Weight loss and the bonsai

I am busily visualizing a nicely shaped, mature bonsai tree  as part of my process of just hanging on to this project.  Because, as is probably typical for most of us, progress is occurring, but slowly.

Here’s the rundown: my weight seems plateaued. Meaning I’m about the same as a week ago, roughly six or so pounds lower than at the start of the project, but far from the dramatic 12 or 15 pounds I wish I had lost by now.  So on one level, it could seem like nothing much is happening, certainly nowhere near as much as the many “weight loss stars” seem to accomplish.  (You know, the ones who promise to make you lose 2 or 3 pounds a week, or who report such dramatic results themselves.)

And it’s possible I could be doing much better.  I know I need to cut back some on carbs (meaning “white food”).  My diet isn’t really super heavy in, well, anything, and I almost never (except on those weekend splurges) eat stuff like big burgers on big white buns and pizza and dessert.  But I have generally been eating a few hundred calories a day more than I absolutely have to, nutritionally speaking.  (Example: I am determined to avoid high fructose corn poison and fake sweeteners that turn to formaldehyde in my system, so instead I toss some unnecessary plain old white sugar in my coffee.  Another example: higher fat varieties of cottage cheese and such than I perhaps need.)  So even though I almost always come in within my allowances on my CalorieKing software, the pounds aren’t dropping.

And of course, that’s frustrating!  Not horrible one week, but if it’s the third week and it’s still stuck, especially if that weight is 3 pounds higher than my best-so-far weight… well, that sucks.

Of course, there is a big, big “on the other hand” argument here.  For one thing, my measurements.  Blood sugar is generally great.  My blood pressure is much improved and holding — not dropped enough that I could consider dropping a medication yet, but it’s in a good range and that’s consistent.  Resting pulse continues to be much better than when I started the project.  (Not yet Lance Armstrong, but in a really good range.)

More important: measurements and muscle strength are good.  I lost another half-inch on my waist this week; still not perfect and I still look a little bit pregnant, but the tape measure doesn’t lie.  Chest is same, but then I’ve been doubling and even tripling my upper bod reps on my chest/pecs, just because I have felt I need more upper body strength.

And my capabilities in the gym are improving steadily, as well.  Big muscle groups in particular, going up at best in the double – digit percent improved range in a few areas.  I can lift more weight  more comfortably, and this gets better constantly.  Aerobic conditioning is also clearly improved; at least on good days (when I’ve gotten good sleep and not messed up my blood sugar), I can do more, go faster, sustain intense bursts with better comfort and respiration than in the past.  It’s all good.

Which brings me back to the bonsai tree.  I love the art of bonsai, mostly as a spectator.  (Used to go to the Minnesota State Fair bonsai club exhibit  and man! they are spectacular!)

The thing about a bonsai is that it’s something you tend, change, shape very gradually.  Over time you make consistent, tiny, almost invisible little changes.  You may snip a small bit of a branch or a few leaves or needles from the tree.  You may shape a branch with a piece of wire ever… so… slowly, making teensy little adjustments very patiently.  It generally is a project of many years.

But then you have this amazing thing.  This beautiful tree that seems to have brought all the latent potential of the original tree out, and made it perfect.

I think that’s what this project really is about.  Make little tiny changes.  Go to the gym and maybe the only thing I do on a particular day is push myself just a bit longer, get my heart rate up into my aerobic zone just a half-minute longer than yesterday.  Or drink maybe just the first cup of coffee in the morning without sugar, even if I “cave” after that.  Just don’t replace small improvements with small bad habits in other areas!

And look for little evidences of change.  Because if my weight is the same on the scale but my waist is smaller, even a little, and I’ve added five more pounds to what I can do on the leg press and that’s more than I could do a week ago… something important is happening.

What do you think?

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