Yo Yo Weight changes? What the…..!!!! (plus distance and weight monitor)
I am not talking about yo yo dieting, which is really bad. You know, the kind of thing where you eat loads and then don’t eat at all and your weight shifts around. My diet is pretty steady, although I do make use occasionally of a cheat day.
Cheat days are where you just go for it in terms of food intake. The idea is that your body can only absorb so many calories in one hit. So you might suddenly have a 3000 cal binge, but your body is only used to taking on 1500. You probably won’t be able to take on board more than 2000 cals. Do it for 3 days and you will know about it though, so one day is ok.
The other thing is that that one day will suddenly boost your body metabolic rate. It won’t be continually slowing down to maintain body weight through a lower metabolism. Lower metabolisms mean less weight loss, since much of your weight loss actually occurs whilst you are not actually exercising. Your rate at which you burn it is lower, but it is sustained over longer.
I used this theory this weekend for a couple of days.
I will put a bit of background on that.
Last week I jumped on the scales. I wasn’t able to ride out last week because of time, so I decided to work on the running, which should have been enough as there is a steep hill at the back of my house and I pushed it hard. 5 minutes, with a 2 minute breather, 4 sets. Got about 3 miles doing this. My legs really hurt afterwards, I was shattered, had hurt my knee, but at least I did it.
Then I got on the scales…I had GAINED 3 pounds! Unbelievable. I put it down to working so hard up the hill. I had deleted my glucose stores in my muscles, hence the soreness and tiredness, but had not actually burned up any fat. And I must have had a dip in metabolic rate too. Whatever, I was very unhappy, and although I didn’t binge I didn’t say no to the pizza on Friday and Sunday, and still had a nice meal in the evening with Mrs Gray, sticking only loosely to my favourite free diet plan from the British Heart Foundation.
Last night back out on the bike, and did 27.5 miles in 1hr 50 mins (mountain bike road cycling remember!). Scales this morning, and I was back down, and now a shade over 13 stone 1 pound. That means that according to my scales I have lost 5 pound in about three days. That is insane.
So what could be the answer?
Perhaps I kick started my metabolism again?
Perhaps I just needed a good couple of hours in the saddle?
I don’t know. What I do know is that just because my weight went up a bit I didn’t throw in the towel. I took a couple of days break which I knew wouldn’t hurt me as long as I stayed notionally within the boundaries of common sense. And I tried to relax.
When you are struggling to stay motivated with a diet, taking a couple of days breather before getting back to it won’t hurt, just don’t do it for too long. You might be pleasantly surprised! And so long as you follow something like the British heart foundation diet plan you’ll find that everything will come back into line surprisingly easily and quickly.
Free: The British heart foundation: lose weight…for good book
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