I had a feeling about last week. The week prior had gone so well, and I was worried about carrying the momentum into another week. For some reason, the second week always seems the hardest, where you really have to dig in and remember why you started.
For the most part, though, I had another strong week of eating well and exercising. I passed up treats at work, tracked daily, and exercised every day. I could have done better. I ended up, most days, eating the majority of my exercise calories (which I know aren’t accurate anyway). I was a little too snacky-snacky. And there were a few days where I consumed too much fat and sugar grams, well over the limits MFP gives me. So I had some successes and saw areas of my healthy eating that need work.
As for my workouts, it was another kickass week for me! I’m really proud of how I’ve fallen back into a regular exercise routine. It feels so, so, SO good. Here’s what I did:
- Monday: Stationary bike (30 minutes)
- Tuesday: Elliptical (30 minutes – I used this workout) and this full body strength workout (15 minutes)
- Wednesday: Elliptical (30 minutes)
- Thursday: Stationary bike (30 minutes) and this arm workout (20 minutes)
- Friday: Couch to 5k (30 minutes)
- Saturday: Stationary bike (30 minutes) and Ripped in 30 (30 minutes)
- Sunday: 100 burpees (22 minutes)
I was so nervous to step on the scale. I just had a feeling I wasn’t going to be super proud of the number. And the result? I lost .4 lbs. Just about half a pound. I was really, really unhappy with that number and it actually made me angry for a while. I put in so much work! Yes, I wasn’t perfect but gosh darnit, I never went over 1600 calories, put myself through a killer workout right before weighing in, and even ordered fish and brown rice with dinner the night before. Fish. And. Brown. Rice. WHEN THERE WAS PIZZA ON THE MENU! I wanted to be rewarded!
I eventually calmed myself down because I am still happy about losing weight and I am now under 170 lbs, a feat I don’t think I accomplished once last year. And I lost four freaking pounds the week before. And I’m probably starting my girly time in the next few days. (Sorry to any boys who read this. Which is probably zero.) So. It happens. I still managed to lose weight, I still tried my best to follow my plan and eat well, and I still put in a lot of effort in my workouts. And that. That has to be more important than a number on a scale. I still did my very best, and that’s all I can ask of myself.
As for my weekly goals, I did okay. I tracked daily, and I drank water with most of my meals (I could have done better), but I completely flopped getting up from my desk every two hours. Man, that’s a hard goal to accomplish!
Here are my goals for this upcoming week:
- Stay under 1,500 calories a day and under the limits MFP gives me for fat/sugar.
- Drink 40 ounces of water a day. (Not even close to what I should be drinking, but baby steps.)
- Take a multivitamin and iron supplement daily.
You’re right- the second week is always the hardest- that’s where you realllllly need to push through. You got this! You’re still doing amazingly. Don’t let that get you down and ruin your motivation for what’s to come! Keep it up. I’m inspired by you.
My philosophy is down is down. Congratulations! Keep up the good work!
I like April’s philosophy. Down IS down. And personally, I think ordering fish & brown rice when pizza on the menu is huge. See all these lifestyle changes your making? That’s something to be proud of!
I think it’s awesome that you lost .4 lbs this week! Average out the two weeks and I bet you’ll be happy with those numbers vs. looking at the just .4lbs from week 2. Way to go on getting under 170! That is a huge accomplishment! You’re making so many positive changes and I really think it’s great that you are focusing on baby steps. Trying to overhaul your lifestyle in one week is not smart and I think it sets people up for failure. Small changes week after week are the lasting ones.
I had a big loss last week also, and I actually gained 1 lb this week. I know that the majority of last week’s 8.5 lbs loss had to be water weight due to switching over to a GF diet. Even though I stuck to my workout plan my eating was more relaxed in week 2 even though I stuck to my calorie budget. I know I didn’t overeat by 3500 calories so I’m ok with the 1lb gain. I also added strength training and have been sore so I’m hoping some of that is water retention or something. My goals for these next two weeks include drinking more water and really sticking within my calorie limits. I actually do pretty well most days with my macros, but sometimes I go over on my fat grams. I would really like to lose another 6-7 lbs before my cruise at the end of May which equals out to 1.4 lbs per week until May 31st. Seems very scary and daunting and not possible but I’m hoping to stick with it until then!
I am so proud of you! You are kicking ass. Even if sometimes the scale doesn’t *seem* to show it, you are making such important changes in your life. You’re going to feel AMAZING by the end of this challenge!!
I know all too well how frustrating a small loss can be, but now that I’ve been stuck on a loss plateau for awhile, I’ve come to realize that a loss is still a loss, no matter how small. You should be proud of all your hard work – keep it up! 🙂
I’m doing 30 days of no cheats starting today and am not looking forward to it. But I’ve been cheating A LOT and can see it in my weight and my skin. So I have 30 days before the wedding and I want to look my very best.
Baby steps lady. You’re doing great.
I feel like it’s tough to repeat big weight loss weeks back to back. It’s like our bodies need a week in between to get ready for another week of weight loss. Try to be encouraged by the fact that you lost this week and your cycle really does impact the scale as we retain so much water around our cycle. So keep your chin up and keep on keeping on!!
I don’t know if this is normal, but sometimes I feel like the week after I lose weight, I don’t lose much. It’s like my body is adjusting and then if I stick with it, I see results the following week. Our bodies are so strange! What I’m trying to say is, stick with it! Think big picture. Don’t let this get you down.
Definitely do not let this get you down – you’re doing everything right. Keep doing what you’re doing and hopefully you’ll see a bigger loss next week! I weighed Monday morning and was up 3 pounds but then weighed again this morning and was down 2 pounds. It’s amazing how much water weight my body holds onto after a weekend of bad eating and usually I just have to eat super clean for a couple of days to get back on track!
I’m sorry you didn’t lose as much weight as you wanted. I totally know the feeling! But it sounds like you’re well on your way to developing some good, healthy habits. Great job on completing all those workouts! I’ve worked out very little this last week since starting my new job… 😛
Sounds like you’re making strides, actually, despite the minimal weight loss for one week. And I bet you felt good (which is probably more important!).
Gah, that can be so frustrating! I’ve learned (mostly) to put less hope/worth/affirmation on the number on the scale and instead use my weekly weigh-ins to chart a long-term result. Bodies are such weird things, especially for women with hormones and periods and whatnot. I just started tracking with MFP again about 3 weeks ago, and I was legitimately about to give up after the first week when I lost 0.4 pounds…but then I thought, “Do I feel like I accomplished something this past week? Yes. My muscles are sore, my body feels hydrated, and I’m re-learning that limiting my calories doesn’t mean starving or depriving myself, just being aware of what I put in my body.” And then this week I lost almost 2 pounds! It fluctuates, and if you’re strength training, you’ll be replacing fat with muscle (I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but I always find it helpful to remind myself that gaining muscle weight is GOOD). Focus more on how you feel in your clothes and how your body is changing, and let the scale be a secondary checkpoint! (Preaching to the choir here. I have to remind myself almost daily that I don’t HAVE to be 140 lbs to be in great shape.) 🙂 Keep it up!! You are doing great.