"The Tale of the Tape"

I started my weight loss journey in January of 2009.  After losing 30 pounds and maintaining my weight for eight months, I got lazy and ate everything in sight while skipping on the exercise and poof- Santa brought me a fully-installed, prepackaged weight gain of eleven pounds....right in my stomach.   I thought, "Huh...well I dropped 30 pounds in four months earlier this year-- I can knock out eleven no problem."  HA!

Casey (my work-out partner and great friend) and I started working out together again, and I was so disappointed in how out of shape I was already.  Within a few weeks of eating right and exercise, I stepped on the scale for the first time.  No weight loss...zero. Nothing.  I could tell my clothes were fitting differently, people were commenting on my weight loss, yet the scale said the same number.  So I thought..."PMS, water retention, stress, too many calories in, not enough calories out..." and pressed on, trying not to obsess TOO much on what the scale said. (Which, I felt like it had pretty much flipped me the bird.)

Another week passed, and I noticed I was weighing every day, every other day, and again...no weight loss.  I went through this heart break for nearly THREE WEEKS.  If it hadn't been for Casey and the encouragement from many people in my life, I might have cried my way all the way to the ice cream aisle.  Casey finally convinced me to put the scale up and start taping myself.  So, I did. This was the best advice ever!  Using a body tape (seamstress-type), I tape myself every Saturday morning.
I tape my:

• right upper arm 
• my rib cage- right under my breasts
• my natural waist (just above my belly button)
• the largest part of my hips (right across my hip bones)
• right thigh. 

The first time I taped, I nearly cried.  (And yes, I AM going to post my measurements on my page.  I just haven't done it yet.)  36-24-36 had turned into 40-45-50, and it didn't matter how many ways I tried to make excuses (as with the scale), the numbers didn't lie.   I was so pissed at myself, disgusted, ashamed --insert every negative, ugly word you can think of here and that's how I felt about myself.

After my melt-down, I re-centered myself and decided that day would be the last day those numbers would make me feel that way. You know the saying about bees and honey, right?  How could I motivate and encourage myself to do ANYTHING while I was saying those awful things to myself?  So, it took some doing, but I began to embrace my size and my "present" without condemning myself for poor past choices.  Finally, I began to look at myself with compassion and learned to be proud of who I am today; this moment, right now.  No more negative self-speak.

The next week, I taped and was SHOCKED at the results. I had lost two inches on my rib cage, waist, and hips...two inches!! I just couldn't believe it!  And guess what? I felt so great, I weighed!

....WHAMMO..... no weight loss.

I had a brief thought to take that scale outside and beat it with a tire iron.  I had proof in the tape that I was losing inches. I didn't understand it and frankly, I still don't, but that's OK.  My body is shrinking, I feel better, and I'm getting healthy one day at a time. So, just for today, that's all I have to worry about- making the best choices I can. 


You will see a new addition on my blog home page very soon called "The Tale of the Tape."  I haven't figured out the gist of it yet, but it will have my inches posted from start date to current.  I will also have my weight posted, too.  (GULP!!)   I figure if I'm going to do this and be as honest and real as possible with you, then it is necessary.  And, it's good for me, too, because it helps me rid myself of this feeling of being ashamed.  I am who I am, and I'm very proud of me.  But, there's always room for improvement! :)

YOUR MISSION:
Tape yourself.  NO, you do not have to share that with anyone. There are all kinds of Body Measurement charts you can print off the net to help you keep track week to week, or you can simply just have a column for Bust, Waist, Hips, Thighs, Arms and write the date on the left-hand side of the paper.  I want you to be able to see you progress. It's pretty cool.  (Mine hangs on my fridge next to my picture of me in Basic Training.)

Write a few things you look forward to as a smaller person.

 Consider your goals:   You don't have to make one change right now..but you are now eye-balling labels, you know your allotted caloric intake for the day, and you're getting a bit more exercise in the meantime.  We're slowly introducing minor changes in your day to keep from having that "week one melt-down."  Too many changes at once is a recipe for disaster to me.  So I slowly introduced minor changes in my day here and there, and gradually over time, I have made some pretty impressive lifestyle changes.  When you're ready to sit down and make some short-term and long-term goals, write them in your journal.  It doesn't have to be this week; just tuck that little nugget in the back of your mind.  Personally?  I hate goals.  But I still set them. LOL.

Look over your average weekly schedule and set your exercise times. 

Tonight:   Take the night off. I am! :)   I'm so proud of you. I'll see you tomorrow and hopefully I will have a good report on my tape!