The first week of fall camp for college football can be hectic!
Suddenly everything changes. There are new schedules, longer days, more time on my feet, different meal times, and changes to my normal sleep schedule. Looking back, it was probably unrealistic for me to think I would roll into fall camp and continue my normal workout and eating routine without making some adjustments.
But I also can’t use fall camp as an excuse.
When I stepped on the scale this morning for my Sunday weigh-in, I actually thought I might have lost a pound. I had spent considerably more time walking and standing throughout the week, including hours on the practice field each day. Surely all that additional activity had to count for something.
Then I saw the number:
272 pounds.
Yikes!
Instead of losing weight, I had gained a little over a pound from my August 1 weigh-in of 270.9.
It was disappointing, but when I thought about the week, it really shouldn’t have been surprising.
Yes, I was considerably more active. But I didn’t get to the gym. My excuse was always the same: after spending three hours standing and walking around the practice field, I was tired, hungry, and just wanted to go home.
That tiredness also affected what I ate.
After a long day, the last thing I wanted to do was come home and prepare dinner. I think three of the seven days ended with me picking up fast food instead. It was quick, easy, and required absolutely no effort on my part.
Throughout the week, I kept telling myself that all the additional activity would offset some of those poor food choices.
Apparently, it didn’t.
That’s an important lesson for me. Being more active during the day is certainly a good thing, but it doesn’t give me a free pass on what I eat. I can’t assume that a few extra thousand steps will automatically erase a fast-food meal.
I’ll admit that seeing 272 on the scale was discouraging.
There was a moment when I thought, Maybe I should just throw in the towel. Maybe I’m simply not going to be able to lose this weight.
But I can’t do that.
One bad week doesn’t determine where this journey ends. Neither does one bad meal, one missed workout, or one disappointing weigh-in. What matters is what I do next.
Maybe that’s something I’m finally beginning to understand about this whole process.
I’ve spent a lot of time creating rules for myself:
I’m going to work out four or five days this week.
I’m not going to eat any fast food.
No soda.
No chocolate.
Then life happens. I break one of those rules, get frustrated with myself, and suddenly it feels like I’ve failed.
So this week I’m trying something different.
I’m not going to make a bunch of promises about being perfect. Instead, I’m going to concentrate on making the better choice that’s available to me in that moment.
If I’m tired after practice and don’t feel like working out, don’t tell myself I need to spend an hour in the gym. Just get there and do 20 minutes. Twenty minutes is better than zero.
If I’m driving home hungry and thinking about McDonald’s, remind myself that I have food at home. It doesn’t have to be some perfectly prepared healthy meal. A simple peanut butter sandwich at home can be a better decision than turning into the drive-thru.
If one meal doesn’t go according to plan, don’t turn it into an entire bad day.
And if one day doesn’t go well, start again the next morning.
Maybe that’s where the real change has to happen.
Losing weight isn’t going to come from one great workout or one week of perfect eating. It’s going to come from changing the hundreds of little decisions I make along the way—especially the decisions I make when I’m tired, hungry, busy, or simply don’t feel like doing the right thing.
Those are the moments that matter.
I still want to reach 240 pounds. Seeing 272 on the scale this morning doesn’t change that goal. It just means I have more work to do.
So I’m beginning another week without demanding perfection from myself.
Just make the next decision a better one.
Get the 20-minute workout.
Drive past the fast-food restaurant.
Eat something simple at home.
Get some sleep.
Then wake up tomorrow and do it again.
Change my behaviors, and I can change my weight.
Another week in the battle.
Let’s go!