Probably unnecessary since that post went mostly unnoticed (but thank you to the redditors who commented and tried to help!). But I feel like I learned a valuable lesson that I want to share.
I lost 70-80 lbs after having my last baby. I've maintained that weight for almost two years now but in the past few months I've gained ~10 lbs back. When I started gained back in April, I made a laid back attempt to track on MFP (keeping it to 1200, then went to 1400 when I realized my workout levels necessitated it) and work out even more.
At the start of July, I was a few pounds UP and went into freakout mode. Started religiously tracking on MFP (before, I would get lazy with it) and amped up my workouts even more. I was 100% about everything (and yes, to the people who asked on my last post...I was tracking and measuring condiments and cooking oils too!). I was running 5k distances in the blazing heat. Killing it in HIIT class. And slamming my weight training in the gym. I was looking forward to last Wednesday's weigh in.
And then I saw I'd gained even more (3 lbs) and saw a number on the scale that I haven't seen since my weight loss journey. That number is about five pounds under the overweight threshold for my BMI.
I spent two days wallowing in self pity. I couldn't square it. Thought maybe it was the birth control I started a few months back, but mostly I was scared I'd been deluding myself. I posted to this sub looking for thoughts, and was mostly met with what I feared my problem was--that I was still eating too much, that I still hadn't figured this thing out, that I was lying to myself thinking I had.
I talked to one of my fitness instructors after Thursday night's class and she looked at me like I was crazy and had me schedule a body comp exam.
Y'all. I HAVE gained some weight. The scale wasn't lying. What the scale couldn't reveal though was that that weight was lean body mass. (Which explains why my size 6 pants all still fit.) I have gained muscle in every area of my body. I took my weight obsessed blinders off and looked in the mirror this morning. My abs have more definition. My arms and back and neck are thicker with toned muscle. As are my thighs. My glutes are lifted and rounder.
What I couldn't see a few days ago is that my weight gain started around the time I started increasing my weight reps at the gym. It started when I started that new HIIT class that I'm a die-hard of now. When I began doing the 60 min "butts and guts" group power class instead of the 30 min one. When I started running for longer.
So I'm taking my fitness instructor friend's advice and keeping my scale weigh-ins to twice a year. I'm deleting MFP. I'm gonna keep going hard at the gym. I'm gonna keep devouring mostly veggies and fruit and lean protein and whole grains. I'm gonna keep the junk food out of my house and keep boycotting restaurants. I know what I'm doing. I can trust myself.
There was a time when I needed loseit. When I needed MFP. When I needed to watch the scale and devour every weight loss tip I could find. That time has passed. I did it. It's time to move on. I don't need to be obsessed anymore. For my mental health's sake, I'm unsubbing from r/loseit and gonna lurk more on r/fitness and r/running.
Just wanted to say thanks to all of you--I've loved reading your posts and threads. It's been the source of much encouragement and wisdom and I wish you all the best in your journeys to health and wellness. Much love ❤️
[link] [comments]
from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2Y6cojY
No comments:
Post a Comment