At the beginning of this year I decided to stop being a couch potato. I got got myself moving, began to love my new lifestyle, hit rock bottom and rose back up again.
It’s been a while since my last update, and for a very common reason – I’ve hit the dreaded “plateau”.
What did I do?
Ah, I feel like I need to apologise for everything getting so – boring. I mean, it’s not boring for me, I love what I’m doing. But it’s more of the same, and maybe that’s the problem.
Hiking
If you’ve been following this journey from the beginning, you’d know how important hiking is to me now. It’s everything. It’s my exercise and my meditation and my social life, all rolled into one. I still try to get out every weekend, and the hikes themselves have been getting gradually more intense.
Hiking is addictive, y’all. Hiking is life. Hiking: Not Even Once. Just Do It.
#hikingforlife
Yoga
Yoga is something I’ve not been doing as much of, but know I really need to. My upper back and shoulder pain is returning, and I previously found it so useful for combating post-hike tension and muscle pain. After a hike is actually my favourite time for yoga, but the night-time wind-down routine is important and I’m going to bring it back – promise.
Running
I am a little over a month away from my first “fun run” type event. I’m going in the City 2 Surf and I am terrified. I need y’all to cross everything for me, because I’m still doing all my runs alone where no one can pick on my weird leg-flicking unco-looking technique oh no what have I done.
I need to run more – immediately. Luckily, even though it’s getting colder now and it’s tougher to get motivated to get outside – I really do enjoy it. I know, it’s weird. I get it. I’m one of “those” people now. But trust me. It happens to us all – AND IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU. /#fitspo
Oh yeah, and this happened.
#realtalk
Weights
I’m lifting, ma! Check out my guns.
I either head to the gym and fumble through a routine trying to stop thinking about everyone in there judging me (they’re not), or I do a routine at home with cheap hand weights from Kmart and a FitnessBlender video. They are great.
Especially when it’s chilly outside, and especially when I’m on a high post-hike – oh wow, weights make you feel good. Bonus: they help burn more calories and you can lift heavy stuff easier. I’ll carry my own shopping, thank you very much.
Update on skull crushing with thighs: getting there.
So yeah, it’s more of the same, really. I know I need to up the yoga, and start running further – but I’ve been so busy lately. I know it’s the classic excuse, and if you really care about something you’ll make time for it blah blah – but seriously I’ve had some weeks with solid 16+ hour work days and I’ve just been tired.
I’m going to try and find a solution, though. Preferably one that isn’t caffeine.
What did I eat?
So as you know, I have personalised “macros” – hitting protein, healthy fats and complex carbs goals which I log in MyFitnessPal. Food like this:
- Fats
- Avocado
- Nuts
- Coconut oil
- Cheese (yes!)
- Flaxseed Oil
- Dark Chocolate
- Protein
- Lean red meat
- Lean poultry
- Fish
- Eggs
- Milk & Cheese
- Carbs
- Rice
- Bread
- Potatoes
- Veggies
- Fruit
- Oats
I mostly stuck to this, with a few “high quality” treat exceptions. I’m talking the super fancy mint chocolate coated macadamias, not the free Mars bars we have in the office at work. (Why?!)
So…do you have any results?
Nope. This is the “plateau” I was alluding to earlier.
I’ve lost no weight at all, not even 100g. This isn’t unusual when you are losing fat and gaining muscle, but my other measurements haven’t budged either. My waist is the same, hips are the same, bust is the same.
I was hesitating updating y’all because it just felt a little – uninspiring, you know? Kinda boring.
But I’ll work this out, because I know it’s not uncommon. And when I do, I’ll let you know how I did it. Solidarity!
What’s next?
Let’s take a look at “The Plan”
- Strength (Lift more! It’s fun)
- Flexibility (Remember how Yoga helps me in every other aspect of my life, do it more)
- Endurance (Longer running sessions, get ready for City 2 Surf)
- Eating food that fuels me (Keep doing what I’m doing – it seems to be working for me!)
- Killing a man with my bare hands AKA badassery (I’ll get there eventually, just you wait)
It’s hard doing an update when it really feels like nothing new has happened. But plateaus are super common.
Getting past them is different for everyone, and I’ll spend this next month trying out at least one to see if it works for me.
Strangely, even writing this has made me more motivated. Looking back on what you have done, instead of dwelling on what you haven’t done, is super useful.
You can follow along, and join in, with #couchpotatotowonderwoman on Instagram – and feel free to join in with the people that are motivating me!
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/12/couch-potato-to-wonder-woman/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2016/12/DSC9133-410×231.jpg” title=”Couch Potato To Wonder Woman”]
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/02/couch-potato-to-wonder-woman-month-one/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/02/10339272_729655063742681_2462987775689307489_o-1-410×231.jpg” title=”Couch Potato To Wonder Woman: Month One”]
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/03/couch-potato-to-wonder-woman-month-two/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/03/June_-RaeJohnston30-410×231.jpg” title=”Couch Potato To Wonder Woman: Month Two”]
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/04/couch-potato-to-wonder-woman-month-three/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/04/Rae-Wonder-Woman-Cropped-2-410×231.jpg” title=”Couch Potato To Wonder Woman: Month Three”]
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/05/couch-potato-to-wonder-woman-month-four/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/05/couch-potato-month-four-410×231.jpg” title=”Couch Potato To Wonder Woman: Month Four” excerpt=”I’ve learned more about myself this year than in any other. I’ve gone from being a couch potato, to a self-starter, to a fully fledged-fitness noob, complete with a month of “failures”.
Now I’m in month four of Couch Potato to Wonder Woman, I’m finding some balance.”]
Comments
6 responses to “Couch Potato To Wonder Woman: Months Five And Six”
If you feel good about yourself, that’s better than any number on a set of scales [or a tape measure]
You’re looking amazing, well done. An inspiration!
Congrats on all the hard work Rae
FWIW, I’m on the starting line, trying to figure out how I want to squeeze some exercise back into my life (in a way that’ll stick). Even if nothing super exciting is happening in your world at the moment, it’s still worth posting about it—it’s a reminder to me, at least, to keep pulling the problem apart in my head 🙂
Hi Rae
First of all – you look amazing.
I really just wanted to say I thought your NASA hat was cool. I’d love one of those 🙂
If you like day hiking you should really give multi-day long distance hiking a go. To me, it feels like it is 10 times better!
I’ve done most of the Great Walks in New Zealand, probably the best ones to start off doing are either the Milford or the Routeburn track. You don’t need a lot of gear, as they have a hut system, so no need to carry a tent, mattress, gas cooker etc. You can also pay more to stay in luxury huts (not something I would necessarily do… i.e. cheapskate).
The other option, which is my current favourite, is the Camino in Spain. Superb! I did a 11 day section (281kms) from Astorga to Santiago last year. One of the best experiences I have ever had traveling. Going back this year to do St Jean to Burgos.
In relation to fitness, I really like HIIT. I do one called ‘Peak 8’, on an exercise bike. 30 second intense effort, 90 second recovery, repeated 8 times. Been doing it about 6 weeks now and it has made me so much fitter (i.e. walk up hills without stopping now). Only takes 20 minutes to do, including warm up/cool down. It’s intense though.
Congrats on the hard work and results your getting!
Reg the plateau, they can be tricky, but first point of ID.
are you plateauing on the weight-loss or the fitness?
They have different solutions.