There is no disclaimer that can prepare you for this never-ending battle. There are days when the scale is your best friend- bringing only good news and there are days when that steady, digital number is the last thing you want to see first thing in the morning. All those hours you spend at the gym working up a sweat seems meaningless when you see that all-important figure just stagnate to a point of annoyance.
This is when you begin to chide yourself for scarfing down that plain whole wheat English muffin with low fat cheese down for breakfast. You then begin to slide into questioning your ability to stick to a low carb diet that is rich in home cooked protein and freshly tossed salads. You begin to wish that losing the last few pounds to get to your target was not so hard. Losing the first few was a breeze and served as the perfect motivation to keep at it but when the plateau hits, it hits hard.
You then turn to the app that is helping you keep a track of all the calories that you are consuming and burning. Even though you have best convinced yourself that you are tracking every single calorie taken in and burnt at the gym, there seems to be no logical explanation as to why the pounds are not melting off as before.
Turning to your support system on YouTube to a score of fitness gurus who profess their success stories and attribute their sustenance onto their diet programs merely by sticking to the plan with no cheat days, you begin to wonder how you can fit your hectic work lifestyle in with domestic chores and healthy living. It is hard to understand how you have forced your body into survival mode by a sustained calorie deficit- this is where even switching up your workout routine does not seem to help!
Talking about workouts- tell me how forcing intense cardio onto your legs until they feel like Jell-O doesn’t hasten the weight loss process? Alternating between the steep incline of the treadmill and the intense pace of the elliptical to some rapid spin cycles and then topping all of that off with some core fusion. This is done in combination with some weight training for all the problem areas- chest, legs, abdominal and triceps. The pain is real and the sticky sweat trickling down the side of your face is a reminder. Staying hydrated before and after is key too.
What seems to be the problem? How do you find that motivation to keep going?
Any of you in similar shoes out there? Any words of advice for someone struggling to shed the last few pounds that are keeping you from skinny toned fit? Do share your thoughts in the comments section. Cheers!!
1922midnightBlues 