So you haven’t heard the mention of the scale for a while, have you?
Yeah, I guess I hit a plateau. November 1st, I was at 192. At some point in early November, I hit 189.8. And then I just started treading water. I got on the scale every day. And as long as I didn’t see a number that was over 192, I was happy.
But it wasn’t my weight that on a plateau. It was my behavior.
I was running. I was tracking. But I wasn’t focused on losing. I was content to maintain. I’m not sure exactly why. I wasn’t feeling a ton of motivation, but I was feeling enough motivation to maintain. It’s funny. I actually figured out my BMR at a weight of 190 and that was my absolute cut off. I didn’t go over that number a single day.
I didn’t make a conscious choice to not lose. I just gave myself a window, I guess. I had intentions to meet my goal, but I gave myself permission to go to, but not over, my BMR number. And that’s what I did most days.
And, guess what? I maintained. I weighed 192.0 on the day I got home from Thanksgiving.
Now I know. I know I can maintain. I know I could have a Reese cup here or a scoop of ice cream there (or a Monkey Melt mmmmmm). And not wake up the next day weighing 237. I ate what I wanted. Maybe not in the quantity that I would have in the past, but I ate what I wanted. And I don’t want as much anymore anyway.
If anything, this month of quasi-focus has made the rest of my life seem very normal and manageable. If you would have told me six months ago that I would be stoked to maintain for a month, I would have called you a liar. But November makes me feel very warm and fuzzy and secure that I can do this – that I have changed, that I have a new lifestyle.
And now I’m ready to get the rest of this done already. It took until December 1st to get back to serious focus, but I did it.
Today the scale said 188.8.
Watch me go, boys and girls. Just watch.
I want to run – I love that you run
I want to be happy in the knowledge I know what I can eat – you have done this
I want to get my shit together and not wait for the new year – go you for getting back on track Dec 1
I want to be happy with the way I look – Well done for your November maintain month – brilliant
Great work – I am a fan :)
Wow! I am so proud of you!
It takes a lot to decide to change up your routine and decide that maintaining is no longer what you want to do.
It also takes a lot to keep maintaining the loss that you have achieved thus far.
I’ve been in the same boat -sort of. And although I’ve maintained at least 50 pounds of weight loss almost all year, I’m ready to lose again too. Somehow I don’t feel like a loser (haha) for not continuing to lose weight because I know that I’ve learned so much more just by maintaining for a while.
Strength comes in all forms. And for me, maintaining successfully gives me the strength to pick up where I left off.
Go you! :)
Maintenance is key. Way to not move the scale up or down… victory in itself!
Good for you. I made the mistake of taking too much time off and eating too much and gaining instead of maintaining. So now I’m starting again. It’s awesome that you were able to take a needed break and now you can continue. Good luck!