NSV Joy: Numbers Don't Always Matter

I've been in hiding from blogging for a little bit because I've been so down about how my scale numbers have gone up about 2 pounds.  This upsets me because this blog is for documenting the ups and downs.  I can't just show the sunny and cheery side of things.

I lost 6 pounds after the oral surgery/soft diet, but then I put on 1.2 pounds last Monday after going back to a more normal diet.  To anybody else, this would be expected and not such a huge deal.  Then I just put on another 1.6 pounds this morning after having a more indulgent weekend than usual.  That's a total of 2.8 pounds, which normally wouldn't be anything to freak about.  I understand how this weekend was a big combo of ridiculous salt and carbs intake + bloat week beginning (sorry if TMI, but I just want to be honest.)= 1.6 pounds back.  I could be down .6 pounds tomorrow for all I know.  I've tried to be very mindful today and just rode the stationary bike for 45 minutes while watching My 600 Pound Life.  Yeah, talk about a motivational tool!  

What I have to keep remembering is that these ups and downs happen.  I just get so hard on myself when I'm not making continual progress, but that's also why I have MyFitnessPal and my trainer to keep me accountable.  However, I've been seeing really good progress elsewhere, and while I'm thrilled, it also frustrates me even more when I don't see numbers budge.

Here are a list of the significant NSVs (Non Scale Victories) I've seen over the last month:

1. I just did push-ups.  I just did actual unassisted push-ups with my husband as a witness.  He says I can go down lower, and I did for only one or two, but I don't care!!!  My left arm has never bent for a push-up in my whole life.  It just trembled and refused to move.  I used to do push-ups on my knees in school and now I do it on the exercise ball.  But I realized that my ball at home is so low to the floor, and if I was doing really good push-ups on that...why not try it for real?  And I succeeded.  Holy crap, you guys.  LIFELONG GOAL ACHIEVED!

2. I can see my toes.  Now granted, I can't tell you if there's a full pedi going on, but I can see that toes exist.  I suck in my stomach and it turns pretty flat.  I push it out all the way, and I look pregnant, but I can still see my toes.  Hello, old friends.  I now wear ribbed fitted shirts that I haven't worn in years, even ones with light horizontal stripes.  I can layer t-shirts over them like it's the 1990s.

3. I can turn around to my left and see the beginning of my shoulder blade tattoo.  It's just the one top purple star (I'm not a contortionist), but my back and shoulder fat has really minimized.

4. The 7 dollar corduroys I got at the thrift store last month?  I can already yank them off without having to unbutton them.  What. UP.

5. My husband can wrap his arms all the way around me.  He doesn't become a floating head when he stands behind me and holds me.  There is nothing more humiliating for me than being able to completely obscure the person I love.

Ok, so I ended this with sunshine and lollipops, but I think it's good to remember how much progress I've made despite these pesky 2.8 pounds.

New Year's Relief!

One of the more stressful parts of starting a new year is getting on the scale for the first time.  I weigh myself every Monday morning before getting in the shower and eating or drinking.  Sometimes I also do it on Tuesday morning to compare digits if I had a high sodium weekend.  I text my trainer on Monday, and if it's a weird number, I tell her that I'll officially "call it" on Tuesday.

New Years 2014 was filled with pretty rich food, courtesy of our wonderful hosts, their new kitchen, and their passion for cooking.  I already told my trainer during my final workout of the year that I will eat as simply as possible beforehand because you cannot keep my from my friend's gourmet bacon cheeseburgers! (No, seriously, his cooking is art.)  I might have had some wine and appetizers and a butt ton of cool ranch Doritos as well.  I may have also turned on the movie Rent two nights later, finished the last half of the wine bottle, and indulged in an entire bag of reduced fat Trader Joe's potato chips with my husband from 9 pm-1 am.  It's not something I do often since I hardly imbibe, but it was fun as hell, and I'm glad I got it out of my system.

Naturally, there were inconveniently timed evening appointments, snowy icy weather, and a general PFFT attitude to going to the gym from this past Thursday-Saturday.  Rather than dusting off my stationary bike (never said I wasn't lazy), I just focused on what I ate and drank a lot of water.  I went to the gym on Sunday morning when everything was a sheet of ice.  I'd say that's dedication!  My joints felt infinitely better after I did my 1.25 mile jog.  I can't wait to get back there tonight.  It's what my trainer calls a "positive addiction."

The moment of truth was at 8 am this morning....I braced myself as I stepped on the scale....still 41 pounds down.  Hallelujah!

I'm SO ready to kick 2014's ass now!  Let the constant smoothies, jogging, strength work, and body shaping begin!