Two weeks ago we did our first of the bi-weekly assessments of my third round of tabata bootcamp where we are weighed and measured, and tested for strength gain. If you've read my previous blogs you know my first assessment after starting my first round of bootcamp was maddening. I saw 1 lb and barely an inch lost after working out for two of the hardest weeks of my life. I was so discouraged I wanted to quit, but I kept going and the results for those assessments on were great. So much so that by the end of the second round of bootcamp (18 weeks total) I had lost 30 lbs and more than 13 inches overall.
Well two weeks ago I stepped on the scale confident I would see more lbs and inches lost after completing a Whole30 and continuing to improve in my exercise and running. But the opposite happened. I had gained 3 lbs and no inches were lost. It was the hardest weigh in to date. And despite the fact that I was running faster, my clothes felt better and I had just completed a Whole30 (which is TOUGH) I was so freaking upset with the number on the scale.
That morning I let the scale define me. I let it get the best of me. I was crushed. I nearly cried that morning. Instead I skull crushed and butt kicked and lunged until I hurt. But my wonderful friend and coach Mitzi sent me this very encouraging message "Don't let the number on the scale own you, it doesn't know that you ran the largest hill in Tally on Saturday and 8 stadiums Sunday. It doesn't know that you ran multiple races of different lengths and PR'd most of them! It doesn't know that you feel better than ever before or that you're stronger than you ever dreamed imaginable! It's just a number!! Love you my friend!!! For the record, I think you're amazing!" Boy did I need that.
I guess I wasn't the only one who had a bad weigh in day, because the following Monday we broke the scale in bootcamp. Literally crushed it beneath our feet. It felt so good stomping that scale and making it my biatch. I told it who's boss like a champ. And today when we did our weigh ins I'm back down 4 lbs and another inch lost and continue to grow in strength. But more than that, I have real honest goals that have nothing to do with weight or measurements. Now I will be happy for, and will continue to work towards seeing the number on the scale go down as well as inches, but my focus isn't on that anymore. Its on eating cleanly to fuel my workouts. Its getting enough sleep at night. Its working towards moving up in corrals for races because I'm getting faster. It's finishing races with new PR's. It's completing 10 stadiums instead of 8 or running double the ramps at the stadium. And I will finally master the hover.
Breaking the scale broke my dependence on the scale. And for that, and for all that the Badass Army and it's amazing team of coaches and students provide me everyday, I am so grateful.
