The last few days have been kind of a struggle for me. I haven’t seen the numbers drop on the scale like they were doing in the beginning: -.5/week instead of -1.5/week. The second workout cycle with my trainer is a little bit more like the workouts I remember when I was younger: more lifting and less moving. And I’ve been struggling with events that keep threatening to derail my eating habits: Super Bowl, birthday, and house guests.
But just when I’m starting to get discouraged, good things happen. On Thursday, my daughter’s school teacher, someone who doesn’t know I’ve been changing my lifestyle, asked me if I’d been working out and told me that I looked good. It’s nice when anyone pays this compliment, but when someone who has know idea how hard I’ve been working gives it to me, it puts me through the roof.
Then on Friday, I went shopping for a couple of things I need for the upcoming family trip to Hawaii. I purchased two pairs of swim trunks, a pair of flip flops, and some workout/golf gear. My new swim trunks have non-elastic waistbands and are size…wait for it…34! I haven’t worn a pair of 34″ anything for several years. Needless to say, I was happy with myself. Not too happy, because they are after all, swim trunks and they’re supposed to be a little loose. Also on Friday, J.D. walked into my house and said something about how fit I was looking…Then we went and ate gross hamburgers that made us feel sick.
Saturday was also a good day. We got invited over to a friends house for dinner. While getting ready, I thought about my size 34 swim trunks and wondered if I could fit into my size 34 jeans. These are the jeans that just 3 months ago I couldn’t even get my legs into, yet alone get the button anywhere near closed. After a little maneuvering, I got them on, buttoned them, and decided they were comfortable enough to wear out. They’re tight, but I’m in them, and now that I’ve worn them a bit, they feel just fine! My wife says that this is how jeans are supposed to feel. If that’s true, I’m not so sure I like it.
So, I guess what I’m trying to say is thanks. Thanks to all of you (readers, friends, family, and especially strangers) for making me feel good about myself and making it easier to press on and get over the bumps in the road. I really appreciate you all.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Great work! This is the kind of post that brings me back to this site – it’s real, it’s short, and it gives me inspiration to keep working through the difficult and busy times.
As someone who’s migrated up and down through different pair of jeans, I’d say your wife’s assessment of fit may not be spot on. But then I’ve seen what my wife puts on, and it may be good advice for her, closer fit in the seat, usually a small bit of slack at the waist. But even in my 569s, I’ll rely on the comfort at the waist before deciding to walk out the door.
Thank you Alex. I often find myself struggling with my “writer’s identity.” I never know if people want me to review an article, or write about myself.
Way to go, Mac! I was going to tell you that men seem to be able to bulk up enough working out that the weight loss slows some during periods of really working out, but I guess you figured that out by your clothes fitting even without your weight dropping as much.
Mac, hang in there! Don’t give up, and when you do, start over again as quickly as you can. Most people give up permanently.
Weighing yourself frequently is problematic, and especially so if you’re the kind of person for whom seeing your weight go up robs you of your motivation. When I was losing weight, I found the fluctuations in my weight to be extremely distracting — noise, not signal. I had absolute faith that if I maintained a calorie deficit through eating, and put all my energy and attention into tracking that and finding strategies of staying on my eating plan, that over the long run the weight would come off, and that’s exactly what happened. With a calorie deficit, it’s really quite inevitable that you will lose weight. As your wife has told you, water weight alone can account for the fluctuations you’re seeing, especially if you’re exercising. I assume you’re weighing yourself first thing in the morning, before you eat or drink anything and after you relieve yourself.
On any journey of change, there are plateaus when nothing seems to be changing. Our consumer culture takes advantage of these moments of doubt and fear and goes to work suggesting that there’s an easier way, a faster way, a better way. The culture says: if it’s not happening fast, then it’s not working. Americans want it now, not later. The culture wants you to give up and try something else, another path that requires you to spend some more money. Stasis isn’t good for business, except if you’re a heroin addict. You’re a golfer (almost as bad): you know how the mere purchase of a new club holds the promise of fixing your swing.
Being fit and eating a healthy diet, when you think about it, is a powerful anti-consumer gesture. You shift your food purchases away from high value-added processed foods to extremely low-margin whole foods. You shift your leisure attention away from TV — the engine of the consumer culture, driving society with its ads — and toward watching the scenery as you take your daily run, or staring at the ceiling tiles as you bang out your third set of bench presses. You’ve become a dangerous man, Mac. Keep it up!
It’s a very cool feeling to know you’re smaller than you’ve been in a long time.
Over the weekend I rewarded my 15 lbs since the new year with a pair of Banana Republic jeans and was very surprised to fit into a 31″!
15 more pounds (in three months probably) and I’ll be the size I was when I started college (10 years ago).
Blogging is a perfect motivator and I encourage everyone to think about doing what you’re doing and documenting your goals and journey. There’s no better way to hold yourself accountable, you’ll let us all down!
-Josh
Great job! I’ll echo a few other comments in that these daily articles have helped me make some better day-to-day decisions as well. One of which being is that I gave up sweets for Lent. Not that I’m particularily religious, but just because I enjoy the challenge. It also helps me keep focus.
I also agree with Greenman – don’t worry about the scale. It’s only one component of fitness tracking. As you continue to work out and build muscle mass, you may find your weight-loss slowing. Your BF% should continue downward and your jeans will keep fitting looser.
Keep fighting the good fight:-)
Cheers!
Brigid
thanks Mac…
these personal entries are motivational and help me in my quest to get healthy in 2008. i prefer these over the article reviews. the insights into your personal psychology of change is interesting reading! i like many others can identify with your struggle…
cheers and again thanks!
james