Oops. Apparently it’s been 6 months since I last blogged. 😬 The reality is it’s hard to share my health and fitness journey when I’ve been inconsistent, not making progress, and therefore not achieving any body composition goals. The inconsistencies have added up, and I’ve gained a few pounds. It’s time to regroup and get back on track! Blogging helps me stay within the proper mindset. After all, I’d hate to regain the weight I lost in 2019.
In 2019 I lost 13.4 lbs from my highest of 148.2 lbs (Nov. 2018) to my lowest postpartum weight to date of 134.8 lbs (Nov. 2019). Through 2020 I struggled though (didn’t we all?), and today I’m now hovering around 140 lbs. 😩 (Side note: when I first started drafting this blog post two months ago (I know, I know), I was averaging 142 lbs, so at least I’ve made some progress!)
One habit I’ve always remained consistent with though is weighing myself daily, which allows me to see trends. My weight is logged in Lose It! dating all the way back to 2012. For this blog post I exported my data from November 2019 to May 2021 and compiled it into the chart below.
As you can see, 2019 featured a nice downward trend where I lost the previously mentioned 13.4 lbs, and then BOOM. 💥 2020 hits and becomes a roller coaster of a ride, sending me in the complete opposite direction.
So what happened?
While I’d love to blame it on quarantine, looking back now it honestly boiled down to work stress. Without getting into details, my work environment dramatically shifted, and no I’m not talking about the shutdown and learning to work from home. This change started in May 2020, which coincidentally aligns with my upward trend in the chart. 🙃 (March’s spike was due to a pre-COVID vacation that I talked about in this blog post.)
After almost a year of trying to manage my stress at work, from trying to get a good night’s sleep to diffusing essential oils to morning meditations, I ultimately sought employment elsewhere. It wasn’t until I created the chart above and began writing this blog post that I realized just how much of an impact work had on my health.
It’s only been two month since I made a change, and as you can see from April and May 2021, things are looking up!