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Acceptance, Courage, Encouragement, Enjoyment, Family, Fluctuation, Freedom, Gaining Weight, Health, life, Losign Weight, Love, Posting Weight, Power, Pride, Scale, weight, Weight Gain, Weight Loss
Throughout my life, I have found it very frustrating and discouraging how much my weight can fluctuate. My last post saw me at 268.7 and I was feeling very positive. I had given myself a goal of reaching 265 by April 30th and when I saw that # I thought, ‘maybe I can actually reach that goal’. And then, getting on the scale this morning I think ‘there’s no way I’m reaching that goal’.
This is not a new struggle. There have been many times before when I was doing great at this ‘being healthy’ thing and would step on the scale and be up a few, and as much as 5, pounds. And, historically, I would come crashing down and I would give up. ‘If I’m going to gain weight anyway, I may as well eat whatever I like.’
This see-saw of weight and emotions is one of the reasons I have decided to post my weight. It’s important for me to see that it is not the most reliable measurement of the hard work I am putting in. It’s a number. Ultimately, we want to see it trending downwards, but I’m no longer going to allow myself to be discouraged when I step on the scale and the number is up from last time.
Posting my weight (a thought that terrified me a few months ago) has been really positive for me. I used to think that someone other than me knowing what I weighed would be the most humiliating, horrible, dreadful thing.
But, posting the # has, actually, diminished its power and its hold over me. I’m not embarrassed or ashamed like I thought I would be. In fact, I’m proud. I’m proud of myself for being honest about who I am and having the guts to tell the world. I’m also proud of how I don’t feel ashamed about it. It’s good to know that I have that much respect for myself.
I have people in my life who love me just the way I am but up until now, they didn’t know the truth. They didn’t know how fat I really am, because only I knew the “real number”. Now they do. And, guess what? Nothing has changed. They still love me just as much. And now that the ‘dirty little secret’ is out and I’m still loved and accepted and there was no cataclysmic event that followed, I realize just how meaningless the # really is.
This is who I am and, I love myself for who I am. Would I like to see changes? Yes. Does that mean I don’t like myself now? No. Would I like the # to go down and be smaller? Yes. Am I going to get hung-up on it and discouraged if it doesn’t? No.
I am loved. I love myself. I’m doing my best and I am enjoying my life.
You can’t put a weight on that.
seeking life now 
5lbs is a big fluctuation…but it’s totally normal, however, there are ways to combat it.
First – are you drinking enough water? If you’re not drinking enough water, your body will retain water. You really should drink at least 100oz of water a day, but really 1/2 your body weight in water (in ounces of course) is ideal. So, you should be drinking about 135 ounces per day 🙂
Second – are you weighing yourself at the same time? With the same amount of clothing? I weigh myself right after I pee first thing in the morning, with a tank top and panties on only.
Third – are you weighing every day? Try the same day every week, if so. I weigh myself everyday, which is really dumb, BUT I only have an official weigh in once per week (on Wednesdays).
I do love how you see the positive in all of this, though. Weight is just a number. Sure, we want to be healthy, but, your weight doesn’t define who you are…Goals are important to have and reaching them is also important, but you shouldn’t beat yourself up if you don’t hit them every time. (Although, you should be honest with yourself about WHY you didn’t make the goal). Good luck to you! I know you can do this!
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I have hypothyroidism, which contributes to some weight fluctuation. I do drink a lot of water, I’m not at 135 ounces every day (I did it once for a week and ended-up over-hydrated-I had to see the nurse at work). I keep my water intake between 100-140 ounces. It, very rarely, goes below 100/day (it can happen on weekends when I tend to drink more tea and diet soda…). Oh, and I mean just plain water. This doesn’t count other ways of consuming water. This is just drinking plain, ol’, H20.
I weigh myself the same time every day (after the toilet in the morning) wearing pretty near the same thing. But, I’m really not hung up on the # and do not intend on becoming martial law about it. So, if it’s a few ounces over due to the fact that I’m wearing a t-shirt instead of a tank top one morning, I don’t really care. It’s just a guideline for me. I lift weights as well, and depending on what kind of weight or resistance training I’ve done, it will effect the # as well.
The WHY I haven’t reached goals, etc. is important and it’s what this is all about (I have an interesting post coming-up tomorrow about the ‘why’). It’s not because I ate a boston cream donut, it’s because I think of boston cream donuts as a special “treat” I deserve for making it through the week…anyway, like I said, more on that tomorrow! Thanks for checking-in and giving me tips, hints, support and encouragement. Life is good and it’s just getting better 😀
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