Conversation at Work
Me: “I weighed 16 pounds less on my ride last Saturday
than I did the last time I rode that course.”
Coworker: “How do you know that?”
Me: “I track my weight and I looked up my weight based on
my Garmin date for the last ride.”
Coworker: “I used to think you were crazy and
dedicated…now I just think you are crazy!”
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Not Crazy!
|
There's nothing crazy about tracking stuff! Like Tony Horton says "How do you know what to do, if you don't know what you did?"
Crazy
I’m not crazy…well, not normally…yesterday I felt a little
crazy…thanks to my stupid scale!
Last Thursday I weighed in at 140, my lowest weight in
one… maybe two decades. This was a momentous occasion. The next day I weighed
myself again and the number on the scale was down another two. I was elated! Then
the kids came home and we celebrated Independence Day for the entire weekend.
Actually, I didn't eat that bad and I also continued with my training.
 |
| Hardly a fat laden unhealthy meal |
In fact, on Friday, I rode the trainer for 2-1/2 hours.
Yes, I snacked a bit during the day, but our slow cooker carnitas with jicama
slaw and black beans was hardly a diet buster. The next day, I got up and had
non-fat plain Greek yogurt with fresh blue berries. That meal was followed by a
17 mile ride in the hills. Yes, we had Lockeford sausage for lunch/dinner…and
taro chips and popcorn as a snack…but still it was not that bad and I didn’t
stuff myself…I even skipped ice cream later in the evening.
 |
| Ok, maybe a little unhealthy, but oh so good! |
Sunday after church I had two beef tacos (I only had
coffee and a banana before church). The beef was grilled and served on top of
two small, grilled corn tortillas (I only ate one tortilla on each taco) and
some chips and salsa (there were still chips left in the basket when we left).
I came home and went on a 10 mile run. Later in the afternoon, HS and I had left
over sausage and kale salad and finished up with a bit of ice cream.
Oops…I forgot to mention the wine…and the slice of pizza
I had when we walked down to David’s to see what the family was up to…and the
coconut macaroons that always end up in the shopping cart when Lindsey is in
town. But other than that, this was pretty close to a typical weekend for me.
Yes, I indulged a bit, but I also do longer, harder workouts than during the
week.
Wednesday morning my scale read 144. Time to talk myself down off the
ledge!
What I Know
There are a couple of givens that I know and understand,
yet have a hard time applying to myself when I am having a freakout moment.
#1 – My weight always goes up a few pounds (2-3)
following a long run.
#2 – My weight always goes up a few pounds when Aunt Flo
is in town.
#3 – My weight always goes up a few pounds when I indulge
a little too much on the weekend.
This weekend was the perfect storm…the trifecta of weight
gain. I knew before I even stepped on the scale that it was going to be up. I
had prepared for it to be up. I just didn’t expect it to be up that much.
Me: “Ugh…I weighed 144 today…I know it’s just water
weight from the run and my period.”
HS: “Probably"
Me: “Probably? PROBABLY?!?! What do you mean “probably”?
There’s no PROBABLY!!!!”
Probably is not the correct answer…”I’m sure it is” would
have been way better ;-)
Weight Gain After a Hard Workout
A five mile run doesn't affect the scale much…a ten mile run will ALWAYS affect my scale. I know this. I have proven this to myself time and time again. Yet every time it happens it makes me a little crazy.
According to Shape Magazine, your scale weight is made up of far more than just fat and muscle — it includes bone, connective tissue, blood, lymph, fluids, intestinal contents, and even the air in your lungs. After an intense workout, the proportion of each of these components can shift by as much as 15 percent. Factors like hydration, inflammation from muscle damage, and changes in blood and urine volume all play a role.
I guess the good news is that a 15% shift would mean a 20+ pound gain, so a few extra pounds on the scale really isn't that bad after all.
Weight Gain During Aunt Flo’s Visit
Some people gain weight before, I seem to gain it during.
According to LIVESTRONG, there are two culprits behind period-related weight gain: bloating and water retention. Hormonal shifts cause the body to hold onto more water than usual, which means the scale can read higher even when you haven't eaten more or gained any actual fat.
A few extra pounds of water weight — comforting words! Thankfully there is light at the end of the tunnel. According to Self magazine, as your period progresses the hunger and cravings ease up, the bloat fades, and the scale comes back down. In fact, right after your period ends is typically when you weigh the least all month. Enjoy it while you can!
Stay the Course
I am not going to let this hiccup
derail my plan. Regardless of what the scale says, I am continuing with my
nutrition plan and my diet this week is the same as it was last week and the
week before that…eventually things will get back to normal.
2026 Update
Twelve years later and the scale is still not always my friend. Menopause has added a whole new layer to the weight fluctuation battle — if I thought hormones were fun before, I had no idea what was coming. Still in the fight. Haven't given up yet.
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