Week 3: Down 3.8 and Some Advice

Another great week at the Green household! Yesterday morning was our week three weigh in, and we were both pleasantly surprised to see we had both lost 3.8 pounds!!

Earlier in the week, I was nervous to weigh in on Saturday, not because I had cheated and grabbed a slice of pizza; rather, I was nervous because I had not seen a big weight drop on the scale throughout the week. That is where daily weigh ins can be tricky. Our bodies are constantly changing which means our weight is constantly fluctuating. For example, if you wake up and jump right on the scale, it may differ greatly if you were to get up, go to the bathroom, and then step on the scale. Or, it can differ greatly if you are nearing your TOM, if you weigh in at different times, weigh in on different scales... it can be crazy!

My biggest advice to you is to establish a weigh-in routine. Weigh in at the same time, the same way, and on the same scale every week. It can be the difference between a few ounces or a couple pounds. Trust me. Weighing in can be stressful enough, especially if you are not getting accurate numbers.

My second piece of advice, and one that I often find myself struggling with, is to not get hung up on the number staring back at you on the scale. You are more than a number. This past week, I kept feeling discouraged to see a slight gain or minimal loss. That discouraging feeling is an easy way to fall off track, give in to the temptation of binge eating on fast food, or quitting altogether. I even had to have David talk me out of wanting to grab bad food a couple times. Which brings me to a third and fourth piece of advice.

Third: Have a support system. Whether you are counting calories, doing a weight loss program like Weight Watchers or Take Shape for Life, or simply lacing up your tennis shoes and going for a daily run... a support system can make or break you! I do not believe I could be doing this weight loss routine without David. His sister has been a huge, huge help too! She's lost a ton of weight and has totally inspired David and I to continue. Check her weight loss story out here. Having them to help encourage me, push me, and share recipes, has been an awesome part of this journey.

Fourth piece of advice: Relish in non scale victories (NSV). These are often more important than our numeric weight. These are those moments off the scale, where your realize your weight loss journey is working. For example, some of my NSV include my wedding ring easily sliding on and off (I used to not be able to get it off), wearing a belt on my skinny jeans, fitting into a size XL MEDIUM shirt when shopping, and dropping two pant sizes. These can encourage us on a week-to-week basis, despite the weight we lose/gain that week.

Finally, figure out what your triggers are. What makes you over-eat or make poor eating choices to begin with? Is it a lack of planning what your meals should be so you grab whatever is convenient? Is it you being unable to cook? Is it your busy lifestyle?

For me, I was always triggered to eat poorly if I was bored. For example, if I am bored at home, I am much more likely to pop a bag of popcorn, melt some butter and sprinkle on about 2 cups of salt and have a few bites eat the entire thing. By keeping myself busy and changing my thinking from food, to blogging, couponing, chores, calling friends, and so on, I can keep myself from pulling that food-trigger sparked by boredom.

Anyone else in that boat? How many people can open a bag of potato chips while watching their favorite TV show and before they know it, they are licking their fingers, unbuttoning their pants, and drifting off into a uncomfortable food coma? Anybody? Yeah. We've all done it.

These are probably the five most important pieces of advice I can give you right now. Establish a weigh in routine, understand you're more than a number, have a support system, celebrate NSV, and figure out and address your food triggers.

It's up to you to do this. No one else can make this change, and it has to be as much of a mental change as it is a physical change. But I promise you, when you step on that scale and finally see your goal weight, every salad, every workout, every day of struggle will be worth it.