We’re in week 10? 11? of quarantine. I don’t really even know anymore. It feels like it’s been years. The other day, I was searching for an old email at work that was dated March 3 (about a week and a half before quarantine began here in NJ), and all I could think about was how that seemed like a lifetime ago.
I feel like we (I) are in a state of irony right now. A lot has happened since the quarantine began. At the same time, it feels like nothing has happened at all. I’m about to write a post about weight gain and body positivity, but as I write this, I’m sitting on my couch recovering from pizza and beer last night.
I’ve gained about 7 pounds since the quarantine started. In all honesty, that’s really not that bad. However, I was already unhappy with my weight before, and I can’t say that I’m ecstatic about it now. But I can’t say that I’m unhappy about it either. Ironic, right? (Are you sensing the theme I’m going for with this post?)
The week after quarantine started, when I realized I wouldn’t be going back to the gym anytime soon, I started doing the Hatch squat program. (I loved it and hated it so much at the same time.) For the first 3-4 weeks, I really only did that program, which involves back and front squats twice a week. I also did upper body stuff twice a week, and then went on the elliptical once a week for 30 minutes. I also walk my dog almost every night, which is better than nothing, but doesn’t get my heart rate up a lot. So while I was crushing the strength training game, I was hardly doing any cardio.
I know people say that cardio isn’t necessary to lose weight, but I personally think it’s not unnecessary either. Plus, I’ve been dealing with a little issue called quarantine snacks. And quarantine baking. And quarantine stress. None of which have been doing me any favors.
Lately, though, I’ve learned to be okay with what the scale says. I mean, I have to hold myself accountable. I can’t exactly wonder why I’ve gained weight when I snack on breakfast cereal all day long (hello, I love you, Cinnamon Toast Crunch). I’ve still been pretty good at tracking my calories in Cronometer (which I like a lot more than MyFitnessPal), but as my husband likes to not-so-gently point out, it doesn’t matter if I track my meals if I don’t also count the 6 servings of cereal that I ate straight out of the box.
He does have a point, but I have to say, all the Cinnamon Toast Crunch and quarantine snacks have been good for something other than my expanding waistline. Just two weeks ago, I hit a back squat PR of 180lbs. This may not sound like a lot, but at 5’8 with long limbs, I don’t have very good body proportions for squatting. I’m stoked with my PR. (On the other hand, that means I can crush deadlifts. But because the Hatch squat program left my lower body smoked most days, I wasn’t deadlifting much.) My old squat PR from three years ago was 170lbs. My most recent PR was closer to 160. To hit 180 now was pretty cool.
I also just bench pressed a 3RM of 90lbs a few days ago. Again, I know this is small potatoes for most people, but for me, this was a huge deal. Not only was it the most weight I’ve ever attempted to bench, but I did it. Three times. (Thrice?) The upper body gains, in general, have been amazing lately. I’m now banging out 10-12 strict press reps at weights that I used to struggle getting 5 reps. And when I do Crossfit WODs that involve movements like thrusters or wallballs, it’s my shoulders that feel like they can keep going while my legs fatigue much faster.
So while I’ve gained a few pounds on the scale, I’m also putting up solid numbers (for me) on the barbell. There’s got to be a tradeoff somewhere, I guess. Gaining weight isn’t fun, but getting stronger definitely is. And if there has to be one positive thing that’s come out of quarantine, I’m happy that a squat PR could be it!
