Benchmarks: Week Sixteen

Welcome to Phuket Fit’s weight loss and fitness blog. I’m your host, Aaron Rowland. I’m a 27-year-old writer from Los Angeles, California. At my heaviest weight eighteen-months ago, I weighed in at 160 KGs.  I’m here at Phuket Fit to lose weight, improve my fitness and have the adventure of a lifetime. I’ve been here ten months so far and I’m staying indefinitely. My favorite exercises are the bicycle crunch and the medicine ball slam. Tire flips, suicide planks and burpees give me nightmares.

Blasting Fat, Building Muscle

In weight loss, each week present a new challenge. Things that worked the previous week might not in the following one. Weight can also vary for a variety of factors. Water retention, fat loss, muscle gain, having just eaten or taken a trip to the restroom, etc. As I mentioned last week, it’s important to track more than just the number on the scale whilst losing weight. It’s important to take into account a variety of objective and subjective measurement tools to most effectively monitor the changes your body is making. Over the next few weeks, I’ll explore some of these ways.

Trekking Up Big Buddha

If you come to Phuket Fit for weight loss or fitness, you will quickly learn about the Big Buddha hike. Every Tuesday morning, in the Bodyfit class, a group of 30-40 Phuket Fit guests hike up a steep 4.2 KM hill in Chalong to Phuket’s Big Buddha landmark and temple. At less than a 5 KM run, some might underestimate how difficult it can be. With steep hills and sometimes-sweltering heat, some beginners can take well over an hour to finish. Prior to my Week 15 weigh-in, my personal best time up the hill was slightly over thirty-eight minutes. This week, though, I was able to trim forty-five seconds off my time for a personal best of thirty-seven minutes and fifteen seconds. Fitness tests like this can be a great way to assess progress when trying to lose weight and improve fitness.

The End Of Week Sixteen

I step on the scale looking forward to a big number. That’s how it has always worked in the past. If I gain weight or plateau one week, I’m typically rewarded the next with a big number. Unfortunately, that isn’t what happened this week. It’s official. I’ve hit a true plateau. That means the next few weeks will be a big shake-up. I’ll be throwing out the old playbook and writing a new one. New kinds of fitness and activity, new meal plans. I’ve also changed the scale’s setting to read in LBS instead of KGs. It’s easier for me to help track my progress that way, having grown up with the imperial measurement system.

What’s Up Next?

Later this week, I’ll be introducing you to DJ Tank. He’ll be working with Phuket Fit to lose weight and he’s a really interesting character here on the island! He’s got a long way to go, but you can see the determination in his eyes. Also, check back next week to how I’ve changed my weight-loss system and see if it helps to improve my weekly results!

Have a great week of weight loss! If you set your mind on it, I know you can do it!

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