I am nowhere near mile 20, but this is how I feel this week. I started this journey 133 days ago. (No, I didn't count them, MyFitnessPal told me 3 days ago that I had logged in for 130 days in a row.). For 133 days, I have logged everything I put in my mouth. Since January 1st, I have walked or ran over 200 miles (plus another 600 "incidental" (non-exercise) miles. I've done Zumba at least 1 time (up to 4 times) a week. I've completed C25K and run over 3 miles without stopping at least 5 times.
Over the past month, I've been struggling to stay on track calorie wise. I'm meeting my numbers, but my choices aren't the best. I'm struggling with Pepsi again. But my I have been gaining and losing the same 2-4 pounds for about a month.
This week, I hit the wall with exercise. After finishing the C25K program, I was a little lost. Do I just keep running 5K? How do I move forward. I finally decided to try a 10K app that carried on from my C25K app. I did the first day: Run 10 minutes, rest (walk) 1 minute and repeat 4 times. This should have been "easy" (relatively easy!). When I run my 5Ks, it took me most of an hour. A 10 minute run should have been a piece of cake. But, apparently, I let too much time pass. (Sporadic running for about 3 or 4 weeks). I have tried (and failed) to do day 2 twice.
And Zumba, my favorite exercise of all, has ceased being fun. I felt it last week, and I decided I just needed to give it another chance. Maybe the class with the other teacher would be better. But that didn't help either. I couldn't wait for class to be over.
I don't like this feeling. I know that dedication and discipline are not based on feelings. But it is hard to keep doing it when I just don't feel like it. Thus the wall at the beginning of the post. I feel like I have slammed hard into it.
When I was looking for a picture to illustrate how I felt, I found this picture too.
I do have a choice. And I am choosing to find a way over (or under, or around, or through) the wall. I will not let the wall beat me. It might slow me down. But it won't stop me.
Have you ever hit a wall? How do to get around it?
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I feel like just getting started has been my brick wall. I need to break through once and for all (because there is no way I can get over it).
ReplyDeleteEven though you are feeling like you lost your mojo, keep pushing yourself. Don't give up and start backsliding. You can do this Julie!
I hope you start enjoying the running or find some other activity that will hold your interest. Cheering for you!
Julie--I feel the same way. I don't know when the last time I checked in on my fitness pal was. I am keeping close to my calories but not counting and certainly not making the best choices. I chalk it up to burn out. I'm giving myself time to "get back on track" where as before I would have just said F-it, I'm done. So, I want to get over/around/under/through that wall with you!! Keep it up and I will, too!
ReplyDeleteI hit a minor one this weekend. I was tired, I was depressed, I just didn't want to do it. I have to find things that entertain and engage me. Why is Zumba no longer fun? Is it too easy? What other classes are at your gym that might challenge you? Do you need to introduce different foods or new ingredients that will spice up food, and make it easier to take away others (coughpepsicough)? This is your wall, and we'll support you, tell us what you need to help you out, and we'll hold out the hand. You're far from in this alone, and you're definitely not the first, or last, to hit that damn wall.
ReplyDelete(Disappearing Twinkie) I wish that I could offer some sort of wisdom, outside of what has been said. Are you competitive at all? Maybe start some friendly exercise challenges with friends or family, or have a family fun day that involves obstacle course or some fun things to get you moving. Geo-caching is fun, gets you out and about, and you hunt for treasure with clues :) also maybe if you set up a goal, a fun type 5k (5k Foam Fest) and work towards achieving it.
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you. I started this journey right after you did and I said to someone the other day that this is the longest time I"ve stuck with something like this. And while I keep logging and keep trying to eat better or exercise some days my heart is not into it. Some days I say to myself that I wish I could just go about life and not have to log everything I eat or worry that I'm eating too much or wish the weight would come off already.
ReplyDeleteBut deep in my heart I know that is not the case, at least not right now. And sometimes I read inspiring stories from others and think I wish I would be able to do more, exercise more, etc. And now I say that anything that I'm doing is better than doing nothing. I know I've come this far and I know I have further to go. And I've decided that there will be times life gets in the way and that's ok. I promise myself that I'll try and that's all I can ask of myself.
You've come a long way so far Julie. You are an inspiration to others. You will get past this wall. And if you need to slow down the pace a bit to get back on track that's okay. You will get through this wall. There may be others along the way but it wouldn't be a journey if everything was peaches and roses everyday.
I've been staring at that wall for months, and frankly I'm getting pretty sick of looking at it.
ReplyDeleteI have not done anything near what you have and I admire your achievements greatly. I was under the impression that the best way for me to start with tackling this weight issue was to start simple and just eat less than calories burned. I've been doing that for over 3 months, with a few set backs. I have seen the same numbers on the scale for almost 2 months and I feel like my efforts are being wasted. I ate pretty well this week, exercised, stayed away from fast food and soda and gained 2 pounds. I've been up and down the same few pounds for way too long.
I know what my downfalls are and I will continue to address those, but I thought going from eating 3500-4000 cals a day down to an average of 1500 a day, and going from no exercise and no water to 2-4 workouts per week and 64 oz of water a day would surely bring some results. My measurements have not changed either so it's not a matter of losing fat/gaining muscle. It's maddening but I will keep going and keep trying to figure out what works for me.
You have developed some awesome habits and I know you will keep pushing until that wall comes down! Wishing you all the best in your success!
(Aellyn) I know how you feel Julie. I'm no where near where you are with accomplishments but I've hit the wall too.
ReplyDeleteFor the last week and a half or so I haven't been motivated to exercise other than walking to and from the train station. I haven't felt like tracking what I eat either. I even fell into my old habit of grazing without measuring what I eat the other night. I have not explanation for it other than the old habits are still too comfortable and all the new habits still feel a little stiff and boring.
The good news is that like you I haven't been too far over my calories, just not making the best choices. I realized as I wrote this that that is an accomplishment. I don't know about you but in the past when I hit the wall, all the good eating habits would fly out the window and I would drift completely off the path of good eating into the weeds for a long time. Recognizing the wall and the need to push through should be celebrated (pep talk for me too). Not only is your body changing but you are making lifestyle changes that will stick through the years. Imperfect progress is still progress even if it doesn't happen as fast as we would like it. Hang in there Julie! You are doing amazing on this journey. Maybe your mind and your body needed a little break. Good luck scaling that wall. You can do it!