From January 3rd to February 7th, about 5 weeks, I lost 12 pounds. About the first 4 of them were water weight and water weight alone while the rest has been hard worked for with diet and exercise.
My clothing size is the same and will be the same for another 10 or so pounds before these 10s start to feel loose and the 8s (in some brands and some styles) start to fit better. So, that's not different, but what I do see different is how my body is reflected in the mirror in clothes and out of clothes.
The last 30 pounds help me get rid of the spare tire around my middle. While I gain everywhere, it's the waistline that gets hit big time.
This morning I got dressed in a pair of pants and top I wore about 3 weeks ago. When I wore it then, I wasn't too happy at the bulge in the middle. Now that bulge is mostly gone. Another 10 pounds and it will be gone. The remaining pounds will probably just make my waist more and more defined.
I never imagined myself as an apple shape, but maybe as I'm getting older I am? Is that a perimenopause or menopause thing? More weight in the middle versus all over?
The good news about that is that I will notice the weight gain sooner and faster if the weight is put on in more concentrated areas. The downside is who likes to look like they are carrying an intertube around their waist?
The other thing I wanted to mention (well not mention but scream from the roof tops - or at least I wanted to last night) is that last night I was able to touch my toes! Not once, but several times!
When I took a hot bath last night, I got it in my head to try to see if I could touch my toes while I was in the tub. I put my feet up against the end of the tub, leaned over and with a bit of a push, I could just do it. I can't do it and hold it there, but I can graze my fingers against my toes for a second.
Then, when I got out of the tub, I tried to do it while standing and lo and behold I could do it then too! And before going to bed, I still could do it. WOW!
I tried this morning to show my husband and I'm not even close - like 3 inches from my toes, but that's because I'm not all stretched out and warm. I'm going to keep working on it as I know it's not good to be so tight and it just primes me for injury.
I was so excited about it last night though. I've never ever been able to touch my toes except one other time. I wasn't able to do it as a child, as a teen or any time as an adult except for one brief time about 15 years ago, the last time I really tried to work on my fitness. And now - I can do it now. Woohoo!
Means with a bit of work, I might be able to get to the point of touching my toes and holding it there. That would earn me a C in the presidential physical fitness test I always bombed in middle school!
Good for you!! I think it's cool that a lot of your discussions about accomplishments center more on physical accomplishments and fitness vs. lbs lost from looking at a scale. Just starting out on my journey it's good to keep this in perspective. Wow - touching your toes! Right now I'd settle for being able to put my shoes on and tie them without it being a major production. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteWhen you are at the beginning, you can only see what you can't do. Soon, very soon it changes. In the beginning, I was walking in place for an hour for my exercise. Just THAT was a workout. I think about that now and think, "wow... just wow..." I remember not ever wanting to put on any shoes that required buckles or latches as that was difficult. I hated laces too because yes, I would get all winded as I tried to lean over my big stomach to do up my shoes - compressing the air out of my lungs to reach down or pull up my foot.
ReplyDeleteAnd I haven't done this at lightening speed. I'm basically where I was a year ago (though i'm more fit now - weight wise though, I'm the same). The body can accomplish amazing things pretty quickly. Just be sure you do things slow and safely to avoid injury. You don't want to get waylaid, especially early on when you're developing confidence. So my big advice is not to jump into hard core as a beginner (like running). Do what gets you huffing and puffing now. Only do more as your body CAN do more. Good luck!