It struck me today as I stepped on the scale and found that I’d lost 3 lbs; weight loss is like an avalanche. Very rarely in my experience does weight drop steadily. Sure, if you look at a trend over weeks and months, the weight will come off pretty steadily if you do the work and follow the plan, but day-to-day, weight typically bounces up and down a bit with an overall downward trend, but rarely will you see actual drops. But when you do, they are pretty big.

This morning was one of those “Pretty big” drops. 3 lbs.

Why does this happen? I’ve read that it’s because it takes 30-45 days for your body to flush fat cells that are no longer being used. This is why you can’t “Burn” fat cells. They don’t go away. They deflate like a balloon. The human body is very smart, and it doesn’t immediately get rid of fat cells once you’ve depleted their stored energy. The body figures you’re going to fill those cells back up, so it holds on to them for a while until you’ve proven that they will no longer be needed. Then, and only then, does the body flush them.

I remember seeing this when I was on my first-year 110 lbs weight loss journey. I would drop a lot, then plateau for a few days, then drop a lot, etc. The cycle continued for a solid year. It was annoying and exhilarating at the same time. I hated the plateaus, but each time the weight dropped, it was exciting and motivating.

That’s how I feel this morning: motivated. Finally, I saw the first big jump on the scale. Then it hit me; losing weight is like an avalanche. The weight sticks around until it’s no longer sustainable at the current caloric intake levels coupled with activity, and then, the body has to flush the excess cells it’s no longer using or has use for. Then… WHOOSH! Weight loss.

It’s an amazing feeling. My pants also feel a lot looser this morning, and I generally feel better. I know that the psychological effect is playing a big role in that this morning, but that’s okay. This is what it’s all about. These are the non-scale victories (NSV’s) I enjoy the most: the ones that make me feel good. The ones that put me into a good mood.

Just a few more months, and I’ll be right back where I want to be. Just a few more months of hard work in the gym, and I’ll be back to where I was before my multiple injuries. I just need to stay smart, take it slow and steady, and not overdo it. My shoulder still has pain from time to time, and I’m waiting it out like I did with my heel.

In the meantime, I’m going to do a happy dance for the weight loss. I’m back in the 180’s again. Finally.