So let's look at the numbers. Over the past 7 days, I averaged 2375 calories burned per day; 1454 calories consumed per day; which results in an average 921 calorie deficit per day. So, if you take that 921 calories per day times the 7 days, that equals 6447 calories, and if you divide that by 3500 (the number of calories in one pound of fat), you get 1.8, which is how many pounds I should have lost this past week. Yet I had a 0.4 gain.
Now, on the plus side, even though I had a 0.4 pound gain, I did lose a few tenths of a % of fat.
But remember last week, I was shocked that I lost four pounds, because the math just didn't add up. I was worried that that four pound loss wasn't real. Well, now that I weighed in this week, I can conclude that that loss wasn't real. I've stopped weighing myself every day, so I don't know what day it creeped back up a bit. But if you take into account the last 14 days statistics, the result matches where I am at this point.
For those of you interested in the mathematical details, here's what I mean. Over the last 14 days, I have had an average deficit of 776 calories. So take that 776 and multiply it by the 14 days, and you get 10,864 calories. Divide that by the 3500, and you get 3.1 pounds. So, over the last 14 days, I should have lost 3.1 pounds. And guess what I've lost, according to the number I weighed in with today? 3.6 pounds. So I'm only off by a 1/2 pound, and in the positive direction, thank goodness.
So while I normally might have been upset about not having dropped any weight this week, I knew that last week's loss was too good to be true. And I'm satisfied with a 3.6 pound loss over the course of just two weeks. I'm working out harder than usual and more often than usual; I'm trying not to miss a day or slack off at all. And I'm really sticking to maintaining an intake below 1500 calories per day. This is going well.
Talk to me again next Wednesday, after having done this for another week, and see how I'm doing. If there isn't a loss next week, and I keep up with my eating and workouts this week, I will be totally confused and frustrated. Let's hope it doesn't get to that point.
I guess this is why you are not "supposed" to weigh yourself every day.
ReplyDeleteBecause I have been eating a lot lately, I could not believe that last week I had not gained weight, and I weighed myself pretty much every day. Well, I went about six days without weighing myself, and after a weekend of crazy eating, plus junk last night at a gathering, I have gained about three pounds. A much deserved three pounds, but it bums me out nonetheless.
Like you, I will try to keep at it. For me, this means running steps today, a day after a 40-minute run. Can't really afford the break.
Maybe what you will learn through all this is you have to weigh yourself once a month, because that is how long it takes for things to catch up/work themselves out. No idea.
I find it's easy to lull myself into feeling eating extra doesn't matter, because the weight takes a week or two to show up on the scale. Then, before you know it....AAACCKK.I was bummed to have gained back a few of the pounds I had worked so hard to lose over the winter. (It's those DQ Blizzards and Easter Brunch and Mother's Day Brunch and birthday cake I'm sure.) Also, have you ever seen Prevention magazine's 1600 calories a day plan? It advocates eating four 400 calorie meals a day, and they have tons of evidence to back it up and lots of recipes. I've been loosely trying to do that while I diet and I think it works. Of course, hardest when you eat out, but I usually try to eat less the rest of those days to help make up for it (not too successfully, probably). Here's the link: http://www.prevention.com/400/
ReplyDeleteThey also have a "flat belly" diet that makes a lot of sense (but that's not where I carry my weight). All nutrition-based stuff.
You're doing great though -- all that exercise you do is awesome!