QUESTION: I am forever dieting, between small losses and big gains.
Each morning I weigh myself, but the scale never reflects the effort I felt I put in the day before, even going up after a day when I practically fasted.
Why can't I be like the girl in the ad in the paper and on TV?
ANSWER: The weight never seems to drop as fast as we would like it to; and even the reminder that the weight, which represents years of over eating, can't be lost overnight doesn't help much.
No matter what the fad diets offer, the simple fact is that the body must burn between 3000 and 3500 calories more than it receives through eating for you to lose a pound.
Your daily caloric need, the amount you burn by daily activities, will vary as it reflects your weight, age and the amount of physical activity you perform. Sorry, mental work doesn't count, or there would be a great many skinny folks around.
The morning scale weigh, in addition to the benefit of helping you track your progress, does have a negative side as well.
Frequently you may be discouraged as you see a weight gain, when the previous day was one of great self control and food restriction.
This may be a reflection of the amount of salt you ingested, for the salt provokes water retention, and leads to the message from your scale.
Many home electronic scales can only show weight in pounds, and can not reflect a loss of less than a whole pound from the previous day's weigh in, though you may have made important progress.
As for the gal in the ad, why do you suppose she is there? Few people achieve those extreme results, and you will realize your goals if you persist and are patient.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
