This week, before my group cycling class, I hopped on the scale at the YMCA. I haven't lost any weight. None. In fact, the weight I gained while I was recovering from surgery has failed to come off, something I was assured would happen in no time. To add insult to injury, in the five weeks or so since I have been back to exercising regularly, I've had to loosen my belt a notch.
There is really no obvious reason for this. I'm eating right. I've eliminated processed foods. I'm eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Unless the calorie calculations are seriously off, I'm consuming far fewer calories than I'm burning. I'm exercising enough for two people. In fact, this week, between the horseshoes I had to build and all the exercises, I ended up having a "crash day," during which I camped out on my recliner, watched TV, and napped a whole lot.
My exercise routine goes as follows;
Mondays: 3 mile mountain bike, ½ hour work out video, 20 minutes yoga
Tuesdays: Spin class at the Y, 20 minutes yoga
Wednesdays: 3 mile mountain bike, ½ hour work out video, 20 minutes yoga
Thursdays: ½ hour work out video, 20 minutes yoga
Fridays: 3 mile mountain bike, 1 hour TurboKick at the Y, 1 hour horse riding lesson, 20 minutes yoga
Saturdays: ½ hour work out video, 20 minutes yoga
Sundays: ½ hour work out video, 20 minutes yoga
This is beyond my regular work schedule and riding Hoss two or three times a week. So, yeah, I'm burning a lot of calories. Sure I occasionally skip a day here and there. Mostly that happens when I've had a very long ride or done a lot of work. The day I bucked 20 bales of hay out of my trailer I skipped the working out on the theory that stacking that much hay counted. Theoretically, based on my calorie counting program, I should be losing a minimum of a pound a week. That's at minimum. And yet, nothing has changed, except in rather the wrong direction.
Of course I'm frustrated. It's enough to make me want to throw up my hands and give up. What keeps me going is I am noticing an improvement in my overall fitness. Besides, the dogs have gotten attached to those mountain bike rides and they won't let me give it up. I'm finding the dogs make great motivators. It's very difficult to convince them to wait another day because I'm too tired. Their enthusiasm is infectious, too, getting me off my butt to be with them and share in their energy.
It seems like every time I turn around, there's some new weight loss "miracle" out there. Whether it's a supplement or a diet plan or an exercise video, it comes with some promise to help you lose an "average" of so much weight. Of course, they always show the people who've had huge transformation, with fine print saying "results not typical." All of which tells me there's no miracle.
For most people simply eating less and moving more will result in weight loss. Some people can just change their diet – cutting out fried foods, for instance, or eliminating sugar – and the pounds slide off. Others just add exercise with the same results. Not so me. No amount of perpetual motion or starvation or combination thereof seems to make the least bit of difference.
There must be more going on here than the simple algebra of calories in/calories out. I have an appointment with my doctor next month, and I plan to bring this up in the hopes of pursuing an answer.
Okay, I'm done ranting.
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