The Dreaded Plateau

Welcome to March!  Perhaps it's because I live in snowy West Michigan, but I'm always happy to welcome March because it means that spring will soon be on its way.  The weather may still be cold and snow may still cover the ground, but I know that winter is finally on its way out. 

Sometimes this time of year in Michigan can feel a lot like being on a dreaded 5&1 plateau - bleak and endless.  Two years ago, I was on one of those dreaded plateaus when, despite staying 100% on plan, the scale decided to stall.  Here's what I blogged then (I hope this will be an encouragement to those who are currently stuck on a plateau, or who may someday be on a plateau):

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The dreaded plateau is here . . . ugh!  Two weeks ago I lost 4 pounds, but that was mostly due (I’m sure) to being sick and running a temp (fevers raise our BMR).  Last week I fully expected a small loss and I got it – one pound.  Since I’m finally feeling 100% after having the flu and really hit exercise pretty hard last week, as well as staying on plan and drinking a lot of water, I expected to see a nice loss this week.

It was not to be.  The scale didn’t budge.

Time for the same pep talk to myself that I’ve given to others:  this is a marathon, not a sprint; as long as I’m doing everything I can do to lose the weight, I know it will come off and I have no control over how fast my body chooses to release the weight, etc. etc. blah blah blah.  It’s a lot easier to GIVE the pep talk to others than it is to apply it when the plateau is happening to ME!

But God gave me a great object lesson yesterday, knowing that I’d need it today .

After weeks of frigid weather and an unbelievable amount of snow fall, yesterday it warmed up to the upper 40’s and we had rain.  The warmer temperatures and rain actually melted a little bit of the snow that was up against buildings.  As I walked into church yesterday morning, I was quite surprised to see that crocus leaves were up a couple of inches.  Who would have thought that underneath all that snow, the crocuses were beginning to emerge?

So what’s the object lesson I took from this?  Just this:  things are happening, whether I’m aware of them or not, and whether or not I see them.  All I may see are huge snow piles and I may feel like it will NEVER be warm and that spring will NEVER come, but a brief glimpse of crocus leaves tells me not to make assumptions based strictly on what I see – or feel.  Underneath all of that snow, new life is emerging!

God’s timing is perfect and He’s never late – whether it’s the blooming of the first spring bulb or in allowing me to lose the weight that remains.  I may not see the number go down on the scale and I may feel like I will NEVER reach my goal, or at least not reach it in MY time frame, but I’m on dangerous ground if I think that what I see and what I feel are the ONLY reality.  Things are continuing to change in my body and in my thinking, and eventually those changes that may be hidden for the moment will reveal themselves, just as those crocuses will eventually bloom.

There is no hurrying up of this process, as much as I’d love to hurry it up!  I want spring here NOW and I want to be at my goal NOW, but all of the wanting and wishing won’t make either happen a moment earlier than they are supposed to happen.  

So I am using the plateau (which I DO pray is a short one!) to reflect back on how far I’ve come and to learn – again – the value of doing the right thing even when I’m not receiving immediate and continuing positive feedback.  This is a time to trust a little more (God and the Take Shape for Life/Medifast program).

And in the waiting there is hope!

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Of course, the plateau did eventually end and I reached my goal.  Hanging in there and continuing to do what I needed to do, even when I wasn't seeing progress, was a valuable lesson in delayed gratification.  I'm glad I made that choice, and there are certainly no regrets :-).

Have a great, on-plan day today!  If you're seeing steady progress right now, congratulations!  If the scale is stuck, hang in there!  Either way, choose wisely :-)