Day 19

So, Shelayna mentioned today that she'd like to know how many calories we're burning at the gym everyday. I put in every detail of my workout onto the online program I'm using, and it calculates how many calories I'm burning based on the intensity and time of the activity, as well as my weight and stuff. Until now I've been hoarding that information to myself, however Shelayna would like an estimate of how much she's burning, too, since we always do very close to the same workout as each other. I agreed with her that the easiest way to do that would be to post it on here. It will also help keep me motivated to keep pushing myself, because it's more accountability! I figure I'll just start putting it in at the beginning of my posts from here on out.

Calories burned at the gym today: 1,039
Total calories burned at gym so far this week: 2,880

That's right, we've burned off about 2 of the last 5 days worth of calories. This was our 5th day in a row at the gym. A couple of those days we cut ourselves short on time and ended up burning around 300 or fewer calories, but the point is we went. Besides, the way I've been eating, burning off 300 calories is close to burning off one whole meal for the day.

So, you'd think that with all of these facts, I would now be segueing into how I've lost another dozen pounds this week and I feel like a champ! But, you'd be wrong.

I have not lost a single ounce so far this week. You think I'm joking, but I'm completely serious. Every morning I've weighed myself when I get up and the pounds and the ounces are exactly the same. You'd think it would at least vary a smidgen based on how much I peed after I got up, but no. Nada. Nothing.

I have reached my first plateau.

I'm not going to pretend that this doesn't get me down a bit. I knew going into this that there are going to be ups and downs. But i was doing so well. And, if anything, I've been working harder this week. I can't help but feel like I've failed somewhere in here.

But I am NOT giving up!!  

Oh heeeeck no, I am not. Has this week sucked? Without a doubt! But this is a plateau. The thing about plateaus is that, by definition, they have edges. That's what I'm working for right now. I do know that this is about the big picture. And the big picture is just getting started, but already looking great. Because, even if I don't end up losing an ounce by weigh in on Monday, I will still weigh 15 pounds less than I did 3 weeks ago! Huzzah!

Now, for something that I alluded to a few days ago. Shelayna brought up doing a 5K in spring. At the time, I told her I would think about it, and that is precisely what I've been doing a lot of. Today, we decided to warm up for 15 minutes on the treadmills. I wanted to see how much of that time I could spend jogging on an incline. After walking for 2 minutes to wake myself up, I set the machine to 4.5 at a 4% incline, and I kept it there for the next 13 minutes, until it was time to move on. It was then that I realized something: I could have kept on going. After slowing down to a walk and getting my breathing to the point where I could talk in sentences again, I turned to Shelayna and said something that put a huge smile on her face, "Let's do it. I want to do the 5K. I think I can work to it by early May."

Now, we're going to be looking into the 5K's that are available around here around that time. She mentioned that we could walk one of them just to get a feel for it first, but honestly, I think we could jog it.

Lower your lap-bars and shoulder harnesses and keep all arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times, friends. This ride is just getting started.