Face It Friday: Rut Needs To Be Snapped 12/5/14

What is happening? A phrase I have uttered to myself countless mornings recently.

I was cruising this summer. After the unhappy and ego crushing weight gain of the late winter (24 lbs to be exact), I kicked it in to high gear over the summer and shed 20 of the 24 lbs. Feeling good and within 2.4 lbs of goal, I competed in and completed my first Half Ironman.

Then the rails went off. It wasn't as if I threw Weight Watchers out the window. It was just the focus from the Summer and having the race to train for was gone.

Obviously I race a lot and am still active, but the activity level dipped from the Summer and I have been fighting to regain that drive ever since.

So in October and November I felt stuck. It was turning into more of a mental battle of wants/desires and pure laziness. I know when I am off plan it is only because I am feeling lazy. Which really grinds my gears.

See skipped weigh-ins! Never a good sign. I know I am feeling "off" when that happens since normally I face the scale no matter what.

Every Friday I would wake up with renewed energy and a fresh feeling of the new week ahead.

But inevitably I would let the weekend indulge creep into the week. Again nothing too wild and crazy, but a little more lax with the portions than I wanted.

Additionally, I could see the frequent trips to the grocery store dwindling which led to more snacking and ordering out. Neither of which needed to happen.

But I am not here to post excuses, but to work through WHY this little cycle has been happening. Why THIS year.

See that is the problem. This marks my third year of being at goal and a Lifetime member and the first real time I have struggled. The first real time I have put on more than say 5 lbs.

As the inner demons in my brain continue to battle about whether I am worth this struggle and this fight, the topic to the meeting this week shut them down for a brief time. Ahh inner peace... if even for a week.

The topic this week is about creating a Losing List. Here is my losing list from last year. Hearing why my members started their weight loss and healthy living journeys started to chip away at the "rut" feeling that had been weighing me down.

Additionally, it was hearing myself share the story out loud of buying my first belt after never wearing one because I would only wear stretchy pants so I could avoid buying the size 20 pants - that something clicked. I could feel the excitement I felt that day. The feeling of pride that still bursts every time I wear the dress with that darn belt.

It reminded me that life is hard, but we can choose our hard. Being overweight was hard. Losing weight was hard. Maintaining weight loss is hard. But which hard is worth it to me? It is definitely Door #3!

So when I tell my members that them letting me be a part of their journey changes my life on a weekly basis, I am NOT lying. Thank you members and friends and readers for picking me up when I am down ... even if you don't realize it!

OH and while cleaning last Friday night, we found my original weight record book. Ohhhhh talk about motivation!

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Today marks almost one-consecutive month of tracking (12/7 will be one month) and I am getting my groove back.

I am going to continue to fight to get back to goal, but my personal goal has always been 15X.

Now the tracking piece is in place, I need to still work on that activity. While I did earn 84 APs this week - which is still outstanding - it is not to the level I was this summer. So I need to brainstorm how to find my workout groove again. Thankfully marathon training officially starts 12/13 and I am hoping that that will spark whatever light I need.

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How do you work through a weight loss or fitness rut?