So This Happened...

Which means I only have 18-23 pounds left to go, depending on how I feel 18 pounds from now! Finally hitting this number really upped my motivation, as does the fact that I really do feel better when I eat right, and exercise. Here's to keeping the momentum going!

Refocusing...

Birthday number 44 is lurking around the corner, just over two months away.

I promised myself I'd be in shape by 30.

Then I promised myself I'd be in shape by 35.

And then I was sure I'd be in awesome shape by 40.

And of course, every number in between all of these.

I've lost almost 40 pounds this year. I have just over 20 left to go to hit my goal weight. But lately, I've been slacking off a little. Sure, I had a couple of weeks in there recently that were right on point. Clean foods, no sugar, lots of water. And honestly, I felt amazing! But then I just...stopped. And went back to thinking "I'll just have these chips/cookies/this bagel because I exercise regularly." And honestly, that might work for maintenance (I am maintaining!), but not for weight loss. Sometimes I feel like I'm sabotaging myself, or maybe just getting lazy.

So today I asked my coach-friend to please kick my ass a little harder. And she said "No problem." She did yell at me a little (I needed it) about this morning's pre-workout bagel with cream cheese, though she yelled in a nice way. And yeah, that's really not the best pre-workout food...it just sat in my stomach like a lump of lead. I think for Friday morning's workout, I'll eat a little lighter, and with a lot more protein in mind.

I'm ready to refocus. To drive myself a little harder. I know I can do this, and I know I can get where I'm going. I just have to stop stopping!

I did it! I'm a...

RUNNER!

Okay, well, jogger, technically... I guess. I'm not sure though, what the difference really is. Is it attitude, as this piece would suggest, or speed and mechanics, as this author defines it?

But I can "run" over two miles, without stopping! It started August 20, when I went for my semi-regular walk/jog-interval-thingy. I got to the end of my "warm up" block, and decided to just go for it. Less than half an hour later, I jogged back up my front walkway, having completed the whole distance!

I went out a few days later, and did it again, totally leaving my ex-track-runner husband in the dust (to be fair, his knees aren't what they used to be).

And then I ran 2.4 miles!

Now that I can actually do it, I find running a lot more pleasant. And I have such a sense of accomplishment every time I log a new run. And I've been doing some more hard-core training during my bootcamp workouts three times a week...

Have you ever tried running with someone holding you back via a resistance band? It's HARD work!

So I bootcamp three times a week (most weeks), and am aiming to run 2-3 times a week. I'm not looking to become marathon-ready... just 2-3 miles a day is pretty awesome for me! And I want to do some fun 5Ks, like color runs, mud runs, Santa runs, etc.

I need to start more stretching too, maybe some yoga.

I also completed a challenge with a couple of friends... as of today, I have completed 1000(+) jump squats in the month of August! Here's number 1003!

My other big news is that I've stopped thinking of myself as fat, and I realized the other day, I hadn't thought of myself that way in a while. NOT feeling fat feels awesome, by the way! I feel strong, I feel more energetic, more confident. And I don't miss feeling the way I did 35+ pounds, 22 inches ago.

Yes, I still have a few pounds to lose. Yes, there are some areas to strengthen/tone. I am still a work in progress. But I feel like a different person!

I've also noticed my relationship with food changing. I trust myself more and more to choose what my body wants/needs, moving more toward intuitive eating. [Here's a link to a fabulous post on IE] Lately, my intuition has me switching out more animal-based proteins for veggie based ones, though I'm not following any specific guidelines there (think I'll hop over and update my Food page after this post). I re-watched Forks Over Knives, re-read VB6, and am just feeling that a more plant-based approach will be better, for me, in the long run.

Don't get me wrong... I still eat, and enjoy, meat. Tonight's dinner, for example, is citrus-marinated chicken, black beans & rice, and salad. I'm just eating less of it in general, and I try to aim for 2 meatless dinners each week, for the whole family.

 

This is what I am learning to do, 

and it is amazing!!! -->

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Before picture mid 2015; in-progress picture July 2016

Look! Look! I'm making PROGRESS!!! This is proof that hard work pays off.

I've lost, as of this morning, 32 pounds, and 17+ inches.

I feel a million times better than I did before...except that I threw out my lower back last week, and then did a bunch of burpees yesterday, and now I feel like I'm going to die...but besides that, I feel so much better.

I can run.

I can max out my Bowflex.

I can do 25 pushups, on my toes -- you know, regular, full-on push-ups -- without stopping.

Truthfully, I haven't been able to really SEE the differences in myself until I put together this before-and-making-progress picture. So if you're having a hard time seeing changes in yourself, I highly recommend this exercise.

What am I doing?

I'm eating as healthfully as I can without being super restrictive. I try to get protein, fat, and good carbs at each meal and snack. I drink a gallon of water daily. I make sure I get a minimum of 25-30 grams of fiber daily, and I avoid sugar as much as possible without being crazy about it. I allow myself treats here and there. I am trying to keep this something I can do and maintain over the long haul, not a "diet" that is temporary by nature. I'm trying to learn to trust myself with food by following the principles of Intuitive Eating (especially #10).

