Crisitunity: A portmanteau created by Homer when Lisa tells him that the Chinese have the same word for "crisis" and "opportunity". The actual Chinese words for those terms are different but share a common character (危機 for "crisis", 機會 for "opportunity").
I was right smack bang in the middle of a massive plateau when my Achilles tendon gave way. This time last year I was smack bang in the middle of a 3-4 month stint on crutches, which is what got me into my weight gain spiral of ice cream and chocolate and cheese and sadness in the first place. Le sigh. I had been consistently training away and not seeing any really big results, and frankly, getting a bit bored by my workouts which were becoming a chore, not a challenge. But when last week my ankle gave way, suddenly the idea that I might not be able to train terrified me. I came home after the physio told me I'd be on crutches for 6 weeks, and I bawled. Not just from the pain, which was excruciating (if you want to know what its like, imagine your ankle feels like its made of very think glass, and if you step on your heel, it feels like you have no skin - raw, exposed, and horribly painful). But from the fear. This is the injury is what got me to where I was back in January when I started this blog: fat and depressed. What if I put on weight again? What if I couldnt work out? What if I get depressed and dont want to leave the house again, and end up making guyere and chocolate sandwiches with icecream and wine sauce?
So I joined a gym. Its a gym I used to be a member of, until we really couldnt afford it anymore and I was working such crazy hours I couldnt get to go often enough to justify it. But it is absolutely amazing. I loved it so much and was really sad to leave it in the first place but I had fallen out of the habit of going and at the time, my work schedule really didnt allow for any extra curricular activity. I joined on 27th July, the day after I came back from the physio. I have been to the gym at least once a day every day bar one since then. My 'rest' days have been swimming and some light cardio. I can use the stationary bike and I can cycle which is great - even if I can't walk at least I can still get around. And the best thing is I feel this will actually bring me to the next level in terms of my training, something I had felt I was stagnating with.
Ive also lost an inch from everywhere in the past week, which is a happy side effect. In total, Ive lost 10 inches off my stomach since January. YAY! So - how to bust through a weight loss plateau? Completely change your routine and significantly up the ante. I almost doubled some of the weights I'm lifting in the gym because I was sticking to the shitty small selection I had at home.
Maybe this injury was exactly what I needed - I had always felt a weakness in my achilles, and now I'm religiously sticking to the exercises my physio gave me, so I'm hoping I'll build it to become much stronger than before. I have to forego some socialising and fun times and walks with the dogs, but if I come out of it stronger it will be worth it. Crisitunity!
PS I've started logging all my food on instagram, so if you want some recipes/ideas follow me @lucyrhinehart xx
Ive also lost an inch from everywhere in the past week, which is a happy side effect. In total, Ive lost 10 inches off my stomach since January. YAY! So - how to bust through a weight loss plateau? Completely change your routine and significantly up the ante. I almost doubled some of the weights I'm lifting in the gym because I was sticking to the shitty small selection I had at home.
Maybe this injury was exactly what I needed - I had always felt a weakness in my achilles, and now I'm religiously sticking to the exercises my physio gave me, so I'm hoping I'll build it to become much stronger than before. I have to forego some socialising and fun times and walks with the dogs, but if I come out of it stronger it will be worth it. Crisitunity!
PS I've started logging all my food on instagram, so if you want some recipes/ideas follow me @lucyrhinehart xx
