May/June Weight Managment

[Possegal]

Next two months of our weight management challenge!


Let me know
(1) if you want to join in
(2) what your weight is on Friday the 10th of May (or whatever day works best for you) (or any day since then)
(3) what your goal weight is for the 28th of June - if you want to, if you don't want to set a goal like that, then no worries.

I'll post the link to the chart shortly.

SOOOOO sorry for the delay. Work is about to break me. I'm threatening to run away from home. :) I've barely done anything good for me other than biking to work on bike to work day. Which was awesome, and I need to do that more!

[Catrin]

I will join in again this time, it is so good for accountability! I will pick yesterdays weight of 125.2 and would like to be at 123 at the end of June.

No worries about the delay, we just kept posting and I, for one, hadn't noticed that we were in the next "time period". We appreciate your long term management of this, and if there is some way that we can help let us know. If you need to take a break from it I am sure it wouldn't kill us :)

[Crankin]

I think some may have been thrown off by this, because it says to state your weight on Friday, the 10th of May... which was 2 weeks ago. I will guess, as like Catrin, this keeps me accountable.
May 10: 107
goal weight on 28 June: 104.
I'm actually pretty close, but I like "reporting in." And since I'm leaving for a weekend of very hard riding in the Berkshires on June 28, it's perfect.

[ny biker]

I'm in. I've been pretty stuck for the past couple of weeks and not sure why. My start is 144.4 and my goal remains 140.

If you find yourself having to choose between going for a bike ride or updating the spreadsheet, please go for a bike ride. ;)

[Chile Pepper]

I'm in, too. I just weighed in this morning: 125. Goal: 118 (though I'd be happy with 120, which is where I was a couple of months ago).

[Crankin]

Not sure if we're still reporting in on Fridays, but I am at 105.6.
Last week I got down to 103.5, which scared me a bit, so I upped my eating. Shouldn't have done that.

[ny biker]

143.6. Pleasantly surprised.

[Catrin]

126.9 - wrong way! This always happens when my calorie intake drops below a certain level :rolleyes: It comes from not fueling properly for my activity level. I KNOW better!

[emily_in_nc]

I'd like to join in again for maintenance. I am at 104 now and prefer to stay right around there.

Thanks!

[Crankin]

106.4 wrong way, though it's the lowest my weight has been all week.
I have a big ride Sunday, so I expect my weight to be wacky after that.

[ny biker]

144.8. I'm experiencing one of my water-retention-for-no-apparent-reason phases again. This drives me nuts.

I'm also doing a long ride tomorrow and another next Saturday, which should mess things up for me too. We shall see.

[indysteel]

144.8. I'm experiencing one of my water-retention-for-no-apparent-reason phases again. This drives me nuts.

I'm also doing a long ride tomorrow and another next Saturday, which should mess things up for me too. We shall see.

I feel your pain. I used to gain 3 or 4 pounds in the days before my period. Now I gain (and lose) water weight several times throughout the last half of my cycle, and the retention can be as much as 6 or 7 pounds. It's awful. Stupid perimenopause.

[emily_in_nc]

104.0, same as last week.

I am pleased that my weight has been stable and lower now that I'm back in the US -- this is exactly how it was before we left for Belize. We ride more now (and hills, rather than flats), and since it hasn't been super hot and humid (yet!) I'm just more active in general, take more walks, etc. In Belize it got dark so early we never walked after dinner, and here we always do, stuff like that. Also drinking more wine and less beer probably helps a little -- and eating a better variety and quality of food, for the most part.

[Chile Pepper]

124 this morning--down one.

I'm finally getting time for some exercise (rode on Tuesday and Thursday and hiked on Wednesday), and that makes all the difference. Now let's just hope my work schedule doesn't get crazy again.

[Crankin]

OK, I was 105 yesterday and 106.6 today. Neither is bad, but there's no reason for my weight to go up.

[ny biker]

144.4.

