Date: 12/10/14
Weight: 171.0
Yesterday's Exercise: None
Yesterday's Calories: 1675
My plan was to run yesterday. I woke up yesterday morning, feeling as snug as a bug in a rug and the thought of getting out of bed to run in the cold was simply appalling. I tried to talk myself into it and instead I talked myself into deciding to sleep for another hour and running after work. Ha! As if that ever works. It seemed so reasonable as I was lying in bed. "Oh, I'll just run after work. It'll be warmer then." I said to myself. Yeah, right. By the time I got home and made dinner and ate dinner, there was no way I was getting back outside. Lesson learned...again!
By the way, dinner last night was good! I cooked our wild caught Alaskan king salmon a different way. I rubbed the salmon with a dry rub of cumin, onion powder, salt, paprika, pepper, and chili powder, and cooked it under the broiler for eight minutes. I served the salmon over quinoa, topped with an avocado chutney made with cubed avocado, finely chopped onion, parsley and lemon juice. The recipe called for cilantro and lime juice, but I didn't have either of those things so I substituted the parsley and lemon juice. It was really delicious!! I served it with a side of steamed broccoli. I get to have the leftovers for lunch today, which I am looking forward to.
I snacked more yesterday than I should have, which led to the 1675 calories. My goal is to keep calories between 1500 and 1600. Ah well. No exercise and too much food led to the undesirable results on the scale. Go figure! Who would have thought such a thing could happen?
Today is a new day. I am not looking forward to going to the gym, exactly, but I am not dreading it. This will be the first day that I am doing Lauren's workout on my own. I hope the gym is not crowded. I guess I am about to find out. I'll keep calories within my goal range. It's all good.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
12/9/2014: A Little Sore, but That's OK
Date: 12/9/14
Weight: 170.6
Yesterday's Calories: 1575
Yesterday's Exercise: 70 minute strength training with new personal trainer
Yesterday was my first day working out with Lauren, a personal trainer at Gold's Gym. I am a member of Gold's by default, since they bought out Aspen Fitness Center. I purchased a 3 year membership for $450 (not bad, when you think about it!) and have another year left on that membership. So I decided to see if I could find a trainer I like at Gold's.
I am going to the gym close to my work. That means I have to eat breakfast before I leave and shower and get ready for work at the gym. This is not my favorite thing to do and is something I resisted for a while, but it worked out OK yesterday except for forgetting to bring a towel. It's not a lot of fun to dry off with paper towels, but I made do.
I liked Lauren. She is fairly young but she is enthusiastic about her chosen profession. She recently graduated from K State with a degree in physiology, or something like that. She is very eager to do her job well. We established May 3, 2015 at my target date for reaching 150 pounds. I showed her my before and after pictures from my get fit initiative so she would know where I came from and where I want to get to. The workout yesterday was vigorous and seemed to be a good combination of exercises for the whole body. I am a bit sore today, which is to be expected. I think working with Lauren may work out well. I'll keep you posted.
Counting calories helps me so much. It is liberating, in a way. Rather than constantly asking myself if I can eat something I just check my phone to see how many calories I have left for the day. That answers my question for me. It's funny how much easier it is to moderate my food intake when every calorie goes into the phone. I need to think a lot about why I stopped this particular practice.
Well, it's 8:00 already and I have to go to work. More later.
Weight: 170.6
Yesterday's Calories: 1575
Yesterday's Exercise: 70 minute strength training with new personal trainer
Yesterday was my first day working out with Lauren, a personal trainer at Gold's Gym. I am a member of Gold's by default, since they bought out Aspen Fitness Center. I purchased a 3 year membership for $450 (not bad, when you think about it!) and have another year left on that membership. So I decided to see if I could find a trainer I like at Gold's.
I am going to the gym close to my work. That means I have to eat breakfast before I leave and shower and get ready for work at the gym. This is not my favorite thing to do and is something I resisted for a while, but it worked out OK yesterday except for forgetting to bring a towel. It's not a lot of fun to dry off with paper towels, but I made do.
