I've once again hit a plateau. I've been +/- 2kg of my current weight for the past 5 months now. I just can't seem to get a handle on it and push through. I think a lot of it has to do with my disrupted schedule - from out of town visitors, to general stress, to traveling for about 11 weeks. Although I did lose some weight while on vacation, it still isn't the lowest weight that I reached a few months ago. It's really getting frustrating, but I know what the solution is -- I need to clean up my eating and I need to make sure my workouts are efficient and effective.
One of the things that I think has really affected me is going back to a sedentary lifestyle. Aside from the conscious effort I make to workout, I have relatively no daily activity. It's so different from the time I spent in New York this past summer where I was walking at least 5 miles a day, not including the workouts I was doing. That extra activity helped me come back without gaining any weight. However, being home and not getting in those extra miles has now had a negative effect - I need to rectify that now.
There was a time when I would spend 4-6 hours a day at the gym. Yes, that's right, 4-6 hours a day. Although I was active, I wasn't really losing weight because I was either cutting my calories way too low or eating the wrong things. Sometimes (often) it was a combination of the two. Although it may sound like it should have worked, I know now that simply eating the wrong things (regardless of quantity) just doesn't work for me. Rice and bread will leave me bloated for days.
My recent funk hasn't helped. I've been working out but my heart hasn't been in it; my food has been 80-85% clean, but that's definitely not clean enough ... it's time for me to get a grip and focus on the task at hand. Complaining about it isn't going to help. Spending too much time planning without implementing isn't going to get me anywhere either. I know what I need to do. Now I just need to stop stalling and get on with it.
I seem to have lost a bit of confidence in my ability to reach my goal. At one point I was really enthusiastic. I believed I could do it, and I was excited about reaching my goal. Today, and over the past few days, however, I just feel like the goal is far away.
This mental flip-flop is annoying, frustrating, and exhausting. Yet I know that I'm the only one in control.
I saw this quote:
I had the motivation -- it got me started.
I've formed the habit - I'm keeping on going.
My question is -- now what? Why am I floundering? How can I find that stable footing again?
One of the things that I think has really affected me is going back to a sedentary lifestyle. Aside from the conscious effort I make to workout, I have relatively no daily activity. It's so different from the time I spent in New York this past summer where I was walking at least 5 miles a day, not including the workouts I was doing. That extra activity helped me come back without gaining any weight. However, being home and not getting in those extra miles has now had a negative effect - I need to rectify that now.
There was a time when I would spend 4-6 hours a day at the gym. Yes, that's right, 4-6 hours a day. Although I was active, I wasn't really losing weight because I was either cutting my calories way too low or eating the wrong things. Sometimes (often) it was a combination of the two. Although it may sound like it should have worked, I know now that simply eating the wrong things (regardless of quantity) just doesn't work for me. Rice and bread will leave me bloated for days.
My recent funk hasn't helped. I've been working out but my heart hasn't been in it; my food has been 80-85% clean, but that's definitely not clean enough ... it's time for me to get a grip and focus on the task at hand. Complaining about it isn't going to help. Spending too much time planning without implementing isn't going to get me anywhere either. I know what I need to do. Now I just need to stop stalling and get on with it.
I seem to have lost a bit of confidence in my ability to reach my goal. At one point I was really enthusiastic. I believed I could do it, and I was excited about reaching my goal. Today, and over the past few days, however, I just feel like the goal is far away.
This mental flip-flop is annoying, frustrating, and exhausting. Yet I know that I'm the only one in control.
I saw this quote:
I had the motivation -- it got me started.
I've formed the habit - I'm keeping on going.
My question is -- now what? Why am I floundering? How can I find that stable footing again?
Sorry to hear you are struggling. I find the weight loss for me is mostly a mind game. Once I am in the right mindset it works but that is definitely easier said than done. I am finally starting to feel the motivation again. You can do it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Katrin. So much of it really is a mental game!
DeleteI can so much relate to this. I can hold steady at 165 - 167, but I have not seen 164 on my scale no matter what! I too can cut out a lot from my diet (nuts, fruit, wine), but I'm just not motivated to do so now. I'm hoping that after my Marathon at the beginning of November, I can be motivated once more to drop the last 10 pounds. I think I have become too comfortable where I am right now. I know that only I can change this, I just need to want it enough. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks Leigh! I need to really refocus. I'm hoping that once the semester starts and I get into a proper schedule things will fall more into place.
DeleteHi Ayesha, I think that a body takes time to get used to certain weights. At least mine does.
ReplyDeleteI know this sounds weird, but when I started working out less hours, I started losing weight again. I had more energy to spend toward losing weight while not being physically exhausted. I don't know what you want to do with that idea because it's sort of contrary to our best fantasies--being very slim and WAY athletic.
In the meantime, I get questioned every week at my weight loss meeting about why I am not losing weight faster. Faster? I'm keeping off weight. You must remember your net loss above all things. I'm always telling the "big losers" of the week to check their net loss--if they lose, then keep it lost. And you're doing that. So just keep yourself dedicated to the cause. You'll figure it out. :D
Getting back into my routine has been taking time, and of course being away for such a long time has also had an impact. I need to come up with a sustainable plan, and one in which I know I can always give 100%.
DeleteYou are amazing. Inside you have to believe that and I think you are an amazing person, an amazing inspiration and a friend.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is much that I could say but I am always just a message away, if you want to talk things through I'm always there for you. I've been there. xx
Thanks so much Rebecca! That means a lot :)
DeleteI've been reading several blogs of people who are looking at where they are and where they want to be and are feeling a little down. I'm thinking I need to get back to WW for my support meetings. Good luck with getting back into the swing of things. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Caron! I think the end of summer and start of a new season/school year brings about that feeling of reevaluation and new goal-setting. I sure hope getting into a new routine will help me out.
Delete