What Weight Loss Truly Looks Like
Losing weight can kinda suck.
I think we can agree on that.
It can be pretty daunting just getting started, not knowing where to go.
And even when you've figured out a good approach and are dialed in with everything.
Getting your steps in
Eating enough protein
Getting to bed on time
And staying consistent with your strength training
One of the most frustrating parts of a weight loss journey is when the scale doesn't change.
You know you're in a deficit, you're tracking every freaking morsel of food that goes down your gullet. How the heck are you not losing weight??
In this article, I'm gonna be showcasing exactly what the weight loss process looks like because the truth is, nothing's ever smooth sailing when it comes to changing your body.
There’s going to be halts in progress, sudden weight drops, and even sudden weight gain. I’ll be going in depth on all these to hopefully paint a clear picture.
And with that, let’s get right into it! Feel free to navigate as you please!
GATHERING DATA
If you've taken a long hiatus from stepping on the scale, then stepping on for the first time may be anxiety inducing, hell even terrifying. But once you've taken that step and get it over with, you're gonna feel this huge weight lifted off your shoulders because now you finally know where you're at and you're no longer guessing where you might be.
And whether you're happy with the number or are dissatisfied is irrelevant. What's important is that you now know what your starting point is and can work off it accordingly.
From here, you can now work on finding your weight maintenance calories to appropriately program a deficit to lose weight safely.
After finding an appropriate calorie target for weight loss, all you gotta do now is just be consistent.
Consistency is the biggest thing that’ll have the most impact on your goals. It’s also the hardest thing to stick to.
So this doesn't mean sticking to the plan for a week and then going off the rails on the weekend.
What this does mean is staying as close to the plan as humanly possible despite outside temptations like social events or cravings.
One of the best pieces of advice I've heard was in order to win the week, you first have to win the weekend.
If every weekend you're eating out, drinking, and staying up till the early morning hours, you're only gonna start the week feeling horrible.
One of the reasons why we "hate Mondays" is because we come into Monday feeling terrible. Being bloated, having GI distress, sleep deprived, and possibly having a hangover only fuels our hatred towards the start of the week.
And if we're feeling like crap, we're not under the mentality of "I'm gonna be dialed in with my diet". It's more "I feel like shit, therefore I'll just get back on track when I feel better".
If you're not actively pursuing the root causes on why you feel like crap, then you're probably never gonna feel "good enough” to get back on track
It's a vicious cycle.
You go off plan, feel like crap, wait till you feel better, keep feeling like crap, go off plan again, and so on.
But here’s the thing. When you’re consistent with your sleep, your diet, and your workouts, the end result will be you always feeling your best. Imagine being at a place where despite the weather or what happens at work, you feel energized and confident. That you feel excited to tackle the day and no longer “require” the 3 cups of coffee to get you through the day.
Being consistent allows all that to materialize. All it takes is a little discipline and patience.
And now to get back to the main topic, when you've found your deficit calorie targets and you ARE consistent with meeting them, you may notice that on some days, your weight actually goes up.
And yes, I do think it's a good idea to track everyday unless you truly have anxiety towards the number on the scale which I'll touch on later.
Normal ups and downs with your weight are normal no matter what you’re doing and they’re especially prevalent when we’re trying to diet down which can really feel like a slap to the face when we’ve been trying so desperately to lose fat.
WHAT THE DATA MEANS
A really important piece of information going forward is this,
The number on the scale is not indicative of your self worth.
The number being higher than you'd like doesn't mean you're a "failure".
The number is purely data, nothing else.
The number has no emotion, it's literally a freaking number.
The number has zero power over you!
Only you have power over yourself!
It's important that we look at the number from an objective viewpoint and understand that whatever it is, it is our starting point.
And as time goes on, the number will change, expect that. Both up and down.
Even though I recommend weighing in every day, the specific times you should be noting aren't as frequent. Pay attention to weekly and monthly averages.
The way you use the information given is ultimately up to you. I recommend being objective and logging the numbers in either a journal, word document, or spreadsheet.
If overtime, the number goes down at a slow and steady pace, then that means you are doing everything correctly.
If overtime, the number goes down at a quick, rapid pace, then that means you're probably consuming too little and may need to bump the calories up to where the rate of weight loss slows down.
And if overtime, the number goes up quickly, then that means you're consuming too many calories and may need to lower your caloric intake.
WEIGHT FLUCTUATIONS
You're 100% dialed in with your calories, you're exercising 2-4 times per week, you're eating mostly whole foods, and you've pretty much eliminated alcohol entirely.
You then step on the scale and BOOM! You're up 3 pounds.
