It's a New Year

It's the beginning of a new year and like many folks I have made a resolution to get into shape, change my bad eating habits, and loose some weight. First, I will concentrate on changing my habits and replacing them with healthy ones. I plan to exercise more faithfully and consistently, significantly reduce junk from my diet, and eat more appropriatly sized meal portions. We have discussed and agreed as a family to eliminate junk from our household and look forward to pre-designated junk days to satisfy any cravings and help us stay focused in between. The first junk day of the year will be our dd's birthday in January. We will no longer purchase the junk from the store as it is easier to say no once while shopping than regularly while at home. The only problem is that we know how to bake. I won't remind them of this option.

I'm reminded that last year I had started out with great success following an exercise regimen and followed it consistently six days a week, with very few missed days, for almost four months. I weighed myself weekly and was extremely disappointed that the weight was not dropping. Even though I had told myself that I would not use the scale as a measurement for my success it was difficult not to become discouraged when it did not slide downward. After four months of watching it go up and down between the same set of number, I determined that hadn't lost anything and quite.

Almost three years ago I had been exercising faithfully with eagerness and determination. Again, I weighed myself weekly, instead of daily. This avoids the confusion and discouragement from the daily ups and downs expected from the scale. However, the weekly weigh-in didn't help matters. I had lost a little bit, a few pounds, and then became stuck at the same pounds and ounces as the previous week. I found that odd since I found the scale reading would go up and down and up and down on a daily basis and would never stay the same. How did the scale read the exact pounds AND ounces from the week before?! So, I had hubby stand on the scale and it was accurate for him. I got back onto the scale and it gave me a different reading, only about 5 ounces less, but different still. I was heading in the right direction. The next week, however, read the exact same weight as the second reading from the week before. I ignored it. The next week showed the exact same weight again. Frustration was building and I had my hubby stand on it once more, but this time it didn't budge for me. So, I put the scale aside and quit everything all together.

The sad truth is that had I remained faithful and focused on the process instead of the outcome I probably would have made it to my goal by now. Instead, I have gained an additional twenty pounds and I would love to get back to where I was before when I was so frustrated with the scale. This is why I don't weight myself anymore.

A few months ago when I had started this blog I went to the doctor and they weighed me. Then, a month later, after all those weeks of actually being faithful, I visited a different doctor and the scale gave me the same weight. I had to quickly ignore it. This time I MUST focus on the process of creating healthful habits, getting stronger and improving myself for the sake of doing the right thing rather than weighing my success on the downward treand of the scale reading.

One thing I did learn is the reason I was most likely not loosing. Before I had gained weight I loved to exercise. (To put this into proper perspective, realize that I had slowly gained weight starting about six years ago and have reached my worst only in the past three years. It's not like we are talking twenty years ago or something.) Back then, I worked hard at it and would see results quickly. I didn't have much to do to reach my goal because I was so small and already tone and strong. Today, those same results will be seen, but I still have pounds and pounds to loose before I reach my goal. Back then I was strong and energetic. Today, it's hard to exercise to that capacity because I'm out of shape and my efforts are not so quickly rewarded. It has become more work than enjoyment. An obligation rather than an outlet. It makes me feel like I'm climbing an uphill battle without any reward rather than enjoying the process and feeling stronger.

Last year my husband asked me if I had been working out when he heard me breathing heavily and I had only climbed our one flight of stairs from the basement. (Hence the title of this blog). I decided to do the Urban Rebounding intermediate DVD. The beginner one was too easy and a waste of my time. The intermediate was almost too much for me, so I started out with five minutes and did that for about two weeks. Then, I would add another routine from the DVD each week. Little by little I strengthened my cardio strength until I finally reached and finished on a regular basis the twelve routines. But, I hadn't lost any weight. I did TTapp for weeks with no weight loss whatsoever.

I tried a lot of different workouts. Then, I came across an article that explained the mistakes that many people make in their workouts and I realized that it was speaking to me. I need to do weight bearing exercises and work them until my muscles are shaking. I had to reach some point of exhaustion in my muscles and I hadn't been doing that. In fact, I shied away from that point. Now that I've been doing that I see changes in my body, but I haven't been consistent. That is my goal for 2009. To be consistent and really, REALLY work my muscles, build up my strength and endurance, and reach my previous level of enjoyment for workouts. I plan to do this while ignoring the scale and replacing my bad habits with healthful choices. I want to be my old self again.