Knowing When To Hold Back

APRIL 19, 2012; Day 164; Okay so I didn't have the desired results at fat camp (Aultman Weight Management) last Monday.  As a matter of fact, technically I registered a 1.4 gain weighing in at 210.8.  but let me explain the technicality.

I increased work out intensity last week with my exuberance to hit my goal weight of 200 pounds due to my fantastic results as of late.  Coupling the increase in exercise, I was unable to get 200 ounces of water per day in as I have been so accustomed to, instead averaging about 96 ounces due to a busy schedule.  The cherry on top of the proverbial sundae was that I competed in my first ever race, running the 5.6 mile leg of a half marathon relay.  The end result was my body having significantly increased out put with no extra caloric intake and depletion of water intake it is so used to receiving.  Hence my body shutting down, going into survival mode, and storing every ounce of fluid and nutrient it could.  Consequently it wouldn't burn and allow me to continue to lose.

Needless to say I wasn't thrilled with the result.  BUT, in the last 5.5 months I have learned that while the scale is important to the process, its one of many important pieces that have to work together.  I physically look and feel better than I have in years.  I am accomplishing feats I never even fathomed before going through this process.  I have learned that it is overall health and wellness that makes for long term success.  I have to be willing to take the whole journey and not just part.

As such, I realize that I have never had to worry much about fueling the body to keep up with the rigors I put it through.  Furthermore, when on caloric intake limits I have to be careful about how much and how hard I push the body. I cannot effectively burn calories if the body is starving for nutrients.  So while I would have preferred  loss, I really have learned a valuable lesson for long term success.

Plus at this point I find myself more focused on the next part of the journey.  Learning to adapt and maintain my overall health and wellness and understanding minor fluctuations in the scale is part of that, allows me to be more level headed when the scale doesn't read what I would hope it to. I know I ate properly, but I need to hydrate better and control my impulses to push too hard in my workouts just because I fee better than I have in so many years!  The folks at fat camp (Aultman Weight Loss Center) that are guiding this journey will continue to do so through the next phase of adaptation and maintenance.  This is encouraging because I am still able to lose and eventually hit my goal weight, but it will be more geared toward increasing my workouts and fueling my body with a little more caloric intake, but the right types of foods.

My dietitian Angie and I have decided to take the next two weeks, hold back on pushing the workouts beyond where they were, increase the hydration, keep the intake protocol where it is and see how or if weight continues to drop.  If not due to the body hitting its set point for diet (which means the body has lost all it can on a limited calorie intake), then we will move right into adaptation, and the journey will lead me to blog about the next phase at fat camp (Aultman Weight Loss Center) in reaching my goal through a much more familiar routine, increasing workouts and a manageable level of increased calories.

Funny isn't it, a not s great result has shown me how far I have truly come.  I feel better, look better (ish) than I have in many years and I'm accomplishing things I never once thought possible.  A simple fluctuation on the scale due to putting the body through too much stress and not fueling it properly can't and won't affect that.  I will, by doing the right things and being just a little more conservative in my approach.  I truly understand the long term and big picture now.  I AM ready to be healthy in a complete way.