Where did those pounds come from?  Every veteran dieter knows the depression that comes from seeing hard-fought fat reappear like a recurring nightmare.  It takes so long and such diligence to rid ourselves of those unwanted bulges, and it seems they come back without any help at all.

Sometimes the reason is obvious.  I just got back from a cruise. Enough said.  Other times there seems to be no rhyme or reason for weight to fly back on.  Actually, though, there are reasons.  Perhaps it is water weight. Sometimes even a heavy exercise day can cause your muscles to hold extra water for a day or two.  It’s maddening to see the numbers on the scale go up when you worked especially hard, but the numbers can be misleading.  You are getting where you want to be — stronger, more fit, and healthier.  What do the numbers mean?  Not a thing.

If you keep gaining on a consistent basis, though, or can’t seem to lose at all, it’s time to do a re-evaluation of what you are eating and how much you are moving.  Get out the food diary and start keeping track of what you eat and when.  Measure your food. It may be your portions are too big and you are overeating, even though you are only eating healthy food.  You CAN get too much of a good thing!

Maybe you are moving more, but still not enough.  Wear your pedometer and track your steps.  Perhaps it’s time to figure out how to get more motion into your life.

Are you drinking enough water?  Dehydration can slow your weight loss to a stop.  Your auto-pilot thinks you are in a desert and conserves the water diligently in your ankles and your face.

Fat doesn’t just randomly fly around and land on you when you aren’t looking.  You aren’t a victim here.  Take note of what you are doing and figure out what you need to do.  You are the one in control of your body — not the other way around!

Eating to live and living for Christ,

Susan Jordan Brown