Know What Yesterday Was???

Yesterday was the last day of my life that I will ever spend in the 240's!

This morning, I was greeted with a lovely number...239!

I've been losing weight all week.  After 12 weeks of essentially losing none, I'm losing again.  Besides enjoying the feeling, I've spent some time trying to figure out why I'm losing again.  I want to reflect so that the next time I hit a plateau in my weight loss, I'll have this knowledge to go back to.  And I think I've got an idea as to why this is happening.

I've spent time this week in the gym doing something known as interval training.  Basically, interval training is doing something like walking or slow jogging for an interval, and then sprinting for the next interval.  You repeat this several times.  What happens to me when I do this is that my heart rate hits a  great fat-burning level (150+) and pretty much stays there for the whole workout.  But another thing has happened, too.  I discovered this morning in the gym that my "down" interval is faster than it used to be.  My sprint is still about as fast as I can go, but the other time is quicker than I normally do. 

Today on the elliptical, I did an entire mile of interval training...in 9:40!  That is the absolute quickest mile I have EVER done!  Earlier this week, I did a 10:20 mile on the elliptical.  Today was 40 seconds better.  That's a HUGE gain for me in a 4 day period...for anyone, really!  When my mile was done, I spent the next 10:20 (until I reached 20 minutes of cardio in my workout) just using the elliptical at my regular pace.  And I added on another 3/4 of a mile!  I was going intentionally slower.  I measured my heart rate in the 130's...but I went farther than I've ever done in 10 minutes before.  My regular pace is quicker!

So, I'm going to be interval training for the foreseeable future!  I do believe this is what helped me break through the plateau...and I am loving the results that doing it is giving me, not just in weight loss, but in overall improvement in my health.  Being quicker means my heart and the rest of my body is stronger.  Who wouldn't love that?!?  And when you toss weight loss on top of that...well, I'm just a happy woman!  I HIGHLY recommend interval training!

And for those keeping track.  So far this week, I've lost 4 pounds.  The official weigh in is tomorrow morning, and I'm hoping for 5 this week!  We'll see whether that happens or not!  That's a total of 89 pounds total...and only 11 left for Angie's huge challenge.  Wasn't sure I could make it before.  But now...I'm feeling it is INCREDIBLY possible and within reach!  Let's hope anyway!