Body fat lies


So I went for my body fat analysis, and apparently, despite my 13 pounds lost since my last analysis in December, I have *gained* a percentage. It makes NO sense! I may have lost some muscle while at yoga-world, but not 13 pounds worth! I feel tighter, I look/am smaller (clothes don't lie, for sure). It makes no sense. It's hard not to question the ability of the person doing the measurements - the same person each time, although I don't believe they do the analysis very often, so maybe they need more training. But I'm *paying* for the service, so I would appreciate some ability in that area. I don't know what else to say. I really thought this was a foolproof way to measure my fat loss (vs. overall weight loss, especially since I'm weightlifting and I know that muscles weigh more than fat). Ah well. I did schedule another 6 weeks out, but if the numbers continue to fluctuate like that and not make sense, I may abandon the idea and go by my clothes/how I feel.

Which is what I should do anyway. Does any of it matter if I don't feel energetic/healthy? I don't think so. I've been pretty wiped since I returned, mostly because I don't FEEL like working/doing bills/housework, y'know, the real life stuff that I haven't *had* to do for 4 weeks.

Anyway, I can't remember the last time I was under 180 lbs? Probably about 3 years ago during my karate black belt training, and that didn't last long. I'm at 178 now, so I'll enjoy it while it's here. I hate to be pessimistic, but it's hard when the patterns keep re-emerging, even if they are decreasing.

I'll have to consult my calendar, but I did a bunch of yoga, walked up/down countless flights of steps, walked around the Berkshire countryside, hit the fitness room a few times, and massaged my little heart out, which has to be a serious calorie-burner given how hot I would get every time. Took my vitamins every day. Ate vegetarian almost the whole time (had a few eggs, some tilapia/cod along the way). I've eaten more veggies in the past month than I have in the past year!!! And inspired to make more bean dishes, despite the boisterous side effects.

I also learned how to listen to my body again. When my stomach said "please stop eating now, I've had enough", I would stop. It was SO VERY difficult to do that. "But, I still have food on my plate, dear stomach!" I wasn't a member of the clean-plate club, but I don't like to waste food, and even if I hadn't taken a lot, if I was full, I had to stop - that was my self-promise. "But, dear stomach, you've hardly consumed anything, and lunch isn't for 4.5 hours! What will you do if you get hungry during that time?! We'll starve!". No, dear Xena, you will not starve, nor did you. In fact, you were pleasantly hungry when lunch did arrive, and didn't the food taste so much better? Isn't your body smart smart smart? "Yes, but..."

*sigh*

But nothing, dear girl. Didn't you learn that your body is different every day, has different needs depending on your own needs, emotional, physical, spiritual? Some days you can get by on a few handsful of food, other days you need more fuel (editor's note: *good* fuel, of course!). You experienced for yourself how little you ate some days, and yet still did yoga and massage and stairs and walks - spiritually/emotionally nourished. That's what helps to fill the endless void inside, yes? Yes indeed. So let's keep filling it up, eh?

Since I've been home, I'm back at the Y (3 times now) and I bought a cardio hip hop (so fun, so incredibly goofy - at least it's challenging; I'm just thankful we don't have a webcam hidden in the living room...or do we?) DVD that I did last night, and a tribal bellydancing DVD with yoga warmups - what more could a girl ask for? Oh yeah - a personal chef and yoga instructor, how quickly we forget!

It's great to be lifting weights again, and the new session of yoga starts up again next week at the Y, so it'll be a nice balance (no pun intended).

My challenge now is to work in some daily meditation time; I bought both an AM and a PM guided meditation CD, and I think they've got 10 minute segments, so that is just right for now. One step at a time, darlin'.