Cyclic Weight Maintenance Patterns and Reversing a Small Trend- my Weight Maintenance GOLD May 2017

So, I noticed a bit of a weight gain trend from the end of April 2017 until the first week or two May 11, 2017. There are many reasons for this, nothing for me to get upset or spin my brain out about, or drop everything and eat all my old binge foods.

Kudos to FitBit for adding a blue trend line to their data. Brilliant!

Not losing my mind is key:  It took me about 5-10 minutes a week to take a peek at a few graphs, think about a plan. That's it no going back, no massive ruminating but planning with actions (we all have planned with no actions!), knowing I might level out or the scale might increase.

Now taking action, say cooking and doing dishes, moving 60 minutes a day, gym 2X week,  that is the time consuming part of weight maintenance, in my opinion.

Doesn't matter, it's data, I plan, record, move on, evaluate, re-plan. THIS is my gold. 

Weight Trend early May 2017

I'm still within my Best Weight 2017 of 113-116 lbs ( my BMI is hanging right around 21.6- 21.9 for reference).  No big deal now, however awareness on getting level averages will be key for me staying in my best range for June 2017.

Here's my personal GOLD of Weight Maintenance: The best practice of finding my root causes and making small adjustments to current food, lifestyle, and food sober living choices. In May 2011, I knew there were others who could stay in weight maintenance and I told myself I would be one of them, in a best me sort of way.

Now that I've repeated my best practices over 5 years, I'm finding it easier and easier to take 2-3 weeks, assess, experiment, and move onto other things. I can make a few educated decisions based on trend lines alone.

April 27, 2017 to May 27, 2017 All leveled out

I don't have to stay stuck trending upwards- beyond my best weight, I can level out and then either stay at level or reverse the trend to loss.  Holding onto level is pure GOLD. Once I get too high with my weight, well my 40 years of obesity fat cells start to take on a life of their own and a less than optimal .  Food sobriety is a daily gift I give myself, so there's that, too.

A. Why is there a trend?  I can guess for April and May 2017

Normal fluctuations, curious self experiments, and a bold re-test of a prior binge food

1. Natural, cyclic nature of Weight Maintenance= normal (cyclic natures = respect!)

2. Self experiments around NOT 17:7 fasting before a blood draw = curious (great data! learned a lot)

3. Self experiments with 4 grams of Macadamia nuts, 3 days in a row. (prior binge food) = re-testing theory  (ALL the nopes!!! I cannot eat even a smidge of prior binge foods)

B. Can I get leveled out and see a flat line? Yep! Okay, mission accomplished. I'm still within my Best Weight range, so that's what I'm looking for in maintenance patterns.  It's normal for me to have a wave pattern.

In general, cyclic patterns happen all the time in nature.

C. Can I sustain the level line?, or am I about to Pivot higher? Corkskrew? (see Dr. Berkeley's post)

Well next month will tell. I get what I get and I don't throw a fit. It's data, I just keep going and try something else.

Jan 1, 2017 to May 27, 2017- those normal cycles

For a very, very small time investment, AND taking a fair amount of daily action- Paleo/LCHF- probably Keto some days. Bringing my own lunch, getting out to walk, some strength training and HIIT here or there... I can have what I promised myself I wanted for life, a normal weight. I never thought I could get my best weight, but that's what practice and honesty and very frankly- Food Sober Living gave me.

Owning my own data in weight maintenance. Not letting me get me. Staying Food Sober without a relapse.  Lapses, yeah, they happen.

What is working in the late Spring 2017

1. Plotting my data each day with easy to use digital tools, Fitbit, My Fitness Pal, Apple Health, Heads Up Health

2. Looking at graphs 5 minutes each week, taking ACTION on the results.

3. Paleo/Low Carb, sometimes Keto, cyclic. Keeping my 17:7 fasting most days.

4. Not letting me get me- AKA- food sober living, while taking a reasonable risk here or there.

What did not work in the past:

1. Not using the right tools for weight maintenance, skipping weigh ins at WW to hide (wasn't effective, nor was counting points!)

2. Not having a graph meant I could not look at it and I wouldn't have to do the work of weight maintenance.

3. Low fat, calorie counting did not work for me past the age of 35.

4. I rather liked the food high that I had cycling in my life, that was kind of fun, until it started to hurt physically and mentally. Ouch.

Okay, here's to finding your own personal GOLD in weight maintenance. Your plans and tracking will vary. There's no one way, but probably 2-3 that will be more effective. Onward,  constructive comments are welcome.