Weigh In Wednesday 2/26/20
Weigh in: 256.4 lbs
This week: +/- 0 lbs
Weekly Calorie Limit: 12,460
Calories consumed: 9,429
Exercise goal: Walk 3 times a week for 20 minute minimum ✔
Health goal: Drink 2 bottles of water daily ✔
The Road So Far.....
Hello plateau. Last week, I blamed myself. This week though, I did my best. I watched my calories carefully every day. I drank water all day, every day. I went on walks 4 days this week instead of 3, and all for much longer than the 20 minute minimum. Imagine my dismay when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw the same number as the last two weeks.
Confused, I started to do what I do best in these moments. Rather than let the frustration take over, I started to research. I know about weight loss plateaus. I know they are to be expected. But, I have to admit I wasn't expecting it so soon. So, what happened? As I found out, for me it could be a number of different things.
1. Thyroid - Yes, I've mentioned the Hashimoto's quite a bit. The last visit to my doctor came with an increase in my medication. I thought it would be a good thing. However, the last few weeks, I've been noticing (and desperately trying to ignore) certain symptoms that my thyroid is out of balance. Just little things, slowly getting worse by the day. My hair has been falling out more. I explained that away with how long I've let it grow. My legs have felt weaker, and more stiff when I stand. I told myself it was from walking and it would get better. My skin has been very quick to bleed and break at the slightest scratch. I figured it was because my nails were too long. Then, yesterday, on our family walk, I felt something I haven't felt in almost a year. Inside my shoe, the outer side of the bottom of my heel hurt. With every step I took it got worse. It wasn't a heel spur type of pain. It was my skin. When we got back home, I asked my fiance to look, because I was dreading the confirmation. Sure enough, the skin was cracking. This only happens when my thyroid is not balanced. The stall in weight loss, could be attributed to my medication being too high.
2. Weight loss percentage - According to my research, plateaus often occur when you've lost about 10% of your body weight. My highest weight was 293 pounds. So far, I've lost 36 pounds. About 12% of my overall weight. If the studies are accurate, it was about time for a plateau. All of the research says to stay on track. Maybe cut extra calories, do more exercise, or try intermittent fasting to switch things up. But don't go overboard. Definitely some good advice with a new month coming up!
3. Your comfortable weight - Another interesting tidbit in my research says that our bodies can become comfortable at a certain weight if we've been there long enough. Trying to lose weight beyond that comfortable spot, can make your body think you're experiencing a famine. For years the 250's were my comfort zone. It seemed as though I couldn't lose past 250. When I was pregnant, my baby girl was gaining weight, but the scale hovered in those 250's until the last trimester. After giving birth, I was back in the 210's. It was a miracle! Until two months later, when the scale slowly started to creep back up, despite breastfeeding, sticking to my diet, and taking care of a bouncing (literally) baby girl. When I got back into the 250's I stayed there for a while. Until life's stresses took over during a very difficult period of time. Could it be that my body has gotten comfortable at this weight? Again the research says to just stay on track. Make a few changes, but nothing drastic.
I'm proud of how hard I worked this week, even though I've hit a plateau. It's discouraging. But it's made me more determined than ever to stay on track. My research has given me the peace of mind to know, I'm not messing up. I just have to keep working and try a few new things.
Coming up, my February Round Up! I have my 5 week blood test, which will hopefully confirm the imbalance in my thyroid so we can go back to the lower dose. I'd rather feel good on the lower end of normal, than feel worse on the higher end. New goals for March are in the works. And I have a few rows left to finish in my crochet project, and just a few days until the end of the month to do it! Better get to it!
Until next time, sending you positive thoughts and good juju. ❤
This week: +/- 0 lbs
Weekly Calorie Limit: 12,460
Calories consumed: 9,429
Exercise goal: Walk 3 times a week for 20 minute minimum ✔
Health goal: Drink 2 bottles of water daily ✔
The Road So Far.....
Hello plateau. Last week, I blamed myself. This week though, I did my best. I watched my calories carefully every day. I drank water all day, every day. I went on walks 4 days this week instead of 3, and all for much longer than the 20 minute minimum. Imagine my dismay when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw the same number as the last two weeks.
Confused, I started to do what I do best in these moments. Rather than let the frustration take over, I started to research. I know about weight loss plateaus. I know they are to be expected. But, I have to admit I wasn't expecting it so soon. So, what happened? As I found out, for me it could be a number of different things.
1. Thyroid - Yes, I've mentioned the Hashimoto's quite a bit. The last visit to my doctor came with an increase in my medication. I thought it would be a good thing. However, the last few weeks, I've been noticing (and desperately trying to ignore) certain symptoms that my thyroid is out of balance. Just little things, slowly getting worse by the day. My hair has been falling out more. I explained that away with how long I've let it grow. My legs have felt weaker, and more stiff when I stand. I told myself it was from walking and it would get better. My skin has been very quick to bleed and break at the slightest scratch. I figured it was because my nails were too long. Then, yesterday, on our family walk, I felt something I haven't felt in almost a year. Inside my shoe, the outer side of the bottom of my heel hurt. With every step I took it got worse. It wasn't a heel spur type of pain. It was my skin. When we got back home, I asked my fiance to look, because I was dreading the confirmation. Sure enough, the skin was cracking. This only happens when my thyroid is not balanced. The stall in weight loss, could be attributed to my medication being too high.
2. Weight loss percentage - According to my research, plateaus often occur when you've lost about 10% of your body weight. My highest weight was 293 pounds. So far, I've lost 36 pounds. About 12% of my overall weight. If the studies are accurate, it was about time for a plateau. All of the research says to stay on track. Maybe cut extra calories, do more exercise, or try intermittent fasting to switch things up. But don't go overboard. Definitely some good advice with a new month coming up!
3. Your comfortable weight - Another interesting tidbit in my research says that our bodies can become comfortable at a certain weight if we've been there long enough. Trying to lose weight beyond that comfortable spot, can make your body think you're experiencing a famine. For years the 250's were my comfort zone. It seemed as though I couldn't lose past 250. When I was pregnant, my baby girl was gaining weight, but the scale hovered in those 250's until the last trimester. After giving birth, I was back in the 210's. It was a miracle! Until two months later, when the scale slowly started to creep back up, despite breastfeeding, sticking to my diet, and taking care of a bouncing (literally) baby girl. When I got back into the 250's I stayed there for a while. Until life's stresses took over during a very difficult period of time. Could it be that my body has gotten comfortable at this weight? Again the research says to just stay on track. Make a few changes, but nothing drastic.
I'm proud of how hard I worked this week, even though I've hit a plateau. It's discouraging. But it's made me more determined than ever to stay on track. My research has given me the peace of mind to know, I'm not messing up. I just have to keep working and try a few new things.
Coming up, my February Round Up! I have my 5 week blood test, which will hopefully confirm the imbalance in my thyroid so we can go back to the lower dose. I'd rather feel good on the lower end of normal, than feel worse on the higher end. New goals for March are in the works. And I have a few rows left to finish in my crochet project, and just a few days until the end of the month to do it! Better get to it!
Until next time, sending you positive thoughts and good juju. ❤
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