SEVENTH ENTRY: In a word, YES. In spite of what some health care professionals or diet experts might advise, weighing once a week, to me, is not enough. Sure our weight fluctuates due to water retention and hormones. But it's helpful to know your body. Don't assume it's hormones, be certain of it because you know your body so well. Perhaps it's 3 days before your period and you always add a pound or two, or you know you ate Chinese food the night before and all that salt and MSG made you retain water. Know the difference in reasons and excuses.
I spent my years of weight gain telling myself I was simply getting older and women "of a certain age" always put on a little weight. So, I'd go head and add a slice of cheese on that burger or have a piece of pie, or both! I was lying to myself so I'd ignore my bad choices.
By weighing every day, you will know what foods tend to make you retain water, what foods make you not only look bloated but will actually hold onto water weight longer.
Which brings me to one of the most important ingredients in any weight loss diet: a bathroom scale. If you don't have one, BUY one! My personal choice? Digital. This is so you can see and celebrate the loss of every half-pound! In fact, we should be as excited about a half-pound loss as we are upset about a half pound gain.
When I first began losing the weight, seeing only that little half-pound loss on my digital scale was, I must admit, a bit discouraging. We all want it off faster, don't we? We'd like to finally make that decision to diet one day, and wake up with the weight all gone, the next. We want to shed those pounds like a heavy bathrobe falling to the floor. But healthy and truly successful weight loss doesn't happen that way.
It dawned on me that if I had gained that half-pound instead of lost it, I would have been terribly upset and felt defeated. So, keeping in mind the opposite of defeat is victory, I decided to be elated with a half-pound loss! Why not? I worked really hard for it. And at least it was a constant step in the right direction. Turning that around allowed me to be continually enthusiastic about my progress.
I rewarded myself for my victorious losses by looking forward to the day I would go clothes shopping for a new wardrobe!
I spent my years of weight gain telling myself I was simply getting older and women "of a certain age" always put on a little weight. So, I'd go head and add a slice of cheese on that burger or have a piece of pie, or both! I was lying to myself so I'd ignore my bad choices.
By weighing every day, you will know what foods tend to make you retain water, what foods make you not only look bloated but will actually hold onto water weight longer.
Which brings me to one of the most important ingredients in any weight loss diet: a bathroom scale. If you don't have one, BUY one! My personal choice? Digital. This is so you can see and celebrate the loss of every half-pound! In fact, we should be as excited about a half-pound loss as we are upset about a half pound gain.
When I first began losing the weight, seeing only that little half-pound loss on my digital scale was, I must admit, a bit discouraging. We all want it off faster, don't we? We'd like to finally make that decision to diet one day, and wake up with the weight all gone, the next. We want to shed those pounds like a heavy bathrobe falling to the floor. But healthy and truly successful weight loss doesn't happen that way.
It dawned on me that if I had gained that half-pound instead of lost it, I would have been terribly upset and felt defeated. So, keeping in mind the opposite of defeat is victory, I decided to be elated with a half-pound loss! Why not? I worked really hard for it. And at least it was a constant step in the right direction. Turning that around allowed me to be continually enthusiastic about my progress.
I rewarded myself for my victorious losses by looking forward to the day I would go clothes shopping for a new wardrobe!
1 comment:
....well, Sugar Plum Fairy...great words, from a great scribe! In my new abode, I don't have scale. I think in my apartment, I somehow drowned it with water. :) However, I do agree, about weighing yourself each day. Keeps one honest...especially when one eyes those sweet pastries at La Mad's!
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