I know in my heart there are things much more important than weight and jean size, but as someone who has struggled for most of their life with their weight - I can't deny it!
Today, I reached into the far back corner of my closet (and I live in the suburbs of Texas, y'all - we have some HUGE master closets!) and pulled out yet another pair of pants I haven't worn in 17 years. (Please don't ask me or try to analyze why I still have all these 17+ year-old clothes.) And they slipped right on. Amazing!
I have dieted with minor success for a long time and I've pulled these same pants out at least 5 times before and they've never slipped right on. I'm not sure they slipped right on when I bought them!
My point in all this storytelling is that I have just survived and surpassed my THIRD weight plateau since adopting a PaleoPlus lifestyle.
My first plateau occurred after my 5th week - I lost 19 pounds in a little over 4 weeks. I was PSYCHED! I couldn't believe how easy it was. I was planning my 100 pound weight loss party and the outfit I was going to wear! And then I got stuck. I got on the scale every Friday (my chosen scale day) and I was stuck. For 3 Fridays. And I was so depressed. Even though I knew it was stupid to be depressed about it - so many other things were changing for the positive. I was a new woman. But I've always been about weight - and I couldn't get it out of my head.
Thankfully, I did some reading and decided I was just going to keep on with my new way of eating and moving. And without any other changes or drastic caloric restrictions or boot camps, the weight started coming off again. Just one or two pounds a week - but man, it adds up!
Imagine my surprise when sometime in early August, I plateaued again. Stuck. For 3 Fridays, just like the last plateau. And I did more reading and research and decided to keep on with our PaleoPlus diet. I did make a conscience decision to add more variety to the foods I was preparing.
It's so easy to fall into a rut when you've found recipes you love and have mastered. So I added some new vegetables (beet root, eggplant, parsnips) and fruits (pomegranate, blood oranges, more berries) and tried some bison and lots of new ways to use my slow cooker for chicken thighs. Oh yeah, and I added a few new organic spices to my repertoire (turmeric, dill, fresh sage).
And something adjusted or leveled out or kick-started and the weight started coming off again.
I just recently went through my 3rd weight plateau. And even though I've been through it before - it still made me a little bit nuts. I guess it's because, although I am 55 pounds lighter, I still have 35-45 pounds to lose to be at what I feel is my healthiest weight. And I'm ready to be there.
But you know what? My body isn't. It's doing it's thing. And maybe it's a little bit confused by what happened to all the sugar it used to get on a regular basis. And the gluten and giant blocks of cheese and bowls of ice cream and it's a little bit upset with my brain.
Who knows? I will never be the right person to quote the science behind nutrition, no matter how much reading and research I do.
But I do want to share my story so if you happen to hit your plateau and are tempted to just give up. Don't. Think about what your system is going through. Do your own research. Talk to your doctor.
When I get the emotion out of it, I understand perfectly the science behind the plateau. But I have been seduced by the easy weight loss. I got addicted to my Friday morning appointment with the scale. And when I wasn't down a pound or two every week - I got edgy...I needed my fix.
Last Friday I got on the scale and was down two more pounds. I guess I'm back in the weight-loss phase. I feel certain another plateau is in my future, but I have these new pants to remind me of how far I've come. And a size-smaller foot. And ZERO migraines in the past 6 months. And the ability to swim a full mile without resting strokes. And a body that bends and moves again in yoga. And did I mention a lot of really good hair days?!!!
Trust the timing of your life...and your body. Take care of it and it will take care of you.
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