Getting Beyond the Plateau

During the summer, I set a pretty aggressive weight loss goal for myself.  And without bragging, I can say that I’ve made tremendous progress so far.  I’ve tried to do it the right way: increasing the intensity of my exercise, changing my eating habits, and trying to get more rest.

But here’s my problem: I hit a plateau.

 

Despite my disciplined efforts, my body settled into a weight, and I’ve been at this point for nearly 5 weeks.  And to be quite honest with you, this is very frustrating.  I’m still working hard, still watching my diet, and no movement on the scale.

 

Frustrated, I talked to the people at my gym, and what they told me relieved some of the frustration.  The reality is that our bodies are always trying to achieve homeostasis — a physical equilibrium that your body craves.  Even with all the changes I made to get me to this point, my body got acclimated to my routine.  Yes, even our bodies desire to find a comfortable place and stay there.  (And this frustration often causes people to quit and go back to their bad habits.)

 

Long story short, the only way to break beyond the plateau and move forward to the ultimate goal is to CHANGE THE ROUTINE.

 

I’ve changed the exercises that I do.  I started a boxing routine instead of the elliptical machine for cardio.  And I’ve even started taking a zumba dance class.  And these changes in the routine have started producing results again.

 

The other aspects of our lives function in the same way.  Don’t get stuck on the plateau.  Make the necessary adjustments in your life so that you can achieve your ultimate goal!

 

 

 

 

 

On the Right Track

I’m on a mission!  I don’t just want to lose weight.  I want to be healthy.  And BEing healthy is a result of DOing healthy things.  Unfortunately, I have a number of unhealthy eating habits.  One such habit has been my tendency to eat big meals late at night.

Two weeks ago, I started the “After 7 Club“–a group of individuals committed to passing up those late night binges.  And honestly, I’ve been thrilled with the strength and discipline I’ve been able to demonstrate.  (I really believe a lot of it is a result of the accountability that comes from making a public commitment to something and having others join in on the effort.)

Well, something special happened on Saturday night.  I took my wife out on a dinner date to a Hibachi restaurant so there was another couple at our table.  Long story short…the gentleman seated near us, out of the nowhere, shared with us his testimony about how he lost 70 pounds.  His wife then began to tell us about how his snoring and sleep apnea impacted her sleeping, and consequently, their relationship.

He knew nothing about me, nor my efforts, before sharing that information.

I’m just amazed at the way God knows exactly when to send people and messages to let you know that you’re on the right track.

And here’s what I’m learning…those special “messengers” show up AFTER you’ve made a decision, and begun moving forward.

Take Care of the Little Things…

(First, I want to thank the doctors (Dr. Breus and Michael Rack, MD) for sharing comments on the blog over the last couple days.  Sleep Apnea is a serious condition that needs to be properly addressed.  I strongly urge everyone that suffers from it to take care of it as soon as possible.) 

My former coach, Joe Paterno, used to say, “Take care of the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves.”

Well, over the last few days, I’ve tried to put that advice into practice. 

I confessed on Tuesday that I suffer from sleep apnea.  I believe that this condition is a largely impacted by me being overweight. 

Well, instead of a major crash diet, or liposuction, I decided to approach this BIG problem by taking care of one LITTLE thing at a time.  It’s hard trying to attack a problem that seems huge and insurmountable.  So, for the last few days, I’ve cut out the late-night snacks that I’ve grown so accustomed (and addicted) to.  Since Tuesday, I haven’t eaten anything after 7pm.

And you know what….I feel better about myself already.

What “little thing” can you address in your life that may lead to big results in the long run?