Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Human Nature

Starting Weight (SW): 299 lbs
Week 1 Weight Loss (WL):  7 lbs
Week 2 Weight Loss (WL):  10.4 lbs 
Week 3 Weight Loss (WL):  +4 lbs
Total Weight Loss (TWL): 13.4 lbs

Sorry for getting this in late. It’s been a challenging morning. Where week two was filled with pride and hope…this week ended feeling like a really good cliffhanger episode of Doctor Who. You know…the one’s where you have to wait six months to see what’s coming next?

Wednesday ended the Juice fast and I was uber conscious not to go full bore eating again. There are at least two options when transitioning after a fast. The first is to slowly incorporate solid food back into your diet. That’s what I did. I started with one meal a day for the first three days and then work your way up to 2-3 meals over the course of a week.

The other option is after you stop juicing all together that you eat only fresh fruits and vegetables for the week after you juice. This gives your body time to adjust and you are eating the same thing you are juicing which means your body isn’t going into shock and can adjust. This is the way I should have gone.

The weight gain of 4 lbs may not seem like much, but when it’s a pound a day and you’re just watching it climb it begins to create fear based illogical reasoning in your head.

“Maybe I should juice again.”
“Maybe if I only ate one time a day.”

And the worst…. “Maybe I was never meant to do this to begin with.”

The problem is, Dear Reader, it’s all bullshit.

You’re going to have a natural bit of weight gain after a juice fast. You just can’t obsess about it…like I was until I started this post.

Seeing the words go onto the post I realized three things that were always there, but my mind did not see.

1) I am eating and living healthier than I have in a long, long time.

2) I am learning every day what will make me healthier in the long run.

And the most important…

3) I have a great support system of people who want to see me succeed. Even to remind me when I’m being neurotic about a few pounds. Adding on those few pounds…I’m still at one of the lowest weights I have been in years.

I’ll leave you with this. Shit is going to happen. Likely the number on the scale will go up a little or stay the same for a few days. That just means, provided you’re making healthy choices, your body is adjusting to the new direction. In the immortal words of Douglas Adams… DON’T PANIC!

2 comments:

  1. Try not to stress about the number on the scale! Fluctuations are SO normal and don't reflect what's most important: The habits you're creating and the improvements you're making. Use weigh-ins as a guide to ensure you're generally going down, but otherwise focus on how you FEEL. :) Keep it up!

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  2. Stress about the number on the scale. Get pissed at it. Don't make excuses. Tell yourself, I can, and WILL do better. RIght now, you are BEAST MODE: OFF. Look at that +4 and decide one of two things: I am ok with this, or I am NOT ok with this. Yeah fluctuations happen. But that doesn't mean you can look at a +4 and be "Eh, it's ok." "When you want to succeed as much as you want that next breath of air, then you will be successful." Think about where you messed up over the last week that could have added 4 pounds, and vow to do better.
    I gained 2 this week. Am I still doing great overall? Sure. But did I slide some last week and eat poorly a few times? Of course. And that +2 reminded me that we pay for our mistakes. And made me remember that we only get what we earn, by hard work and dedication. DOn't OBSESS over the +4. But get pissed at it!

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