What am I doing wrong?

[Andrea]

It's probably time to put the scale away and only weigh in once a week, if that often.  You have other ways to see how you are doing.  Take your measurements, check how your clothes fit, take stock of how your energy levels have improved.

You really are doing great.  Your weight will fluctuate during the day, during the week and during the month.  What matters is that it is trending down over time.  This is a lifestyle so settle into it and enjoy eating healthy and not being hungry. 

We've got your back.

[shawn116]

It's probably time to put the scale away and only weigh in once a week, if that often.  You have other ways to see how you are doing.  Take your measurements, check how your clothes fit, take stock of how your energy levels have improved.

You really are doing great.  Your weight will fluctuate during the day, during the week and during the month.  What matters is that it is trending down over time.  This is a lifestyle so settle into it and enjoy eating healthy and not being hungry.  

We've got your back.

 I couldn't have said it better  

Remember.... Rome wasn't built in a day    give your body a chance to catch up with the changes.  

[umpa]

gkolay give yourself 2 weeks without weighing in like Andrea said.Take your measurements.You can do this Just keep on track and the rest is science.

[suzanneT]

I was making myself nuts on the scale...so I had to back away from it for awhile. I weigh twice a week now, mostly because I am trying to see what is working for me, and what I should avoid. To be honest, there are weeks when I don't lose an ounce... but then I mysteriously drop four or five. But the REAL satisfaction for me comes when my clothes fall off. You've got this!

[mouseissue]

Hi gkolay!

Scales are misleading and evil!
NEVER let them get into your head!!!

The body goes through MANY changes during the weight loss process.
It's better to think of it as the reduction of body fat volume than total scale weight.

One thing that happens is that as fat is being removed, it is temporarily replaced with water.
Water is HEAVIER than fat.
Among other things, this accounts for scale readings bouncing around.

You should also take measurements of your neck, forearms, biceps, chest, waist, hips, thighs, and calves regularly.
As you lose weight, you will shrink even when the scale number is frozen.

So put that scale away, abide by the FTS rules, and enjoy life!
Life is far too short to fret over a stupid number in a little box!

Tony

[Andrea]

Hey, Donna,
We have another scale geek in suzannet.  The tell tale sign is weighing often to see what works and what doesn't, not letting the numbers get to you because they give you INFORMATION!

I have a name for that short plateau followed by a sudden drop.  It's fits and starts weight loss.  It can be really frustrating until you recognize the pattern. 

Welcome to the club, Suzanne!

[owensmath]

Yay! Another one! Ha ha


Traveling is driving me nuts because I am away from my scale!!!

[gkolay]

Thanks all. I will put away the scale for a week and see what happens. You're right about inches, because I have dropped a pant size. It's hard as a fat person to see yourself skinny, so when I look in the mirror and think about the scale it doesn't look like I've lost anything, but again there's the pant size. I am going to keep going and try not to get depressed, I have to so I can change my diabetes around and not have to ever worry about it again. I think that's part of my frustration. I know I have to do this and I'm not losing weight as fast as I used to.

I appreciate all of you for your encouragement and sticking with me.

[shawn116]

Don't worry about being frustrated... We all have been there and know how you are feeling.  That is why we are all here.... so come in and vent away...stomp your feet...etc    We are here for you

My body has changed so much now that I have started this lifestyle    That is why we always encourage everyone to take their measurements.  It is so typical for especially females to see the sizes go down way faster than the weight.   You can do this...  Your bonus is that your body will thank you by feeling much better where the diabetes is concerned.     So put that scale away... it's only a number anyway, what really counts is how you feel 

[Doug Varrieur]

Hello Gkolay, boy you're hard on yourself    I need you to realize that eating this way is not a temporary fix, it's the proper way to eat to maintain great health and to adjust body size. Speed in which you lose your weight should really not be a factor...yeas I know easier said than done but it's the truth. I have some questions for you; are you enjoying your foods? Are you missing all those high carb foods? do you physically feel good? These are important questions because they give you other areas to measure your success...understand?

Losing weight is a simple matter of fuel in fuel out. Now that you know the fuel to eat which won't make you fat the next issue is quantity.

Are you eating when you're not hungry? Have you tried the 3 day exercise in which you learn to get into total contact with your inner body? If not here's how it works;

For 3 days I want you to wake up and start your day, do not eat regardless of the time on the clock until your body tells you that you are truly hungry, then only eat enough low carb food VERY slowly to satisfy your hunger. To do this eat a small amount of food then wait 15 minutes to see how you feel, if you need more food eat a bit more then wait another 15 minutes. Log the time when you got hungry then do not eat another thing until you're body tells you you're hungry again, repeat the methods outlined above. LOG the times each day you got hungry and ate. DO NOT EAT IF YOU"RE NOT HUNGRY. After 3 days you will be in total concert with your bodies true feeding schedule as well as the quantity of food required by you. Now plan ahead by setting your mealtimes just ahead of when you know that hunger is coming. Keep your potions within the guidelines of the amount of food that you now know your body will need.

Remember your body is also eating itself by using the stored fuel, that how we shrink. You may find your breakfasts consist of one single hard boiled egg and a couple of strawberries, you may find yourself not eating again till 2 or 3 in the afternoon and not again until 7pm.

This is the first step to understanding your true food needs  AND they change as time progresses so you'll do this again an a couple of months. Be sure to log everything and report back    

[SherriPie]

I hate that darn scale, I know just how you feel. My first full 30 days I only weighed in the first day then not again for a full month. That scale has so much power over me, that later on in my weight-loss journey I bought different scales just certain the one I had was wrong. Finally my husband started hiding it from me for weeks on end and I did much better then. We all let that little piece of metal on our bathroom floor dictate our emotions and let it decide how we are doing. Don't let it, keep on doing what you're doing, stay under 20 carbs, feel good, drink water and the weight will come off. You can do this, don't let the scale get you!!

[gkolay]

Thanks Doug. I really thought I did that, but maybe I didn't do it right. All I think about is food, mostly because everyone around me at work is eating all the time, there are potlucks, and Friday lunches brought in by various people each Friday and it stays there all day where I can smell it. My co-worker is constantly eating crackers or pastries, or something complaining that she needs to lose weight.

I really don't miss the cars so much, but I smell food all day, plus the cafeteria food smells start the minute I get to work, (I work in the office at an elementary school). I'll stay the course I am now and when I am off for the summer in 2 weeks, I'll do what you suggested so I have a better idea when I'm actually hungry, instead of when my nose says it. Right now I eat every 2 to 3 hours. Not a lot, but none the less it's every 2 or 3 hours and it's hard to get to the 2 or 3 hours, because I'm falsely hungry I think.

I know I can do this. Thank you.

[umpa]

Maybe we should get some of dougs books into your school??Then you would have other people on the plan with you

[Andrea]

How about a candle-less scent thingy.  I'm sorry but I can't think of what they are called, but if it is the constant smell of food that is getting to you, try getting a different scent into the area around your desk.  Ocean breeze, spring flowers, mountain meadows, you get the idea.

If it's any consolation, it does get better over time.  The company I work for brings in donuts and bagels every Friday and they are in a kitchen about 50 feet from my office.  They used to smell good to me, now, not so much.  All I smell is sweet grease and that is not on my good smells list.

[umpa]

What a great idea!!