Uh-oh... Plateau!

This morning, I realized that my last blog entry was on Christmas Eve, and it's been awhile since I had a chance to write.  That was week #20 of my diet, and I was at 208 pounds, having lost 61 pounds since beginning.  In weeks  #21, 22, and 23, I weighed in, but have stayed at the same weight - 208 pounds.  I have hit a plateau.  


Coincidence?  No.


I know that to stay the same weight during the holidays is a good thing - I ate some foods along with my shakes, including a few sugar-free cookies - and managed to do enough activity that the holidays didn't add inches or pounds to my frame.  That's good.


However, I am relatively sure that the past few weeks, I haven't been as committed to the diet as I was in weeks 1-20, including making time for exercise, drinking water, and blogging at least once or twice a week.  My energy has been good, but my walking hasn't been as consistent.  And I think it's all related. 

I know myself pretty well after 39 years of living with me.  I know that unless I make something a priority, I will gently let it slip away and make excuses later.  I've started dozens of paintings and not finished them.  I have many half-started knitting projects and books that I got about 3/4 of the way through.  So, being fully committed to this diet is key for my success.  I know it works (I look great so far!) and I know I can do it - and now, it's time to recommit for the last half of the process, and get the reducing phase done... and I have many reasons why.


Reason #1:  Every week I stay the same, that's another week of delaying the end of the reducing phase.  I am motivated to be done with this phase by June 1, so that I can begin building a summer wardrobe of clothes I'll be fitting into for a long time.


Reason #2:  Every month I am on the diet, I pay a fee for the services.  Essentially, I'm cheap, and would like to stop spending that money every month on the diet plan and start putting it into savings.


Reason #3:  I'm suspicious that my ability to keep eating shakes and puddings all day long will begin to wane if I go past the one year mark.  I started this in late June of 2011, and would like to be done the reducing phase under one year from that time.


Reason #4:  I know the adjusting and maintaining phases will come with their own challenges, as I begin to reintroduce the right foods into my diet.  I'd love for that to be happening over the summer, so our whole family can align their eating in a healthy way.  Since the boys are off summers, it might make that process easier.

Reason #5:  Our family will be spending next Christmas in Hawaii.  I want to look amazing in shorts, bathing suits, and Hawaiian dresses on that trip.  So, finishing reducing and having a good 6 months of maintaining the weight loss under my belt will make vacation food and pina coladas much easier to handle on the trip.


I have noticed that while my weight has plateaued, the shape of my body is still changing.  For instance, the part of my belly that's near my belly button is getting smaller, but the upper part of my stomach is not.  My upper arms are still flabby.  My face and neck are slimming down great, and my hips and backside are whittling away from all the walking I do.  Because of these discoveries, today I'm starting something new in my exercise routine - Zumba.  For Christmas, I received the DVD's to get started, and I'm going to try it out today.  I'm pretty excited, as I hear it's lots of fun - but I've never been able to make a class with my schedule.  So, the DVD's are a great start.  Hopefully that will help my muffin-top and chicken-wing arms.


Plateaus feel awful for awhile, but they aren't terrible things.  They happen - and then, you get re-motivated.  For me, it's time to get back to losing weight, and get rid of these last 39 pounds.  I'm so ready to do this.