Weighing In...

Isn't it a weird feeling seeing a number on the scale you've not seen ever, or not seen in years. It feels kind of naughty.

My bathroom scale is being very silly this morning and while I'd like very much to believe it - I'm afraid I am going to have to see if it says the same tomorrow. When I first got up, I weighed myself. I am still 1/2 lb over my lowest weight just like yesterday. About 45 minutes later, after DS had gone to school, I weighed myself again before getting into the shower. I was now 2.5lbs UNDER my lowest weight. The scale said 163.5lbs (not once, not twice, but 3 times - even after resetting the scale by weighing on one leg to get a different weight). I had a huge glass of water, and took a shower, then weighed myself again. Now I weighed 1.5 OVER my lowest weight. So right now the scale is in time-out for misbehaving. I had a huge growl at it for teasing me like that. Very unacceptable! But I am not going to get upset about any of the weights, I will weigh myself tomorrow and see where the numbers land. I did explain quietly to the bathroom scale that it could be replaced. But I think it knows I'd not easily do that.... the saga continues.....

Measuring vs. The Scale

Measuring is a better way to gauge your fat loss success than just using the bathroom scale. Start your measurement journal today. On the first day of every month, take your measurements so that you can accurately establish if your body is losing fat or just burning up your muscle. If you are losing fat you will see some difference in the scale (and sometimes none) but a lot of lost inches, and if you are losing mostly muscle you will see a big drop in the scale but little change in your inches.

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The scale is such an inaccurate way to see weightloss success.

1. It doesn’t tell you what type of weight you are losing. Plenty of people who burn, burn, burn on the cardio neglect to add in strength training to their routine. These people lose a combination of fat and MUSCLE. Losing muscle may drop the scale numbers, but it also drops your ability to burn calories. Your goal in weightloss is to maintain or slightly build your muscle tissues while focusing on burning the fat off your body.

2. The numbers on the scale are faulty at times. Day to day you can gain and lose up to three to four pounds. Factors that influence the scale are stress, sodium, water retention from weight training, dehydration, hormones and so on. Even weighing once a week can be deceptive and that’s why I look at four weeks of numbers before casting judgment on the success of an eating and exercising plan.

Inches on the other hand…ahhh…this is a good sign of successful weightloss. Let’s say you in month one you lose 5lbs. After the first month you take your measurements and see you have lost 8 inches. Wow! That means you are losing fluffy fat and people are noticing. Now, take an identical person who just dieted and didn’t really exercise much. They lose 8lbs but only lost 2.5 inches overall. This person likely lost a lot of muscle and some fat. Not only is their appearance to other people just about the same as it was 8lbs. ago, but they lost their lean, metabolically active muscle tissue in the process. What does this mean to you? Less food you can eat when you hit your goal weight, the risk of developing osteoporosis, and a flabby appearance.

In The 160s!!!

I stepped on the scale this morning to the 160's!!! Yea me!!! 169.5
I am very pleased that I lost the water weight gained on carb-binging plus one more pound. I am trying to not think about where I'd be if I'd not fallen off the wagon, because if I'd not fallen then I'd not have learnt that I can get back in less than a week. I've not been this weight since 2002...

Scale Moving Down

Good morning everyone! My scale is finally moving in the right direction. I am down 3 of the 7 lbs I gained! I ate lots yesterday, but it was eggs, chicken & beef. I really do think my theory is correct. To get started on Kimkins, or back onto Kimkins after a slip, you need to fill yourself up with protein. And keep doing so until ketosis takes away your appetite. Don't worry about the calories or fat - just get those carbs out!

Rough Week

I've had a pretty rough time this past week. I am happy to report not only that I have not "cheated" but more importantly, I haven't felt the need to bury my emotions and stress in food. I was very excited to step on the scales this morning and see 174.5 lbs. I have lost 30.5 lbs towards my 100 lb goal. I am almost 1/3 of the way to goal.

In my head I am still struggling with the fact that no-one has noticed any weight loss yet. DH saw me weighing myself this morning, but didn't ask what I weighed. Not that he really knew my weight before anyway. I met two friends earlier in the week who hadn't seen me since school finished in May. They noticed my haircut, but no comment about my weight. It's not that I am wandering around seeking validation. This time I am losing all of this eight for one person only - ME. So in that light I guess if no-one ever notices, I will still feel proud of my acomplishments.

