Four weeks or so ago I realized that the pounds weren't coming off and I was pretty much bored to tears of the gym. I was doing 45 minutes of cardio per day, but had added major strength training to my routine either 2 or 3 days a week, and while I was getting toned, I was (ok, AM) still flabby. On a Sunday night three weeks ago, I went to a concert hours from home and did not get into bed until 4am Monday morning, effectively negating the gym for the day. Always having been an all or nothing kind of gal, I figured I’d missed my Monday and I would blow the week. I DID go to the gym 4 times that week, but my heart wasn't in it. I ate decently well (probably 1600-1700 a day), but I just couldn't be bothered to log the calories. I got myself back in gear after that week, switched up my cardio, lifted heavier weights and less reps, and ate to about 1400 calories---less than I had the week before without a doubt, but still reasonable.
Mind you, at that point three weeks ago, I was having some emotional hurdles (still am) and really feeling like I was having a hard time being motivated. After a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng period of not seeing the scale move at all, I was growing frustrated and having evil thoughts about the gym. While we didn't break up, I began having snarky inner conversations about what a b*tch he was, that gym of mine. All the work I was putting into the relationship and what was I getting out of it? The week I “let myself go” was both hard and satisfying. It was nice to give myself permission to be sad about what I needed to be sad about and loosen up on myself---but still not fall off the wagon entirely.
DING DONG! After the gym this morning, the scale read a number I haven't seen in years....about a 5 pound loss from the couple weeks previous. Looks like I NEEDED that slack week to confuse my metabolism. This is a 26 pound loss total since mid-April, which really is kind of more than that considering the muscle I've built "weighs" more...or at least I like to tell myself that.
I’d read many posts from folks who did just what I did and saw results, but I really feared the idea of letting myself stray an inch from my “program”: until I realized that my program stopped working for me weeks ago anyway, and that what I really feared was wavering on the self-control and willpower issue. That whole ‘eat one cookie, may as well down the whole box’ mentality, me thinks.
The bottom line? Give yourself a break, kids. I read so many posts on here from people who live in constant fear of an extra 300 calories in one day, 700 in one week. One major malfunction at a meal isn’t going to defeat you. Hell, one WEEK of loosening the reigns isn’t either. In my case, it helped! I’ve still got 15-ish pounds to go to reach my goal weight, and I have a feeling that in 5-6 weeks I’m going to need to take another one of these mental health weeks, and I’m not scared of it anymore. I WILL plateau again. Yet it was a lovely feeling to know that when I DO reach my goal and have to re-join the world on maintenance (ok, JOIN it. I’ve never been there!), I can do it in a way that is healthy for me physically and mentally. We live in the real world, and temptation exists...so do birthday parties, family cookouts, girl's night at the bar and plain old sucky I DESERVE PIZZA weeks. It's okay to give yourself a break, ESPECIALLY when the break comes by your own design.
Falling down is fine. It's not failing until you don't get up again.
Original Post by musicismydestiny:
Falling down is fine. It's not failing until you don't get up again.
Well said - and congrats on getting one step closer to your goal :)
Well done. I'm glad you've had this epiphany. I actually like to take 1 - 2 weeks off every 4 months or so. It's time to just relax and enjoy all that extra free time that not going to the gym affords you. Man, you can watch soooooo many movies. It seems to enable further weight loss. Your body thinks, hey, I'm not starving! Who cares anymore! Congrats on your progress.
I don't recall ever having read a more well-put or insightful thread or whatever it's called...
I had a similar issue...I lost 12.5 pounds my first week...and now here I sit...still at the same weight, but not gaining...I let it all go this weekend...and actually feel better...I've been keeping my cal-count below 1500, and made it all the way to 2200 on Saturday...and dreaded the weigh-in this morning...but with no effect and a renewed sense of "it's ok" I'm back on the wagon today...
P.S. you made me chuckle...thank you.
Thanks y'all. I haven't quite gotten to the "eff the gym" stage---I just know that even WHEN I hit my goal I simply cannot go slack about working out. I can see me totally blowing it if I do.
Dunno. We're all looking for the magic bullet to make us lose weight, myself included. I think it goes beyond the simple science that people like to throw around as the be all end all---we're all built differently both inside and out, and it's going to take some shaking up to find what works for US.
Original Post by musicismydestiny:
We're all looking for the magic bullet to make us lose weight, myself included. I think it goes beyond the simple science that people like to throw around as the be all end all---we're all built differently both inside and out, and it's going to take some shaking up to find what works for US.
I totally agree.
I hate to see people spreading their way as weight loss/fitness gospel. What works well for me may not work well for you at all.
I'm glad you are in a good place, mentally.
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