on the causes of physical changes
Dec. 19th, 2008 10:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jazzfishIt's been an item of faith with me that I dropped thirty-five pounds in 2006 by taking up running. However, it's recently come to my attention that there may have been additional factors involved. With that in mind, a list of possible reasons why I lost weight, and gained a good bit of it back.
Reason #1: I took up running
Argument for: I started running in late April, three times a week. By mid-July I'd lost a visible amount of weight.
Argument against: The weight loss continued into winter when I wasn't running anymore. Taking up running again this autumn for seven weeks had zero effect on my weight. (It has other health benefits, so it's not like I'm going to stop.)
Reason #2: I took up swimming
Argument for: I spent July and August going swimming two or three times a week in the afternoon, and swimming's more calorie-burning than running. No swimming the past two summers corresponds to no loss of weight.
Argument against: Weight loss continued after the pool closed on Labor Day.
Reason #3: I ate less
Argument for: If I'm acquiring fewer calories and burning the same amount (or more, see nos. 1 and 2), the excess has to come from somewhere. And when I left B'burg I also started eating a sandwich and cookie-snack-pack for lunch every day, instead of a restaurant meal with coworkers.
Argument against: Weight loss reversed itself over the course of 2007 and 2008. It's possible that my body just adapted back to acquiring fewer calories, I guess.
Reason #4: Stress / lack of sleep
Argument for: I spent 2006 from, let's say, Memorial Day through Columbus Day and then Thanksgiving through New Years, exceedingly stressed out. Most obviously over relationship stuff but also with moving, job-finding and -adapting, and Granddad's death. I was sleeping less than was perhaps ideal and generally burning my candle at both ends. 2007 and the first ten months of 2008 were a lot less stressful overall, and I regained much of the missing weight. Stress and five-hour nights started back up at the beginning of last month; I'm down about five pounds, and this after devouring at least one entire pie over Thanksgiving weekend. Also, historical data: when everything went pear-shaped in late March 2003, I dropped five pounds in a week.
Argument against: . . . I really don't want this to be right?
Reason #1: I took up running
Argument for: I started running in late April, three times a week. By mid-July I'd lost a visible amount of weight.
Argument against: The weight loss continued into winter when I wasn't running anymore. Taking up running again this autumn for seven weeks had zero effect on my weight. (It has other health benefits, so it's not like I'm going to stop.)
Reason #2: I took up swimming
Argument for: I spent July and August going swimming two or three times a week in the afternoon, and swimming's more calorie-burning than running. No swimming the past two summers corresponds to no loss of weight.
Argument against: Weight loss continued after the pool closed on Labor Day.
Reason #3: I ate less
Argument for: If I'm acquiring fewer calories and burning the same amount (or more, see nos. 1 and 2), the excess has to come from somewhere. And when I left B'burg I also started eating a sandwich and cookie-snack-pack for lunch every day, instead of a restaurant meal with coworkers.
Argument against: Weight loss reversed itself over the course of 2007 and 2008. It's possible that my body just adapted back to acquiring fewer calories, I guess.
Reason #4: Stress / lack of sleep
Argument for: I spent 2006 from, let's say, Memorial Day through Columbus Day and then Thanksgiving through New Years, exceedingly stressed out. Most obviously over relationship stuff but also with moving, job-finding and -adapting, and Granddad's death. I was sleeping less than was perhaps ideal and generally burning my candle at both ends. 2007 and the first ten months of 2008 were a lot less stressful overall, and I regained much of the missing weight. Stress and five-hour nights started back up at the beginning of last month; I'm down about five pounds, and this after devouring at least one entire pie over Thanksgiving weekend. Also, historical data: when everything went pear-shaped in late March 2003, I dropped five pounds in a week.
Argument against: . . . I really don't want this to be right?
