Fittest Loser changes go beyond the numbers
Four years ago I tipped the scales at just shy of 173 pounds. At my height of 5'3” that number more than pushed the upper limits of the “overweight” category.
Taking stock of my physical condition in spring 2012, I set out to slowly shed those pounds with the dynamic duo of power walking and portion control. It was all part of the grander plan to rebuild my life.
For me, measuring noticeable changes meant much more than simply numbers fluctuating on a scale. I saw weight-loss progress in terms what I could put in the rear view mirror of a life on the mend.
Once I reached 169 pounds, the 170s were in my recent past. Hitting the 159 mark on the scale meant the 170s felt comfortably in the distance.
Life happens while we're making plans, and I hit a hard plateau with weight loss at 157 pounds in early 2015.
While there was no way I would allow the 170s back into my life, I couldn't deny that the 160s held some potential to creep their way out of the rearview mirror. This part of my rebuild plan remained stuck in neutral and I began to question the accuracy of our bathroom scale.
Joining the Fittest Loser contest in February 2016 offered an opportunity for me to kick start the rebuild of my life. On the surface, weight loss took center stage, but I didn't discount the power behind improving my strength, stamina and mental outlook.
While very challenging, this fitness package was the solution I needed to move myself out of a holding pattern.
Starting workouts at Push Fitness also meant I could resurrect my earlier plan of measuring noticeable changes, with a few modifications.
First, I chose not to weigh myself at home. The Push Fitness scale boasts top billing as the weigh-in authority in this contest, and I felt that stepping on a scale once a week after Saturday boot camp would actually keep my progress honest and consistent.
Just as important, noticeable changes with this fitness program don't begin and end with weight loss.
Strength training, along with cardio exercise, ignites the metabolism to reshape your body. Why limit yourself to a scale, when there are other fun strategies to help measure your progress and body changes?
Stashed away in my closet and almost out of sight, hung two pairs of pants that have not come off the hanger in over six years.
Conventional style wisdom advises we purge our wardrobe annually, tossing out any garments unworn in 12 months. Surely the fashionistas didn't mean my beloved green corduroy slacks and the “not your mommy” blue jeans should be tossed into the donation box?
Truth was I couldn't bring myself to part with those treasures from the past. Then it occurred to me that I could use these mementos as a gauge for body changes and weight loss.
The Saturday I put the 150s in the rearview mirror, I pulled a pair of those pants and held my breath … Much to my surprise, the green corduroy pants not only zipped up, but felt loose. The “kick up the dust” blue jeans needed more time from me on the treadmill to feel comfortable.
Looking back on it now, I should have put my noticeable changes plan into action two weeks earlier. I had made significant progress with body shape and never realized my success.
The green corduroys are now back in fashion action, with the blue jeans waiting in the wings.
Lesson learned with a smile on my face.
Sometimes we need to look for noticeable changes, before we can truly see them.