I often measure my success in weight loss with a lower number on the scale than the week before. I've been working out a lot and eating right and lately the scale has not been my friend. I'm still struggling to reach the 40 lbs lost goal which is a pound away. I feel like I'm having a mental struggle, any time I get close to that goal I end up gaining or staying stagnant, making that goal seem more and more impossible to reach. So here I sit 1 lb away from losing forty and getting more and more annoyed by the minute.
Although my scale number has remained the same, my measurements have shrunk. I find myself not exactly satisfied with this loss of inches. So I ask you... which is better: to lose inches or to lose a tangible scale number?
I should be happy that Something is happening, but I can't quite feel happy when I'm feeling so frustrated. I just want one more pound on the scale and it just isn't happening. Am I focusing and dwelling to much on it for it to happen? Should I just forget about the anxiety that goes along with it and focus on staying determined forgetting about the number?
I have to admit, when I was fresh out of college and poor I was at my absolute lowest (adult) weight which is about 14 lbs from where I am now. It is my mini goal to reach that weight again, however, although I'm 14 lbs heavier than I was then-- I fit into the same size pants as I wore then which technically shouldn't fit me quite yet. I also fit back into my dress that I've been trying to fit into for the last 7 years that only fit me at my lowest weight. I realized when it fit me how far I have come and how much I liked the dress 7 years ago, but it's so not my style now. Still, it fits and that's all the matters.
Clearly my measurements are closer to what they were when I weighed less but I weigh more--so which is better: weighing less or having more muscle and weighing more? I'd like to say I have the answer but I don't. I would like to see the number I want on the scale, but I also like how toned I've become. I think I need a good mix of both. I need the incentive of the scale moving to keep me going, but I also like being toned. It makes me feel strong and like I can accomplish anything. And that's a feeling I can get used to.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
One step forward, two steps back
Sometimes I feel like I'm walking in place on a treadmill or worse--trying to succeed at something that keeps knocking me down. I've had plenty of success on Weight Watchers for awhile now, but ever since the holidays came and went, namely the month of November came, my success has been stalled. I think I *might* have lost a few pounds, meaning two, in December, but I have not lost a single pound since then and it's been a month and a half. And I HAVE been trying. It gets frustrating to try and try and try and see no results. And I don't mean by trying that I'm eating on plan and that's it-- I mean I'm eating on plan and exercising a lot and still nothing.
After the holidays came and went, I silently praised myself for only gaining a few pounds during such a hard time. But now I'm silently curing myself for even allowing that to happen. I gained a few pounds at Christmas and then New Years and then I spent ALL of January trying to work off those 4 pounds, and it took all of January to do so. I thought it would come off much faster, but much to my surprise those four little pounds wanted to stick around forever. Too bad I'm not letting them get the best of me.
Two weeks ago I decided I was going to strive to lose a few pounds making me able to hit my 40 lb mark. This seemed like mission impossible because I have been losing about .5 lb a week and I wanted to hit a 2 lb loss. I stuck to the plan perfectly. I ate very clean- only fruit, veggies, meat-- nothing at all processed except a little wine on the weekend. I worked out 3 hrs a day, my usual routine. And I expected to see a great loss from all my hard work, however, what I got was a .5lb Gain. Yes, I said gain. I was beyond pissed off.
The gain after all that hard work made me even more determined to hit my 40lb loss goal. I realized that I probably ate a bit too much fruit that week--those carbs are good in moderation, but I may have overstuffed myself with them when I was hungry instead of eating the usual snacks. I also decided my exercise routine had become a little too routine. I was bored with it.
I've been wanting to try Zumba for awhile now and kept finding reasons not to. I think I was a little scared to try it in a class in front of people, in case I couldn't do it. BUT I finally decided to stop wanting to try it and try it already. I found a place about 15 mins away from me that offers the class 5 days a week--and the best part is that you don't have to belong to a gym (which I don't) to try it. So I decided to go and pay $5 to try the thing I'd been wanting to try forever.
For those of you that don't know, Zumba is a Latin inspired dance exercise routine. It is a lot of hip work. It works your hips, legs, arms and core. You sweat a lot and you feel great doing it. I thought I might feel a little silly shaking my hips in a class full of women, and then I realized they aren't there to size me up, they are there to get an awesome workout in too.
