Set Point and Match to Hurricane Sandy
So I’m still at that darned set point. My weight this month fluctuated between 180 and 183. Not horrible. But still oh so frustrating. Part of me wants to blame Hurricane Sandy for this. But even though it would be convenient, I can’t. I did it to myself.
In 2003, I went through Hurricane Isabelle. As a recent East Coast resident, I didn’t know about hurricanes and my then boyfriend assured me that we would be okay and nothing would happen. Well he was very wrong and we lost power in an all-electric house for four days. I vowed then that I would never be caught unprepared again. Fast forward to Hurricane Sandy. Even though we ended up not getting hit hard (the DC area), I prepared.
I bought food that wouldn’t have to be refrigerated and being the type of person I am, that included some carbohydrates. Tortillas to go with a roast chicken and I put on beans to soak. Yes, my hurricane preparation included carbohydrates. I was out-of-town the weekend before so put the beans to soak with some whey before I left and then cooked them when I got home on Sunday. (My townhouse has a gas stove so I knew I would be okay with the stove at least). I figured that at the least, I could have tacos and re-fried beans. Not the best thing to eat on a low carb diet, but at least it was healthier then most.
My downfall wasn’t so much that (well partly) as it was the Halloween candy. My neighborhood is awesome during Halloween. The kids parade in their costumes and then everyone is outside giving out candy to the kids. Usually, because I do have a sweet tooth, I buy candy the day of. Because of the hurricane, I bought candy on Friday. So while I was home Sunday through Wednesday, there was a bag of skittles and starburst that I couldn’t resist. So I ate more candy in those three days then I had in I can’t remember when. I also abhor waste, so I was eating the corn tortillas. I think in those three days I ate more grain based and sugar/chemical based carbohydrates then I had in the past 9 to 10 months (since my milk cure).
I take full responsibility for my actions. I was just relieved that I didn’t harm myself more. My weight stayed down, but my measurements have gone up. Not an excuse, but I’m trying to be transparent here. so that means blogging the failures along with the triumphs. I really didn’t want to write this. But I am.
There are some triumphs though. A week ago I switched my closet from summer to winter. I have three boxes in which I store my off-season clothes. One of those boxes is almost entirely filled with clothes I can’t wear because they are either too big or too small. (Mostly too small). There were a number of items from this box that I tried on and while they are a bit tight, might be wearable in a month or two. Also a number of items that had been staples in my wardrobe for a number of years had to go into the box because they were too large. I’ll take the triumphs regardless of where I find them.
The other triumph is that I’ve made it to the gym at least once a week for the past month. I kept a promise to myself which feels good. I also realized that I feel good. I haven’t been sick in I can’t remember, I have a clear head and the only time I have aches or pains now is due to my workouts. (especially when I do lunges). My promise to myself for the next month is to continue going to the gym at least once a week and to add at least two tabatas to my weekly workouts (either at the gym or at home). For those who don’t know, tabata is a High Intensity Training that takes me four minutes of absolute hell. I do it on an elliptical with moving arms. 20 seconds of as fast and hard as I can, 10 seconds of slow for recovery. Lather, rinse repeat for four minutes. By the time I’m done, I’m shaking and feel that I actually pushed myself.
November 2012 Measurements
| Measurement | Starting | Current | Difference |
| Weight | 200 lbs | 181.8 lbs | -18.40 lbs |
| Chest | 39.00″ | 37.50 | -1.50″ |
| Waist | 36.50″ | 32.00 | -4.50 |
| Stomach | 43.00″ | 37.00 | -6.00″ |
| Hips | 45.00″ | 41.00 | -4.00″ |
| Thighs | 25.25″ | 23.00 | -2.25″ |
| Biceps | 15.50″ | 14.50 | -1.00″ |
Measurements either went up or stayed the same. The only measurement that fell was my waist where I lost a half-inch. Again, my fault and I own it. I hope I’ll do better next month.
Fitness Report Series
- Report 1: Eating Healthy Food isn’t Enough
- Report 2: Fitness Report – Month 1
- Report 3: Fitness Report – Month 2
- Report 4: Fitness Report – Month 3
- Report 5: Fitness Report – Month 4
- Report 6: Fitness Report – Month 5
- Report 7: Fitness Report – Month 6
- Report 8: Fitness Report – Month 7
- Report 9: Fitness Report – Month 8
- Report 10: Fitness Report – Month 9
- Report 11: Fitness Report – Month 10
- Report 12: Fitness Report – Month 11
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