Week 2 Weigh In

I’m trying to stay positive.  Every other time I’ve been on a diet, I’ve just lost a bunch of weight in the beginning without exercising.  I’ve actually never stuck to the exercise thing.  So in the past, I know I’ve lost a lot of muscle and probably very little fat.  Now that I’m exercising, I’m adding new muscle tissue, which adds weight.  So hopefully the weight I’m losing is fat, which means that it’s a slower process.

I’m down 3 pounds from last week.  I know that’s good.  And anything is better than a gain.  But it’s still just so hard to only be down 7 pounds in 2 weeks when every other time I’ve been down at least 7 in the first week alone.  I lost 11 pounds in one week a few months ago because I was eating very low carb.   So the three pounds is a little bit bittersweet, but I’ll take it.

I’ll just be glad when the first month has passed and I can take my measurements again.  I hope to see a loss there.  Hopefully that will be more encouraging.

In other news, I can now walk on the treadmill at an 8% incline.  I can also do the elliptical at 4%.  And when I exercise now, my heart rate only gets up to around 165 at the highest instead of 180 like it was in the beginning.  That’s a good sign.  As my heart gets stronger and I get more fit, my heart rate doesn’t get so high with exertion.  Of course, that means that as I go along, I’ll have to work harder to get into my target heart range during exercise.  I’m going to buy one of those heart rate monitors.  That way i don’t have to hold on to the handles on the treadmill. I feel like I can’t work as hard doing that.

The circuit was easier today too, except for the chest press.  That still kills.  I guess those must be my weakest muscles.  I’ve had to bump it down to 45 pounds and I can usually get in 12 reps instead of 15.  I struggle to get the 12.  Hopefully I’ll be up to 15 by next week. That’s my goal.

It feels good, all in all.  I know I’m getting healthier and that makes me feel better than anything. 

There were these people in the gym tonight.  These two girls.  They probably weighed around 120 at the very most.  They spent most of their time talking and went to the elliptical and didn’t even break a sweat.  The tried to do leg presses and just sat on the bench for the most part.  I normally wouldn’t notice something like this, but they were just so loud, talking back and forth about how they just didn’t have the energy to exercise.  It felt good that I could.  I’m usually the one sitting in the background talking about how I can’t do the things the “skinny” girls can.  But tonight, I kept on going, even when it hurt….even when I didn’t have the energy and it felt damn good.