Weightloss Journey Update: Month Three of Maintenance

Life is such an amazing journey. Ups and downs. Sometimes the scale reflects it.  Sometimes it doesn’t. It’s a matter of how you handle it.  How you react.

It has now been just over three months since I hit my ultimate weightloss goal.  I am continuing to log my nutrition and exercise daily and share my daily progress with my accountability groups. Much of what I do is now routine. I track my food and meals without even realizing it. And it’s become a part of my day. I think of my food and activity log as any other personal journal or diary. It’s a reflection of my day, my feelings, my mood, my schedule and my environment. I don’t get obsessed over it. But it is nice to feel like I have some control over my day – and later reflect on it. 

I am not a “calorie counter” and don’t focus on an nutrition program specifically. I don’t eliminate food groups from my diet. I try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, drink lots of water and make good decisions. But I still eat things that I enjoy; I simply watch my portion sizes.  I like to eat – and I’m not ashamed of that. Ziploc baggies, food containers and weekend planning and food preparation really help make and keep me successful. I eat the same things as my family. Sometimes I substitute whole wheat noodles or add an extra vegetable for myself.

I haven’t ran in over a week – since my injury. I realized that I had not taken off more than a day or two in almost two years. Running as often as I have (10-15 times per week) you get really use to being in motion. It’s hard for me sit down and rest. Not to be doing something physical. But I am trying. I haven’t been cleared to do any exercise until after my MRI next week, so I have been pretty stagnant, other than a couple of short walks around my neighborhood. I adjusted my food log and nutrition goal accordingly for the time-being. After my injury, I was concerned that my habits would diminish and that I would struggle with keeping the weight off.  But I now feel that I truly have consistent habits and can keep myself motivated.

 

When I stepped on the scale this week, I was down three pounds from my pre-marathon weight earlier this month. I found this interesting with how stagnant I’ve been.  We also were hit family-wide with the Neurovirus last week.  So my appetite was minimal for a couple days. I was really happy with the number reflecting back at me.  But I don’t feel like I identify with that number quite yet. I like to focus more on how I feel physically and in my clothes.  Which is great! But that number still hasn’t hit me yet – that I’m there. That I reached it.

My pants are looser than normal. I’m noticing my legs are visibly smaller in photos now. I’m still seeing changes in the shape of my face. I’m looking forward to spending time and focusing on my core and upper body once I develop my new fitness routine for the next couple of months.

We are each a work in progress. Embrace the journey and the process.