Been feeling pretty discouraged the last week recognizing I likely wouldn't make my goal. I still tried, but weighed in today having lost 2.3% instead of the required 3%.
I originally comforted myself with the knowledge that if I continue on this course, I will at least win rounds 4 and beyond. But I wanted to win them all, so I'm still disappointed.
The hardest part for me in this is how dedicated I have been to my weight loss this month. I have measured all my food and meticulously tracked my calories to ensure I would win. In some ways it's comforting to feel like I've done a good job -- "I guess this is just the fastest I can lose weight" as an excuse to dismiss accountability... it comes with a feeling of helplessness because I dont know what I could have done differently that isn't moving into unhealthy deprivation territory.
So today I got out a spreadsheet to really try to problem solve what went wrong. After some careful analysis and consideration (and some research), I realised I was overestimating the calories I burn doing hot yoga. I just used the default on my fitness pal but scientific research doesn't support those estimates. With that in mind, I actually did lose close to the amount that would be expected given what I've consumed and done... There were also a lot more days i went "just a bit over" that mattered more than I would have thought when combined with this (my calorie goal was actually set to try to lose 4% as a safety net).
I feel SO MUCH better now knowing what happened and how I can improve moving forward - dont be afraid to sit down with a critical eye at your behaviour/method to make a plan to do better if you haven't made your goal, even if you think you're doing everything right. Knowledge is power!
If you did make your goal -- congratulations!