I liked Lauren. She is fairly young but she is enthusiastic about her chosen profession. She recently graduated from K State with a degree in physiology, or something like that. She is very eager to do her job well. We established May 3, 2015 at my target date for reaching 150 pounds. I showed her my before and after pictures from my get fit initiative so she would know where I came from and where I want to get to. The workout yesterday was vigorous and seemed to be a good combination of exercises for the whole body. I am a bit sore today, which is to be expected. I think working with Lauren may work out well. I'll keep you posted.
Counting calories helps me so much. It is liberating, in a way. Rather than constantly asking myself if I can eat something I just check my phone to see how many calories I have left for the day. That answers my question for me. It's funny how much easier it is to moderate my food intake when every calorie goes into the phone. I need to think a lot about why I stopped this particular practice.
Well, it's 8:00 already and I have to go to work. More later.
Monday, December 8, 2014
12/8/14: New Personal Trainer starts today
Date: 12/8/14
Weight: 171.6
Yesterday's calories: 1599
Yesterday's exercise: Run 4.2 miles
Yesterday's activity: Bowling
I am pleased that I have lost a couple of pounds since I started counting calories. I know these are the easy pounds, the water weight that accumulated because I was eating junk, but at least I am going in the right direction. At least my scale is telling me I am making better choices. A couple of more pounds and I will be back in the 160s which is much more comfortable territory.
I see my new personal trainer for the first time today. I have signed up for 12 sessions at Golds Gym. I was already member of Golds, since I had a 3 year membership at Aspen, which sold to Golds several months ago. I know I want to start working with a trainer again and I thought I'd give Golds a shot since I already have a membership. I will be working with a young woman. I've never worked with a female trainer before. I don't know if it will be better, worse, or the same as working with a man. I guess I am about to find out.
I'm looking forward to starting training, and I am a little nervous. I know I will be sore. I know I will end up working harder than I have in a long time. I know it will be good for me. The joy of it all!!
I have to keep this short. I need to be at the gym in 54 minutes. Just thought I'd check in.
Weight: 171.6
Yesterday's calories: 1599
Yesterday's exercise: Run 4.2 miles
Yesterday's activity: Bowling
I am pleased that I have lost a couple of pounds since I started counting calories. I know these are the easy pounds, the water weight that accumulated because I was eating junk, but at least I am going in the right direction. At least my scale is telling me I am making better choices. A couple of more pounds and I will be back in the 160s which is much more comfortable territory.
I see my new personal trainer for the first time today. I have signed up for 12 sessions at Golds Gym. I was already member of Golds, since I had a 3 year membership at Aspen, which sold to Golds several months ago. I know I want to start working with a trainer again and I thought I'd give Golds a shot since I already have a membership. I will be working with a young woman. I've never worked with a female trainer before. I don't know if it will be better, worse, or the same as working with a man. I guess I am about to find out.
I'm looking forward to starting training, and I am a little nervous. I know I will be sore. I know I will end up working harder than I have in a long time. I know it will be good for me. The joy of it all!!
I have to keep this short. I need to be at the gym in 54 minutes. Just thought I'd check in.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
12/7/14: A Picture is worth a thousand words
Date: Sunday, 12/7/14
Weight: 173.0
Yesterday's Calories: 1601 (Goal 1500 - 1600)
Yesterday's Exercise: 3 mile run
Below is a series of pictures. The first two are my start pictures, taken a couple of weeks apart, when I first started my Get Fit Initiative. I post both pictures because the first one was my actual start date and the second one doesn't hide anything. That second photo is a good reminder of where the fat ends up and what it really looks like. The third picture was taken about 11 months later, when I was at my goal weight of 150.0 pounds. The fourth and final picture was taken yesterday, on day 1 of Operation Restart.
I know for a fact that you can see what I can see. Yes, I still look much, much better than I did 3 years ago. There is no denying that. There is also no denying how much difference 23.6 pounds makes. I see it everywhere. In my face, my neck, my arms, my chest, my mid section, my thighs, and even my calves. I almost closed my eyes when I saw this picture printed. But it is what it is. This picture is now on the refrigerator right next to my before and after pictures. I will take my photo every Saturday an put it on the fridge. There is nothing like seeing something to believe something.
