Another Example of Why the DoD is a Big Fat Liar!

If you don't know what the DoD is then check out this post.

Since February I have lost 13 pounds. Not too bad, but not too impressive either. Now here is where the DoD can make great progress seem not so great.

At my lowest weight of recent years I was 185 in 2005 and had JUST gotten into a 16W. This 16W was not the most comfortable in the world but it fit and I was happy! I hadn't been in a 16W since before my oldest son was born. It was a great milestone! Just 5 pounds earlier, at 190, I was in a comfortable 18W. I went to the gym; I did a lot of yoga, pilates, elliptical and machines. I was a gym rat. I was there everyday for at least an hour but usually closer to 2 hours. I loved the gym and all was well and good.

Then life struck and my 2 hour a day gym habit and obsessive Weight Watchers point counting went out the window. I gained back 50 of the 70 pounds I had lost.

Fast forward to today. I am currently in a snug but comfortable 18 Misses (and if you don't know, 18W and 18Misses are totally different sizes, misses are less hip-y). I workout 3 to 4 days a week doing heavy lifting and kettlebell work. The closest thing I get to cardio work (other then my kettlebells) is walking the dog each night. I spend 30 - 40 minutes on each workout session, sometimes splitting the session into two 15 - 20 minute workouts if scheduling is an issue. Now I count carb grams instead of points, far less math involved!

So it would appear that I am in a similar position as I was in 2005, almost in a 16W. One might assume that my weight is similar also. That is where the real deception of the DoD becomes apparent. Today I stepped on the scale and it read 221.8. Almost 32 pounds heavier than the last time I wore the same size clothes. Thirty-two pounds is no slight discrepancy; it is huge!

I came to this realization after pulling out all of my old clothes. In there were the first shirts we had made for our business. (The beginning of my past downfall.) I can almost wear these shirts! I am getting back into the wardrobe that I was snuggly in when I was more than 30 pounds lighter. So the less than friendly numbers on the scale do not show the true measure of the progress I have made in the short 6 months since restarting my journey towards a healthy life.

If you want to see just how much progress 12 pounds can make take a look at my most recent progress pictures. I have a hard time seeing my own progress sometimes but even I saw the difference!

I think this is an excellent example of why no one should measure their progress with the scale alone.

It is also a great example of what weight lifting and kettlebells can do for a person!