Week 38 - It is what it is

Stats:  0 lb
Ave Cal Burn:  2303
Ave Cal Consumed:  1303
Ave Cal Balance:  1000


That's a regular saying at work, "It is what it is."  It's a great way to sum up the fact that, despite our best efforts, despite what we really want to happen, there are circumstances and obstacles in our way that will prevent it from being what we want it to be.  It just is what it is.  And that is what my weigh-loss journey is right now.

I'm philosophical about it right now.  What else can I do?  Is there really something wrong with me?  How can I be having 1000 calorie deficits and not lose any weight?  If this were just one week - well, I've had them in the past, I am fine as long as my average is still a loss.  But this week after week, it makes you crazy.  There must be something I'm not doing right, right?  I go on-line - most people would say I'm not eating enough, but that's just not true.  I mix it up a lot.  Yesterday I had 2164 calories - almost 200 over what I burned.  That doesn't happen every week, but I definitely have a 1800-1900 day once a week, and I'm not going hungry.  If I get hungry, I eat something.  I just try to make it a healthy snack like fruit or yogurt.  I really am eating enough, that I feel in my bones.

So, am I eating too much?  Could both my eating and my burn be off enough so that I'm basically in maintenance mode?  So, say my average cal consumed is off by 200 calories - bringing it this week to 1503 and burn is off 300 calories, bringing it to 2000, that's still an average balance of -500 calories a day (or 1lb for the week).  I could see being off another couple hundred calories on the food (it's so hard to be precise unless you eat the same thing every day), but I don't think it would be every day.  As far as the accuracy of the BodyMedia monitor, well, it does have some other inaccuracies, but it's been very consistent with the burn.  It seems to adjust up or down and accurately monitor my workouts.  The only thing that I have noticed is that it doesn't record my weight/isometric exercising after my cardio as physical activity.  I'm ok with that as long as it is recording my calories that I'm burning correctly.  I know that I often break a sweat with those workouts.

So, I will continue to ponder, and I'll continue to just say, "it is what it is"  there are areas where I could be more restrictive, but I need to have a manageable life - this has to be part of my life, so I may give up progress for reasonableness.  I hope I can still get to my goal close to when I wanted to.  I know now that I won't be down 50 in 50 weeks, but I do know that when I turn 50, I will be feeling much better about myself, and I will look better, and I will be a better me.  And that is what it is.