I recorded a video for my YouTube channel yesterday (I’ll post it below) that I thought would translate pretty well into a blog as well (plus, I’m going to add some bonus pictures that aren’t in the video just for my awesome blog readers). For those who would rather watch vs. read (or watch and read), here is the video:
Now…let’s talk about bloating.
This experiment was inspired by one of my favorite YouTubers, Natacha Océane, who recorded what a normal day of bloating and scale fluctuations look like for her. Now, there are a few differences between Natacha and myself…
…have you spotted them?
I’ll give you a minute.
…
Just in case you can’t tell from this photo, Natacha is in her 20s, has never been obese, and has never had a child — three pretty big differences between the two of us!
I loved her honest portrayal so much, though, that I wanted to provide my own showing my different body type. So, that’s what I did!
Now, if you watch the video, you’ll hear all about how difficult this day wound up being for me. I struggle pretty hard with watching the scale and my body fluctuate. I am hoping that this experiment will help to remind me that these are very fickle things that fluctuate wildly, and there’s no need or reason to change anything just because of minor fluctuations like this.
Now, the experiment…
Method!
I “measured” as soon as I woke up, after my run, after lunch, before bed, and when I woke up again this morning.
I took two sets of photos/video: my abs relaxed vs. my abs flexed (not that you can see them, haha).
I also weighed myself.
What I Ate
Pre-run: espresso with some creamer
Breakfast: protein pancakes w/ extra protein powder, peanut butter chips, coffee w/ creamer
Lunch: half of a buffalo ranch salad kit with a beef pattie on top, sweet potato chips, sour gummies
Dinner: a bowl of cereal with 2% milk, blueberries, and a yogurt
Snacks: lunch meat (turkey), crackers, pickles, protein bar, decaf coffee with creamer
How I Worked Out
5-mile short run
Results!
Here are the weights:
I was 140.2 when I woke up, 138.8 after my 5-mile run, 140.8 after lunch, and 140.8 before bed.
I woke up at 139.6 this morning.
Abs Relaxed Photos
This morning:
Abs Flexed Photos!
This morning:
Conclusion!
Bloat is normal, the scale fluctuates a lot throughout the day and day-to-day, and these things are not something to worry about. I thought, at first, that I bloat up “bigger” than others because of the elasticity in my stomach area, but I’m honestly not sure that’s true now. I think I’m just much more critical of myself!
Also, on a personal note, yes, I have legitimately gained a couple pounds in the last couple of months. I actually had lost about 4-5 pounds when I went on a short-term, idiotic diet, but my body composition test told me that all I’d managed to do was lose muscle & water & freak my body out so that it was holding onto fat for dear life. So, I stopped dieting, got back on the intuitive eating train, and re-gained the weight within 3 weeks. My next body composition test is next week, and I’m hoping to see that I have my muscle (water) back.
Personal Note
This was a really hard experiment for me, and I am feeling all sorts of anxious about putting it out there. I’m definitely struggling with body image a lot these days – more, I think, than I was even before I started exercising.
That said, the exercise is going amazingly well! I continue to see gains in my strength and endurance, and I want that to be all that matters — I at least want it to matter more than a stupid number on a scale. I hope, some day, this is true for me.
Can Anybody Hear Me? 