[emily_in_nc]

104.0 again today, though I was 105.5 yesterday am. But we took a long bike ride (2.5 hours of riding time) yesterday, which probably helped. It certainly couldn't have been fudge, ice cream, and wine I consumed last night! :D

[Catrin]

126.2 this morning. As much as I would like my weight to drop below 125 on a regular basis, it seems insistent on ranging between 125-127. Considering all that I do, I am not going to complain!

[Caren]

141 this morning, would like to get back to 134 where I look and feel the best. I really need to trade fat for muscle so I expect to see it go up before it goes down.

[ny biker]

142.0 this morning. If only I knew why!! I've been 144.5-145.5 lbs for a while now, and suddenly yesterday was 142.6 and down to 142 today.

Maybe my scale is broken...

[emily_in_nc]

104.5

[Crankin]

I forgot to weigh myself this morning, so I will wait until tomorrow.

[Catrin]

127 this morning....which is the wrong direction. There ARE signs that I am finally gaining muscle, and am certainly stronger so am hoping this is the explanation. I don't want to fool myself though so am examining my diet to see if I've allowed too many cheats to creep in.

Edited: My cheats are dark chocolate, some divine gelato, and beer :) The "divine gelato" source is right across the street from my office... It is also possible that my issues with not being able to ride for very long means I need to make up that cardio work elsewhere. I certainly get cardio during my group training, but that is only 3 days a week.

[Crankin]

106.6
Been the same for 2 weeks. Actually, I'm pretty happy, as I've had lots of "cheats," not in the Paleo sense, but in the sense of lots of wine, and eating out, more calories than usual.
Getting ready to leave for a ride in Connecticut. I am still sic, but marginally better. It's making me hungry!

[Catrin]

Perhaps I am worrying overly much over 2-3 pounds - my small Sugoui RS shorts are fitting the same, and indeed the cuffs on the legs this morning seemed looser/less compressive than the last time I wore them... I just spent so many years so large that ANY increase in weight makes me worry - and I still have that blasted apple shape - though it is no longer the super-size apple it once was ;) I AM trying to gain strength, and I think that also can cause us to retain water in our muscles.

[Catrin]

I really should know better by now...when I suddenly gain a few pounds it is always due to too few calories. When I bump up the calories, the extra few pounds go away. We simply MUST fuel for our activity level! That should probably be taped to my refrigerator door :rolleyes:

[Crankin]

I am reporting in with my weight from yesterday for this week. I'm sick, haven't been exercising, except for a walk, and now I'm going away for 3 days, on a cycling trip, with no cycling, due to rain, thunderstorms, etc.
106.7

[Catrin]

Back down to 125.8 this morning :)

We've been doing a LOT of cardio-strength work - as well as regular strength so I don't know how realistic it is to expect my weight to drop much lower. Hard to lose weight AND build lean mass at the same time...

[emily_in_nc]

103 this morning -- my ideal weight for my small frame and the lowest I've been since leaving for Belize. I've been eating plenty (including occasional ice cream!) but getting a good deal of activity in. I honestly never thought I'd see this weight again, but my lifestyle, eating, etc. are healthier here in the US. Just the opposite of many folks who eat too much junk in the US, then go to Belize and lose weight. The heat/humidity combo there kept me from exercising as much as I should, and the limited selection of affordable, good quality food on the island made sticking to a good diet more of a challenge.

We're going to be traveling for much of July and August, so I am sure I'll gain some with all the meals out we'll be having -- we rarely go out to eat here, and that is one reason my weight is low. Good to be starting out the travels at a low weight!

[Catrin]

Your experiences have been interesting Emily! I wish I could get the scales that low...but I don't see that happening. Have fun with all of your travels!

[emily_in_nc]

Your experiences have been interesting Emily! I wish I could get the scales that low...but I don't see that happening. Have fun with all of your travels!

I have really small bones, which is why my weight is so low -- I still have love handles and belly flab, even at this weight, but it's not a realistic weight for most women, who have bigger bones and thus more lean body weight than I do!

