Weight Loss Experiment 3

We are a third of the way through.  I have lost 1.3% or 2.5 pounds of fat, which is on pace for 4% total and 7.5 pounds of fat loss.  I have gained 1.5 pounds of non-fat tissue, which can be water weight or lean muscle mass.  I’m not bloated like after the pizza, beer, Doritos night, so I am inclined to bet it is healthy tissue. 

Not too bad so far, but short of my projected goal of 5% bodyfat…which was just a number I tossed out off the top of my head.  If muscle does increase resting metabolic rate, however, I am burning more calories at rest, so, in theory, the weight loss should accelerate.  Only time will tell.  

Lesson of the day.  If you poll 3 people and find 2 out of 3 exercise, does that mean 2/3rds of the population exercises?  No…of course not.  You actually learned nothing of statistical significance.  Why?  Because the population of the study is too small.  The point is…if you want to become resourceful and accumulate wisdom, you have to stick to your plan long enough to allow for statistical significance to kick in.  

In the first 5 days of this program, I gained fat and pounds.  I stuck with the program.  If I had quit at that point and decided that the program wasn’t working, I would have learned nothing to be more resourceful in making choices in the future.  In fact, I may have become less resourceful, because I was coming to a conclusion based on insignificant data.  

Do you try something new, and decide it isn’t working too soon?  Do you change too many variables to assess what is working or not working?  Do you have a clear method of determining if your current experiment is working or failing?  

Life is an experiment.  Notice your non-preferences.  Ours was fitness levels.  Choose a plan.  Ours was nourishing our bodies with high quality natural meds and an increase in activity.  Notice the results…and allow time for statistical significance.  So far, my results are positive.  After sufficient time, change another variable if you still don’t prefer the results.  

Here’s a motto we are working on with our kids.  “If you aren’t getting what you want, try a different approach.”  

And always be curious.