Friday, September 2, 2011

You Can't Handle The Truth

*could you hear me using my Jack Nicholson voice?*

I have found that in life, most people do not want to hear the truth.  They may think they want to hear the truth, but usually what most of us mean is...I want you to sugarcoat it and spin it so it makes me feel better about myself.

Like when your friend decides to die their gorgeous brunette hair, jet black because they think it will make their eyes pop, and they ask you, "Do you like it".  They don't really want to hear..."um...NO.  You look like a goth Emo kid who huffs spray paint behind Pizza Hut".  They want to hear "It's pretty".  So instead you say "I DO like it (your voice goes higher when you say DO), but I LOVED it brown.

See.  A little sugarcoat dusting.

Most of the time I don't want to hear the truth when it comes to being "stuck" on the scale.  I actually want someone to gently rock me, all the while brushing my hair and whispering things like, "ssshhh baby, it's just genetics.  Or water weight.  Or maybe the scale is broken.  Or maybe your body just likes chilling at __insert whatever weight__, and I am sure that the snicker wrappers you have hidden in your car, or your lack of exercise, or your midnight binging have nothing to do with it...shhhhh....you are pretty".

But, I should go ahead and tell you just to make sure I havent fooled you since the beginning, I am no exercise physiologist or smart person.  I majored in Communication.  But lately I have been having moments of clarity about this being stuck bullshananigans. 

I keep repeating to myself "Up Your Game".  And that is what it boils down to for MOST of us don't you think?  We KNOW where we can improve.  If we are really honest with ourselves, usually we can identify those areas that we can do better.

What's ironic is that I started writing this post yesterday, and get to live it and eat my own words as I type today.  You see, I gained three pounds over Travis's visit.  Not the end of the world.  But I did expect it to be nearly gone by today.  Yesterday I did ran a mile, did circuit, sweated like a dirty hog, then did Zumba after work...again...sweating like a dirty hog.  Not to mention, I ate "Really Good".

And do you know what I had lost after all of this hardwork and exercise?  .2 pounds.  yeah.  POINT TWO.

And this is where the honesty came in.  I worked out really hard yesterday.  I couldn't have asked for more really.  But this is what I ate:

Breakfast:  Protein bar and milk (probably about 2 cups)
Lunch:  Tomato soup with feta cheese
Snack: 3 pieces of celery with peanut butter and raisins on top
Dinner:  I tried steel cut oatmeal and decided it was as horrible as I thought it would be so I heated up a chicken casserole left over (about a cup) and had two pieces of toast with butter and cinnamon sugar.  YUM

Pretty good for me I must say.  I drank about 60 ounces of water.  And probably consumed 5 cans of diet pop.

Mmmmhmmm...do you see what I mean?  Even though it was a "really good day", I could have done better.  I could have drank more water.  Cut out all of the diet soda.  Not eaten the toast, etc.  If the scale is not moving for me...then I have to reevaluate.

I have to be honest. 

And I think it is important to realize that my crazy workout schedule, or someone else's immaculate food consumption may NOT be what you need to do.  If you barely work out now, well then hell, 3 days a week of solid cardio or weights might be your jump start.  For me, it would be moving backwards....but we are all different.  It really comes down to improving YOU.  Not doing what works for someone else. 

Oh yes.  Don't you love it when you stumble across a weight loss thought that really relates to life as a whole?

I do.  I feel like Yoda. 

However, Yoda probably wouldn't have let the .2 loss turn him into a grumpy bitch.  DAMN IT.  I wish I was perfect.

11 comments:

  1. So true! I've started like 72 posts today, but I just can't get past the date...I'm stuck in so many ways and I know it's my own damn fault! I wish this wasn't so hard. BTW, Dilbert the dwarf stripper got her Gotein yesterday!

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  2. What I hate is when you log your food each and every bite, and you go to the gym and you do your workouts like you are suppose to and the scale sits there for three solid weeks.

    Then bingo this morning 1.4 down.....how the hell does that work really? LOL

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  3. Man I love your blog....you know just how to make me laugh and then actually think about what I am doing. Thanks.

    My two-cents: based on what you listed eating there is NO WAY that is enough calories for the exercise you did. I am finding that the MORE I work out, if I don't up my calories then I just stay EXACTLY the same place on the scale. It's a scary concept but....... I spent some time trying to find out on-line how to figure out how many calories I actually need, then deduct some (calorie restriction) so my body will let go of the lbs. Just a thought....I too did not major in exercise physiology LOL...sociology major here.

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  4. I think you should not throw away your Sunkist cans and stack them up... build a structure in your office... eventually you will see how much soda you drink and maybe that will help limit your 5 can intake per day? Or you can put a dollar in a jar every time you have one - like a no-cussing jar? xoxo

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  5. But if I do what works for someone else and it doesn't work for me... then it's not my fault :p I can blame someone else!!!

    Okay, on second thought, this is very good advice... as usual; and I will take it in and mule over it :o)

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  6. I am struggling with truth for a lot of reason. Like you, I have found through this process that I had to admit some ugly truths to myself. I have had to admit truths not only about my current behavior and its effect on my success but also come clean with myself about all the bad behaviors that got me to a place of needing the LapBand in the first place.

    Now the problem I am struggling with is the more I get honest with myself the less patience or ability I have to sugarcoat things for people close to me. ( And I am not talking about a new hair color) I am so less inclined to be an active participant in the rationalizations that my friends and loved ones make 34 times a day to tell themselves that their crappy life, health, etc isn't their fault. I can't help but wonder how much sooner I might have changed my life if someone would have just told me the truth.

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  7. You had me at "toast with butter and cinnamon sugar". It has been one of my staples for the last year. Hmmm. Maybe there is truth in what you say and why I too am stuck in the 170's for over a year. I'm sure it's just the toast. Thanks for the truth.

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  8. I really wish I had not read this post then I could continue to believe that my scale is broke and have someone playing in my hair!

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  9. I absolutely love your posts. I was cracking up at my desk today when I read this.
    "ssshhh baby, it's just genetics. Or water weight. Or maybe the scale is broken. Or maybe your body just likes chilling at __insert whatever weight__, and I am sure that the snicker wrappers you have hidden in your car, or your lack of exercise, or your midnight binging have nothing to do with it...shhhhh....you are pretty"

    Glad I found your blog. Most def a kindred spirit. I look forward to reading the rest of you journey!

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  11. Oh I almost forgot lots of gay kimchi love from South Korea!

    here's a link to my blog as well:
    www.muffintopmoxy.blogspot.com

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