I am employing all of the tricks that I used two years ago. I will blog every day, take my photo once a week, chart (I have never stopped charting), count calories, and work with a personal trainer.
I will exercise 6 days a week for about an hour; 3 days a week I will lift weightsand 3 days a week I will run (or do some other cardio).
I will meet with my personal trainer on Monday mornings at 7:00am. That requires a little bit of a sacrifice on my part. I prefer working out at 5:00am so that I can shower and dress at home. But the gym is close to work, so it makes sense to eat breakfast at home and then go to the gym. I'll have to shower and get ready for work there. Not my favorite thing, but I am sure it will be OK.
After Day 1 of Operation Restart I already feel better. I guess by better I mean I feel confident that I am back on track. This is familiar. Counting calories, blogging, and taking photos. I know this worked once. I know it will work again.
I do think it is really, really good news that I only gained 23.6 pounds in the last 2 years. While I would have preferred not to gain any weight at all (OBVIOUSLY), the fact that I didn't gain it all back, plus some, is a big victory in and of itself. Also, I think it is good new that right now, I feel awful. I mean, I feel awfully fat. I feel as fat now as I did on February 26, 2012, when I weighed 224 pounds. I think that is great!! You probably think I am crazy. Why would I think it is great to feel awful? Because my tolerance for being overweight has shifted by 50 pounds. At the beginning of 2012, 75 pounds was too much. I just couldn't stand it any longer and I had to do something. At the end of 2014, 25 pounds is too much. I just can't stand it any longer and I have to do something. I am so grateful that my trigger weight is so much lower than it was almost three years ago. I am going to give some of that credit to the fact that I don't have any clothes that fit. Remember? I gave them all away. I have bought 2 pairs of size 12 jeans and a fleece lined hoodie, but besides that, I am wearing the clothes I bought last winter. They are all tight and uncomfortable. It reminds me every day that I need to do this thing.
I talked yesterday about how my body feels. I have vivid memories of how good it felt to have a narrow and firm waist and firm arms. I never lost that bulge on my left thigh, and probably never will, but I have vivid memories of slipping on a size 8 or size 6 pair of jeans and them fitting my legs perfectly. Size 12 jeans fit now, but even that's different. When I was at 150 and I put on a pair of pants, nothing cinched or bulged. My flesh was firm, so the pants just fit. Now, when I put on a pair of pants they are the right size, but because the flesh is soft it's different. It's hard to explain. But there's some compression going on there, whether you like it or not. Oh, it feels so much better to be at 150 and fit. I am really looking forward to being there again.
It is hard to be fat most of your life, lose a lot of weight, and keep it off. That is a fact. It is hard, but it is not impossible. My mind set has changed, there is no doubt about that. I have been recording my weight on a chart several times a week since 2/26/12. That has helped so much. The scale does not lie. I regularly talk to Jack about my weight, my exercise, and my health. Everyone at work knows my challenge and they are supportive. I help several women at work by talking to them about my how challenges and successes. Food and exercise is an open discussion at work, which is helpful. None of us hide it. We don't pretend it is OK to be overweight couch potatoes. It helps that it is an open topic. In spite of the weight gain, I have never stopped exercising. It's been almost 3 years now that I have exercised most days of every week. That has made a huge difference!!! I am confident that that will never change.
The biggest problem is food. I get addicted to eating. I find myself wanting to snack all the time. I don't know why, but the urge is almost always present. That is why counting calories is so important. It reminds me of what I am eating. When I am in a weight loss mode, counting calories does not seem like too big of a burden, but it sure seemed like a huge burden once I had lost the weight. I thought I didn't need to do it anymore. Perhaps that is not true. Perhaps I will always need to count calories.
