EDITOR’S NOTE: Jeanette Balmut has been selected to participate in the Year of You, a fitness challenge hosted by The Manteca Bulletin, CalFit Manteca and CORE Athletic Performance. Balmut is keeping a weekly journal, highlighting the strides and struggles of her fitness journey.
Day 85
So I have been patient and avoiding the scale. I promised myself I wouldn’t peak until today. I talk to my niece about the scale and also about taking a break for a day at the gym. We make a deal. If I get on the scale today and I haven’t lost anything, then I promise her that I will not work out on Sundays for two weeks. Everyone tells me how my body needs a break and needs a chance to rebuild the muscles that I am breaking down. I know all of this but I also feel like there will be times in the future where I don’t get a chance to work out and since I have the time, the energy and the ability now … then don’t stop!
So I get up and the very first thing I do is step on that damn scale. Why do I do this? I have waited a week for this? I am expecting pounds and pounds to be shed….NOT! I can’t believe how hard I have worked for literally ounces. I know with the half a burrito and my cheat meal last night, but still … ounces? SO FRUSTURATING and SO NOT FAIR! I am trying to redirect my thoughts and just work harder and continue to be patient. So it’s only ounces, but it’s still a loss so that means I don’t owe my niece the promise of no working out on Sundays. I will keep this up until the scale freezes and then I will reconsider.
I head to the gym and meet up with Antonio. I start with a warm up and then we head to the dreaded “back room.” We do arms and abs and as usual … I am whooped. I definitely feel like I am stronger and more in shape … until I do new things, then I always feel like I am starting all over again.
Day 86
I start my day with my breakfast and then packing my lunch for the day. I am always so good and basically have the same thing day in and day out. It’s easy to pack, easy to follow and easy to stay on track when you know exactly what to eat. I am told often that it’s not enough food to sustain me and the amount of exercise that I am doing and that I need more fuel for my body … however, I still feel like I am eating plenty. I am never hungry and again, it’s easy to follow.
I meet Antonio at our usual time and we do a few machines and work on my upper body. I am super sore in the legs from what we did yesterday. That’s how you know it is working, when you can barely walk and sit … good signs!
We end the night with a great dinner of chicken, asparagus, and salad and of course a protein shake before bed.
Day 87
Up early, off to the gym and cardio day. I jump on the treadmill, crank up the speed and the incline and get to work. I leave sweaty and feeling accomplished.
I have my usual lunch but then find out that my son’s game has been changed to an AWAY game. That changes everything when it comes to “planning” my afternoon food. I race home and grab a protein bar and piece of fruit and head off to Central Catholic in Modesto. We don’t get home till late but thankfully Mike had dinner waiting for us and I inhaled it since it had been since 12:30 since I had eaten. Not the best for me to go that long, but the dinner was great. He grilled lean hamburger patties, steamed some spinach and tossed a salad. Worth the wait!
Day 88
Gym time today was “educational”. I got to talk to a lot of the regulars and they had some suggestions of what I could do to change things up a bit. I love the advice. I welcome it!
I warm up on the treadmill and complete two miles and then I work on my legs for the rest of the workout. I do inner, outer, back, tops…the works. I do four reps of 20 on each apparatus and leave feeling exhausted.
I get home and Mike is full of compliments and points out that he can start to see ab muscles on me. I chuckle because seriously … NO. Those are not ab muscles. They are rolls – still! He continues to give me the pep talks about how almost 30 pounds in three months is the “perfect” amount and that I have to continue reminding myself that even though I am not losing on the scale, that I am converting my fat into muscle. He reminds me that once I have muscle I will actually burn fat even while I am sleeping and that it will come off, maybe even faster than it is now. I just feel so impatient and like the rewards are far and few between. It’s not going to make me quit, or even cut back. If anything I am just more determined to keep on keepin’ on.
Day 89
Here I am, up at 4:30 a.m. and at the gym. I warm up and get right to the back to work on my abs. I do 300 crunches, 150 side crunches, planks and leg lifts (several different kinds).
I’m off to work and then straight to the baseball game. I had a good lunch and it was later than usual so I am not hungry and don’t take a protein bar. I really want to save those for the “emergencies” and not just the convenience.
We come home and have a small dinner. Just some grilled chicken and vegetables.
Day 90
WOW, it has been 90 days since the start of this journey. It sure went fast. Today is weigh-ins and measurements. I head over to the gym and meet Antonio. We start with the measurements. With every location he says “wow” and “good job” and continues to compliment me. He always seems to say the right thing. He tells me I am on the perfect pace for my goal and that anymore I would be a saggy mess. I DON’T WANT THAT! He assures me over and over that I am exactly where I should be at 90 days.
I complete my workout and head home. I have to say I was a little bit sad. I guess I have in my mind that since I am working so hard, being so good and faithful to my eating, my workouts, my journey…that the weight would be disappearing. It starts to consume me and I am actually to the point that I think I might cry. I call my girls. They both completely snap me out of whatever funk I was in. They point out all the obvious things like: “Mom, you have lost 24 inches off of your body. That is TWO FEET that is no longer on you.” Then, “Mom, it took Lyndsey one year to lose 20 pounds.” All of that made me feel so good and snapped me out of it. It was exactly what I needed. It gave me the motivation to keep going and keep reaching for my first goal. Less than 30 pounds to get off before the wedding!
Day 91
I wake early, cut up a ton of fresh fruit for the week. I make breakfast quiches (egg, spinach, peppers, onions and bacon in a muffin pan) for the whole week and then prepare a great breakfast for the family.
It’s a beautiful day and no need to work out in the gym. Mike and I decide to go for a walk/jog. We end up going a little more than four miles. I loved it, it was the first time Mike and I did a workout together. He usually goes for long, long runs and being as tall as he is, he can walk so much faster. He didn’t care though, he was happy to stick with me and go as fast as I could. We did a little walking a little running (he said I had a nice pace) and finished strong. I want to make a point to do this at least once a week so I can continue to prepare for the Lupus run in June. My goal is to run the full 5K without stopping!
We come home and do our weekly shopping for all the needed stuff. We make an awesome dinner. I make quinoa for the first time and made tacos out of lean ground beef, avocado and salsa. Oh man, were they good. Bring on week 14!
