Almost Half Way... and Plans Have Changed

So here I am on Day 44, just 6 days shy of the half-way point, and experiencing my second 'plateau' at 217.5 pounds (been here for the last 6 days). Not that I'm complaining! Being down 21 pounds in 44 days is nothing to complain about.

But I do find myself studying 'plateaus' and realizing that a change in plans is needed. And, no, the change is not to quit.

What I'm going to change is shift the focus of the 100 Days from 'weight loss' to 'muscle gain' (where it should have been all along).

Why are we fixated with weight loss in the first place? The answer, of course, is that weight loss is easy to measure... a 'shorthand' of sorts. You just climb on the scale... look down... read the numbers. While accurate muscle gain requires being weighed, measured and floated in a tub of water (seriously) by an expert.

In any case - hard to measure or not - muscle gain should be the goal for just about everyone who wants to live a long, healthy and accident free life. "Iv'e fallen and I can't get up" is one phrase I never intend to utter.

Here's the thing about muscle...

• Muscles raise metabolism.
• Muscles look great and feel even better (just ask Arnold). And what's more...
• Muscles burn calories... even when you're sleeping!

But, ironically, muscle weighs more than fat. Which means that by shifting the focus to muscle gain, the scale isn't going to so weight loss as fast. And I say... so what?

Yes, my goal is still to get under 200 lbs. for the first time in 10 years. But I've come to realize that muscle gain is what I want most, and ultimately the best way to get there.

So here's to lifting (and s-l-o-w-l-y putting down) weights. In other words, here's to another plateau, only this one will be somewhat self-engineered. But if the experts are right, only dumbells don't lift dumbells.

And 20-30 days from now I will be closer to becoming a "fat burning machine" - or, as Arnold would say, a fat ter-mi-na-tor!