Eleanor and I have been weighing in each Friday since March and recording the results. Some might call it a diet for weight loss but we like to think of it as a weighing in opportunity for recording improvements to our well-being. We have recorded a reduction in our weight from 1-2 lbs. each week. I have been keeping a Redwall Journal of our experiences since we started.
The exercise is simple. Eat less than we burn off. It is intake versus output. We started by eliminating breads and sweets from our diet. Then we moved to eating smaller portions. We also gave up snacking during the evenings. It all made a difference. I did the exercise thing also by walking daily for 30 minutes. Eleanor did not. Exercising is not her thing. I suspect she will start walking some when the weather gets warmer.
We noticed various gains to balancing the scales. On the side of the bodily weight, it is getting lighter. And on the other side of the scale it weighed more in the improvements of better our clothes fitting, better digestion and more energy. Occasionally we had the odd set back and once in a while we experienced some emotional eating but overall we are both happy with the results and looking forward to warmer weather and clothes shopping.
Yesterday I started thinking about when we would reach what some refer to as a weight-loss plateau so I went on line and did some research. I found this great website http://www.mayoclinic.com which re-enforces many of the things we were doing and explained extremely well the process of the plateau. I have included some excerpts of two of the articles. There are other articles that might be of interest also.
Weight loss basics
By Mayo Clinic staff
Your weight is a balancing act, and calories are part of that equation. Fad diets may promise you that counting carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit will make the pounds drop off. But when it comes to weight loss, it's calories that count. Weight loss comes down to burning more calories that you take in. You can do that by reducing extra calories from food and beverages and increasing calories burned through physical activity.
Getting past a weight-loss plateau
Just because your weight loss has stalled, don't revert back to your old bad habits. These tips can help you restart your weight-loss plan.
By Mayo Clinic staff
You've diligently worked to improve your diet and exercise habits, and you've been rewarded by seeing the number on the scale continue to drop. But then for no reason you can see, the scale doesn't budge — even though you're still eating a healthy, low-calorie diet and exercising regularly. You've hit a weight-loss plateau.
Before you get too discouraged, you should know that it's normal for weight loss to slow and even stall. By understanding what causes a weight-loss plateau, you can decide how to respond and avoid backsliding on your healthy-eating and exercise habits.
What is a weight-loss plateau?
A weight-loss plateau occurs when you no longer lose weight despite continuing with your exercise and healthy-eating habits. Being stuck at a weight-loss plateau eventually happens to everyone who is trying to lose weight. At that point, losing additional weight becomes more difficult. Although hitting a plateau is common, most people are surprised when it happens to them, believing that if they just maintain a reduced-calorie diet, they should continue to lose weight. The frustrating reality is that even well-planned weight-loss efforts can become stalled.
What causes a weight-loss plateau?
The progression from initial weight loss to a weight-loss plateau follows a typical pattern. During the first few weeks of losing weight, a rapid drop in pounds is normal. When calories from food are reduced, the body gets needed energy by releasing its stores of glycogen, a type of carbohydrate found in the muscles and liver. Glycogen holds onto water, so when glycogen is burned for energy, it also releases the water — about 4 grams of water for every gram of glycogen — resulting in substantial weight loss that's mostly water.
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Note: Emotional eating (EE) episodes can disrupt or derail the balancing process. Most people do not understanding the source or cause of specific EE episodes and therefore do not know how to deal with them. Since this is my speciality as a translater of mental and emotional thoughts, I would be happy to translate for anyone seeking assistance. Eleanor and I would also be happy to share our successes and difficulties with 'trimming the fat.'
Please feel free to contact us at charles.trenholm@gmail.com.com or via Facebook. We would be happy to share.
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