(This post shows up a little better on my blog because I can intersperse pics with the narrative, so posting the link in case it's easier to see there: http://sleevers.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/when-it-comes-to-weight-loss-trends-matter/)

I woke up a little anxious today. I’ve been obsessing about this whole weight loss thing. I’m counting calories, Protein, carbs obsessively. I’m so hungry that I’m hangry (hungry + angry). I’m worrying about whether I’m eating too many calories even though I’ve stayed under 800 calories. Every half pound up or down on the scale is driving me crazy and I’m taking it personally.

So I decided to do what I do best, which is to look for trends in numbers and to use numbers to tell a story. There are three pictures below.

The most depressing is to look at my weight over 7 days. Oh, see the stalls! Oh woe is me! Clearly I’m failing! oh no! I cut 85% of my stomach out and I’m failing!

I take a deep breath and look at my 30-day trends. Hmm, maybe it’s okay? I still see those flat lines that look like stalls. I dunno. But hey at least I see some drops. It’s looking a bit better.

But I wonder what it looks like at 90 days? After all, I’m in this for the long haul and so perhaps I should have a longer-term perspective. So let’s look at a 90-day trend.

Whoa! What do you know! All I see are steady declines. I don’t see the stalls that much anymore. Rather what I see is a line that consistently goes down. Perhaps I’m doing okay after all. I now see a trend line that is reassuring, that is different from what I’ve achieved before, and that I believe will continue for a while.

Now to keep this perspective throughout the week ahead and not get frustrated. I need to do this because I'm driving myself (and my husband) nuts.

What does your trend line look like? If you're on MFP or any other app tracking your weight, do this and see for yourself. Would love to see them posted so we understand that success isn't a straight line down, it's a line that generally trends downwards.

diligence without obsession is how I feel. I gave up tracking on NUT advice and it came thru the long haul. I was a pro dieter and it didn't really work. Lifestyle change...that's the winning ticket

Diligence without obsession. I'm stealing that phrase for my new motto. I did see one of your posts where you said you and your NUT had decided it wasn't working for you, and that was on my mind as I was going through this.

Oddly the past two days where I've just eaten when I'm hungry and refused to analyze or obsess, I've eaten less. Go figure.

Gamergirl, when i stopped tracking my rate of loss increased. Idk if I ate more or less.

I do a mental count of Protein only.

Portion control but no grazing.

No junky carbs

It worked for me

Gamergirl' date=' when i stopped tracking my rate of loss increased. Idk if I ate more or less. I do a mental count of protein only. Portion control but no grazing. No junky carbs It worked for me[/quote']

I am quite good at only weighing on Wednesdays,but I need to use MFP to work out how much protein is in things. I have totally given up on getting more than 400 or 500 calories and do my best with liquids. I understand why Gamer gets obsessed though seeing that's her job. Also I have not been given any goals re Carbs, cals or protein yet which makes it difficult to obsess too much. I think I will get goals at 12 weeks. Who knows? Shrugs.

Gamer i forgot to add.another few of my eatung rules. minimize Protein bars due tocarbs...kicked up my weight loss when i stopped buying Quest bars.

Protein sources should provide at least 10g protein per hundred calories, if not better.

I do eat eat fruit but focus on berries and other low GI choices. Dont eat my holy trinity of faves foods - bread taters and ice cream. I could and have eaten them with abandon as they are my desert island foods..haha

I do believe tracking is an effective tool for many but it was basically lifetime of dieting trauma for me.

Gamer i forgot to add.another few of my eatung rules. minimize Protein bars due tocarbs...kicked up my weight loss when i stopped buying Quest bars.

Protein sources should provide at least 10g protein per hundred calories' date=' if not better.

I do eat eat fruit but focus on berries and other low GI choices. Dont eat my holy trinity of faves foods - bread taters and ice cream. I could and have eaten them with abandon as they are my desert island foods..haha

I do believe tracking is an effective tool for many but it was basically lifetime of dieting trauma for me.[/quote']

Try DETOUR Protein Bars, get them @ Vitamin world or GNC best bars out there.

Gamergirl' date=' when i stopped tracking my rate of loss increased. Idk if I ate more or less. I do a mental count of Protein only. Portion control but no grazing. No junky carbs It worked for me[/quote']

I do know that my brain is more at peace over the last couple of days with simply writing down and moving on. I don't eat junky carbs, and I'm early enough out that I can only do 2-3 oz so it's not like I can really go overboard.

The only carbs I've had since surgery are a bit of sweet potato once in a whole when I feel extra tired, and half a bag of 100 calorie popcorn that I share with my husband from time to time.

I was thinking about what you'd said about being a professional dieter. So was I. The only problem is that I was a very UNSUCCESSFUL dieter! I forget that part! All my tracking and counting and measuring never got me there. Now I have the sleeve. Maybe it's time to learn new behaviors, ones that actually work rather than drive me bat sh/t.

I take 2 days off about every other week tracking food. It helps me out a lot.

I take 2 days off about every other week tracking food. It helps me out a lot.

Oh that's a good idea! Especially if one does it in the middle of the week, when there's woke, kids schools etc to distract us, that would work.

Oh that's a good idea! Especially if one does it in the middle of the week' date=' when there's woke, kids schools etc to distract us, that would work.[/quote']

I definitely use my "relax" days during the week when things are super busy. I try to make sure Im being good those two days, but overall the goal is to try not to obsess. Im to the point that the scale is about to be hidden from me lol That is my next project on not obsessing lol Best of luck BTW I started tracking again today and Im down 2.5lbs from Tuesday morning when I stopped tracking

Im certainly not saying don't track though. I absolutely have to keep myself accountable. I am a lucky one that can eat junk in a limited amount, as long as I keep account of it. My mind otherwise likes that junk to "disappear" and then I magically can still can more junk ::rolls eyes::