Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Power of One - Week 5 STAGNANT

Power of One Challenge

My title says it all I believe...I have become stagnant. I haven't gained and I haven't lost. I'm not at all pleased with this scenario. I have lost around 30 pounds which is all good and fine but according to the personal trainer at the gym and the way my clothes fit and I look in the mirror I still have at least 40 pounds to lose. I'm not doing it right now and I am VERY frustrated with the lack of movement on the scales. If I didn't know better I would say that the scale is broken but everyone else gets different weights when they get on the scale.

So here we go again...

Starting weight on 3/25/09: 226.8

Starting weight this challenge: 196.0
Last week's weight: 196.0

This week's weight: 196.0


You know if I were in the "maintenance stage" of my journey I would be THRILLED but I am nowhere close to that stage so I'm begging my Sisters for help!!

How do I move past this stupid plateau and start losing weight again?? Eat more, eat less, exercise more, exercise harder, exercise less!! HELP!!

As far as goals are concerned I am doing pretty good with these and I am quiet pleased that I have been able to be consistent with them.

Goals for the challenge:

Short term goal (for this 8 week challenge): 184 (which is what I weighed the day I found out I was pregnant with That Other Kid back in the spring of 2003 and I haven't seen it since) -- I am obviously struggling to accomplish this goal

Some of my healthy living goals:

EXERCISE DAILY -- it doesn't really matter what; running, walking, playing with the numerous Wii games I have...just something to get my body moving. I am happier and less stressed if I do some kind of exercise! I really want to do something for 30 minutes a day...but I know some days I'm not really going to commit to that length of time so I'm just going to say any time as long as I'm EXERCISING - meaning heart rate is elevated! : SCORE on this one!! I have exercised for 32 days in a row!! Only 2 of those days has it not been "real" exercise, but those 2 days I was doing HEAVY cleaning - moving furniture, etc.

DRINK MY WATER -- cuz I've found if I'm drinking water, I'm not drinking soda!! Studies show if you drink half your body weight in water daily you will lose weight, so right now that means I need to drink a minimum of 98 ounces of water! Score on this one too. and just for the record there has been a CASE of coke in my house since Friday night and I haven't had one single coke!! Thankyouverymuch

My next goal (and this one will make my hubby happy) is to CLEAN/ORGANIZE something in my apartment everyday for 30 minutes. We live in a 3 bdrm apartment and it is cluttered and disorganized. It is also full of STUFF that needs to find either a new home or be thrown away. Since I homeschool That Other Kid and hubby works at home we are usually all home, which means the place is easily cluttered!! This needs to be changed...We are all tired of clutter!! Well I haven't done it every day (and if truth be told I haven't done it most days, but the house is looking better and I'm getting better at getting things cleaned and organized.

My final goal for this challenge and this is strictly for ME (cuz this challenge is for ME, right?) -- READ MY BIBLE and something for FUN (either fiction or non-fiction) EVERY DAY!!
I am doing really well with this one. I have skipped a couple of days of the Bible reading but then I went back and read a chapter for those days, and I have read something fun everyday!

I know stress plays a factor in weight loss but I have trying to channel my stress into more productive things like exercising and cleaning and I have been tracking my food into my LoseIt program. There have only been 2 days this week that were a problem in the numbers on paper!!

I will be traveling this week, so it will definitely be a different week for me(weather permitting which right now it isn't! UGH) to go to Kansas to help out my mom...she's prepping for knee replacement surgery RIGHT NOW, so please PRAY!! I'm sitting stranded in Texas because of the stupid snow/ice storm that has hit the country and can't get up there and it is really HARD!!

So tell me friends, what can I do different to pull off a HUGE loss next week? I REALLY need to have a loss this week! I'm frustrated and tired of seeing the same stupid number on the scale!!! So share your wealth of knowledge PLEASE!!

5 comments:

Heather D said...

Plateaus suck. Here's what I'd suggest: change up your fitness routine. Not necessarily more, just try something different. Like if you haven't been doing weight training, throw that in, or if you are, change up the reps/weight.
Also, look at what you're eating and maybe try something different there.
I know its frustrating, but I also know you can totally show this plateau who's boss!!

Adah said...

Great job on leaving those cokes alone...diet dr pepper isn't allowed in my house anymore right along with those stupid chocolate covered pomegrantes! And you are doing good on your other goals so try not to get to discouraged. I hate plateaus...it's really hard to push yourself over the edge of one! Maybe increase your calories every other day. I read somewhere that tricks your metabolism into moving again. Good luck!!

Anonymous said...

I was having the same problem. I'm doing less cardio... more weights... eating more, just eating healthier fat burning foods. It really helped me to breakthrough and lose after weeks of not really losing that much. Try interval training also.

Oh and awesome job on the Bible reading! I need to get on that!!! That's awesome though!

Heather A. said...

I'd say bump up the intensity of your workouts. Get "drippy" sweaty every day, not just a little "damp". Also, look at your calories. I noticed a big difference in my ability to loose when I bumped my calories up to lose 1 lb. a week instead of 2 lbs. a week. I don't know if it was mental or physical... but it seemed to make a big difference. Another trick that has worked for me is to switch out some of your refined carbs (breads/cereals/pasta) for fruits and veggies. I don't mean go no-carb or anything, but maybe have one slice of bread instead of two on a sandwich and then add a large salad. Or instead of an egg and toast, have an egg and fruit. Just increasing the fruits and vegs to way more than I'm used to always makes a big difference! You are doing great Ann, just keep it up! You CAN do this!

Anonymous said...

I think you need to do something to shake things ups. Plateaus usually happen because you've are stuck in too much of a routiine.

Shake things up a bit. The scale will respond.