Let’s start with the bad news: I am up again, and the rate increased, going from 0.9 pounds in November to 1.6 pounds in December. This is clearly not the way a weight loss trend should progress.
But when I look at the overall month, I do notice something that suggests it’s not as bad as it looks. On December 26, my weight suddenly jumped 1.1 pounds to a monthly high of 172.9 pounds, which was anomalous for the month. I dropped 1.8 pounds after this and if I had started that drop at the day-before weight of 171.8 pounds, I would have ended up with a monthly weight gain of 0.5 pounds, an increase small enough to be a rounding error.
Is this a bunch of rationalization? Yes! But it’s also accurate. And even 1.6 pounds is small enough that I could lose it in a few days.
What I’m saying is that I think I may finally have my weight loss more under control, and just in time for the new year.
First a couple of monthly stats:
| Date | Weight | Body fat | Body water | Muscle mass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 1 | 169.5 pounds | 24.7% | 54.9% | 30.2 kg |
| Dec. 31 | 171.1 pounds | 25.4% | 54.5% | 30.3 kg |
I gained a tiny bit of muscle, but also 0.7% of body fat, like I thought I was a bear getting ready to hibernate. Still, nothing too horrible.
Toward the end of the month, I really did improve on snacking and so for 2024 my goal will remain the same, to get to 150 pounds. At my current weight, that would mean losing 1.75 pounds per month (about 0.43 pounds per week), which seems reasonable and possible. And yet!
I started the year at 164.2 pounds and ended it at 171.1 pounds, so I gained 6.9 pounds, an average gain of about half a pound per month. From that perspective, it doesn’t look too bad. And in fact, here’s a fun change: My muscle mass went from 29.7 kg to 30.3 kg, so I did actually put on a little muscle. Woo.
We’ll see what 2024 brings. Hopefully not donuts.
Weight: January 1, 2023: 164.2 pounds Current: 171.1 pounds Year to date: Up 6.9 pounds December 1: 168.3 pounds December 31: 169.2 pounds (up 0.9 pounds) Body fat: December 1: 24.7% December 31: 25.4% (up 0.7%) Skeletal muscle mass: December 1: 30.2% December 31: 30.3% (up 0.1%) Body water: December 1: 54.9% December 31: 54.5% (down 0.4%) Historical: January 1, 2022: 182.8 pounds
