The 45 Pound Plate

Image by Laura Lauer from Pixabay

The 45. The typical heavy weightlifting plate in most gyms. That is how much weight I have lost so far with the help of using the Noom app. I have been working with the app for just over twenty-one weeks, so the steady, persistent progress has me dropping a little over two pounds a week on average. This includes the initial weight drop. If I look at just the more recent data, I have been losing roughly 1.24 pounds per week. 

Multiplying that 1.24 pounds per month by four (for loss per month) and that's very close to the five pounds per month rule of thumb for healthy weight loss. While I would love to still be on that initial plunge, I'm working to lose in a healthy/sustainable manner. It's important to remind myself that what I'm going for is lifelong change. That's not always the easiest "pill to swallow", especially when passing all the baked and fried goodies in stores and restaurants, but it has gotten easier. 

That's not to say that I don't indulge, or over-indulge for that matter. I also have my sticking points and situation that I know are just going to take a lot of work to get better at handling. However, I'm getting better at pushing the "reset" button that gets me back on the path.

Many of the physical things that are working for me are covered in previous posts. Another important aspect is the attitude that, for me, needs to be present for this Noom thing to work. My attitude needs to be one of mostly optimism and gratitude along with a belief that as long as I work the program good things will come about; even if the change on the scale has slowed. I have more energy. I get to be active with my kids, taking them to the batting cages. I'm able to run around with the eighth graders I coach for football (I'm really just a big kid at heart). I think I'm sleeping better. My clothes are fitting better. I also get to look forward to listening to music and audiobooks on my walks and runs.

All of these amazing things create a sense of confidence and keep me hungry to challenge myself. While the weight is the core metric here, it creates a sense of wanting to do more and to go further. To take on some adventures and ultimately just be the best "me" I can be. 

I still get downtrodden on occasion. Along with the physical program aspects, this is about accepting those feelings at the moment and taking enough of a long-view to be able to hit the "reset" button and get back to a better place. The "it works if you work it" credo works here as well. Stresses pass and life ebbs and flows. 

In the end all I can control is my (borrowing from numerous coaches) attitude and effort. My little caveat to this is that the attitude is what drives the effort. It's the mental nudge needed to make good happen.

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