I work out hard three days a week, including running (C25K!), boot camp workouts with friends or weight training at home. I do HIIT workouts on the mornings of the other days, and I try to get in other activities, such as roller skating, hiking, biking, etc., on those days too.

Today, looking at how far I have come, I am my own motivation! But still...

image courtesy of dumpaday.com

Feeling Back to Normal... Mostly...

On Monday, I wrote about another failed attempt at actually following a diet.

(Side note: WHEN WILL I LEARN?!?)

On Tuesday, I was rear-ended at a stoplight.

To be honest, it was not a bad accident at all. The person in front of me moved up several feet, waiting to turn right. I moved up several feet. The lady in the SUV behind me moved up several feet, and kept moving, until my car being in the way stopped her. She apologized... a LOT... and I got all her info, we looked for damage (didn't notice any at the time*), and went our separate ways. I was shaking like a leaf, as they say, but felt okay otherwise.

Within a mere half an hour though, I had a massive headache, and my neck hurt. The Husband ordered me off to the hospital, to get checked out just in case. The doctor there checked for sore areas and bones out of place, and declared that I simply have a minor case of whiplash. He recommended ice and ibuprofen, and taking it easy.

So I took it easy yesterday. Yes, indeed-y I did. I also ate cookies, an English muffin with almond butter, a few mini donuts... and more. Obviously, I did not exercise. And by the end of the day, I felt pretty much like crap. 

About how I ate... image courtesy of The Simpsons

And how I felt by nightfall... image courtesy of The Simpsons

Today, I'm back in the saddle, I guess. Logging foods in MyFitnessPal, trying to get my water in. I don't feel much pain, stiffness, or soreness, so today I will aim for at least a lower body workout. If I still feel fine after that, I may just hit the treadmill, or a walking path while my daughter is at derby practice.

I had a very good smoothie for breakfast, then snacked on almonds and a lemon Larabar. Lunch will be a big salad with chicken, and various veggies, and my favorite dressing (which I could not eat on the Whole30). I may or may not have a slice of toasted rye seed bread with that. Dinner plans call for grilled London Broil, roasted broccoli, and another salad (though smaller). I have not yet decided on an afternoon snack, though with a workout, I feel one is justified.

Anyhow, I will get through this stupid minor injury, and make progress! My new 9 week challenge starts Saturday, so I had better be ready!

image courtesy of quoteaddicts.com

*Bumper came loose, but my son put it back in place. I have no license plate lights until we replace them.

What HAVE I been Up To?

image courtesy of thehealthykitchenshop.com

As you may well ask, since it's been... ummm... 13 days since my last post, which I just re-read myself. And arrrgghhh. Of course, since then, I found ANOTHER diet to try.

Okay, in my defense, it's not a diet-diet. It's just a temporary thing...

image courtesy of hardlyagoddess.com

Really. Right there is the name... Whole30!

Ummmm...
I made it through day 5. 

No major cravings, or bad feelings yet, though I've been on the sleepy side the last two mornings (but then, who isn't sleepy in the mornings?).

Then I woke up on day six, fixed my breakfast, and just couldn't stomach it. Seriously, I am exhausted, super cranky, having all sorts of ever-so-lovely digestive issues. Nightmares too, which is unusual for me.

So I'm now re-re-reading this post, and trying to figure out why I always go for the quick fix.

In the meantime, I'm trying to get my exercise level back up after a week off...mostly. Ooops. I did go to a park workout on my day off, which kicked my butt. I did go rollerskating for an hour one day, and then swimming at the river for an hour on another day. But, weight training in the past week? Nope. Treadmill? Running outside? Nope, and nope.

And I have a nine week challenge coming up, starting this Saturday! I'm a coach for this one too! [If my client ever signs up...]

Have a great week! And here's my motivation for today/the week...

image courtesy of pixteller.com

I Give Up...

Not on losing weight/getting healthy.

No, I give up on diets in general. Yes, I've hit my breaking point with "you can eat this, but not that", and "you must eat these things together, but not these things". No more carb cycling. No more low carb. 

image courtesy of empoweredeatingblog.com

Of course, this comes with a caveat. I'm still trying to get in a minimum of 25-30 grams of fiber each day, and 110-125 grams of protein. I still believe in eating small, frequent meals, and drinking plenty of water. And I believe in monitoring calorie intake.

For the last point, I've turned to the Harris Benedict Equation, which gives me my basal metabolic rate (BMR...what I need just to stay alive), as well as my total daily energy expenditure (which IIFYM refers to simply as TDEE). Since I work out regularly these days (more on that below), I turned to this article for picking my activity factor in the linked calculator, and chose 1.5. All of this means my BMR is 1552, and my TDEE is roughly 2483. Deducting about 500 calories from that leaves me with a daily goal of 1983. I "cheated" by setting my goals a tad lower, for a minimal level of 1800 calories on MyFitnessPal.

