The Great Balancing Act
Hi guys! I’m in a bit of a pickle with all the tasks of setting up a new home during the holiday season, so I have a couple special posters this week helping me out. Hopefully this will help me to at least stay sane while I navigate The Great Balancing Act that is life! I think you are really going to enjoy this post by my lovely friend Susan!
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Hello Thinspired fans!! My name is Susan, and I’m from a little blog called The Great Balancing Act. Poor Lara is tied up trying to find a place to call home, so I’ve come to lend a hand over here on her internet home!
Lara was one of the first “bloggie friends” I made when I started blogging almost exactly one year ago. I was immediately drawn to her blog because I saw we shared many of the same struggles. We both lost a similar amount of weight through calorie counting, and have since been trying to figure out how to go from that “diet” mind set to a more regular one.
I’m actually a big supporter of calorie counting. For someone like me, it was a huge wake up call and an integral part to my weight loss success. Before, I had no idea what calories were, how many I should be eating, or how many I was actually eating. Once I got it all figured out, I found it was quite easy to do the math everyday, still eat yummy foods, and watch the extra pounds fall off.
Yes, the weight loss part was actually the easy part. This maintenance thing however is a whole other ball game.
During my weight loss, I weighed myself every Friday morning. There was never a week the scale didn’t fall. I was a classic case of just eating too much for my activity level. Tweaking the calories with the addition of a little extra movement was all it took. Once I was 5 lbs within my goal weight, I decided to start slowly increasing my calories to my maintenance-range. And for the first time, I watched the scale creep up. At first, I freaked out. I’d become so accustomed to watching it fall every week, I thought I was doomed to being chubby for the rest of my life.
However, everything I read seemed to say the opposite. It seems I may have slashed my calories a little too much – to about 1400 a day not including exercise. This was not enough for my body, and led to my feeling weak, dizzy and cranky. When you’re in too much of a calorie deficit, it’s normal to see an artificial gain when you increase your calories again.
So I did what any reasonable person would – I threw out my scale. Yup! I didn’t want it messing with my head or eating habits anymore. I’d gone from a chubby person who obsessed about eating too much food, to a thinner person who obsessed about eating too less of it. I didn’t step on another scale for four months, when I saw I reached my goal weight without it.
A few more months later I finally ditched the calorie counting. It was getting repetitive, and I was feeling confident about my food knowledge. It was an easy transition for me. I tend to eat many of the same foods, and I usually keep my meals and snacks at the same rough estimate.
At this point, I dived into triathlon training and fitness took the front seat over food for once. I ate to fuel my body, instead of fuelling my emotions. Not only did I finish that damn triathlon, but without the scale or calorie counting, I was actually 5 lbs below my goal weight!
I now go up and down between those bonus 5 lbs. Weight maintenance isn’t really maintaining one specific number, but rather a weight range. Sometimes I eat a little too much for a couple weeks and it drifts up. Others, I’m doing intense training or my hunger drops off, and it dips back down. I call this range my “happy weight.” Sure, I may not have the body I always dreamed of, but it’s one I can be happy with, while keeping some semblance of a normal life.
I think the key to finding my happy weight was when I stopped relying on so many numbers, and instead looked inward. I started eating and doing what made me feel good. I found that when I focused on being as healthy and happy as I could be, my weight just naturally followed.
That’s not to say the numbers aren’t helpful. They are. And I still use them from time to time to make sure I’m still on the right path. But sometimes, it doesn’t have to be as complicated or as stressful as we make it. Hopefully that’s something we can all remember heading into this holiday season!
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Lara-Hope you settle in and can create a home after your mega-move during the holidays…hang in there!
I honestly had no idea you were ever heavier. Now I get the “Balancing Act” name and whole bit 
Great post, thanks for the insight into your story!
Susan-even though I read your blog daily
I, too, lost weight with calorie counting and believe it’s an important first step for weight loss and just general healthier eating. So many people are just clueless and that’s why they try crazy diets that can never be sustained. Calorie counting puts everything in perspective. It took me a few years to stop counting, but I now feel like I know when I’ve overdoing it and when I being perfectly healthy. I don’t need to know the exact number of calories, as long as I stay active, eat generally healthy and enjoy treats in moderation. Great post, Susan
Lara, good luck with getting settled! Hope it goes quickly for you guys.
Thanks for sharing Susan. Your story mirrors a lot of what I went through when I was losing weight! I’m with you about throwing out the scale, I refuse to have one around anymore.
Good luck with the move, Lara!
