“Just going to have you step on the scale real quick…”
“Ok… should I take my shoes off?”
“If you want to!”
*no brainer*
I took my boots off, obviously. That’s extra weight that I certainly do not want to claim as my own at this crucial weight loss juncture!
Reluctantly, while trying to channel all the skinny vibes I could think of, I stepped on the scale at the doctor’s office last Tuesday morning. Drum roll please…
After a solid week of working out and eating healthy I was pretty confidant I’d be down 10lbs (or perhaps at least 1lb, come on!). I got nothin’. The same rude number I’d seen the last time I stepped on a scale mocked me and reminded me of the golden rule: it takes time.
And it does. It takes time to train your body and your mind; to develop a routine; and for that routine to become a lifestyle.
So, I put my head down and got to work the rest of the week.
Wednesday – Circuit training (legs & cardio)
Thursday – Circuit training (arms & abs)
Friday – Circuit training (full body)
Saturday – Strength class at Allegiate gym
Sunday morning I played 6 games of volleyball (that’s 2 vs 2 beach volleyball, just to be clear – I’m not talkin’ jungle ball here). I would argue that beach volleyball is one of the best forms of exercise there is. Volleyball is a full body workout in and of itself. Then you add soft sand and you’ve got yourself some sore muscles that you didn’t even know you had to begin with. Some people (you know who you are) have a hard time merely walking in soft sand, let alone running and jumping in it.
Around game 4 is when I’d normally feel like tapping out. On Sunday I vividly remember the moment I realized that I was feeling differently than I normally do at that point. I was feeling stronger. My legs weren’t shot. I still had gas in the tank.
Over the last several years I’ve started and stopped many exercise routines. The pattern that I’ve noticed is this:
I want to lose weight.
I workout for a couple weeks but don’t see immediate results.
I’m frustrated with myself for letting myself get this out of shape in the first place.
I hate the feeling of struggling through a workout that shouldn’t be this difficult for me as an athlete.
I hate working out and give up.
Rinse & repeat.
On Sunday I broke through a barrier. The scale may not tell the story just yet, but I know what I felt. I think I was finally able to swap in a new step #5 –
Keep going.
Keep training your body and your mind; keep developing a routine; and eventually that routine will become a lifestyle. The results will come.