12-Week Shape-Up! Week 8
If you missed the previous weeks and would like to join in, check out Goodbyes, WLS, Baseline, and the 12-Week Shape-Up. Week 1's challenge is at the bottom of the blog post.
Week 7 is in the books. Congratulations! Now it's time to weigh-in, both in regards to your weight, and in regards to how you did with your weekly challenge. As a reminder when measuring your weight, try to do it at the same time every Monday, in the same clothes, and before breakfast if possible.
How did you do?
12-Week Shape Up! Week 7 Weigh-In:
- Weight: 297.4
- Previous Weight: 297.4
- Weekly Loss: 0
- Starting Weight: 320
- Total Loss: 22.6
- Weekly Challenge Success and Challenges
- Successes: Definitely doing more jogging than walking, and my times are faster. I'm consistently doing an average of 5MPH or 12 min./mile (for comparison, at Week 1, my speed was 2MPH or 30 min./mile). I'm also getting more flexible (just a little, but it's improvement) from my yoga. It's also been helping me a lot with my shin splints and plantar fasciitis. Time will tell if it continues to help.
- Challenges: I went all the way up to 299.5 this week, but not in a smooth up and back down motion... I was all over the place. I tell myself it was water, but why am I at no loss for the week? Am I building muscle from the running and yoga? Am I plateauing? I hate needing to weigh in daily for the VA. If I come out sane at the end of this first 12-Week challenge (which basically coincides with the VA's 82-day plan I'm on), I'll be surprised.
Are you still with me? Great! I'm barely still with me; it was a very rough week last week. I lost control of my "eating environment" on Thursday and that really did a number on me mentally. I took healthy food to my sister's for a going away party for my nephew. She had no olive oil to cook with (or Pam), so I was stuck with (FAKE) butter... I was sadder than a kid who lost his puppy when I was cooking my food. Then I was assaulted by the smell of fresh-baked/iced cake for HOURS, and I gave into having a piece. That wasn't so bad - I can't live the rest of my life not enjoying sweets, I just have to do it responsibly - the problem was that I felt like I didn't make the choice to have it. I felt like I was a sleepwalker being dragged by the smell to the cake while shoving a piece mindlessly into my mouth. And that's how I've lived life in terms of sweets, salty snacks, and carbs, and it's what I'm trying to get away from - that feeling of helplessness.
Side Note: I have ADHD. ADHD can cause addictive behaviors due to those with it trying to "self-medicate." My addiction (literally) was bread-type carbs (any kind of white bread and cake/cupcakes). I felt like what I image a junkie would feel like who is trying to regain control - that I had NONE. It was a painful experience.
Then the scale was up and down all week, driving me a bit mad, ending with this wonderful zero gain/loss. :(
The point is (and this is me, telling you, to try to convince myself) we'll have "bad" scale weeks. Whether due to water retention (ugh) or muscle building (yay), or due to a total stall/plateau, the stagnant weeks will happen. Is this the norm? I think so. Maybe for some people, the stalls will not come as often. Maybe for some, they'll last for weeks. You just have to stay strong and push through.
At least, that's what I keep telling myself.
So get out there, have a great muscle-building week, and try not to throw your scale out of the window. If you're unsure of what to do, join me on Facebook on August 1 when I start a kettlebell challenge and a squat challenge!
The mantra for this week is to Pump It!
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Please speak to your doctor before beginning this or any stage of the 12-Week Shape Up!
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