Necessary Mutilation

Weight: 228 lbs.

Well, as seems to be typical for me, my weight has inched up a little again, and I am hovering as usual. I looked up my daily weight and diet diary from 2000 when I followed Atkins pretty religiously for about 14 months. I can review my daily weights plus I tended to average my weight for each week, as I believe that Atkins instructed people to do in his imfamous Atkins Diet book. Although I often hovered and even went up, sometimes for days at a time, most every week my overall AVERAGE weight was lower than the week before. Ultimately, I lost exactly 100 lbs. (before I gained it plus more back in the years following and up until my gastric bypass).

Here are some examples of my daily entries in July, 2000, when I began on Monday weighing 227.5, and ended on Sunday weighing 224.5 This was about 4 months into the diet, as I started it weighing 282 on March 9th, 2000.

In between, my daily weights were 227, 226.5, 224.5, 224, 223, and then back up to 224.5. My daily diet largely consisted of meat, cheese, avacados, pork rinds, some nuts, diet pop, eggs and some blueberries. Basically, typical Atkins fare. My average weight for that week I noted as 225.2 (not really sure how I got a .2 out of it?!), and then the following week I went back up to 225.5 on Monday, 227.5 on Tuesday  and ended at 228 on Sunday. Although not typical, that weeks average came out to: 226.4, and represents an overall gain. However, one month later my Sunday weight was 220, and 2 months later I was down to 212.5, all still with hovering and occassional gains in between. Just the same, I logged every bite I ate back then, and I can see that for the most part I was very diligent at staying true to Atkins.

This heartens me and make me feel both “normal” today as far as my weight fluctuations, as well as helps focus me on the bigger picture and overall trends rather than allowing myself to get too bent out of shape over each day’s weight. What is clear from my old records, is that ultimately the weight came off, and in MOST weeks, my overall average weight dropped pretty consistently, with only a few exceptions, like the week above.

Phew! This helps take some pressure off me now, as before I looked at this, I was seriously contemplating giving up the whole weighing daily thing, as it tends to be too discouraging at times. Especially if I allow myself to compare to others who only go in one direction, and drop like stones. I’d actually love to hear from others more like me, whose weight sometimes even fluctuates pounds in even just a day or two’s time. Anyone out there?? On any diet plan or who has had surgery?

Oh well, it is what it is - and as a poster I used to have in my office says: “Don’t Complain About Things You Permit”  If I was really really worried and wanted better results, I’d have moved my fanny more by now! (And given up coffee, and eliminated every bad bite of food or overindulgence and replaced our convenience foods and dinners out with wholesome, homeade meals!) Then again, I may as well move to Switzerland, take up ballet and get my astral physics degree, while I’m at it!