Susan, great job finding balance. I very much like the name of your blog; I’ll be heading over there right now…
I hope things settle soon for you Lara!
The Great Balancing Act is such a great idea/concept. Susan, you look fabulous and see very healthy and happy! Congrats on your successes!
Good luck with everything, Lara! Great guest post, Susan!!
Thank you for this post. It reminds me how important exercise is and how it does help to balance so much of our life out.
Thanks for sharing your story, Susan! I completely agree that the weight range is what matters (getting focused on a specific number is way too stressful!).
Good luck with new home, Lara!
great story susan! it’s so hard to figure out the right way to maintain! i think i’ve finally figured it out and it actually ends up being just not even thinking about it haha.
thinking about you lara
thanks so much for sharing your story – I think calorie counting is really important, but at some point, enough is enough =)
great post. I have to admit though I am jealous that you kept losing so much on 1400 calories. That is more than my maintenance calories!
Great guest post! I think calorie counting is key too.
Great post Susan. It’s nice to be reminded of your journey even though I read your blog daily.
You are right- it’s a range, not a fixed number. I am always up and down those same 5 pounds…feeling happier on the bottom side and more anxious on the top end. That’s maintenance as you said. And again, you’re right- the weight LOSS was the easier part- the maint. is harder.
Lara- good luck with the search- you’ll land somewhere great soon!
GREAT story girl.. i loved reading this-very inspirational too
Good luck, dear Lara!
Thank you for sharing your story! I hope to ditch the scale altogether one day, too!
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I think you are a great example for showing that being healthy can be a totally attainable lifestyle. Congrats and keep doing what you’re doing, Shannon! You look great and full of life.
p.s. good luck with everything Lara!!!
Great post Susan. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of your before pictures. I knew you had lost weight, but I don’t know how I missed the picture.
Your advice is so true. The numbers CAN BE helpful, but that doesn’t mean we need to obsess over them. Thank you for that reminder!
I have my happy range too. On the upper end at the moment, but I KNOW it will drift back down. Trying not to step on scale. Trying not to obsess. Yeah, totally needed to read this post right now.
Geeeze, sometimes I forget that you bloggies have been around SO MUCH longer (in the blogosphere that is
) than I have. But I’m happy I know both of you ladies! Great guest post! I love Susan’s story. Very inspiring.
Andd yaay for throwing out the scale!
This is a really nice and inspiring entry Susan. It’s something I can relate to because for a while, I stopped eating rice to lose weight and ended up always tired and cranky. The scale had been a constant source of frustration. Now I realized that I can still eat rice but not gain so much as long as I watch how much (and what other food) I eat as well. Will visit your blog!
To Lara, hope you’ll get settled really soon.
- Kaith
I hope things settle down for you soon, Lara!
Susan, this is a great post! Good for you for being able to say see ya later to the scale! You look absolutely great
Hi Susan! I loved your post and I loved reading your blog too- I haven’t been very active on the blogosphere, but this guest post reminded me of how much i enjoy your story!
Great dress as well!
Good post about something people rarely talk about!! It’s HARD maintaining a steady weight, but much healthier than yo-yo-ing!
I love this post! I too count calories, but haven’t had the confidence to give that up yet. Thanks for giving us your perspective on weight maintenance – your story read very similarly to mine – especially the EEK when you started gaining again. I like the idea of a weight range.
Great post & goes to show us all that we all have to find our own way & what works for us. Some need the scale & others, it hampers.
When I was young & not so smart, I ate way too few calories & too little healthy fat. I learned the hard way & actually eat more now then in my 20’s.
I use the scale but I also use my clothes too. Age brings a whole other set of “complications”.
i am SO behind the times but so glad i finally got to read this! great post susan.
and lara, WAY pretty new photo!
Hi, just found your blog and saw something in this post that I really liked: knowing how many calories are in certain foods and sticking to those foods. I cannot currently eat intuitively and what’s kept me on track (maintaining a 75lb weight loss) is eating the same few combinations every day. For about 8 months I ate the EXACT same thing every day and didn’t count calories (had to work on TOTALLY disconnecting food from pleasure, emotions, needs, etc. and bring it back to fuel). But then I wanted to eat in season and have an occasional meal out or cook a healthy favorite (I used to be a hard-core cook!), so I started counting the calories in different foods and replacing here and there. It’s great because you can have a reasonable variety and you don’t have to count all calories (I tried that and burnt out after a while). BTW I don’t eat white flour or sugar at all. Tried to re-introduce it a few weeks ago and got derailed, ugh. It’s such an addiction.