*sigh*
I might as well have done nothing for the last two weeks. No exercise, no deprivation. I weighed in at 187 this morning, which means that I've lost 0 lbs. in the last two weeks. Heck, I was losing 0 lbs. per week while I was living a completely sedentary lifestyle and eating whatever I liked! Why not just do that again? It was a lot easier...
This is really starting to piss me off. Of course, I've had a bad attitude about everything for the last few days, including the housework. I didn't get finished cleaning the bathroom 'til late last night and then I had to get up at the crack of dawn this morning to start all over again with the wash. What am I doing it all for if there's no time when it's finished just to relax and enjoy my clean house?
Maybe it's just the heat that's really getting to me. In any event, it's time to stage another mid-mission intervention. Two weeks of hard work for 0 lbs. just doesn't feel like a good trade for me.
Fitness
Walk 60 minutes a day, four days a week. I'm going to make the transition to using the indoor track this week. One more lunchtime workout today to make up for last Friday (long story) and then I'll plan on using the indoor track Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturdays and Sundays.
Diet
I think it's clear I'm going to have to dramatically reduce my caloric intake if I'm going to begin losing any real weight. All the modern authorities tell us that healthy snacks and small meals spread throughout the day is the best way for people to eat, but I'm going to trust my instincts here: When I lost 40 lbs. in my early twenties, I didn't do it by continuously eating. Instead, I chose not to snack at all between meals. As much as I've enjoyed my little power snacks for the last week, I think they leave me more susceptible to late night temptation. It's as if they're keeping me from getting used to the feeling of hunger - and waiting it out. I think I'll see if I can't find some middle ground here. I'm going to allow myself to snack as often as I like between breakfast and 7:30 p.m. as long as I'm snacking only on fruits or vegetables.
13 comments:
Good morning Jitterbug!
I ran across your blog yesterday and I love it. I'm sorry your'e feeling so down about the scale. You should take a look at NoSDiet.com. It's really more the way they ate in the 40's, so it fits with your theme. It's very simple ... no snacks, no seconds, no sweets except on S Days (Saturday, Sunday, Special days and sick days). That's it. It's slow, but permanent and they have great forums with very supportive people. Take a look, it's all on the website, you don't have to buy anything and , no, I don't know the creator ;)! Have a great day and you should be very proud of yourself. I look forward to following your mission. I have no doubt you will learn alot about yourself. Take care.
Thank you so much, Michelle! That no snacks-no seconds-no sweets except on S Days does does sound a lot like the methods people recommended for reducing back in the day. (And a lot like the way I lost weight in my early twenties!) I'll definitely check it out.
I was feeling a bit blue about the housework all day yesterday --- and may be making some adjustments to that routine --- but when I got on the scale this morning I just got good and angry. So I'm trying to put that anger to good use!
Hi! I've been reading your blog for a while and I think it's a really neat idea. The other thing to remember is that you're exercising more and may be building more muscle. Since muscle is heavier than fat, you might not see a budge on the scale, but you'll see a decrease in inches. Don't get discouraged!
Hello Jitterbug!
Let me start by saying I really REALLY enjoy reading your blog. I love the idea of "going back in time" like you are doing and your honest reactions are so refreshing. I want to encourage you to stick with your efforts even through the tough times. You are doing something for yourself that not many people nowadays have the guts to do and I applaud you! Keep it up my dear; I have every faith you will succeed!
Emmaline
Sometimes it seems like you are not losing but you could be losing inches and not pounds. Maybe with all the walking and hard work you are doing you are adding muscle weight which of course everyone knows makes you look so much better then jiggle weight.
Also, sometimes it doesn't show up as a weight loss but then all of a sudden you drop several pounds all at once.
Do not give up! You are doing good and my hero!
The housecleaning thing is always like that. Clean it up and just when you finish the house it's time to do it all over again. It's like making a bed only to mess it up at night then get up to make it again.
It's never ending.
Hugs,
Joanne
Hang in there! You can accomplish this mission!
If it is any consolation, my significant other plateaued, at the same weight, for six weeks when trying to lose weight. However it was obvious after a few weeks that he was building muscle and losing fat. After six weeks, the weight poured off again.
