I knew it was a matter of time before this happened. Somehow in my day-dreamed fantasies, I pictured hitting my goal weight by the end of summer. I imagined myself losing two pounds each week and watching my hips shrink smaller and smaller.
Ha.
Last week, on my weigh day. I had lost 1.2 pounds. I was a little discouraged, but figured that it was better than no loss or even worse weight gain!
This week's weigh in. Drum roll, please.
Wait for it.
That's right, folks. I lost nothing. Nada. Zero Pounds.
Now I should tell you that I am a stickler when dieting. I don't guesstimate. I don't cheat here and there. When I diet, I'm all in. I have been watching my husband drink milkshakes while I've bit into a carrot. I have watched my daughter eat the homemade chocolate chip cookies that we made during the recent blizzard while I chewed gum. I have gone out to dinner with my hubby and daughter and watched them eat the complimentary tomato garlic crusty bread while I sipped my unsweetened iced tea.
Why the hell didn't I lose anything this week then?
Even though I was a good girl this week like every other week of this diet, my body has been changing. When you begin a diet and reduce your daily caloric intake, your body releases glycogen. This is a stored carbohydrate in the body. Water attaches to the glycogen stored in your body. When your body releases it, the water burns up. Simplified, this is what is usually called 'water weight'. After the body uses up the glycogen supply, it will move to burning stored fat. Fat burns slower. Weight loss will appear to slow down.
So does that mean that I have been burning off my glycogen supply for six weeks? Who knows. I do know that it is not consider 'hitting a plateau' until the weight loss has stopped for several weeks in a row.
Here's to a smaller number on the scale next week. I might just have to get off my fat ass and do some exercise to help restart my weight loss!
