It's a body, not a math equation

After my stellar results of last week I was expecting really big things. I thought that I could count on two pounds loss per week, minimum, if I were fasting twice a week. (I mean, more like four pounds, right? But conservatively estimating to manage my own expectations.) I was projecting forward how long until I reached my goal weight...

It's Thursday, and I haven't lost an ounce this week. In fact I'm up four tenths of a pound. And mathematically, that doesn't make sense at all. Because even on my eating days I'm eating reasonable portions. I'm not making up for calories I didn't consume during Stops. I'm drinking lots of water. I'm exercising every day faithfully—cardio, strength training. And I'm already stalled in week two of the new program.

But I'm not disappointed. I'm not discouraged. I know that it's a body I'm talking about, not a math equation. The math says I should drop fat at a steady rate. But the body is doing what it does. Possibly it's trying to catch up with the renewed emphasis on strength training: I've been faithful with it at times, and I've slacked at times. I'm just coming off a few months of almost no strength training, but with a history of good strength training. Maybe the muscles are rejoicing in my diligence and in my new heavier weights. Or maybe I just have to wait a little longer. Though we all want instant results, sometimes the body takes a while to catch up to the new behaviors.

Besides, my harshest critic (that would be me) could see a difference in the flatness of my belly this morning—a visible change!—and my pants are fitting differently. I can be encouraged by other indicators of change, if the number hovers unmovingly.

I'm in the last four hours or so of my fourth Stop. I feel fine. And I'm willing to wait for the results, and not panic because they're not instant. Onward and downward!

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