Went to my nutritionist on Friday, lost three pounds! I had actually gained a pound the week before, so in total over the month I’ve been with my nutritionist I’ve lost 6 pounds.
When I was speaking with my nutritionist on Friday, I said that I’m feeling somewhat discouraged with the lack of weight that I am losing. She said that I shouldn’t be… I am losing the right amount of weight at the right pace—1-2 pounds a week is a healthy weight loss. She also explained that because I am exercising 4-5 times a week I am building muscle mass… so, I’m basically trading a pound of flabby fat for a pound of lean muscle (which is true, I am noticing a difference in how my clothes are fitting). She also reminded me that the weight didn’t go on overnight, so it’s not going to come off overnight either… and as long as the numbers are getting lower, then I’m heading in the right direction.
So I asked my nutritionist about those people who lose 10-20 pounds in their first month of ‘dieting’. She said that those numbers aren’t realistic for me: first, if I weren’t exercising and had just changed my eating habits, I may have bigger weight-loss numbers. However, again, I am trading fat for muscle. Second, I want to lose weight at a reasonable pace so that my skin can adjust to the change in shape—too fast of a weight loss can result in flappy skin, something I don’t want. Third, I am not on a diet, I am learning a new lifestyle with healthier eating habits and exercise habits… many people who lose large numbers quickly aren’t learning new habits and are at a higher risk of ‘yo-yo’ dieting.
So, yes, on occasion I feel discouraged, but thankfully my nutritionist is able to put things into perspective for me! She’s so logical and to-the-point, exactly what I need.
This week’s challenges:
#1: Complete seven sets of 3 laps and 3 stairs in 50 minutes or less (time myself).
#2: Continue working on my nails.
#3: Create a presentation on carbohydrates that contains at least 10 significant points about them. Why? This is part of the learning process… if my nutritionist thinks I’ve done a good job, I’ll post it here on my blog (maybe over the weekend!).
I'm so glad your nutritionist is a sensible gal. 100 pounds to lose in 52 weeks, that makes 1.9 pounds a week on average, and that's a lot of weight in very little time. You don't want to go any faster than that, as getting into the vicious circle of yo-yo dieting would be worse for your health than not shedding any pounds at all. Just keep going and talk to your nutritionist about maybe not getting weighed every week. Just focus on all the positive effects of your lifestyle changes you must surely experience on a daily basis. I personally find that post very encouraging.
ReplyDeleteK.