Keep....Moving....Forward!!!
By Christy Beauchot Smith
It seems very fitting, if not ironic, that this article was harder for me to write than the others. You see, it’s about overcoming hurdles. It’s about digging deep and finding strength where you’re not sure any even exists.
When I first started writing this, on April 3rd, it had been exactly one month from when I began my personal training journey with Jason Minich of Catalyst fitness. After one month of what seemed like super hard, life changing work, I should have felt inspired, but instead I felt frustrated.
When I hopped on the scale for the first time in a month, I expected to see some weight loss.
I didn’t.
No big deal, muscle weighs more than fat, right? But, then I took my measurements and expected to see huge decreases all over.
I didn’t.
Finally, I took photos of myself and compared them to the ones I took before I started with Jason. Surely those HAD to show something of an improvement.
Nope. Nada.
Then, I did what any intelligent, self respecting girl would do. I cried.
I literally sat down at the kitchen table and cried. My husband hid in another room. He’s a smart man.
I was feeling sorry for myself.
As anyone who has started a diet knows, it’s crucial, heck it’s expected, to have some sign of success within the first few weeks. The standard of weight loss in our society is loss of pounds on the scale…smaller pants sizes…essentially some noticeable decrease in size within a very short period of time. If we don’t see it, we start to get discouraged. No, it doesn’t make sense to lose motivation when logically we *know* that what we’re doing is the right thing, but wow is it hard to keep plugging away, week after week after week with absolutely no significant size/weight change.
I had never worked so hard in my life. And to see virtually no change at all, well, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I felt like quitting and downing an entire pie to drown my sorrows. But something was nagging at me and telling me to keep plugging away.
The logical side of my brain was kicking in finally. It was reminding me that if I was eating well, and exercising consistently, then something good was just around the corner. Keep. Moving. Forward.
After all, I felt fantastic! I had more energy than I had experienced in months. My flexibility had increased tenfold. I moved with confidence and strength. But, I had not taken those improvements into consideration when evaluating the success of this program.
It speaks volumes about where our values are today that we don’t, as a culture, respect the inner changes more than the outer, more obvious ones.
“She’s a size 2!”
“She lost 50 pounds in two months!”
You never hear, “Wow, she must feel great!”
So how do you stay motivated when the traditional milestones set by society aren’t met?
· First and foremost, value how you *feel* more than how you look or how much you weigh.
· Second, tell yourself that even if you’re not seeing any improvements now, you definitely won’t see any if you go back to your old habits. I could have easily started eating Taco Bell and sitting on my butt again, but that, without a doubt, would not have helped my weight loss goals at all. In fact, just the opposite would have occurred. And then where would I be?
· Third, and probably most important, be prepared. If your refrigerator and shelves are stocked with healthy food options, and if you have prepped a few dishes up ahead of time, it will be much easier just to put your head in the game and plug away until you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
After talking with Jason about my disappointment with the results, or lack thereof, he did what any great trainer would do, and encouraged me to keep it up. He assured me that he was seeing a change, not only in how I moved, but also in my physical strength. I was gaining a lot of muscle quickly and changes were inevitable. And he reassured me that the universe wasn’t out to get me.
He also said…”Keep. Moving. Forward.”
I loved his confidence and left the gym that day feeling much better about my progress. I was looking forward to proving to myself that the science was much smarter than I gave it credit for, and truthfully, I just wanted to stick to something for once. I am doing this the right way this time, so of course it has to happen slowly. The slower it comes off, the longer it stays off. I am definitely okay with that.
However, the anal retentive researcher side of me did even further digging on the internet and found this little gem from Yuri Elkaim at ezinearticles.com:
“If you're a beginner to working out, the first 6 weeks of your training program are very important even though you may not see significant results. These first 6 weeks are known as the 'neuromuscular adaptation phase' and are characterized by an increase in muscular coordination and improved strength without a significant physical transformation."
So, therefore, if you want to lose and you're not seeing immediate results, just remember that the first 6 weeks lay the foundation. After that, the weight will start to fall off, bearing in mind that you're working out and eating correctly.”
So, while it might not be showing up on the scale, or on the measuring tape, or even in the goshdarn photos….it’s showing up in my spirit. And that my friends, is as good as it gets.
Christy Beauchot Smith is the owner and creator of www.dipstickspretzels.com. She and her husband, Mark, are the parents of two sons, Jacob and Joshua. Once in awhile, you'll find her behind the counter at Quilts & Ladybugs in downtown Columbia City.