I feel like for the last year or so I was "just living my life" and by doing that, I gained weight. It's frustrating. It really is. I didn't stop exercising, but when I gave up strict control over my food (and, I admit, alcohol) intake, my weight just started to creep up. Over the next few months, as I lose this 23 pounds, I will think a lot about what I will need to do for the rest of my life to stay at 150.
Today, I feel better than I did yesterday and that makes a huge difference. It feels good, emotionally, to be back on track. It feels good, physically, to weigh a little less than I did yesterday, and to be a little less bloated.
I know I will feel even better tomorrow. That is what motivates me. The vivid memory of how great it felt to weigh 150 pounds is the magnet that is pulling me back to that place. I'll get there. It won't take too long.
Oh, by the way, there is sort of a goal date, but not really. Mostly, I want to feel and look great. But it is in the back of my mind that Steve is graduating with his PhD in May or June and I will be going to Oregon to celebrate his success with him. It would be fun to look and feel great while I am there. So, I'll set a goal date of my birthday, May 3, 2015, to be back at 150 pounds. Then I will stay there for the rest of my life. I just realized that it is a sign! My birthday is 5-3. 5 times 3 is 15! Add a zero and it is 150!! and it is 20-15! Get it?? Ha! That is kind of fun! I'll take my pleasure where I can get it!
That's it for today.
Weight: 173.0
Yesterday's Calories: 1601 (Goal 1500 - 1600)
Yesterday's Exercise: 3 mile run
Below is a series of pictures. The first two are my start pictures, taken a couple of weeks apart, when I first started my Get Fit Initiative. I post both pictures because the first one was my actual start date and the second one doesn't hide anything. That second photo is a good reminder of where the fat ends up and what it really looks like. The third picture was taken about 11 months later, when I was at my goal weight of 150.0 pounds. The fourth and final picture was taken yesterday, on day 1 of Operation Restart.
 |
| 2/26/12 224.0 pounds |
 |
| 3/11/12 215.8 ounds |
 |
| 1/10/13 150.0 pounds |
 |
| 12/6/14 173.6 pounds |
I am employing all of the tricks that I used two years ago. I will blog every day, take my photo once a week, chart (I have never stopped charting), count calories, and work with a personal trainer.
I will exercise 6 days a week for about an hour; 3 days a week I will lift weightsand 3 days a week I will run (or do some other cardio).
I will meet with my personal trainer on Monday mornings at 7:00am. That requires a little bit of a sacrifice on my part. I prefer working out at 5:00am so that I can shower and dress at home. But the gym is close to work, so it makes sense to eat breakfast at home and then go to the gym. I'll have to shower and get ready for work there. Not my favorite thing, but I am sure it will be OK.
After Day 1 of Operation Restart I already feel better. I guess by better I mean I feel confident that I am back on track. This is familiar. Counting calories, blogging, and taking photos. I know this worked once. I know it will work again.
I do think it is really, really good news that I only gained 23.6 pounds in the last 2 years. While I would have preferred not to gain any weight at all (OBVIOUSLY), the fact that I didn't gain it all back, plus some, is a big victory in and of itself. Also, I think it is good new that right now, I feel awful. I mean, I feel awfully fat. I feel as fat now as I did on February 26, 2012, when I weighed 224 pounds. I think that is great!! You probably think I am crazy. Why would I think it is great to feel awful? Because my tolerance for being overweight has shifted by 50 pounds. At the beginning of 2012, 75 pounds was too much. I just couldn't stand it any longer and I had to do something. At the end of 2014, 25 pounds is too much. I just can't stand it any longer and I have to do something. I am so grateful that my trigger weight is so much lower than it was almost three years ago. I am going to give some of that credit to the fact that I don't have any clothes that fit. Remember? I gave them all away. I have bought 2 pairs of size 12 jeans and a fleece lined hoodie, but besides that, I am wearing the clothes I bought last winter. They are all tight and uncomfortable. It reminds me every day that I need to do this thing.