"Screw this man, this sucks" is probably what's going through your mind.
But before you quit, let me tell you that your weight going up, despite being in a deficit, is COMPLETELY NORMAL!
Our bodies don't have a specific set number that we sit at when it comes to weight, but rather a range.
On average, expect to have around a 2 pound weight fluctuation both ways.
This means if I'm 200 pounds, then some days my weight can be as high as 201-202, and can be as low as 199-198.
There are tons of things that can impact the number shown on the scale.
Sodium. Consuming a high sodium meal may cause your body to retain water. Too much sodium at once can trigger a process of more water moving out of your cells and into the bloodstream. This in turn, leads to higher blood pressure and as a result, your body retains fluid.
Food volume. The literal food sitting inside your stomach is going to affect the number on the scale. If you're weighing yourself first thing in the morning, knowing for dinner you had a bigger than normal meal, expect there to be a potential couple pounds added.
Infrequent poops. Similar to food volume, if you've had infrequent stool lately, that mass sitting inside you will also affect the scale number.
Hormones. This is more prevalent in women but still applies to men as well. Changes in hormones can cause your body to fluctuate in its weight. For women during menstruation, an increase in Aldosterone and ADH can lead to higher fluid retention.
Sleep. Sleep deprivation can cause ADH levels to remain high into the night, leading to less urination and more potential fluid retention. Lack of sleep will also increase Cortisol which by itself, has a function that holds water.
Medications. Some medications have the potential to cause hormonal changes and may cause fluid retention as a side effect.
The clothes you're wearing. I recommend if weighing yourself, do it in as little clothing as possible if not naked entirely. You'd be surprised, but a full outfit including shoes and all can add an extra 6-7 pounds to your frame. If you want a precise, accurate number, go natural!
Because there are so many things that can cause your weight to go up and down, I love the idea of daily weigh-ins. This is because daily weighing teaches you about your own body's fluctuations.
The real benefit you get from weighing for at least a couple weeks is that in the future, if you do decide to step on the scale again and see a higher number than what you expected, you can rest assured knowing there's a good chance you didn't suddenly gain 3 pounds of bodyfat.
So then, what does fat loss actually look like?
The process of dropping numbers on the scale doesn't happen linearly, but rather it comes as a sudden, spontaneous drop.
When we enter a deficit, our bodies want to hold onto water of which will add to the scale.
But eventually that water will flush out.
And that's where we'll see the sudden drop.
Here's a realistic example of what that process could look like.
Week 1
Day 1 = 190.0
Day 2 = 191.5
Day 3 = 192.6
Day 4 = 190.4
Day 5 = 193.1
Day 6 = 191.3
Day 7 = 189.0
Week 2
Day 8 = 189.6
Day 9 = 192.4
Day 10 = 190.8
Day 11 = 191.3
Day 12 = 189.3
Day 13 = 192.4
Day 14 = 188.0
You can see, the daily ups and downs are nuts! Some days have as much as a 4 pound weight difference which IS NORMAL!
Understandably, if you were inconsistent with daily weigh-ins and only stepped on the scale once in a while, you may just step on the scale on a high day which could freak you out.
So knowing the number drop can come from outta nowhere is very reassuring.
But before moving forward, I do want to add something.
The example above was if the weight drop was consistent, meaning every week resulted in 1 pound down.
You very well may experience 2, 3, or even 4 weeks where you don't see that drop. That's also okay and is once again, very normal.
If this does happen to you, feel free to use other metrics of progress.
Confidence
Waist measurements
Strength
Energy
Mood
If your waist measurements are going down over time, you're right on track.
If your strength and energy are both increasing, stay the course, you're killing it!
If your overall mood and confidence are better than what they were previously, then I don't even need to say anything.
And with that being said, there are some things that should warrant your attention.
THINGS TO PAY ATTENTION TO
Because of daily ups and downs in weight fluctuations, what you should be paying close attention to is the weekly to monthly trends.
Is your weight steadily going down month over month?
If the answer is yes, then guess what?
You're kicking ass!
But if the weight is not going down month over month, then I would spend some time reassessing my food intake to see if there are things that have gone untracked.
Because as long as you are in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight no matter what. That's straight science right there.
So if you are not losing weight, then that probably means you're not in said deficit.
It can really be easy to overlook certain foods, thus leading to excess caloric consumption.
Which is why I love BLT's
Bites, Licks, and Tastes
Taking random bites of a snack throughout the day can easily add a few hundred calories unchecked.
Licking the knife covered in peanut butter after making a sandwich can also add unchecked calories.
And taking random tastes while making a recipe to know everything is just right can also once again, creep up the calories without you even knowing!
