Weight loss can be a tricky business. We all know that the vast majority of people who are on a diet fail in the end to lose fat. The fact is, weight loss isn't linear. There are times when your weight doesn't budge, when you "plateau." Indeed, every day you'll see some variation. Weight goes down and then goes up again, then down again. The key is the overall direction.
Here is my weight over the past 5 Sundays:
You'll recall that I began my fat loss journey a couple of months ago when I weighed in at 240 pounds. That's not obese, but it's still significantly overweight. My goal was to lose this weight gradually at a pace of about 2 pounds per week. Thus far, the Lord has blessed me with success. Now, how much of this weight loss is actually fat loss? Not all of it for sure. Some is water loss. Some is glycogen loss. Some (preferably not too much) is muscle loss. But if you focus on slow, gradual weight loss while also lifting weights and performing low stress cardio like walking, hopefully you'll lose mostly fat while preserving or even building muscle.
Remember, the weight scale doesn't reveal all. You need to look at other measures of progress as well. One thing I do is to take weekly pictures to keep track of my progress.
Another thing I do is the "clothes test." It's gotten to the point where my jeans simply fall off my hips when I try to wear them. That said, my lower waist measurements haven't budged very much in all these weeks. But there's an explanation for that. In our fat cells there are 2 kinds of receptors called the alpha and beta receptors. The alpha receptors tell your body to store fat rather than burn it. The beta receptors encourage your body to burn off those nasty fat cells. Males have the highest number of alpha cells within our bellies and love handles. That's why the last place we often lose fat is in those places. The key is staying consistent and believing in the process. Plateaus are completely normal and are to be expected.
Remember: it takes years to get out of shape. Don't expect to undo it in weeks or even months. It's a marathon, people. Slow and steady wins the race. If you're in a caloric deficit, do regular weight training, get enough sleep at night, watch your nutrition, and get in your daily steps (try for at least 6,000-8,000), you will reach your goals if you just stay with it.
Below: At the gym this afternoon getting in my steps.
Coming tomorrow: How's Your "Daily Gospel Workout"?