This past weekend/majority of the week I spent it sick. After spending a good six hours hugging our porcelain throne you'd think I'd want nothing to do with food, right? Welp, you'd be wrong. I was sick; not dead. I wanted all of the comfort food. The homemade chili with crackers, and all of the fixings. The warm brownies and cookies. Limón flavored potato chips, and Ramen noodles. Hot chocolate, and mashed potatoes. If it was fattening, and I could go over my allotted calorie intake for the day in two bites you can bet your sweet cheeks I wanted it. So I wasn't in the least bit surprised to see the number on my scale go up. I won't lie to you I felt guilty for a few moments. I felt bad, and kind of like all of the progress I had made was for nothing. But then I just shrugged it off. Though I'll admit I wasn't always quick to react that way before.
Weight gain. Scales. Gym time. Falling off the wagon; getting back on. For some of us out here the weight loss journey can be a real struggle. I'm no stranger to it as you just read, and sometimes I feel like I'm letting myself down. Sometimes, I make some bad food choices even when I know that it's not the best decision. I regularly have 10 minute arguments with myself over why I should, or shouldn't buy the kings size Hershey Bar when I go grocery shopping. Spoiler alert: I usually toss it on the checkout counter right before the cashier totals me out. There are also times when I want to drink Pepsi with my breakfast, lunch, and dinner just because I'm tired of everything else. And then there are the really bad days when I'd rather eat a whole container of Little Debbie's while binge watching a TV series than going to the gym, or cooking. It happens y'all. And I'm not going to try feeding you that "once you make the life style change it gets easier" line because that's bullshit. Food was made to taste good. Preservatives and chemicals be damned. What I am going to tell you though is: Bro, it's okay. You've got this. Even with the mix of good, and bad days. You've got this.
I went from being 185 lbs, to 150 lbs in a few months. Then at the end of last year that number went back up to 168 lbs. Today, I weighed in at 164 lbs. It's like a damn hospital heart monitor going up, and down. Now I know maintaining a healthy weight is important. I know it's achievable. I know that I can drop back down to 150 lbs, and I know that it's best for me to make my way even further down from that. But guys, I like carne asada tacos. And sometimes I'm lazy. For the record it's worth repeating that I really really love food. So it's not always easy staying on track, and on occasion it may take me awhile to get back on. I'm not going to beat myself up over it though. And if you're dealing with weight issues, you shouldn't either. Progress varies for everyone. The changes can be easier to achieve for some, and harder for others. They're not always on the outside either. That's definitely something that took me awhile to learn too. I may not be at my goal weight right now, but I have more energy during workouts. I can squat 120 lbs, and I easily run 3.1 miles without keeling over in pain. I'm down from eight cups of coffee a day to two. I drink more water, and eat more salads now than I ever have in my life. For me, these are all good things. Positive changes. So even though the scale says one thing I usually (more often than not) feel differently.
Since the new year I've been switching things up in order to keep myself motivated, and I'd thought I'd pass some of these ideas along just in case: As soon as I get home from work I immediately change into my workout clothes so that I can't make an excuse not to go. I've committed myself to working out a minimum of five times a week for at least thirty minutes. Some days I go balls to the wall, and others I walk on the treadmill the entire time. Some activity is better than no activity. I always carry a 32 oz water bottle, and I make sure to fill that sucker up at least twice throughout the day. If I get tired of the taste I slice up a lemon, lime, cucumber, or mint leaves and toss them in. This can also help with bloating so that's pretty cool too. If you're the kind of person that can easily talk yourself into NOT doing something I definitely recommend finding yourself a workout buddy. I know it may not be for everyone, but I've found that it helps me. My dad is my gym partner, and on the days when I'm feeling like keeping my ass firmly planted on my couch he usually calls to tell me he's waiting for me at the gym. Now sometimes our work schedules get in the way, but for the most part he's there to hold me accountable. Weight lifting has also taken up a big part of my workout time. It's true when they say that strength training helps you out in other areas, so don't be afraid to incorporate it more often. And last, if I'm feeling bored, I'll take a class. My favorite is kickboxing, and it brings me a lot of joy. If you know me it makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? I've read that switching up your workout routine can also get you out of a slump. It throws your body off in a good way which helps if you've hit a "weight loss plateau". From personal experience I can attest to this being true.
Now, I'm sure some of these you've probably heard of, or even practice yourselves. Still, I think it's worth mentioning how these little changes have been helping me stay on track. Even on the days when I fail miserably with my poor eating habits. Sticking to these choice every day have helped me to feel stronger. If I'm having a low day I make sure to carve out the time for myself because that's how I know that I'm really in need of it. If you have anxiety or depression then you know what I'm talking about. I definitely treat being active as a form of "self care", and it's working out pretty well for me. So here's to consistency! May it bring us health, happiness, and the ability to consume tacos to our hearts content.
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