Being aware of BLT's can really be a humbling experience, because you may find out that yeah, you do a lot of random grazing throughout the day without even realizing it.
Another thing that could hamper your progress is "hidden calories".
These are foods that are often labeled as zero calories but are not actually zero calorie.
Things like seasonings and cooking sprays.
The FDA allows food manufacturers to round down the numbers on the nutrition label. This means that if per serving, if a food is less than 5 calories, then they're allowed to say it's zero.
And many food products are able to say zero calorie because the “serving size” listed is usually meant for a literal elf.
1/4 of a second spray equals one serving of cooking spray
1/4 of a teaspoon is the typical serving size for seasonings
A quarter of a second spray won’t do jack. You’re going to use at least 4-5 servings just to coat the pan.
When you take into account that a lot of these food products use ingredients that by themselves aren’t zero calorie, you’ll be blown away by just how many unchecked calories you may be consuming throughout the week.
I'll give you an example. Let's look at this can of cooking spray.
A classic "zero calorie" cooking spray to help make cooking easier while also saving you a boat load of calories.
Well, not really.
You'll see here that the listed calories for each serving is zero, even though it also states that there are 746 servings in one container. If this was truly zero calories, then there should only be one serving per container.
I also want you to pay attention to the ingredients.
Canola oil, Coconut oil, and Palm oil all of which are cooking fats.
Cooking oil in of itself is entirely made up of fat, the most calorically dense macronutrient.
And though fat by itself isn't a bad thing, it's important to know that none of these ingredients are zero calorie.
Canola oil, Coconut oil, and Palm oil all have roughly 120 calories per tablespoon.
So this product labeling itself as "zero calorie" is a prime example of how companies are allowed to round down their numbers to appeal to a larger audience.
A quick shoutout to Cheatdaydesign for doing a really nice breakdown of this cooking spray's label.
The point here is not to scare you from using cooking spray or seasoning for your recipes. You can see highlighted in green that even if sprayed for a few seconds, you're only consuming an extra 32 calories. That ain't gonna break your diet.
Same as how a few shakes of seasoning will only add a few calories, nothing to worry about.
The point here is to bring awareness to the fact that it's really dang easy to underestimate just how much you're truly consuming. This is why I love the idea of spending at least a few weeks tracking.
Tracking opens you up to the reality that you may be secretly consuming way more than you originally thought.
But seriously, unless you're using half a can of cooking spray or are using the entire container of seasoning, you really don't need to track either.
It’s really only important to take note if you’re consuming a lot of “zero calorie” food products multiple times throughout the week, because in that case, those 32 calories can quickly add up to 200 calories, then 400 calories, and then potentially even more.
THE NUMBERS DON’T DEFINE YOU
For some people, seeing the numbers fluctuate on the scale can easily trigger stress and anxiety. I'm here to tell you the numbers shown have zero power over you.
They're literally just numbers.
Numbers can't jump out and punch you in the gut.
Only you can, well, figuratively. At least it'll feel like a punch to the gut if you let the numbers get to you mentally.
Remember that the numbers are just data. The only meaning they carry is to show you where you're at in the present moment. They have no effect on the future.
Only you do.
They can't define your value as a person.
Only you can.
If stepping on the scale truly causes you to feel a brick within your stomach weighing you down, or even trigger vast anxiety and fear, then I would personally skip the scale altogether.
Instead of the scale, just focus on waist measurements, your energy, your strength, how you fit into clothing, and your confidence.
If all those are improving overtime, even without knowing your weight, I think we can agree that means you're kicking some serious ass!
CONCLUSION
Weight loss doesn't come easy. There very well may be weeks where the number doesn't change or may even be up a bit, despite you being in a calorie deficit.
When experiencing this, make sure you're focusing on other metrics such as your energy, strength, confidence, and how you fit into clothing.
For most people, the number can be a source of stress, to the point it clouds their mind and gets in the way of other daily tasks.
As long as you're objective and see the number as purely data, it won't be a burden. In fact, knowing the number will usually take stress away as you're no longer just guessing where you might be.
Remember that the number shown cannot hurt you. It can’t slash your tires or slap your grandma. It's purely conveying data.
I highly recommend taking some time reading my calorie deficit article showing you how to go about weight loss safely.
The purpose of this article was to explain what the process of losing weight actually looks like. Although not to blame entirely, social media has definitely contributed to the expectation that weight loss should come as quickly as possible.
You will have periods where you don't progress, that’s normal. I want you to go in with that expectation.
You will have periods of slowed progress, that’s again, normal.
But no matter what,
Just know that as long as you are consistent,
You will succeed!
Talk soon,
-Randy
