One New Year’s Resolution: to exercise more. Actually, it was Chris’ resolution: he’s backpacking for the first time in his adult life this summer and we’d both prefer that he came back in one piece.
My own weight was creeping up (still in normal BMI range, but definitely getting up there) and clothes weren’t fitting as well as they might. Last fall, we invested $5 in 30 Day Shred (thanks Amazon Instant Video!) and while Chris was much, much better about working out regularly, I wasn’t too shabby. I was certainly doing better than I had been.
But he lost about 20 pounds and I lost 5. That’s annoying. (Everyone, including Chris, keeps telling me that guys lose weight easier/faster than gals, but when it’s your own weight that you’re worried about, who cares?)
So when he said he wanted a more rigorous workout program for the new year, I decided to join him. I went from not working out at all to working out maybe 2-3 times a week for 20 minutes to suddenly working out 5-6 times a week for 35-45 minutes.
We also got better with respect to our diet. Fewer carbs, more frequent small meals.
We’ve been at it for four weeks now. And while he has lost another 5 pounds (and is beginning to see muscle definition) I have lost… NO WEIGHT. Well, virtually no weight. I keep fluctuating the same two pounds back and forth. Worse, I’ve only lost an inch around the waist (my biggest trouble spot) and gained half an inch in each of my upper arms (stupid muscles).
Not to mention my back pain isn’t going away. Isn’t strengthening my core supposed to help my lower back?
To give credit where credit is due, I’m a bit more flexible and I’m a bit stronger here and there. Cranking out push-ups is now doable and 100 crunches is a regular thing. Eating smaller-but-more-frequent meals is also helping my energy levels. So I suppose I am getting more fit.
But damn it, I don’t want to be fit, I want to be thin! I know it’s not PC to say that, that I should embrace my body type, that I should strive to be more healthy and let my body do it’s thing… Screw that. I’m a vain person at heart and I want to be a comfortable size 6 (or even a size 4) again. I’m thinner than average (right now I’m a size 8), but who cares about average? I sure don’t. I want to be effortlessly awesome. 🙂
So I’m left wondering if I should switch programs. Perhaps try yoga. Or pilates. Something that focuses on long and lean, rather than strength.
But I also know myself. If I don’t do this with Chris, I won’t do it at all. He’s my biggest cheerleader, he makes it fun, he makes me laugh as we’re working out. On the rare occasion I workout without him, I’m grumpy and resentful the whole time. And I’m pretty sure that’s a two-way street: he’s much happier if he’s working out with me than if he’s solo.
So I’ll continue to plod on. With luck, my back pain will get better, my waist will narrow, my weight will drop, and I’ll find my self-motivation. And even if none of that happens, I’ll know I’m helping to keep Chris on track.
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