Read About It, that's one thing I haven't done - measured myself. I keep reminding myself of the muscle-weighs-more-fat thing, but there are days when I just need some payoff on the scale. I had no idea I was such a needy dieter! Thank you for stopping by with your words of encouragement. :)
Emmaline, you're awesome! I gotta tell you --- if there wasn't a historic aspect to all of this (which intrigues me), I don't know if I could have stuck with any of it. Though it is fascinating to find little things about housework, walking, etc. which I enjoy after all. I'm so glad you've been reading...
Joanne, I can empathize in a whole new way with my mother and grandmothers. How discouraging it must have been to see things go from sparkling to messy in an hour! Thank you so much for all your support.
Sunflower Stitchery, I would surely love to see some lbs. pouring off of me. Or at least 1 lb. I'd settle for just 1! :)
Please hang in there. As far as the house work remember I said work the house don't let it work you. Maybe you need to change the way you clean the bath etc. It sounds like it is so hard. I love hotel baths they are so orginized. How about making yours more simple? Are there too many things around? When I was younger,We cleaned our bath regularly and although I was not at work I was at school. I guess we just did not know any better. Or perhaps it is that I wish I was there to help you. Your doing a great job! The commenter is right muscle is heaver.
Hang in there Jitterbug! Don't give up. I guess everyone is different, and so is every body type. I have a book about losing weight for one's specific body type, and mine works with eating a little bit throughout the day (my boyfriend tells me I'm like a little squirrel). It's helped me to lose about 35 lbs in about a year (this is without exercising or eating super healthy.)
If you are interested, I can send you the link of the book and maybe that will shed some light on what might help?
In any case, DON'T give up and don't let your plateau get you down! If your housework is getting you down, break it up a bit. Remember, the type of housekeeping recommended in your guides are generally for wives with small children and a messy husband. I doubt you get your house so dirty you have to do such detailed work on a weekly basis.
Keep your chin up beautiful!
i would measure your body fat percentage instead of your weight. that's that best way to track progress. the more physically active you are, the more healthy muscle your building. muscle weighs more than fat so it's quite possible you're losing fat and inches but maintaining the same "number." really though, do not be discouraged! you're doing great and are doing what is healthy for your heart and body!
*sniff*
Y'all are so good to me!
Jeanne, I wish I could just clean up a few knick-knacks and the bathroom would be easier to clean!!! A lot of the chores in the vintage routine don't even apply to me as it is because my bathroom is pretty spartan. Except for the cabinet under the sink. That place is a disaster area. The newness of the process makes it seem long and tiring. I suppose it'll seem slightly less so as I get used to it.
Rebecca, what an impressive weight loss! I'd love to get the link to that book. I think you're right about different things working for different people... There may be some changes in store for my housekeeping routine. After all, my '40s counterpart would have had all day long, seven days a week to keep her house in order. I'm trying to squeeze a similar amount of work into two days and a few evenings. Having a life outside of it all is kind of necessary, too.
Miss Red Lips, that darn muscle! Wouldn't it be great if it was lighter than fat?!? I guess I have visions of myself ending up as some 187-lb. musclebound woman. I'm going to try making some reductions in my calorie intake to see if I can't snap out of this plateau. Thank you so much for stopping by!
Here are a couple of links of different books, one I have used and the others were recommended to me. Hope this helps!
http://www.amazon.com/Abravanels-Body-Type-Lifetime-Nutrition/dp/0553380419
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Right-Your-Type-Individualized/dp/039914255X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244629428&sr=1-3
http://www.amazon.com/Metabolic-Typing-Diet-Customize-Chemistry/dp/0767905644/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244629428&sr=1-6
Thanks so much for sharing those links! There are certainly some interesting ideas put forth in those books. I'd like to read more about them...
I'm inclined to think also that people's personalities can play a big part in finding form of exercise and calorie reduction that works best for them. I'm a perfectionist and super competitive, so making daily water quotas for myself works really nicely in combination with my personality. As does setting little restrictions for myself - like no snacking on anything but fruits or veggies.
Somebody with a more artistic personality, for instance, might really thrive in finding other ways of exercising or dieting.
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