Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Weighing me down

A couple of months ago, my work place launched a wellness initiative. Basically, it was a program to encourage its employees to become more fit.

I thought this was a great idea. Since, at any given point in time, I am usually on a quest to lose weight (the last time I was too thin happened in 2007). This event seemed like a good excuse to kickstart my fitness plans with vigor.

You see, when you are heavier than you know you ought to be but still not heavy enough for others to notice it, the road to losing that extra weight is paved with good intentions. However, actually traversing the road requires a lot of willpower, determination and most importantly, a GOOD reason to lose weight.

The last time I was super motivated was during the months before my wedding. I was so determined to lose the extra weight and look all slim and fit in our wedding pictures that I actually managed to pull it off pretty decently.

Since then, I really haven't had good motivation (looking nice in sister's wedding - um yeah, but eating all the wedding-related goodies sounded better, looking nice in summer clothes - um yeah, but I already looked nice enough in skirts and it was not like I was going to frolic in a bikini).

Getting married again was not an option. So, while I exercised okay-regularly, I decided to view my higher-than-my-liking weight with an indulgent eye.

Still, when the work-place initiative rolled around, I was happy to join in. For, the higher-than-my-liking weight niggled in the back of my head and I now had a goal to work towards!

Thus started the regular exercising, walking and daily logging. To my delight, soon, my arms got leaner and my clothes fit better. Filled with hope, I stepped onto the weighing scale.

Noooooooooooooo! I weighed exactly the same as I had done earlier. To be sure, I weighed myself again the next day. Great! I weight 1 kg more than I had the previous day. Ugh.

At this point, I was quite sure the weighing machine had stopped working. So, in the time-tested Indian way of repairing stuff, I shook it, banged it a bit and stood on it again. Yeah - it still showed the same weight.

Maybe it was stuck. So I dragged S and made him stand on the weighing machine. He weighed *lesser* than his normal weight range. Grrr. S is a lucky fellow. The moment he starts any kind of cardio exercise, he drops weight like crazy. Thus, he is forever being greeted with "Oh you have lost weight" as soon as he decides to jog for like 3 minutes a day.

Anyway, it was obvious that it was not the weighing machine's fault. For some freaking reason, my weight refused to go down :-(. Yeah, I have heard that people usually gain weight after beginning regular expercise as muscle weighs more etc. etc. But by that logic, I must now look like a female Arnold Schwarznegger, which I don't.

I am now at my wit's end. I thought of throwing in the towel and replacing all my exercise and walking with uninterrupted net-surfing/book-reading while munching thattai and seedai from Grand Sweets.

But, upon introspection, I have decided to not let a mere weighing scale beat me. So I have now started a food dairy to keep track of what I am eating and see what I can do there. And if that does not work too, I am going to trash the weighing scale. Haha, take that, you sucker!

Any tips, gentle readers?

18 comments:

subbulakshmistoned said...

You have lost inches, then. Yaay right? Check out: http://arvindashok.com/blog/2011/

Anonymous said...

Same with me :(. I have lost some inches and have become leaner my weight hasnt come down at all :(.

-- ACE

SK said...

My fav topic ;--D
You should be losing inches no, measure! :--) As long as your favorite dress fits you ;--) [I have to start a weight loss regime too, currently NONE, really NONE, of my clothes fit :--(]

Food diary really helps keep the calorie intake in check. Makes you feel guilt too ahah!

SK said...

Oh a sure easy way to see some weight loss - put on an inexplicable number of lbs, stop working out for many months together.
THEN, if you even go for a 20min walk, your body will get a jolt, you will see the scale show less weight :--P

ಅಶ್ವಿನಿ/ Ashwini said...

I am going to trash the weighing scale - Loved this line so very much. Ha ha ha:)

Sumana said...

Hey Archana,
I think we are a set the weighing machine loves. No extra work to be done. It happened with me as well. I started jogging combined with brisk walking and saw the dresses fit me easy, not loose though. I thought i might have lost some weight but looks like it was just a bit of muscle tightening.

Anita said...

Keep at it. Cardio has a funny way of not producing results for a while and then suddenly you are on a roll. But also see if you can start doing weights regularly (join a workout class if you have to). That really is a catalyst for the results from your cardio

Archana said...

Subbu - yup yup, my clothes are a bit looser now but I want to see a change in the weighing scale darnit!! BTW, that site is a great resource!

ACE - man, I think all weighing machines are hatching some conspiracy...

SK - LOL! Poya! It's true though - when lots of weight has to go, it usually goes faster. The last few kgs are killing me :-(. BTW, madam, you have a very good excuse, so you should not feel bad :-)!

Ashwini - :-D

Sumana - LOL @ "No extra work to be done"

Sindu - I am already doing weights too (see, leaner arms and all :-D). I hope this no-results period comes to an end soon - I am tired of waiting!!

Anonymous said...

You are probably seeing weight gain due to muscles buidling up, it takes a while for women to lose weight as we do not have as much musle as men. So we build it first, then start losing, it takes me 6 weeks usually, I know sigh!!!

Anonymous said...

Well,i usually don't put on weight when i eat a good breakfast. eating breakfast automatically makes me stay away fom snacking.weird though it may sound.i do eat lunch and dinner,but no binging.and the usual,lots of water.

Now...your post has made me feel like getting back on track (i put on two kgs in a span of two weeks).so sigh :( i'll be back to having to make breakfast !

Do you have any tips to share?

-Reefknot

Viyoma said...

Breakfast very important, dont miss out on a healthy first intake of the morning.

Irfan said...

Have been reading ur blog on and off...Nice!
Regarding dieting and weight loss:There is only one simple rule.

Calorie in Vs. Calorie out

As long as your calorie in is less than your calorie out, you will lose weight no matter what.
If you are exercising and eating good food. It doesn't matter what the number is on the scale. You CAN really throw that away, you will have to measure yourself not by your weight but by the way you look and feel. By the way you fit into clothes that never fit you, the way your face is more defined and not just bulky all the way around.

Let me ask you this, when you diet and look good; do you go around with your weight scale and show it to people as how much you weigh. No!... they just compliment you on the way you look and the energy you have.

Goodluck :-)

Archana said...

Anon - same problem everywhere!

Reefknot - I never skip breakfast. Primarily because I will die of hunger if I miss *any* meal :-D. One thing I noticed helps is cutting back on rice and replacing rice with rotis as much as possible (I think that's because it is far easier to overeat rice than rotis).

Viyoma - I am a regular breakfast eater!

Irfan - it's just a psychological thing I guess - to see tangible evidence!

Reflections said...

Archana, Same here, my office (Hp) started a wellness initiative and I made up my mind to lose weight cos' I was borderline obese and nothing happened for the few months, the weight stayed like a fevicol glue, so I changed my eating habits and voila, I have started seeing some improvement not so much but something to keep me going.
Started at 160 lbs but now 157 lbs not much but makes me feeling good. The wellness is getting over this month but at least I am proud that I did something good to my body. Search if there is a "Bootcamp" class near your house or office, that will really help. Best wishes.

Archana said...

Reflections - great to know that things are moving on the weight front. Once it starts changing, it continues changing - it's the starting trouble which is the problem! Good luck!!

Reflections said...

Nandri Archana, best wishes to you also. Start with Salads in the night for a week, weight will drop immediately.

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I hope this no-results period comes to an end soon - I am tired of waiting...

Thanks...

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