[Chile Pepper]

125 again. Ugh. I'm still not finding the time to exercise--too much work. The work load isn't going to change, apparently, so I need to find a way to make it all fit.

[ny biker]

I was 143 yesterday. This did not make me happy after 8 straight days at 142.6 or lower. I'm hoping to start trending downward again after today or tomorrow. (Today was a get-up-early-and-do-a-long-bike-ride day.)

My best strategy seems to be eating a normal, filling breakfast and lunch, with lunch split so that half is actual lunch and half is a snack at 4 pm-ish, then eating less at dinner than I used to. If I have too little for lunch I have too much at dinner.

[emily_in_nc]

102.0 this morning -- lowest in years. I have been very active and eating healthy meals/snacks, but not particularly light. Lots of salads, but I've been eating ice cream too (my post-riding reward), so I am surprised I continue to slowly lose. I am still not "too skinny" at this weight -- I start looking a bit gaunt if I get below 100, which I haven't done since college.

We will be traveling for five out of the next six weeks, both on our own and to visit relatives, so this gives me the cushion I'll need for all those restaurant meals -- and my mother's cooking!

I won't be able to weigh in again until Friday the 26th due to our travels.

[Crankin]

I haven't weighed myself since Wednesday, due to being sick, just getting back into my exercise routine, and been eating a bit more whole grains. When I am sick, I seem to crave this. Anyway, I weighed 106.8 this week, which isn't bad, up .2, but I am not getting closer to my goal. Some of it is I haven't been riding as much, especially, in the past 2 weeks, when I was sick. I am back on track now, went to boot camp Monday and rode yesterday and today. It's so hot out, though, that while I am riding, it's just short rides. Have about 25-30 planned for tomorrow with some friends and I am getting a bit nervous about the heat. We're going out at 9:30 AM so I will deal with it.
Last year at this time I weighed 103 and I'd love to get back there. Especially, before I go to Italy on August 14th. This is a no cycling vacation, unless we rent bikes for a day, although we will do some hiking.

[ny biker]

144.0. Damn hormones.

[Crankin]

I guess this thread is done...
This is my first time not being too successful. I haven't gained a lot, but I seem to be at my setpoint, which is 106-107. I want to get down to 104-5, as I just look better at that weight. I'm not obsessing, but at this point I am not sure how else to tweak my diet. I admit to eating more carbs (mostly whole wheat bread) in the past month, as when I was sick, I just crave this. I'm not pigging out on junk food or sweets, so this must be it.
I skipped boot camp for 2 weeks and I think that is a part of it. I cringe to think I have to do this the rest of my life (do they have boot camp for 70 year olds?). I know weight should not be controlled with exercise (there's a diagnosis for that), but this is what seems to work for me, more than what I eat.
I weighed 106.6 today, after being as high as 108.6 on Monday.

[ny biker]

I'm at 143.2 today. This past week was messed up for me. Long bike ride in the heat on Sunday, which I expected would mess up my fluid retention for a few days (and it did). Then no cardio on Tuesday (still recovering from Sunday) or Wednesday (big rainstorms).

Meanwhile I've started taking a magnesium supplement, because I read that some women find magnesium to help with period-related water retention. It's not a very high dose (250 mg, less than the USRDA) and the only supplement I was able to find that wasn't a higher dose is magnesium oxide, which apparently is less bio-available than other forms of magnesium. So, it's really not a high dose. But I figure it can't hurt, especially with all the cycling in hot weather that I'm doing. I already eat some foods that are good sources of magnesium and will try to increase them a bit, too. It might not help, but then again maybe it will.


I just noticed that this is a "May/June" thread and we are in July. Hmmm.

[Catrin]

126.2 today. My current set point appears to be between 126-127.6 for I just can't seem to get below 126 and stay there. I can't complain, there was time when I couldn't get under much higher weight points...