I talked yesterday about how my body feels. I have vivid memories of how good it felt to have a narrow and firm waist and firm arms. I never lost that bulge on my left thigh, and probably never will, but I have vivid memories of slipping on a size 8 or size 6 pair of jeans and them fitting my legs perfectly. Size 12 jeans fit now, but even that's different. When I was at 150 and I put on a pair of pants, nothing cinched or bulged. My flesh was firm, so the pants just fit. Now, when I put on a pair of pants they are the right size, but because the flesh is soft it's different. It's hard to explain. But there's some compression going on there, whether you like it or not. Oh, it feels so much better to be at 150 and fit. I am really looking forward to being there again.
It is hard to be fat most of your life, lose a lot of weight, and keep it off. That is a fact. It is hard, but it is not impossible. My mind set has changed, there is no doubt about that. I have been recording my weight on a chart several times a week since 2/26/12. That has helped so much. The scale does not lie. I regularly talk to Jack about my weight, my exercise, and my health. Everyone at work knows my challenge and they are supportive. I help several women at work by talking to them about my how challenges and successes. Food and exercise is an open discussion at work, which is helpful. None of us hide it. We don't pretend it is OK to be overweight couch potatoes. It helps that it is an open topic. In spite of the weight gain, I have never stopped exercising. It's been almost 3 years now that I have exercised most days of every week. That has made a huge difference!!! I am confident that that will never change.
The biggest problem is food. I get addicted to eating. I find myself wanting to snack all the time. I don't know why, but the urge is almost always present. That is why counting calories is so important. It reminds me of what I am eating. When I am in a weight loss mode, counting calories does not seem like too big of a burden, but it sure seemed like a huge burden once I had lost the weight. I thought I didn't need to do it anymore. Perhaps that is not true. Perhaps I will always need to count calories.
I feel like for the last year or so I was "just living my life" and by doing that, I gained weight. It's frustrating. It really is. I didn't stop exercising, but when I gave up strict control over my food (and, I admit, alcohol) intake, my weight just started to creep up. Over the next few months, as I lose this 23 pounds, I will think a lot about what I will need to do for the rest of my life to stay at 150.
Today, I feel better than I did yesterday and that makes a huge difference. It feels good, emotionally, to be back on track. It feels good, physically, to weigh a little less than I did yesterday, and to be a little less bloated.
I know I will feel even better tomorrow. That is what motivates me. The vivid memory of how great it felt to weigh 150 pounds is the magnet that is pulling me back to that place. I'll get there. It won't take too long.
Oh, by the way, there is sort of a goal date, but not really. Mostly, I want to feel and look great. But it is in the back of my mind that Steve is graduating with his PhD in May or June and I will be going to Oregon to celebrate his success with him. It would be fun to look and feel great while I am there. So, I'll set a goal date of my birthday, May 3, 2015, to be back at 150 pounds. Then I will stay there for the rest of my life. I just realized that it is a sign! My birthday is 5-3. 5 times 3 is 15! Add a zero and it is 150!! and it is 20-15! Get it?? Ha! That is kind of fun! I'll take my pleasure where I can get it!
That's it for today.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
12/6/14: Gained weight - Fat and Unhappy
Date: 12/6/14
Weight: 173.6
I already know what people will say if they read this, which they probably won't since I am not going to make a big deal about starting to blog again. They'll say, "Don't use the word, 'Fat'." Or, "You're not fat." Or, "It's not about the number on the scale." Or a number of other things that are meant to be helpful but don't really help at all. The fact of the matter is there is nothing anybody can say that will make me feel less fat.
Today, December 6, 2014, I feel pretty lousy about myself.
I've gained 23.6 pounds in about 2 years. Well, let's call it 20. Yes, I did hit 150, but it was only for a day. I hung around 153 - 155 for a while and that was probably my true low weight.
I still weigh a whole lot less than I did on February 26, 2012. On that day I weighed 224 pounds. So I weigh 50 pounds less than I did on that day, when I started this journey to a lifetime of fitness and good health. So I feel good about that. I weighed 150 pounds on January 5, 2013.
