Week Two Muddle Through

The Week 2 "Curse"

A spectacle made known through reality T.V.

Anyone who has ever watched "Biggest Loser" has observed the phenomenon known as the "Week 2 Curse". For those who haven't ever watched the show, it refers to the tendency of all of the contestants on the show to not have very good results on during week 2 of their weight loss efforts, despite trying every bit as hard as they did on week 1.  Of course, "not very good results" is relative, on the show, someone losing 5 pounds in a single week was looked at as a failure, while in the eyes of most of us OFF the show, 5 pounds in a week is awesome.

For me, I can't really say I've experienced the week 2 curse in the same way.  Whenever I've tried to lose weight, providing that I stick with my plan, the second week doesn't usually go as well as the first, but I haven't really seen it bring awful results.

I experience the predicament of week 2 differently.

Instead, what I often notice in week 2 of any healthy eating plan, is that I have more of a tendency to delude myself and make excuses to not stay on plan by not keeping track, eating something I know will put me over my calorie limit for the day, or more likely, to do all of both of those things simultaneously.

This week was no exception, twice this week I binged. Both times I failed to track what I was eating while it was happening. Both times I went back and did my best to record the calories after the fact, and I think I came pretty close to accuracy.

Unacknowledged, or unrecognized emotions.

I've done a lot of thinking, and I know exactly why I starting binge eating the first time. Something was troubling me and I didn't acknowledge the feeling or even attempt to deal with it. Instead I just ate. The second time I really don't know what happened, but I also note that the second time was much more controlled than the first, yes, I ate more than I should have, but I did know exactly how much I ate, even though I waited until I was through to record it.  Perhaps the second time can't really be called a binge, but was rather just an incident of overeating.

Anyway, the first time happened after I took my old dog Spunky for a long walk.  I have only recently started walking him again, and he is old and out of shape. He has some arthritis, and a bad knee, but he still enjoys his walks immensely, the problem is that he doesn't always know what is good for him, he will walk a long distance if I let him, and then when we turn around to head home he struggles to make it back.  He really needs me to look out for him in that way, and turn around soon enough to get him home before he is worn out.

Well, that day, I failed him.  I went to far with him.  On the route back he lagged way behind on the end of of his retractable leash, and by the time we got home he was limping, not just on his back leg with the bad knee, but on one of his front legs as well.  I observed all of this, but rather than acknowledge it or deal with how I felt I just sat around feeling vaguely agitated and eventually started eating.  When I had eaten enough that I started to feel not so good physically, I stopped, and it was only after stopping that I finally became aware of what I was actually feeling.  It was these unacknowledged emotions that had driven me to start binge eating.

The first emotion was guilt.  Guilt that I've neglected walking Spunky for so long that he's in such bad shape, guilt that I didn't turn around with him sooner like he needs, but instead kept walking further even though I know he isn't ready for that, and at his age may never be.  The second feeling I felt was worry, worry that with Spunky getting so much older, I know its only a matter of time before I will have to have him put down.  Right now, as long as I am careful not to overdo it with him, and as long as he gets his medication, he is okay and not really in a lot of pain, but he's a 13 year old lab mix, so I know that his time is short, and this is a source of stress to me.  Its not only that I don't want to lose him, its also that I don't want to have to make the decision of when. I have to somehow decide when his life no longer holds enough pleasure to be worth living, and that is really hard. It would be much easier if he were to just pass peacefully in sleep one night, but it looks more and more like I will probably have to make the call, and I am just not sure when that time should be.

The second time I overate was different, I did feel agitation, but I never did put my finger on what was bothering me that time.  I did put the brakes on on sooner, and kept better track of what I ate, but I never did manage to identify exactly what I was feeling, or what it was about. So in this case it was unrecognized emotions that started me going.

Week 2 Stats

Not bad for weight loss.

Week 2 really didn't go too badly as far as weight loss goes.  I started the week at 277 pounds, I ended the week at 272, which is a 5 pound loss for week, a 14.1 pound loss since the beginning of the year, and 19 pounds down from my highest weight.

Good progress on blood pressure

For the first time in a very long time my blood pressure is in the "normal" range. This morning was 121/83, at one point this week it was 117/79. Its finally out of the "hypertension" range, and is into the normal range, or sometimes just barely above it. 

Daily Log

Monday, January 8th

Calories Consumed: 1905

Active calorie burn: 444

Net Calories: 1461  (41 net calories over goal, but not too bad)

Exercise: Walking about 125 minutes,  about 5.14 miles

Tuesday, January 9th

Calories Consumed: 1602

Active calorie burn: 299

Net Calories: 1303

Exercise: Walking about 60 minutes, about 2.33 miles

Wednesday, January 10th

Calories Consumed: 3,202

Active Calorie Burn: 330

Net Calories: 2,872

Exercise: Walking about 93 minutes, about 3.77 miles

Thursday January 11th

Calories Consumed: 1507

Active Calorie burn: 321

Net Calories: 1186

Exercise: Walking about 88 minutes, about 3.85 miles

Friday January 12th

Calories Consumed: 2515

Active Calorie burn: 331

Net Calories: 2184

Exercise: Walking about 71 minutes, about 3.06 miles

Saturday, January 13th

Calories Consumed: 1545

Active Calorie Burn: 298

Net Calories: 1247

Exercise: Walking about 96 minutes, about 3.69 miles.

Sunday, January 14th

Calories Consumed: 1723

Active Calorie Burn: 303

Net Calories: 1420

Exercise: Walking about 85 minutes, about 3.43 miles.

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