I was hooked after the first song. I couldn't believe how fun it was! Seriously, a work out I actually ENJOYED doing. I signed up for the unlimited package for the month which means I can go anytime I want. And I've been going. I decided to start a little slower-- I went three times last week (and with the snow we got I really couldn't have made it more) and this week I'm aiming for 4 times. For those of you who haven't tried Zumba and are looking for something different, I suggest you try it at least once!
I still have one and a half pounds to lose to hit the 40 pounds lost mark and I'm' hoping Zumba helps me to get there this week.
After the holidays came and went, I silently praised myself for only gaining a few pounds during such a hard time. But now I'm silently curing myself for even allowing that to happen. I gained a few pounds at Christmas and then New Years and then I spent ALL of January trying to work off those 4 pounds, and it took all of January to do so. I thought it would come off much faster, but much to my surprise those four little pounds wanted to stick around forever. Too bad I'm not letting them get the best of me.
Two weeks ago I decided I was going to strive to lose a few pounds making me able to hit my 40 lb mark. This seemed like mission impossible because I have been losing about .5 lb a week and I wanted to hit a 2 lb loss. I stuck to the plan perfectly. I ate very clean- only fruit, veggies, meat-- nothing at all processed except a little wine on the weekend. I worked out 3 hrs a day, my usual routine. And I expected to see a great loss from all my hard work, however, what I got was a .5lb Gain. Yes, I said gain. I was beyond pissed off.
The gain after all that hard work made me even more determined to hit my 40lb loss goal. I realized that I probably ate a bit too much fruit that week--those carbs are good in moderation, but I may have overstuffed myself with them when I was hungry instead of eating the usual snacks. I also decided my exercise routine had become a little too routine. I was bored with it.
I've been wanting to try Zumba for awhile now and kept finding reasons not to. I think I was a little scared to try it in a class in front of people, in case I couldn't do it. BUT I finally decided to stop wanting to try it and try it already. I found a place about 15 mins away from me that offers the class 5 days a week--and the best part is that you don't have to belong to a gym (which I don't) to try it. So I decided to go and pay $5 to try the thing I'd been wanting to try forever.
For those of you that don't know, Zumba is a Latin inspired dance exercise routine. It is a lot of hip work. It works your hips, legs, arms and core. You sweat a lot and you feel great doing it. I thought I might feel a little silly shaking my hips in a class full of women, and then I realized they aren't there to size me up, they are there to get an awesome workout in too.
I was hooked after the first song. I couldn't believe how fun it was! Seriously, a work out I actually ENJOYED doing. I signed up for the unlimited package for the month which means I can go anytime I want. And I've been going. I decided to start a little slower-- I went three times last week (and with the snow we got I really couldn't have made it more) and this week I'm aiming for 4 times. For those of you who haven't tried Zumba and are looking for something different, I suggest you try it at least once!
I still have one and a half pounds to lose to hit the 40 pounds lost mark and I'm' hoping Zumba helps me to get there this week.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Snowshoe how did I not know about you
My husband recently sold his Rosignol skis which he used exactly two times and therefore we came into a small amount of cash. Since he already had a pair of snowshoes that he never got to use, he suggested I get a pair of snowshoes and we could go hiking in the winter with the dogs. I wasn't so sure about this idea as I already have a hard enough time not tripping over my own feet. And just as I was contemplating the purchase we got the little nudge we needed: 20% off on all snowshoes at EMS. It was like a sign attracting me. So we went there the other day, just to browse...and talk to the sales lady who pointed out the differences in all the different types of snowshoes. I walked out with a brand new pair of kick ass snowshoes which I had no idea if I was going to enjoy using or not. The ones I got were curved a certain way as to make it really easy to walk in and so that it's impossible to trip over your feet while walking normally. Score for me. I need all the help I can get.
We had just gotten a foot of white powdery stuff the other day and we decided to go out for a hike in the woods with the dogs and test them out. Ideally the snow wasn't the right kind for snowshoeing because you want to walk on top of the snow and this was powder so you sunk in. However, the snowshoes made it a lot easier to walk because the claws on the bottom created good traction. I had a great time! Snowshoeing is super fun and we got some great pics of the winter tundra.
We had just gotten a foot of white powdery stuff the other day and we decided to go out for a hike in the woods with the dogs and test them out. Ideally the snow wasn't the right kind for snowshoeing because you want to walk on top of the snow and this was powder so you sunk in. However, the snowshoes made it a lot easier to walk because the claws on the bottom created good traction. I had a great time! Snowshoeing is super fun and we got some great pics of the winter tundra.
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