One major struggle I’ve had with weight is zig-zagging. For those that don’t know, to zig zag is to fluctuate in weight. 150, 160, 155, 165 and it’s a cycle. For the last few months, I’ve had an issue where I get to 185 pounds, and my weight starts climbing back up. I don’t really go past 190, but I’ve had a goal weight in 2011 of 180, and I get close, see it, and slip away. I feel like the Fitness version of Sisyphus. I try to analyze why this occurs, and I came up with the following:
Stopping Cardio
I usually ease up on cardio when I get to 185. Maybe that’s it. I don’t think that my calories increase when I don’t run, but maybe my body is used to the extra calories burned? I know with my body type, I need to do some cardio in order to at least maintain. So at minimum 3 days a week si necessary.
Diet
This is the easiest to point out. I know the last time I jumped up in weight was after a holiday, smh. I get bored with what I eat a lot, and need to compensate for changes in caloric intake. When I get to 185, that’s the time to really watch what I eat, lockdown, and make sure that’s not a factor.
Plateau
I thought about this as well. may be I hit a wall when I get that low, and my body reacts and pushes back. Is this the time to work twice as hard? Monitoring my progress is key more than ever.
My one fear is that when I do a maintenance diet/workout plan, my body will get comfy and go back once I reach my goal. I can’t let it happen. I know now that I have to go under 180 to maintain it (giving myself a 5lb buffer between 175 and 180 with 180 being the ceiling). Hopefully I can end the zig zag, and make constant progress in my workouts.
Any of you deal with weight fluctuations? Did you defeat it? Let me know!
This post was right on time! I do the same thing when I get within 5lbs of my goal. I don't slack off the working out, by I loosen the reins on my diet at that point when I should be tightening them. You've got me feeling motivated again so thanks! I never even considered making my goal 5lbs lower to allow for fluctuation, that's ingenuous!
Thanks Cheeky I appreciate it!
I too am feeling motivated by this. I was at a conference in DC for a week a recently and my weight is back up past my goal. Why? I ate too much and excercised too little. That 5 pound fluctuation is real. I always cut back on the white carb based calories and that usually helps get me back to goal. I have Caribana in a couple weeks so I am upping the cardio time as well.
Yeah Carabana in a few weeks! You shouldve came last year BP!!
Yall motivate me man! 4 real!!
I don't know why this happens. I've been floating between 145 to 160. 160 was the highest I ever reached then it'd go down to 150… 155… then 158…154…155… I dunno what it is. Working on Insanity still and *cries* Caribana plans with my cousin & fam are out the window. So I kinda lost some motivation
But keep at it Streetz!! We got you. You can do it. So can I. *sigh*