That year-long journey is well documented in previous pages of this blog. It was full of highs and lows, challenges and victories. And photos. The blog helped me a lot. It gave me a place to express a lot of the frustrations and challenges of the day-in and day-out obstacles to losing weight.
I felt fabulous at 150 pounds. I felt better than I thought possible. And I looked good, too. I continued to blog for a while, after losing that 74 pounds, but I felt like the blog got boring and there really wasn't anything to say. So I stopped keeping my blog. I kept exercising and kept working with a trainer. But after a while it got old, driving all the way to Lees Summit. And my trainer quit. I tried a couple of different trainers but never really clicked with anyone the way I clicked with Jeremy. So I thought I could maintain the workouts at home.
I completed a triathlon, which was a huge accomplishment. I thought I wanted to do another triathlon and improve my time, but I hated the training. I missed my strength training. There was too much focus on cardio and endurance exercise and not enough on strength training. So I stopped my triathlon training. But I kept running.
In recent months I have been running 2 - 3 days a week for 3 - 4 miles. I run slowly, I walk parts of it sometimes when I feel tired and not really into it, but I have been getting up in the mornings and doing something. I have also been lifting weights at home about 2 days a week. It's helped slow down the progression of the flab, I'm sure, but I have trouble pushing myself when I am working out alone.
I've gained 20 pounds. I feel like crap. Right now, as I am typing, my fingers feel fat, my chin feels puffy, by boobs feel heavy, and my tummy is laying on my lap. I hate the way I feel. My ankles hurt, I can feel it in my knees, and my right hip has the hitch back in it. I had to buy a couple of pairs of size 12 jeans just so I would have something to wear to work. Most of my sweaters and winter tops still fit, sort of, but they are tight, uncomfortable, and look like crap. I won't even put on some of my clothes because I can't stand feeling constricted in them.
I have to change the tide and change it now.
What happened? Why did I let this 20 pounds creep up on me? Why did I stop working out so hard? Why did I start eating more? Why? Why? Why?
There is no one reason. There are a million little reasons. There is no magic formula, or magic pill, or magic mantra to answer all these questions.
I need to go back to what was working for me when I was losing weight, because I need to lose weight again. Then, after I get back to 150 and feel fabulous again, I need to figure out what I need to do to maintain it.
I will talk about a few things that I think I did that contributed to this back-slide.
Well, first things first. I'll start with the obvious. I ate more and I exercised less. Duh. I started drinking a little more alcohol. That pretty much sums up why I gained weight, lost muscle mass, and in general now feel like crap.
But why did I do these things? I know better. I mean, I KNOW better. So why?
Here are some thoughts on that:
I am only going to share the fact that I am writing in my blog again with a very limited number of people. Maybe Ruth and Jack and that's it. We'll see. Others may find it and that's OK, but I am not going to make a big deal out of this. This blog is for me.
What worked before:
Weight: 173.6
I already know what people will say if they read this, which they probably won't since I am not going to make a big deal about starting to blog again. They'll say, "Don't use the word, 'Fat'." Or, "You're not fat." Or, "It's not about the number on the scale." Or a number of other things that are meant to be helpful but don't really help at all. The fact of the matter is there is nothing anybody can say that will make me feel less fat.
Today, December 6, 2014, I feel pretty lousy about myself.
I've gained 23.6 pounds in about 2 years. Well, let's call it 20. Yes, I did hit 150, but it was only for a day. I hung around 153 - 155 for a while and that was probably my true low weight.
I still weigh a whole lot less than I did on February 26, 2012. On that day I weighed 224 pounds. So I weigh 50 pounds less than I did on that day, when I started this journey to a lifetime of fitness and good health. So I feel good about that. I weighed 150 pounds on January 5, 2013.
That year-long journey is well documented in previous pages of this blog. It was full of highs and lows, challenges and victories. And photos. The blog helped me a lot. It gave me a place to express a lot of the frustrations and challenges of the day-in and day-out obstacles to losing weight.
