I can tell myself over and over again that weight is not the most important part of this journey; and it's not. However, that doesn't mean it's not important or a part of the journey. It likely will always be, because a long time ago I fell into the trap that made me care about the number on the scale. It has been a constant part of the puzzle for me and I just don't see it going anywhere. At least not without finding some contentment.
The first time I felt I had to get serious about losing weight was in 2008. That year, I lost 15 pounds in 4 months after I started a thyroid medication, quit drinking pop, and increased my physical activity. After those initial 15 pounds, I maintained for several months before gaining all 15 pounds back. That year I went from 179 to around 165 pounds. By the time we finally got pregnant with our daughter in 2009, I was back to 180 pounds.
After my pregnancy, I quickly dropped to my pre=pregnancy weight but did not immediately get into a good routine to lose anymore. By December 2011, a year and a half after our daughter was born, I had hit an all time high of 193 pounds. I got serious about losing the weight once again. By August 2012, I had lost 27 pounds and was down to 166 pounds.
Last fall, two additional fertility treatments took all of my physical and emotional energy. I had just ran my first half-marathon and let my training slip to put my focus elsewhere. I gained 5 pounds back. From January to March, I got back into a routine that involved more strength training and fitness classes than running. I gained 5 more pounds back before trying our third unsuccessful attempt of giving our daughter a sibling. Once again, I found myself weighing 179 pounds.
I thought for sure I would be able to lose it this past summer, but despite running 300+ miles and training for my second half-marathon, I didn't lose a single pound! How does that happen!??! At the start of this school year, I started a new job. After three weeks off between finishing one job and starting another, it was a great opportunity to start fresh. Get into a good routine. Pack sensible lunches. Etc. Between Labor Day weekend and Thanksgiving break, I lost 10 pounds with some ease. Since turkey day, I have yo-yo'd between 168 and 173. There is little rhyme or reason from one end to the other. What is it with this upper-160 mark? It is the third time I have gotten there and plateaued.
Since the start of the school year, my diet has been yogurt for breakfast, cut up veggies with ranch and a string cheese at lunch, a snack in the afternoon of cheez-its, and sometimes a Special K cereal bar. Suppers vary to appeal to the family, but aren't ridiculous and I'm pretty good about limiting what I eat. Sometimes I have a snack in the evening, but it's not a given. Pop is hit or miss with me. Since 2008 when I gave it up completely, I ebb and flow. Sometimes I keep it in the house and drink one or two a day. Other times I only have access to it at the gas station or out to eat. Right now I have been drinking it, and know I need to get back to increasing my water intake.
Exercise in the first few months of the school year involved maintaining 15-20 miles a week plus going to an Interval Conditioning class at the YMCA twice a week with pretty good consistency. Since Thanksgiving, my miles have been closer to 10 or 15 miles (with a few better weeks mixed in), and without my planner in front of me, I would say I've made it to class once a week more often than twice a week.
Clearly I can see a few things I can do to get some things back in order. I am also wondering what truth might be behind this article that I found shared on Runs for Cookies. It's been a while since I have actually taken the time to add up how many calories I eat, but looking at a quick run down of my typical diet says there is not much more to be cut. Should I be eating more?
If the upper-160s are where I am meant to be, I will embrace it. I will be satisfied and take pride in the running and exercise goals I can accomplish at that weight. But I can't shake the feeling that there is more to lose and I just have to find a way to push through. I also know getting ready to take on marathon training won't be an ideal time to be doing a lot of trial and error.
What do you do or did you do to push through a plateau? How did you know when you had hit an ideal weight for you?
Feedback and suggestions welcomed!
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