I locked my scale in the closet. I tend to have a bit of an obsessive personality. For example, I love watching TV shows on DVD. But I can't watch just 1 episode at a time. Often, I'll watch 5, 6, 7, or 8 episodes at a time (shorter ones, of course). So I have become very obsessive about the scale.
I always weigh myself first thing when I get up... and then 5 minutes later to see if things changed. Any time I'm in the upstairs bathroom, I'll hop on. I always weigh myself a few times before bed because usually the scale is 2 pounds heavier at night than what I can expect in the morning.
When I hit my plateau, starting a few weeks ago, the scale became a constant obsession, even more than before. I'd hop on every chance I got to see if anything... ANYTHING changed.
Have you ever been so reliant on something like that? If the number was higher than I thought it should be, the effect it had on my mood was tremendous. I have been using this number to measure my self worth. I hate that. But I still do it.
The number on the scale is a seemingly easy way to show progress, right?
Wrong.
I'm still making crazy progress without the number budging. I've increased my cardio abilities since trying to break out of this plateau. I used to be able to climb on the StairMaster for about 15 minutes, 20 if I really pushed myself but that was often approaching what felt like death. In the past two weeks, I've pushed myself to work up towards 40 minutes with some pretty high intervals.
It helps to type that out and see it. I'm actually really proud of that.
Tonight I joined a few friends for dinner. I didn't plan ahead to see what I was getting. I allowed myself to get not just one, but two glasses of wine. I ate my entire meal. And it felt great.
Normally I would worry about what the scale would say in the morning. Of course, this thought is in the back of my mind. But knowing that the scale is locked away in the closet helps. I can't guarantee that I won't pull it out in a fit of panic this week when I feel too disconnected from the number and just HAVE to know it. But for now, in this moment, I'm content and learning to just live with the number.
That's a really hard thing to do.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
A plateau or something like that
I've hit my first plateau or bump in the road. It's been about a month since any significant weight loss. This week, I had a gain. Since February I've lost every. single. week. I know plateaus are a normal part of the weight loss journey but I guess I figured I was doing everything right and it wouldn't happen to me.
I found someone on Facebook from high school who has lost over 100 pounds. I messaged him last night to get some advice about plateaus and how to shake things up. He was very helpful and helped to show me that everyone experiences a plateau.
He referred me to a website: bodybuilding.com. There is a lot of great information on there about everything from nutrition to supplements to dealing with plateaus. It is a little overwhelming to me though. I'm not trying to become a bodybuilder. I just want to lose weight and be healthy (and look good naked - ha!).
If you are trying to lose weight or if you have lost weight in the past, what have you done to overcome a plateau?
I found someone on Facebook from high school who has lost over 100 pounds. I messaged him last night to get some advice about plateaus and how to shake things up. He was very helpful and helped to show me that everyone experiences a plateau.
He referred me to a website: bodybuilding.com. There is a lot of great information on there about everything from nutrition to supplements to dealing with plateaus. It is a little overwhelming to me though. I'm not trying to become a bodybuilder. I just want to lose weight and be healthy (and look good naked - ha!).
If you are trying to lose weight or if you have lost weight in the past, what have you done to overcome a plateau?
*Please excuse the vulgar language but I love this e-card. Makes me laugh every time.
Friday, July 5, 2013
My weight loss journey
I've struggled with weight for all of my life. I was a heavy kid, longing to look like the other girls in my class. I tried to pretend it didn't bother me or this was the way God made me. It worked a lot of the time. I used my sense of humor to win people over. They could judge me initially by the excess weight I have, but I'd show them what a great person I really was!
I've lost significant amounts of weight two times in my life. The first time was 10 years ago because I was a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding. I didn't want to be the fat bridesmaid so I started running/walking in January and lost over 60 pounds by October for the wedding. I stopped running shortly after the wedding and the weight crept back on... plus 15 more pounds.
The second time I joined a gym and worked out with a trainer. I was more motivated by how cute my trainer was and was happy to go workout with him. I lost about 40-50 pounds then walked away from the gym and never went back.
I've started and stopped Weight Watchers more times than I can count. I would gaine for a few weeks in a row, lose big, repeat. I figured the program wouldn't work for me. I'm just destined to be fat.
A little over a year ago, my employer was offering a very discounted rate at the gym and I thought I would sign up. It was just before summer when I would have extra time to workout. I joined in April and worked out 2-4 times per week that summer and lost about 20 pounds between April and September. I was decently happy with my progress but didn't commit too much to my weight loss.