Don't forget to listen to Jimmy Moore (of Livin' La Vida Low Carb) interview with Kimmer, part 1.
Future episodes will air: July 23rd (part 2), July 26th (part 3), July 30th (part 4), and Aug 2nd (part 5)

Friday the 13th

OK DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

Tink is now 179 lbs!!!!! Doing such a happy dance this morning. That's down another 1.5 lbs! 26 lbs total. Not only did I make mini goal of 25, but I over achieved by a pound! The bathroom scale is definitely being nice to me this week! This definitely deserves a reward. Also my PJs are starting to be loose. DH yet to say anything. But that's ok. I am in the 70s at last!!!! Today is day 35 since I started Kimkins. I have never had such fast weightloss before! 26 lbs gone. I am now wearing size L (12/14) instead of XL (16/18) and this morning I tried on an old bra (38D) and it fits!!! So I've lost two bra sizes in 35 days also!!!

Tink is really shrinking!

The Best Birthday Present Ever!

Yesterday I was walking past a store window and I caught my reflection. Yes, I'm getting slightly smaller (and I wish it was more visible), but that wasn't what really caught my eye. It was my pants. They were looking loose and stretched out. And hardly flattering. Today I went to WalMart to get some interim pants to replace my saggy baggy size XL (16/18) ones. I knew the next size down was L (12/14). Since it's been years since I've worn a size 12 anything there was a part of me that thought I was crazy even looking for a smaller size yet. After a bit of a search I was delighted to find 3 pairs of Athletic Works Black Capri pants with two white stripes down each side in Size L. I didn't try them on in the store. I decided to be confident and bring them home anyway. Because even if I couldn't get into them today, I knew that it wouldn't be long before I would be proudly wearing them.

Well I am delighted to say that I am sitting here wearing a pair of size L Athletic Works Black Capri pants with two white stripes down each side!!! And also I'm wearing a size L (12/14) TShirt!

So even though the bathroom scale is being a little stubborn and I'm still in the 180's, I am obviously losing inches. Talk about the best birthday present ever!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Today is my 39th birthday. While I am a little disappointed that DH is out on the road, it does make it easier because I didn't have to do that "birthday meal out at a restaurant" which to be totally honest frightens me a little right now. I am looking at incorporating many of the great tips and ideas from Brooke's book (If I'm So Smart, Why Can't I Lose Weight?: Tools to Get it Done) over the next few months so that when I am in a restaurant I feel much more in control of myself.

I was also disappointed to not see the scale drop down to under 180 lbs as I'd been hoping for. In fact, it inched up 1/2 lb instead. I think that all the red meat I've been eating over the weekend was pretty much to blame, especially after reading to newsletter that Kimmer sent out with the fat levels in beef. It does sit heavy in my stomach too. I am going to limit beef to only one or two days each week and get back to Tilapia & Chicken.

The Bathroom Scale

When you "cheat" while you are following a low carb plan, there is often considerable rebound weight gain. The gain is obviously "water" and unfortunately we get too hung up on the figure on the scale. Any excuse to beat ourselves up!

When you believe a piece of metal (a scale) has the power to make you feel happy or sad, you are confused.
It is your story about what that number means causing the emotion.

~ from "If I Am So Smart, Why Can't I Lose Weight" (Brooke Castillo)

My bathroom scale is a personal reference point. It does not dictate how I feel today. I started at XXX lbs and my goal is x lbs. Whether I lose this weight faster than or slower than anyone else doing Kimkins is irrelevant. I need to stop comparing myself to others. I need to remember that on any other "diet" I'd be lucky to lose 20 lbs in 6 months. This is super fast weight loss. I've lost 20+ lbs in less that 1 month.

Looking through threads on the Kimkins forum I am constantly reading "I've cheated", "I've been bad" or "I ate off plan" and then all the self loathing and personal butt-kicking follows in the post.

Aren't we forgetting that we are human? Aren't we forgetting that (for most of us on this thread) we are within the 6 weeks that it's said takes to create a new habit? Aren't we forgetting that sometimes Sh!t happens, and we do the best we can?

I think we need to take a step back and give ourselves a hug. If you ate something that perhaps in hindsight wasn't 'on plan' why not be kinder to yourself. Why purposefully get onto the scale just to punish yourself further??? I'm not talking about total denial, but ease off on yourself for a day or two. Figure out why it happened. If it was under your control, figure out how to not let it happen again. If it was not under your control, take a deep breath and move forwards. Don't weigh yourself for a day or two. Get your focus back onto eating high protein, low carb.

Every journal I've read on Kimkins shows decreases on the scale but there are often increases along the way. The successful ones (meaning those who have met goal) have found a way to handle these setbacks gracefully, without letting themselves quit. Each one has stepped back, regrouped and rebooted!