More Confessin'

So last week, I laid out the Grand Plan for my weight loss. This week I am down exactly 0.0 pounds. What happened?

Well, there are two choices here. I could assume that the plan is flawed somehow--that in spite of all science to the contrary, eating 1,000 fewer kcal/day than I burn off does NOT, in fact, cause two pounds of weight loss.

Or I could assume that my execution of the plan is flawed instead.

As a trainer, this is usually the point in the conversation when my client says, "But I did everything right!" and does or does not provide the documentation to prove it. From here it's a short step to the infamous, "I've tried EVERYTHING to lose weight, but it just won't come off."

As a NICE trainer, I sometimes let the whining slide and quietly find a way to tweak the client's workouts to up the caloric burn. I also ask them to check in more frequently between sessions to increase accountability.

But I am not a "nice" trainer when I am the client. I want answers, and I want them now.

Why did I "plateau" this week? Because I did not account for all of the calories I ingested. According to my records, my average daily caloric deficit was 900. But I eyeballed some portions instead of measuring them. I drank fruit juice by the gallon--only 5 kcal per serving, but 40 kcal in the whole 2 liter bottle. By the end of the day, that's 40-60 kcal I didn't write down last week. My tracking program estimates the 1-2 Fiber One bars I eat each day at 120 Calories apiece (and they are really 140). By the end of the day, I've underestimated 100 kcal--and those calories count.

Also, I gave up caffeine (and alcohol) for Lent. I really miss that metabolic boost early in the day from caffeine (but I also don't find myself craving the wine and all of her calories at night)

My physical activity was an estimate based on my RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion), and so, therefore, completely subjective. This week, I'll strap on my heart rate monitor and actually get a more accurate measure of calories burned. I bet I've been optimistic.

All is not lost--although my weight today is the same as last Sunday's (129.6 lbs) the trend this week has been lower: I've seen 129.4 a couple of times. When weighing daily, minor fluctuations (less than a pound, or two pounds if you REALLY retain water) are to be expected. I may well have burned off a couple pounds of body fat this week. Since I haven't been tracking body fat, however, I can't say for sure.

So---I'll start tracking it! I was at 33% body fat this morning. 1/3 of my body at this moment is fat (the other 2/3 is water, muscle, bone, blood solids, nerve tissue, waste and whatever else is floating around inside the skin). A healthy adult woman really should be around 25% body fat or better. While I will continue to focus on my overall weight, I want to keep an eye on that figure.

So there you have it--I'm staying the course, becoming scrupulously honest with myself and looking for more objective data about my exercise and body composition.

Each Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie is 40 calories. (See, I promised you the entire blog would not be about me!)