I'm in kinda a cruddy mood today. I've always told myself... "You know, Jen, if you decided one day that you would get up off your butt and exercise, you'd probably lose some weight." You know, as if I sit around all day and do nothing. Well, I did decide to exercise. And after the first week, I am extremely disheartened.
I worked out a great plan. I would do a latin dance workout tape I already have (Zumba) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays I would use the stairstepper (thanks, Rin!) for 20 minutes, and take a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood with the kids. 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. It should have worked, and I was pretty faithful to it. Ididn't end up doing the walking part, but the rest of it I did!
I worked my butt off. I Zumbaed until I plopped. My legs ached every day. And I GAINED three pounds.
SAY WHAT??!!
I knew I shouldn't have had the ice cream. But seriously, I was only trying to get it out of my house, and I didn't want it to be wasted. Neopolitan ice cream and Magic Shell is a horrible thing to be thrown away. And now I don't have anything sweet left in the house that I'd actually eat, so I think I'm safe. That's only because I still haven't gone grocery shopping. I think I'm avoiding it, 'cause I can hear the KitKats calling me all the way from Kroger. I guess the pizza didn't help either.
And then there's water retention, another wonderful thing about being a woman...
And then there's the fact that my son quit nursing, so I'm not burning those extra calories anymore. :P
Oh, well. I know I should just be chipper and keep going. Today is my day to Soooh-mba (as Beto puts it), and I just can't muscle up (no pun intended) the motivation to go do it. I think I could've handled my weight staying the same, but gaining three pounds??? That's almost like a kick in the face when you were expecting a handshake. Bologna when you were expecting Fuddruckers. Here, let me set up a table to demonstrate.
Losing Weight ......... Weight Staying Put ......... Gaining Weight
Hug ...................... Handshake ................. Kick in the Face
Steak .................... Fuddruckers Burger ........ Dry Bologna
Sex on Valentine's ..... Roses and dinner ........... Dear Jane Letter
Ghiradelli Brownies .... Betty Crocker ............... Week-old Toast
Oscar .................... Ever After ................ Napoleon Dynamite
(Note: Please don't get into the Napoleon conversation with me. You either loved it or hated it. I just happen to be on the OTHER bandwagon. No amount of "It was supposed to be lame and stupid" will change my opinion that it was lame and stupid.)
My National Director's daughter said that there were days that she wanted to burn her starter kit. I am having one of those days, only I just want to burn my scale and my exercise video. But hey, now she's a millionaire Mary Kay National Director, so maybe one day I'll be my ideal weight, right?
"Steady plodding brings prosperity..." (Proverbs 21:5) Okay, now I'm preaching to myself.
Lift your sparkling spring water with electrolytes to toast steady plodding!
I worked out a great plan. I would do a latin dance workout tape I already have (Zumba) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays I would use the stairstepper (thanks, Rin!) for 20 minutes, and take a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood with the kids. 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. It should have worked, and I was pretty faithful to it. Ididn't end up doing the walking part, but the rest of it I did!
I worked my butt off. I Zumbaed until I plopped. My legs ached every day. And I GAINED three pounds.
SAY WHAT??!!
I knew I shouldn't have had the ice cream. But seriously, I was only trying to get it out of my house, and I didn't want it to be wasted. Neopolitan ice cream and Magic Shell is a horrible thing to be thrown away. And now I don't have anything sweet left in the house that I'd actually eat, so I think I'm safe. That's only because I still haven't gone grocery shopping. I think I'm avoiding it, 'cause I can hear the KitKats calling me all the way from Kroger. I guess the pizza didn't help either.
And then there's water retention, another wonderful thing about being a woman...
And then there's the fact that my son quit nursing, so I'm not burning those extra calories anymore. :P
Oh, well. I know I should just be chipper and keep going. Today is my day to Soooh-mba (as Beto puts it), and I just can't muscle up (no pun intended) the motivation to go do it. I think I could've handled my weight staying the same, but gaining three pounds??? That's almost like a kick in the face when you were expecting a handshake. Bologna when you were expecting Fuddruckers. Here, let me set up a table to demonstrate.
Losing Weight ......... Weight Staying Put ......... Gaining Weight
Hug ...................... Handshake ................. Kick in the Face
Steak .................... Fuddruckers Burger ........ Dry Bologna
Sex on Valentine's ..... Roses and dinner ........... Dear Jane Letter
Ghiradelli Brownies .... Betty Crocker ............... Week-old Toast
Oscar .................... Ever After ................ Napoleon Dynamite
(Note: Please don't get into the Napoleon conversation with me. You either loved it or hated it. I just happen to be on the OTHER bandwagon. No amount of "It was supposed to be lame and stupid" will change my opinion that it was lame and stupid.)
My National Director's daughter said that there were days that she wanted to burn her starter kit. I am having one of those days, only I just want to burn my scale and my exercise video. But hey, now she's a millionaire Mary Kay National Director, so maybe one day I'll be my ideal weight, right?
"Steady plodding brings prosperity..." (Proverbs 21:5) Okay, now I'm preaching to myself.
Lift your sparkling spring water with electrolytes to toast steady plodding!
3 comments:
Jen, this is normal after you first start exercising. You are burning fat and gaining muscle. Go by the tape measure, not the scale. Muscle is 3 (or 4) times denser than fat. Please, don't be discouraged.
Thanks, Maida! I needed to hear something positive was coming of my sweat. Muscle is a good thing!
Hey My Loverly Jen Friend
We discussed this one the phone before I left, but remember, when you start exercising your muscles are holding more fluid. Also the blood flow is greater. Then you have the point of muscle weighs more than fat - but that one won't take effect during the first few exercise sessions.
Another thing, is just exercising, your body is making so many great changes. While the weight may not be coming off like you want, the effects are awesome. With cardio/aerobic exercise, your are increasing your V02max, which is how well your body utilizes oxygen. You are also strengthening your heart, lowering your LDL and increasing your HDL.
with weight/anaerobic exercises you are increasing your muscle tone, strenghting your body (and getting rid of that blast cellulite crap us women have to deal with)
The other benifit of both weight training adn doing weight bearing cardio/aerobic is you decrease your risk of osteoprosis.
SO, just because the scale doesn't say what you want - and remember them blasted things lie - your body is reaping TONS of rewards.
Don't give up chickie.
Love you and miss you bunches
Erin
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