The Burmuda Triangle of Weight loss: give up or truck on?

Happy Monday!  This weekend was a pivotal one for me in my weight loss journey.  I had some decisions to make and some actions to take that could have gone either way.  My actions over this past weekend made an utter difference in the immediate future of my weight loss journey.  Who so many ‘big decisions’?  It’s because I entered the ‘Bermuda Triangle of Weight Loss’ 

Bermuda Triangle of Weight Loss

Yes, I am in the Bermuda triangle of weight loss.   In case you somehow don’t know,  the Bermuda Triangle is a region in the northern Atlantic Ocean where a number of ships and airplanes have been said to have mysteriously disappeared. It’s the ‘dreaded’ place that people like to avoid....but sometimes you have to go through that region..and you either come through that region strong or, well....you mysteriously disappear.    I am in the Bermuda Triangle stage of Weight loss.   What in the world am I talking about?  I am talking about the stage of weight loss where this journey is no longer a new and novel experience.  It has become very real.  There may have been some success at the beginning of the  healthy lifestyle changes but the ho hum aspect of living these healthy changes each and every day has just hit.  For that first period of time we are gung ho and it doesn’t bother us to give up that extra piece of pizza, or slice of cake.  We don’t mind the absence of chips as a snack before bed.  We are strong.   But there will come a time when the strength wavers.  That is when we enter the ‘Bermuda Triangle of weight loss’.  What am I talking about?  I’m talking about that moment when we have to decide if we are going to throw in the towel and mysteriously disappear from the great quest toward weight loss and health or if we are going to steam straight through that rough patch of time  and come out in the other side stronger and still flying strong on this weight loss journey.   

For me the Bermuda Triangle of weight loss has historically  hit about 2-3 weeks into one of my many restarts .  It usually comes about when my strength wavers and I slip back into my old routines and habits. And looking at it honestly, I think sometimes it slips because I see a gain on the scales for my official gain.  I am usually pretty good about seeing daily fluctuations, but I HATE when I see a gain for my official  weekly weigh in....and if I want to face the truth, I almost always see a gain at least one week a month (thanks to female monthly ick!). So many times after a restart, I let that stupid gain send me straight into the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ of weight loss.  And just like the real Bermuda Triangle, it is uncertain if I will survive or if I will disappear from this journey.

I had the monthly gain last week for my official weigh in on Friday morning. (And in fairness ice cream through the heat wave may have played a part in that number..but I had stayed within my calorie count goal so I didn’t deserve a gain!) and I entered the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ over the weekend.    On Friday morning I seriously wanted to give up.  A gain  is so disheartening.  Disheartened, I didn’t even  pack my healthy lunch for work on Friday.  I said ‘To heck with it, I’m eating in the cafeteria for lunch...especially since it is supposed to rain and that affects my lunch time walk!’   I didn’t pack my lunch...but luckily on the drive to work I came to my senses and rememberrd how badly I want to have success!   As soon as I parked I pulled up myfitnesspal on my phone (that’s where I track my daily calories) and immediately entered in my food for the day.  We order pizza every Friday night so I knew what we were eating.  I knew  what I usually get at the cafeteria....so it was easy.  I finagled and worked it and if I ignored the chips in the cafeteria...and my after work snack (which I want to eliminate that habit anyway)  I would be ok with a cafeteria lunch and the pizza!  And maybe..just maybe I would be able to have a wee bit of ice cream if I kept everything under control!   I resisted the chips at lunch...it was hard.  The habit is to get a bag of chips ...and they push the meal  deal to add chips to your sandwich.   I stuck with the lower calorie sandwich, even though the chicken salad looked delicious...turkey was my choice.  I did it!   Victory!  Next up was the snack after work.  I didn’t beat it TOTALLY.  I had a half of a Pringle chip.  No...not a half of a serving...or a half of a can.  I ate a half of a chip!!!   VICTORY!!!!  I put my mind to it and kept sailing straight through the Bermuda Triangle of weight loss.   

Next up?  The rest of the weekend....but I smashed that too!   I ate wisely and even went running, hiking and biking!   I came through it feeling stronger, more empowered and ready to continue this journey.  The Bermuda Triangle of weight loss didn’t claim a victim this time!!!

Running

I stepped outside my door on Saturday morning decked out in my running clothes.  The temperature hit me immediately. Blessed coolness!   I have been running in hot humid weather but today the temperature was 63 and super low humidity (yeah, I pulled up the temp before I started my run!). It felt fabulous!   It felt so fabulous that I pushed myself and did an extra mile and explored a new neighborhood!  Go me!

Weekend Shenanigans

As I mentioned earlier, the  weather was delightful this weekend!!!!  High temperature in the low 80’s and low humidity  (as compared to the recent heat of the upper 90’s with high humidity).  As soon as we saw the forecast for the weekend we vowed that  we would try to get out and be as active as possible to enjoy the weather.....so how did we do???  On Saturday we ran our errands and headed out with our bikes. We rode until we could ride no further...then we turned around!

No, we didn’t turn when our legs could go no further...we turned when we came upon a bridge that was out blocking our path. (Top picture is a side view of the bridge that is out, the bottoms picture is from the path where the path drops away!). No to be clear...there was caution tape blocking the drop off.....I was up against that.  And there may or may not have been ‘area closed’ signs on the towpath at earlier points  that I may have ignored!  Even with the earlier turn around than expected, we managed to get a nice ride in...a nice ten miles that we referred to as our ‘warm up’ for Sunday!

We got home and had a picnic dinner (hot dogs...buffalo meat, baked beans and corn on the cob.) food cooked on charcoal...delicious!  Or maybe it is the fact that my body had worked out...and food after working out is always sooo much tastier!

On Sunday I did not run in the morning.  This was a calculated decision. On Saturday we had vowed to do something more significant...and I wanted to save my legs to be fresh for whatever we decided to do.    So we left the house and first up was a trip to REI.  Jason wanted to try on the Five Ten mountain bike shoes   We didn’t find his size,so we will be ordering them online.   From there we headed off to do some reconnaissance on a mountain bike trail.badically we wanted to see if it was doable on my ‘non-mountain’ bike....a comfort bike.  We chose the 4 mile trail to check out.  It was good to get out there and hike(hiking is allowed on this trail). 

The berries were ripe for the picking!!!  And we did stop and indulge in berries along our hike.  These ripe berry hikes are so much fun!!!

It was a good time...even though my one foot was aching like crazy on Sunday evening!  And for the record, the trail is ‘mostly doable’ on current bike.  I will have to walk a few places but overall I think I can handle it.