Many a time when I was training heavily for the Masters I wondered if there would come a time when my weightloss would begin to stagnate. I was aware that muscle mass weighed more than fat and I was also aware that if I had more lean muscle that I would continue to burn fat stores even at rest. So why is it I stopped losing weight so shortly after ceasing the intense training. I weighed myself morning, noon and night to see if there was some diurnal variations, I even resorted to weighing myself before I did a pee and after I did a pee. "Don't laugh, I know you have all done it". The only answer I came up with was that I had no answer. My body had just decided that it didn't want to lose anymore for the moment. And I just had to be happy with that.
For four long gruelling weeks my weight increased by 200gms and decreased by 200gms. I sat at 72kgs. Not my goal weight, but what could I do. I was still eating the same healthy food and consuming the same 1500 cals. The only thing that was keeping me on target were my measurements, they were changing - and for the better. I was losing centimetres from every where, even from my neck which was the part I was wanting to lose it from the most. I know, sounds weird, but when I was on Prednisone I ended up with a hump on my back close to my neck which I can only compare to "Quasimoto". I was not an animal or a Brahman bull I was me, Barbara Hughes.
I realised that the less emphasis I placed on my weight loss the happier I was. I was still exercising and still accomplishing things. The weightloss was a bonus not the sole driving force. I was just a happier, healthier more rounded individual. Everything else would fall into place, I was certain of it.
