Plateaus: A Fitness Update

Plateaus are bigger than mesas, which are bigger than buttes. Informative! I strive to be.

Last week was a pretty full-on fitness plateau, and after my indulgent weekend, I was fully expecting this week to be the same. Last weekend involved drinks, drinks, a caloric steak dinner at a nice restaurant, more drinks, and some chocolate.

I love this guy. He has wide teeth.

Our date night was impromptu; "We're leaving at 6:15. Wear a dress or something!" So I did.

I was feeling leggy. 

I managed to go the whole week without doing any sneak-peek measurements. I was feeling like I wasn't pushing myself as hard as I should be at Pilates or Spin, so I was certain I was going to have another bum week. I even accidentally fell back asleep after my alarm yesterday and slept through Spin class. Oops. There goes $20.

So I woke up this morning and stumbled into the closet to get my measure on. (Yes, I get my measure on in the closet.) I was completely ready to see the same numbers as the last two weeks, but hey... look!


June 7, 2012

• Weight - 163 (+20)
• Bust - 40"
• Waist - 34" (+4)
• Belly - 40.5" 
• Hips/Butt - 43.5" (+3.25)
• Thigh - 25.5" (+2)
• Knee - 16.5"
• Calf - 14.25"
• Arm - 13" (+1.75)

July 19, 2012

• Weight - 159 (0, -4)
• Bust - 38.5" (-0.5, -1.5)
• Waist - 32" (0, -2)
• Belly - 40" (0, -0.5) 
• Hips/Butt - 42.25" (0, -1.25)
• Thigh - 24.5" (0, -1)
• Knee - 15.5" (0, -1)
• Calf - 14" (0, -0.25)
• Arm - 12.5" (0, -0.5)

July 26, 2012

• Weight - 158 (-1, -5)
• Bust - 38.5" (0, -1.5)
• Waist - 32" (0, -2)
• Belly - 40" (0, -0.5) 
• Hips/Butt - 42" (-0.25, -1.5)
• Thigh - 24.25" (-0.25, -1.25)
• Knee - 15.25" (-0.25, -1.25)
• Calf - 13.75" (-0.25, -0.5)
• Arm - 12.5" (0, -0.5)

Aw yeah, lost an inch this week! And my calves are going back down, which I think is due to gaining more flexibility in Pilates. I'm able to keep my legs much straighter, so I think I'm elongating for longer and leaner muscle... at least, that's what they keep saying the goal is, so I'll just go with that.

I'm still having trouble with my belly, though. I'm going to start looking really funny if I can't get that to budge. It may need more cardio. Blah. BUT. But, these are measurements when I'm completely relaxed. A lot of the time, I hold my gut in. Not sucked in, but held in. It's good for my posture and after having gotten stronger these past 7 weeks, a little holding in goes a longer way, visually.

So plateaus (or mesas, or buttes) are tricky. When I plateaued last week, it surprised me because I was really feeling like I was going to continue with some great results, but then it hit me like a brick. But then when I'm actually expecting to plateau, I have good results. I guess the point of this being that just because you feel like you've ruined everything by cramming your gullet with bearnaise sauce and creamy, buttery mashed potatoes, don't give up! It's not always all completely lost, and I have proof! So there. Good day, sir!

I said, good day!