Hormones and Weight Loss Success: No April Fool's Joke

Fluctuating hormones can have a HUGE impact on our weight loss success...and that is no April Fool's Day joke...although it sure can feel like a bad joke...

Sometimes we feel fat, bloated, ugly, and overly emotional...but the scale won't reflect a significant change. Other times the scale WILL agree with our feelings. Still other times, the scale will indicate that we have gained weight even though we don't feel like we have.

This is one reason that I don't weigh myself very often...the number on the scale just doesn't mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.

No matter what the scale says, it can be discouraging however to believe you have been doing everything you can to increase your health only to try on your jeans and have to suck in your stomach to get them on...or feel like they are cutting you in half when you sit down!

It is important to realize that women do have fluctuating hormones that will change how and where they retain water...and what we crave to eat...and our energy level and moods.

In the past, I would use sugar and caffeine to artificially boost my energy level when I felt the fatigue set in. Some days this was the afternoon energy dip (you know, about 3:30) but other times it was present all day long.

What I have learned on this weight loss journey...well, learned maybe isn't the right word...it is something I have discovered, but don't always remember!...is that the better I treat my body the more even my hormone levels are. And the more level they are, the less I feel the fatigue and emotional roller coaster.

That doesn't mean I never feel it! I only wish!!! This last week I have been really suffering...my joints were aching...I was feeling hugely fat...even my "fat jeans" were feeling tight...I was crying for no reason and I looked in the mirror and didn't like what I saw.

Instead of reaching for food to soothe my feelings, I focused on my mindset because I knew that was the key to losing 125 pounds in the first place!...here is what I did:

EVALUATION
I took a good look at what I was eating and drinking. Was I truly being conscious about my choices, or was I slipping into some old behaviors that were less healthy choices?

DECISION
I decided to succeed: I reaffirmed that I desire and deserve a healthy, energetic and slender body...and to do that I had to I would focus on my mind, my attitude, and loving myself

ACTION
Mixing up my exercise has been great...the weather is wonderful and so I have been walking in the fresh air with a buddy who helps me to keep up a good pace, while enjoying the beauty around me.

REST
Rather than pushing through or grabbing stimulants to make it through the day, I actually allowed myself to rest. Amazing concept...but for a person who has always tended to push through the pain no matter what this is STILL a big challenge for me...to recognize that maybe my body just needs a little rest. So yesterday afternoon I actually laid down for a nap--something I almost never do. I must have needed it, because what I thought would be 20 minutes turned into 3 hours! I went to bed early last night and slept until 6am. Like I said, I guess I needed it.

THE RESULT
After a few days of renewed awareness of my eating and a good rest yesterday, I woke up feeling 100% better and like I had lost 10 pounds over night. I didn't weigh myself before or after, but I put on my "skinny jeans" fresh out of the laundry and hurray--they fit & feel great!

THE LESSON
Be kind and loving to yourself.
Be willing to step back and reassess what you are doing.
Remain conscious about what you put in your mouth.
Recommit to your decision that you are worthy of health.
Rest when you are tired.

Don't stress about it--because if you do these things then "this to will pass!"