An observation on graphing my daily weight..

.. something I do to keep me accountable (besides posting here, whether I'm up or down..) is charting my daily weight.

I have a nifty graph on the fridge, and along the side I number it in blue, red and green ink- the lbs this month range from 132 at the bottom to 147 at the top. My current "range" is in green (137-141) anything above is red, below is blue.. Along the side is the start weight of the new month- and every month now since I hit goal, that number has been lower and lower- even if my weight pops out of range for a bit, it seems to level off a bit lower by the start of the next month. *Reality check #1, I was thinking I wasn't really losing still.. but if I start every month a little lower than the month before- I am, no?

Something I've noted this month, that hasn't happened before- I have not popped out of range into the red zone, despite my average cal intake being at an all time high for me.. normally my cycle, or an off plan meal pops it up and above- this time it didn't (got close, but never hit 142.) So, either this bodes well that I may  drop a bit lower over this season (unheard of?!) or at the very least- my body has found some balance at this intake level. Usually that line is all over the place, way low to way high.. 

I'm posting this as with the abundance of holiday foods around me at the office, friends etc.. I may have a bit more than usual either in volume or in carby-variety from time to time- and that seems to sometimes trigger a feeling that I'm somehow "out of control, unbalanced".. but then I go look at my daily food log, and look at this graph and realize- I'm not out of anything, I'm finding my balance, small steps at a time. After so long on such a strict plan (a good thing, love the results).. a little variation from the norm feels like something much bigger than it is in reality. I still need these outside validations to show me that my perception of reality is still slightly skewed.

What are the things you do to keep yourself in-balance over the long-haul? What things help keep you centered, that give you the reality checks you need when you can't always trust your own feelings? 

I love your post and yes, I think you might still be losing weight.  It might be just a bit at a time, but it seems to me that your body has not fully settled yet.

I keep myself in check by weighing myself every day and insisting on being at or bellow 105 lbs. on my support group meeting day.  Checking in and posting on this site also really helps me stay accountable. But in the end, Frisco is right and it's all about the skinny jeans.  :)

I seriously need to get me a pair of those fabled skinny jeans. My skinniest jeans can be shucked off at the end of the day w/o unzipping, sad.. but kinda fun to show off to the hubs at the end of a day..

Per the measurements online on various makers- I fall smack dab between a 6 and 8 on most..my hips are square in the measurements for 6's, so those will be the ones I try first, since I know they will stretch a bit with wear..

Not to seem like a stalker, but I watch your weight here every day. You tend to have bigger daily swings and this is something that I see with my own weight. Your swings tend to trend downward. Also something that I notice with my own weight.

Thanks for posting this. I like the non-emotional approach to watching the number.

I tend to retain water, badly at times- so my losses were always tempered with big swings (gasp! gains!) If I had freaked out over every one of them I would have driven myself totally nuts by now.. instead of just slightly nuts, my usual state.

Nice process.  I've just been tracking daily on LiveStrong, but the graphing is pretty sad.  Using a more visual picture of the situation is something I preach at the office... I guess I should follow the advice!

It has helped me understand my body better in addition to keeping myself calm.. The day to day matters less than the overall trend, and for me it has to since I can gain/lose a couple pounds overnight. For instance- yesterday I was 140.3, today after not sleeping but an hour or so due to a mild head cold that seems to have developed into something a bit more.. 138.8. If this follows like the last time I got sick, that number may drop off rapidly despite eating my normal.. then it comes back.

The joys of working around little kids- apparently getting every virus that comes into the office is the norm for the new person!

Congrats on goal btw!!! It goes w/o saying- I like your approach as well!

Thanks so much! 

You're right - you are still losing.

You do seem to have a wider weight range than me overall; I had the weird experience when I was losing that while I had several stalls of up to 4 weeks, I never once until I reached goal had a swing upward of more than a pound. Not once. So the fluctuations of maintenance have been a mental adjustment for me - I'll think I've gained a little only to find out it was just an upward swing.

I do chart my weight - not manually, just by recording it in myfitnesspal.com which charts it for me - but for me the biggest thing has been continuing to log my food in advance. I find that makes me mindful of what I eat, which is the key for me. Mindless eating was a big thing in the past. It also helps now when I'm trying to keep my calories up to avoid losing more. Overall it gives me a feeling of control over my eating.