I felt fabulous at 150 pounds. I felt better than I thought possible. And I looked good, too. I continued to blog for a while, after losing that 74 pounds, but I felt like the blog got boring and there really wasn't anything to say. So I stopped keeping my blog. I kept exercising and kept working with a trainer. But after a while it got old, driving all the way to Lees Summit. And my trainer quit. I tried a couple of different trainers but never really clicked with anyone the way I clicked with Jeremy. So I thought I could maintain the workouts at home.
I completed a triathlon, which was a huge accomplishment. I thought I wanted to do another triathlon and improve my time, but I hated the training. I missed my strength training. There was too much focus on cardio and endurance exercise and not enough on strength training. So I stopped my triathlon training. But I kept running.
In recent months I have been running 2 - 3 days a week for 3 - 4 miles. I run slowly, I walk parts of it sometimes when I feel tired and not really into it, but I have been getting up in the mornings and doing something. I have also been lifting weights at home about 2 days a week. It's helped slow down the progression of the flab, I'm sure, but I have trouble pushing myself when I am working out alone.
I've gained 20 pounds. I feel like crap. Right now, as I am typing, my fingers feel fat, my chin feels puffy, by boobs feel heavy, and my tummy is laying on my lap. I hate the way I feel. My ankles hurt, I can feel it in my knees, and my right hip has the hitch back in it. I had to buy a couple of pairs of size 12 jeans just so I would have something to wear to work. Most of my sweaters and winter tops still fit, sort of, but they are tight, uncomfortable, and look like crap. I won't even put on some of my clothes because I can't stand feeling constricted in them.
I have to change the tide and change it now.
What happened? Why did I let this 20 pounds creep up on me? Why did I stop working out so hard? Why did I start eating more? Why? Why? Why?
There is no one reason. There are a million little reasons. There is no magic formula, or magic pill, or magic mantra to answer all these questions.
I need to go back to what was working for me when I was losing weight, because I need to lose weight again. Then, after I get back to 150 and feel fabulous again, I need to figure out what I need to do to maintain it.
I will talk about a few things that I think I did that contributed to this back-slide.
Well, first things first. I'll start with the obvious. I ate more and I exercised less. Duh. I started drinking a little more alcohol. That pretty much sums up why I gained weight, lost muscle mass, and in general now feel like crap.
But why did I do these things? I know better. I mean, I KNOW better. So why?
Here are some thoughts on that:
- I kept setting new stretch goals. After losing the weight, I felt like I needed a big goal to keep me motivated, so I decided to complete a triathlon. After completing the triathlon I felt like I needed a big goal to keep me motivated so I decided to do it again, faster. I also decided to try to lower my body fat % considerably.
- To complete the tri faster I changed my training to more cardio (6 days a week) and almost no strength training, under the guidance of a tri coach. This did not work for me. It was a mistake.
- To lower my body fat % I started eating more protein. I had trouble keeping calories reasonable and protein up. I started gaining weight. This did not work for me.
- I felt great at 150! I really didn't need to change anything. Yet I thought I could feel better, look better, be a stronger athlete, so I did more. I think I overdid it. I got discouraged and gave up. I now believe setting stretch goal after stretch goal was a mistake.
- I started working out almost exclusively at home. While this was convenient, it took away the circle of people that I saw at the gym. None of them were friends, but they were people that recognized me and talked to me and encouraged me. I was part of the scene, and I felt like I belonged there. I identified with my fellow gym rats. I kind of liked that.
- I think I was too stubborn about my schedule. It was difficult to find a trainer that wanted to work with me at 5:00am. I wasn't willing to compromise and try other things.
- I know there are more decisions I made that contributed to The Slide, but they are not coming to me right now. I'll continue to talk about the things that I believe contributed to The Slide in future posts.
I am only going to share the fact that I am writing in my blog again with a very limited number of people. Maybe Ruth and Jack and that's it. We'll see. Others may find it and that's OK, but I am not going to make a big deal out of this. This blog is for me.
What worked before:
- Blogging
- Counting calories (1500 - 1600 per day)
- Working with a personal trainer
- Taking photos once a week
- Charting my progress
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