Thirteen days ago, I started keeping track of everything I eat, along with the calories and fat for each item, in a blank book, which I entitled The Fat Book. (You can read a bit more about this here, as well as my motives for wanting to lose weight.) Three days into this new lifestyle (I’m hesitant to call it a diet, more on this shortly), I weighed myself, and the scales reported that my hefty ass weighed around 273 pounds. As I mentioned, I’ve been watching what I eat for thirteen days now. I’ve also been exercising a lot more than I ever have in the past; nothing quite Olympic yet, but I have been exercising.
Having said that, I was a bit surprised when I weighed myself this morning, and instead of being a pound or two lighter, I was nine pounds heavier. The scales report that I now weigh 282 pounds. What’s that about? Is that normal? I’m certianly not going to let it persuade me to quit what I’m doing; if anything, I’m just kind of laughing at the occurrence. For so long, I had been eating whatever I wanted, and in quantities far too large. I was putting on weight, but it was being packed on slowly. I then spend a couple of weeks writing down everything I eat, keeping precise track of nutritional information, and… I gain nearly 10 pounds! At that rate, I’d be better off (weight wise) to return to my former habits! 
Can anyone comment on this? James, did you experience anything like this when you started your program?
Regarding what I said about me being hesitant to call this a “diet”: I don’t think it’s a diet. “Going on a diet” implies that you’re changing your eating habits until you lose weight. I don’t intend on reverting to my previous eating habits, even when I eventually lose the weight I want to. If I did revert, I’d just balloon back up to my former size, and I don’t want to do that. Losing all of this blubber once is going to be hard enough. So, “lifestyle change” it is…
Comments 6
For one thing, if you’re exercising, muscle does weigh more than fat. And are you sure the scales didn’t get knocked in the interim?
Posted 13 Mar 2007 at 4:35 pm ¶True, about the muscle weighing more than fat.. I don’t think I’ve gained 10 pounds in muscle in slightly under two weeks, though.
Pretty sure the scales are fine.
Posted 13 Mar 2007 at 8:03 pm ¶Hi Josh,
In response to your direct question; In the beginning, not that I know of, but here’s why. I made a decision early on that I would only weigh myself every four weeks. One reason for this was to avoid the potential depression onset by seeing fluctuations in the scale week to week or day to day, and yes fluctuations are absolutely normal.
Another reason for the 4 week weigh-ins is that you are guaranteed to see loss each weigh in, even if it’s small.
I did an experiment one four week cycle, I weighed myself every week, the first week I lost 5 pounds, the second I had gained it back, the third I was down 1 pound from the week before, then on week four I had lost 15 pounds from the last 4 week weigh in, so you see it does fluctuate.
Also keep in mind that muscle does weigh more than fat per ounce, but you are only able to produce 1 to 2 ounces of muscle mass per month even with extreme exercise, so that is not going to contribute to your weight until well after you reach your goal weight.
Lastly, always weigh yourself first thing in the morning, after going to the bathroom, before breakfast, after your workout and before your shower, this will give you the most accurate number, maybe consider investing in a quality scale as well, most bathroom quality scales are off by 1 to 2 pounds. I bought a medical scale, it was $200 but well worth it for accuracy, especially since this is a lifetime deal for me.
I rambled, I apologize.
I want to close by saying, don’t get discouraged and keep trucking, weight in the long run means very little to getting healthy and looking good. So pay more attention to how you feel, look and the way your clothes fit.
You could weigh 240 pounds but be built like a mac truck and be as healthy as a horse.
I’m proud of you and I know you can accomplish this goal, and maintain it indefinitely.
Posted 17 Mar 2007 at 8:58 pm ¶James: Ramble all you want, man. That was really helpful! I’m probably going to follow your lead and only weigh myself once every four weeks. I know if I keep weighing myself and seeing the fluctuations, it’s going to affect my morale.
Re: the 240 pounds and built like a mac truck… considering my build, I’d have to look like one hell of a mac truck to weigh in at 240 and still be healthy!
As always, thanks for the support, as well as the information!
Posted 18 Mar 2007 at 3:12 pm ¶Hey Josh, I came across your blog via a google search on “buddhism and weight loss.” At any rate, I hope that all is going well for you with your weight loss. I have a really good book that you may own by this point, but wanted to pass it on to you anyway. The book title is “The Zen of Eating,” by Ronna Kabatznick, ISBN 0399523820. Awesome blog by the way. Cheers – Brian
Posted 04 Feb 2008 at 10:19 pm ¶Brian: Thanks for the heads up on the book. I’ll check it out.
Posted 06 Feb 2008 at 12:58 pm ¶Post a Comment