Only Counting Losses

Weight loss can be a frustrating journey. One of the consistent frustrations that I have always faced when starting a new journey of attempting to lose weight, is seeing gains on my scale. It's bound to happen. There will come that day/week/whatever value of time each person chooses to weigh in with, that the scale will absolutely show a "gain" in weight. As for me, I'm not recording them. Let me explain.

My "official" weigh in days are Wednesdays. Those are the days that I report for the week, and can give official stats of how things are going and progressing. However, I weigh myself daily. Sometimes, if I feel like I had a very good day or maybe my sodium was a little high, I weigh twice daily.
**Random: Naysayers need not comment on this practice. It is what works for me, and part of how I hold myself accountable. I have no intentions of changing it, regardless of any research you may have found online.**

That being my practice, I see a lot of fluctuations on my scale. Some mornings I get up and see as much as a two pound "gain" from the day before. Because I know that I'm doing all the things that I'm supposed to be doing, and I'm still approaching each day with the Day One Mentality, I know that these kinds of gains are not true fat gains. It's most likely that these gains on the scale are reflective of what is commonly known in the weight loss community as a false weight gain. These can be caused by water retention (from high sodium, muscle repair, "the time of month" for women, humidity changes in the weather, and even things like long car rides or flights), allergies and colds, high or unusual levels of stress, digestion processes, weighing at different times of the day, and even something as simple as eating dinner later than usual. THESE ARE NOT TRUE FAT GAINS. While each of these reasons puts the numbers high on my and your scales, they are temporary, and not reflective of the lifestyle changes that are being practiced.

Unless I know that I have gone off on some seriously huge binge or haven't been following the program that I have put into place, I absolutely do not track these kinds of gains. You will never find on this blog any post that says anything remotely similar to, "Gained 2 pounds, but I know it's sodium." I plainly do not count them.

Here's the thing: this journey is so full of ups and downs, positives and negatives, and is already one serious emotional roller coaster. Seeing these kinds of fluctuations recorded would seriously drive.me.batty. So, I record my losses. If I see a number on my scale that's a loss, I know that can't be faked (also assuming that I'm doing everything according to routine - dehydration can show a false loss on the scale). It encourages me to see my recorded losses, and see my reports trending downward the way they're supposed to.

That being said, if I wake up tomorrow and I'm two pounds heavier than I was today, I take a look back over things and make sure that I haven't done something to legitimately cause a true fat gain. If I have truly gained, I bust a move to make it up. If not, I dismiss it altogether.

I encourage my friends to do the same. If your scale reflects a gain, check back over your day/week leading up to that weigh in. Did you eat properly? Did you exercise as much as or more than your goals? If so, don't get hung up on your scale showing that "gain" and realize that there is so much more to what is going on with your body than just calories in/calories out that can cause that number to temporarily trend upward. If you're being honest with yourself and truly doing all that you should, those numbers will come back down pretty quickly and easily! :)

Here's to counting my losses, and ignoring my false gains; and to doing all that I can to assure that I keep myself as encouraged and motivated as possible. Oh! And here's to today being Day One again!! ;)