She's Crafty

The Man and I have been floundering for a few days. His work schedule is midnight to 8AM, and it just switched over from a much more normal 8-4 shift, so we are getting acclimated and trying to work with it.

We finally made it in to the gym together this morning, and I did my usual elliptical cardio, and noticed- it's getting easier. I can work a little harder, so my heart rate gets more elevated, and I am not gasping for breath. My heart-rate monitor is a godsend...making things easier for me to track my recovery rate, and keeping me honest about how much time I spend in the gym and how many calories I burn. I am not using the calorie features because life is just too short.

I am trying not to stress about my lack of weight loss. I hopped on the scale this morning, and I am down 6 lbs from where I started after Thanksgiving. I need to be patient. There are other physical changes, so I know that SOMETHING is working.

Case in point: My pants. I bought four brand new pairs of exercise pants when we started this escapade- they were all on clearance. Two are a style with a drawstring waist, and two have a wide band of elastic. The pants with elastic are suddenly roomier, to the point where I am hitching them up as I zoom around the gym. I see an appointment with the sewing machine in my near future. It should be a simple matter to just open an interior seam and snug up the elastic.

Another weird thing- my stomach feels different when I do abdominal exercises. I was doing my crunches and my seated rows today, and I felt this strange, fluid shifting. This is kind of gross, but instead of the fat on my tummy just smooshing together in one big bump like it normally does, the bend of my waist was now separate from the curve of my stomach, and they were sort of gliding over each other.

It was odd. There have also been moments when I have caught a glimpse of me in the mirror, and for a second, I just look...well, wrong. It resolves itself almost instantly. The Man says he can tell now in my face, and that my waist is back, which is good to hear.

I have gym time scheduled this week, and it should keep me honest. I am still enjoying going in and working out, but I am still learning the ropes when it comes to the machines that work my arms and legs. I don't think I have gotten a full arm workout in yet- the program my trainer put me on has at least 10 different arm machines on it, and I am letting myself be intimidated by it. So that is the goal for this week- arm workout. And a date with my pants and the sewing machine!