Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Lost
This will probably be my most depressed post yet. I debated even bothering with writing it becaus I wanted to see if I would feel better next week but ugh, here it goes.
Yesterday marked the beginning of week 6 and I have gained another pound. So of the 7 pounds I lost in the first 3 weeks, I have gained back 4. WTF. Granted, my weigh-ins are on a Monday and I was at a party and a big family dinner on the weekend, but it just makes me mad that I can't just enjoy the weekend and the summer without hating myself on Monday. Last week I worked out 6 times, 3 of which included really intense cardio (at least by my standards) and I was expecting much better considering this is the hardest I've worked so far. But then a few beers with friends and a fathers day dinner with my fam and it all goes to shit (sorry mom). Anyway, I guess I just feel like all my efforts are amounting to nothing and I'm not prepared to be the person who brings a boiled chicken breast and cucumbers to summer parties. I'm just mad and frustrated and I feel like giving up, but I can't give up, I can't!! I just feel like I've lost my motivation and I don't know how to get it back. All my inspirational quotes and pictures of women with "perfect" bodies only made me more depressed. I'm at a loss. ****sigh****
PS My computer is broken so I had to write this on my iPhone.
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A woman's body fluctuates so much from week to week due to hormonal changes! Your weight can fluctuate up to 5 pounds every week. No panic, This is normal! Also, as you are losing weight, you are also gaining muscle and muscle weighs much more than fat. You can't get discouraged :) you have to look at the overall progress so far.
ReplyDeleteKeep going! :)
Xoxox! Tintan
Is it possible that you are gaining muscle? Or carrying extra water weight because of the heat? If you have been drinking more water, that could be part of it.
ReplyDeleteTry not to get discouraged, big changes happen slowly. You are doing much better than I am :). I am practicing denial and avoiding a weigh in. Maybe next week.
Keep it going. Everyone has a lull and you have to work through it. Remember that its 80% diet and 20% exercise, and in order to gain a pound you have to consume 3500 calories. Realistically your not, so the wieght is a natural body fluctuation, mostly water especially with the weather and sodium intake.
ReplyDeleteMaybe try a soft cleanse to kickstart your body into flushing excess away....
Your doing great Rach... Everyday your getting stronger.. Keep moving!!!
Rach:
ReplyDeleteRemember the steps to Success:
1) Start.
2) Continue.
If you look at it this way, you're already 1/2 way there! Thought patterns are being changed and new habits are starting to form. Stick with it; it WILL pay off!
I do agree with the sentiments above about muscle weighing more than fat. This is because it is much more dense . . and less fluffy, if you will. The best way to tell whether that is really what is happening is with fitness testing -- especially getting your body fat measured with callipers. You can measure yourself too: around your arms, legs, hips, and waist . . and keep a log to judge your progress . . but keep in mind that muscle will grow first (making the measurements slightly larger) and THEN that muscle will start burning fat (suddenly you start to see results).
That brings me to muscle building. You have mentioned lots of cardio, but NO resistance training. **You must build muscle in order to burn fat**. Period. It's not an opinion; it's a fact. Go back to those motivational pictures of healthy, fit women and try to find one in which you can't see muscle definition. Good luck. This doesn't mean you need to become a body builder or go out and try to deadlift 300lbs (although you could totally do that - and I could help you get there). You DO need to be working those large muscle groups though: back, glutes, legs -- at the very least. You don't need a bunch of equipment or an expensive gym membership; there are tons of body weight exercises that will provide a great workout! I'm not going to pitch you my classes or personal training sessions here (ok, just a little bit: come see me!). Try googling "squat", "lunge", "burpee" (they suck and are the BEST all-body killer out there!), "box jump", and "push up". Mix these up in any amount and any order and stick them in your workout. Constantly change them around.
Only two more things:
Intensity
and Diet.
More and more research is showing that the key to effective workouts is intensity. Adding intensity to your workouts is easy: keep them short and hard. Rather than running slowly for 30 minutes, try sprints. (Google Tabata.) Throw in some jumps onto the nearest park bench and a few push-ups every couple minutes. Start timing your workouts: and always strive to complete them faster (without sacrificing form). My favourite go-to when motivation is low or time/space/equipment are nil is "100 burpees for time". Don't knock it 'till you try it. I'm down to just over 8 minutes, and believe me it's a full workout. I challenge you to do 30, as fast as you can (and yes, you can). Time it. Write it down. Do it again in a week. Write that result down too. Revel in the fact that you're making yourself faster and stronger.
Finally, diet. I'm not a dietician or a nutritionist, so am not even going to touch this. My guru is Robb Wolf. Google him (see a pattern here?).
Don't stop.
K
PS: I remember you saying to me once you don't want to get bulked up or "too ripped". This doesn't just happen to regular women. We don't produce enough testosterone to build that kind of muscle. Body builders (a) usually take supplements and (b) train specifically for growth and definition of muscles that wouldn't naturally look that way. If your body is moving the way it's meant to move, your body will end up looking the way it's meant to look.
Wow!! Excellent post!! You know you're stuff! :)
DeleteKeep going Rach! (insert everything Kelly K said again here). Lol
*your
DeleteDamn auto typing!!
Rach! Try changing your weigh ins to Friday and wait this week..do your next weigh in the following Friday which will give you a little extra time to work it! Don't feel discouraged! You do still need to enjoy life with friends and family and remember that you want to be healthy..not just lose weight! You're doing awesome! I hope this following week shows you more results but don't look to the scale for your level of health. Keep working out, keep enjoying life, that is what's going to make you live a long happy and healthy life.xoxxo
ReplyDeleteHey Rach, I know how it can be disheartening to work your ass off with "little reward" when your goal is so results driven. Kelly's comments above are really sound. I know much(!) less than her and being a dude really doesn't help matters, though I've been through the exact same situation before I lost a bunch of weight. Just keep with it.
ReplyDeleteOh, and a couple things:
1) Those Pintrest inspirational quotes we see everywhere are cheesy as balls and just eye-rollingly bad. (rollingly? I just made up an adverb). Anyway, they're bad.
2) Google Kat Dennings and Christina Hendricks if you want to look at smoking hot women with jaw-dropping curves. Stay away from the six-pack chicks in women's health mags.
3) You rock. Remember that.
xoxo Chris P
Hi Rach! It's been a while!
ReplyDeleteI've lost a few pounds, and gained a few back in the past little while as well - even though I've tried my best to keep working out. However, I did also measure the waist, hips, etc. The interesting thing is, even though I gained a bit of weight back (about 4 pounds as well), the inches have for the most part stayed off - that could well be the case for you, too!
Hoping all the best for you - I've enjoyed reading your blog, as it's great inspiration and a good read!
-Marianne P
Oy, I really need to preview before I publish so that I don't get redundant or repeat what I've said. :)
Delete