In October of last year, I was experiencing a lot of foot pain in a foot I had surgery on a few years ago. The doctor determined it was a stress fracture and I had to be in a walking boot for 4-6 weeks. I was devastated. While I wasn't working out hardcore, I thought if I couldn't workout that entire time, the weight that I had lost would surely come back on. I attempted to go and do some strength training on my own but she wanted me to sit down for everything. I felt stupid so I didn't go back the rest of the time.
I made it through the holidays and a little of the weight crept back on. Around February of this year, I had had enough. I joined Weight Watchers again. I convinced one of my coworkers to sign up at the gym which earned me a free training session with a trainer because I referred her. I met with him one evening and we laid everything out... my current weight, my goals, what it would take to get there.
I purchased a small training package of 3 sessions just to get started with him and see how things would go. I felt like he was really trying to teach me about the exercises I was doing and why I needed to do them. I made a lot of sacrifices and was able to purchase more sessions with him. He made customized workout plans for me and up-ed my workouts to 6 times a week. With his help and the Weight Watchers program, weight started dropping off. Most weeks I lost over 2 pounds and more often it was 3-4 pounds. I wasn't starving myself, just working out really hard and following the Weight Watchers program completely.
My initial goal was to lost 30 pounds by my 30th birthday in June. I ended up losing 40 pounds by my birthday and I was thrilled. I think I finally have figured out this weight loss thing and everything seemed to be going well and falling in to place.
And then the scale stopped moving.
I wanted to start this blog to share my journey. I'm at a plateau and it has affected me so much more than I ever thought it would. I have gotten so used to the weight just dropping off and now that it isn't, I can honestly say I've been a little depressed. I have no idea if anyone will ever find this blog and read it. Maybe our stories are similar. My hope is that through writing I will find some release and possibly connect with others who are in similar situations.
I've lost significant amounts of weight two times in my life. The first time was 10 years ago because I was a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding. I didn't want to be the fat bridesmaid so I started running/walking in January and lost over 60 pounds by October for the wedding. I stopped running shortly after the wedding and the weight crept back on... plus 15 more pounds.
The second time I joined a gym and worked out with a trainer. I was more motivated by how cute my trainer was and was happy to go workout with him. I lost about 40-50 pounds then walked away from the gym and never went back.
I've started and stopped Weight Watchers more times than I can count. I would gaine for a few weeks in a row, lose big, repeat. I figured the program wouldn't work for me. I'm just destined to be fat.
A little over a year ago, my employer was offering a very discounted rate at the gym and I thought I would sign up. It was just before summer when I would have extra time to workout. I joined in April and worked out 2-4 times per week that summer and lost about 20 pounds between April and September. I was decently happy with my progress but didn't commit too much to my weight loss.
In October of last year, I was experiencing a lot of foot pain in a foot I had surgery on a few years ago. The doctor determined it was a stress fracture and I had to be in a walking boot for 4-6 weeks. I was devastated. While I wasn't working out hardcore, I thought if I couldn't workout that entire time, the weight that I had lost would surely come back on. I attempted to go and do some strength training on my own but she wanted me to sit down for everything. I felt stupid so I didn't go back the rest of the time.
I made it through the holidays and a little of the weight crept back on. Around February of this year, I had had enough. I joined Weight Watchers again. I convinced one of my coworkers to sign up at the gym which earned me a free training session with a trainer because I referred her. I met with him one evening and we laid everything out... my current weight, my goals, what it would take to get there.
I purchased a small training package of 3 sessions just to get started with him and see how things would go. I felt like he was really trying to teach me about the exercises I was doing and why I needed to do them. I made a lot of sacrifices and was able to purchase more sessions with him. He made customized workout plans for me and up-ed my workouts to 6 times a week. With his help and the Weight Watchers program, weight started dropping off. Most weeks I lost over 2 pounds and more often it was 3-4 pounds. I wasn't starving myself, just working out really hard and following the Weight Watchers program completely.
My initial goal was to lost 30 pounds by my 30th birthday in June. I ended up losing 40 pounds by my birthday and I was thrilled. I think I finally have figured out this weight loss thing and everything seemed to be going well and falling in to place.
And then the scale stopped moving.
I wanted to start this blog to share my journey. I'm at a plateau and it has affected me so much more than I ever thought it would. I have gotten so used to the weight just dropping off and now that it isn't, I can honestly say I've been a little depressed. I have no idea if anyone will ever find this blog and read it. Maybe our stories are similar. My hope is that through writing I will find some release and possibly connect with others who are in similar situations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)