pity when: Jen, Prior Fat Girl tragically lost her mom, my good friend Tammy was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and baby Stellan, and on and on. Here is a new song I heard that helped me today to get out of my funk. The second song is one of my go to songs for this health journey I am on.
I'll be taking it one step at a time!
Hi Rhonda--Yeah I think it's not that unusual to see a gain with excercise since you're building muscle mass as well as burning fat (you know the whole muscle weighs more than fat thing). I think it's kinda cute your hubby remebers the weight gain with excercise thing and you don't. It must have made and impression on him! :)
ReplyDeleteTo heck with the scale!
ReplyDeleteDo you feel good about what you accomplished this week?
Did you feel good doing all that exercise (you know...the 'after glow' part - not nec the during when you're sweating & feeling like you'll never finish)?
If you continue to exercise, won't you lose inches?
Aren't inches just as fabulous as pounds? (YES!)
Don't let this get you down. You've got it in you to move & groove & lose the weight.
Exercise will make certain you are nice & toned while the inches melt away.
Remember at the beginning of July when you were up but you were DOWN 4.5"??
That is something to be proud of sweetie!
I'm measuring in 2 weeks - wanna measure, too, & see just how many we've dropped?
Stay strong! :)
Okay, a couple of things:
ReplyDeleteIf you are doing a lot of strength training, your muscles will retain water for a while as they break down and repair. A gain of almost 5 pounds in a week is DEFINITELY water retention. Could also be Aunt Flow, of course.
You didn't mention your diet. Exercise will only get you so far. If you are still eating too many calories, then you will not lose weight. Exercise is very important, but it is ultimately the food you eat that will determine if you gain or lose.
The scale is only one small part of the picture! If you are losing inches, then it shouldn't matter what the scale says! If you weighed 220 pounds but wore a size 8, would it matter that you were 220 pounds? It wouldn't to me, anyway!
Keep it up with the exercise! I'm sure you'll find your way and the scale will follow.
Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteYou had great accomplishments this week. Even though the scale showed you being up a little, it probably is just muscles. You have the right attitude, not giving up. Feel proud that you gave an effort everyday to excercise. Keep up your hard work. You can do this!!
I gain weight when I exercise too, I realize that I often overcompensate in the calorie department....But hey exercising is healthy living, and living healthfully is why we're here!
ReplyDeleteA lot of people gain some weight when they increase their exercise, plus it's that time of month for you.
ReplyDeleteDon't quit. The main thing is to keep going. Another thing is to really pay attention to your food - calories and nutrients!
I used to use gains and plateaus as an excuse to quit. I quit so many times I seriously couldn't count them!
But the time I had success was the time I just let the scale roll around, and kept going with what I knew was working.
Hi there! I just saw where you signed up on my blog...thanks a bunch!!
ReplyDeleteSome advice for my new friend...:)...I'm not gonig to tell you to not worry about the scale because coming from me, that would be the highest form of hipocrisy, lol.
However, I will tell you this. I have heard over and over from countless others that you can count calories and not exercise, and you will lose weight, probably at a slow rate. However, it doesn't work the other way around. You can exercise every single day and not watch the calories and you won't lose a thing...and can even gain.
You need a combination of both. Set a calorie limit for yourself...mine is 1550 (I have about 70 lbs to lose still), and exercise daily, at least 20-30 mins, slowly increasing the distance, and you WILL lose weight.
If you need help figuring out the correct calorie amount for you (it's not the same amount for everyone) then go to the nutrition website I use and enter your info...height, current weight, goal weight, and when you want to lose it by. It will spit out some numbers for you and that will give you a starting point.
Once you find out where you need to be, do everything in your power NOT to exceed them. Consistency is the key and is what will get you to your goal weight...consistency with your calorie intake and your exercise...day in and day out. I hope this helps!!
The nutrition website is: http://www.sparkpeople.com/
I always gain when I first start exercising too, I've blogged about it a few times - thats how I caught the trend. Its SO frustrating! Are you logging your calories? I suspect you are going too high or too low. I tend to go too low, I don't love exercise so I'll be darned if I'm going to work out and ruin it with food. But then I end up with my body thinking I'm starving it! Also, drink more water than you think you can handle, then drink some more!
ReplyDeleteI've been at the same weight for 6 weeks consistently. SO FRUSTRAITING! Especially considering I have been running - YES RUNNING! - for 45-60 minutes three times a week! I am extremely active, and becoming more and more active, and I've gotten a hold of my bad eating habits, and portion sizes, and I have stopped binging too! And still, again this morning (official weigh isn't until tomorrow) but it's STILL THE SAME DAMN NUMBER. Sorry to cuss, but I am frustraited. You are not alone. It's not fair! I could have been eating pizza and cake this whole time and results would be the same! I've taken pictures and I haven't even lost inches either (though I don't really measure, the pictures prove themselves).
ReplyDeleteWant to know what though, I learned early this year to let go of any emotions when I see the number on the scale. The emotions come, but I quickly pass over that moment. You have to learn to let go of ANYTHING you feel during the moment on the scale. It is NOT important. What I DO keep with me is the great feeling of accomplishment I have after I run. I am happier because of the choices I am making, and that's what is SO SO SO much more important. I'll keep going because I AM happier. It's true! My life is aligning with my fullest potential, and I can't believe how good my life is! I am so thankful for each and every moment, and all these "Healthy Choices" contribute to it.
Keep on truckin girl. Add 10 minutes to each workout session, or add hills, or bigger dumbbells, or you get the point... add a little bit more and you'll get the results. I have committed to adding just 2 days per week 20 minute strength training. I hope it works. I'm committed to at least 4 weeks of this and we'll go from there. It doesn't happen over night. That's for sure. But when it does happen, you'll be so thankful you stuck with it.
What's that saying?... goes something like - "In a year you'll be glad that you started today".
I believe in you. Your family believes in you. You've GOT to believe in you. Love ya!
Good job with the workouts! I can tell you that I am so glad I read this post. I thought I was the only one. I gain about 10lbs during my TOM and I also gain weight when I start working out after a period of time away. Just keep up with it. I know it can be hard when you see a bad number on the scale but it will all balance out in the end. Good luck to you! You can do this!
ReplyDeleteMissing ya this week Rhonda! Hoping you're having a good one. :)
ReplyDelete