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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Now playing: Crowded House - Something So Strong
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It's not so bad

Finished my third Stop an hour ago. Nothing really to report this time—it was pretty manageable. Did strength training again this morning. Was quite hungry by the time 24 hours rolled around, but not ravenous. I ate a little snack and I'll have lunch in another hour.

Once upon a time when B went in for one of his many GI tests to figure out why his intestines were so wonky, he had to do a clear liquid fast for 48 hours before so his colon would be empty. I remember the second 24 hours well, and the effect the all-liquid diet had on his bodily functions. I've been sort of waiting for something similar because all I do is drink and drink and drink and drink water for 24 hours. I figured this has to have some cleansing effect, on top of the weight loss. I probably won't keep you up on that part of it (yes, I hear the choir singing hymns of thanks) but I thought I'd mention that I was right.

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End second Stop

This time I made it 26 hours.

I ate an early lunch yesterday about 10:30 a.m., and then started my Stop. (Hee.) The first few hours, until about 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. were ROUGH. I really struggled, and just about posted ten or more times saying, "This isn't an easy method of weight loss, anyway! Much sacrifice involved! Difficult!" I hadn't had enough sleep the night before which made me sort of spacey in the head—I couldn't concentrate, and I was even a little dizzy. Plus I was very faintly crampy and felt drained. It made it difficult for me.

But after I got dinner cooking I caught a very short fifteen-minute nap, and then I was busy all evening with a church meeting and other things. It made the rest of the fast last night much easier. I slept fine, woke fine, jogged this morning—no problems whatsoever with energy levels, I went as far and as fast as I ever do—showered, got ready, and though I could have had a quick snack at the 24-hour mark before we headed off to homeschool drama group I still felt fine so I kept going. We got home around noon and I ate lunch at 12:30.

So it was a hard beginning, but a breezy, easy end. Yesterday I was wondering if I could keep this up twice a week, today I'm saying, "Not so bad!"

Official weigh in tomorrow morning. :)

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Now playing: The Candy Skins - So Easy
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So Fast (har har)

I'm on my second Stop now. Today is only day four of the program for me, but I've already gained something from doing this: self control. It has been so much easier for me to eat proper portion sizes, and (even better) to resist sweets. Yes, I have some in the cupboard. But if I can skip three meals, I can just keep myself to one cookie. Or no cookies. It's a fabulous, powerful feeling.

Had a good strength training workout this morning. I can feel a difference with my [wimpy] heavier weights. I almost couldn't do 12 reps of overhead presses. Heh, take that puny muscles! I shall make you lean and mean!

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Now playing: Sheryl Crow - Strong Enough
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Couldn't wait :)

Stepped on the scale this morning though I weigh in only on Saturdays (said very sternly to self).

152 pounds.

Halfway through the week. Have already lost two pounds.

SQUEE.

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Now playing: R.E.M. - Shiny Happy People
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First Stop

I didn't quite make it 24 hours.

And I'm okay with that.

I fasted dinner last night and breakfast this morning, and snacks. I did a strength training workout today—and despite the fact that I haven't done weights in a while, it went well. I bought new weights last Saturday, so I was lifting heavier for some of the exercises than I ever have. (New weights = 8 pounds. Yes, I'm wimpy! I also have 10-pounders which actually weigh 11.6 pounds. That's my heaviest. *blows nails*)

Around 11:00 am, which was the 20 hour mark, all I could think of was what I'd eat when I broke my fast, and what I'd eat after that, and what I'd make for dinner... So rather than fixate and obsess, I decided I'd just have a small but healthy meal—one cup (measured) of the vegetable soup I made for the family last night, and one small whole wheat roll. I'm actually still hungry, so I'll have lunch in an hour or so.

I was mentally very much hungrier than I was physically. I drank plenty of water (almost a gallon) in that 20 hours, and I was able to handle the physical very well. But my mind was tapping me on the shoulder so to speak, reminding me that if I weren't fasting, I could eat this or do that.

I'm not going to lie, one of the best parts of the Stop was the religious. I decided, as long as I'm not eating, I may as well make it count for something. So it was a great 20 hours on two levels. I consider it a successful first Stop. I managed a full workout on an empty stomach (which author Brad Pilon promised I could), and I'm not at all discouraged. Quite the opposite. We'll see what effect it has Saturday, on the number on the scale.

I plan to do my second Stop for the week on Thursday afternoon/Friday morning, after 48 full hours of eating healthy foods.

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