Yes, that seems like a lot of calories, when you compare the number to all those diets that advocate 1200 calories a day. Where did someone get that "magic" number, by the way? Who determined 1200 calories a day is ideal for a woman? Anyhow, stepping back off my soapbox, 1200 calories a day might be enough if you are older and fairly sedentary. I am neither. And there are numerous downsides to cutting calories back that far.

It may well take me longer to lose the weight this way, than if I slashed calories and exercised like a maniac, but so what?

So you might be wondering, why the shift in my thinking, when (if you read any past posts) you can see me jump from diet to diet? Well, long story short, this last weekend, with my son's 15th birthday on Saturday, I enjoyed a delicious cheeseburger, and an order of fries. I had a piece of chocolate cake when we got home. I really enjoyed eating. I wasn't thinking about too many carbs, or too much fat. I also walked a lot that day, as we took in a classic car show. And I felt good at the end of the day! The next morning, I woke up, craving scrambled eggs and [sprouted] raisin bread toast with almond butter. So I had that, and felt good.

I've been letting myself get hurried with this. "I'm not losing enough weight fast enough." But then I took a step back. I've lost, through my own dedication (no pills, no sublingual drops, no pre-made frozen meals, etc.) almost 30 pounds. Sure, it's taken a while, but it has been part of a lifestyle change, not a diet I go on and off of. Yes, I've stumbled through diets along the way, but am allowing myself to move past that, to realize that I can do this through just eating healthy and moving. And that by approaching it that way, I can make these changes last! And to me, eating healthy means real foods, and occasional treats.

image courtesy of belle-fitness.com

As for exercise, I've started doing some heavier strength training. I've decided on lower body workouts twice a week, and upper body workouts twice a week. Cardio on all those days too, plus abs. Again, it sounds like a lot, but it's really very manageable. For example, I did about 40 minutes lower body work the other day, making good use of my Bowflex Xtreme for squats, leg lifts, calf raises, etc. Then I did a mile on the treadmill, alternating running and walking. My upper body workout yesterday, with an 8-pound dumbbell, took maybe 45-50 minutes—because I brought in ab work—followed by 1.5 miles on the treadmill. That means I also get two "rest" days a week, though they will rotate. I don't plan to laze about on rest days—just do something lighter. Today, I might go roller skating for an hour or so!

image courtesy of google.com

And We All Fall Down...

Or at least, I've sure fallen down this week. Badly enough I gained a pound and a half. Yep, GAINED... a pound and a half. Which is exactly the opposite of what I want to be doing. And yeah, I could make the excuse that six days (as of today) of cramps are to blame, but really, that's an excuse. And I used that excuse all week to eat a little too much, snack a little too often, and not exercise nearly enough.

 I have to remember

image courtesy of quotefancy.com

So what if I messed up this one week? So what if I started today with a chocolate croissant, in bed, because it's Mother's Day? That doesn't mean I'm down for the count.

That means it is time to get up, get moving, get going, on the rest of my life. My coach pointed out a couple of weeks back that if I mess up at one out of five meals, I still have a bunch of chances each day to get it right. One mistake doesn't mean I have to keep going on that path. It's like being on a bus... if I got on the wrong bus, I would get off, and find a way to the right one. I certainly wouldn't just sit there while I get farther away from my destination by the moment!

image courtesy of popsugarfitness.com

So that's what I have to do now... pick myself back up, dust myself off, and get going.

The other thing that's been holding me back the last two weeks is my knee. I injured it during a bad landing at a trampoline park a couple of weeks ago. And most of the time, it seems pretty good now. Then I'll move wrong, and it hurts like hell again. So I caved and bought a knee support thingy, which really seems to help. I only plan to wear it during exercise right now, as I want the knee to heal, and I don't want to be dependent on a support device. IF the knee doesn't get better, yes, I will go see a doctor.... uuugh. In the meantime, I've been reading about strengthening said knee. I can do squats, step-ups, and lunges without any actual pain, so that's good. It only hurts when I straighten the knee too far.

Last week, on our weight loss challenge conference call, we talked about excuses. And the bottom line message was NO MORE EXCUSES. Because we'll always have them. I promise you, I can think of a million and one excuses at any moment. I can think of an excuse at the drop of a hat. Really, I am very, very good at excuses, which is why I'm still fat, why my final paper for the semester isn't finished, and why my house is perpetually cluttered.

image courtesy of conversation.which.co.uk

This week, I will stick to the following:

Turbo Carb Cycling
(with one exception - HC Friday, LC Saturday, instead of the other way around, because I weigh in on Sunday mornings)

A gallon of Bikini-in-a-Bottle* a day
(*water with Herbalife fiber, protein drink mix, metabolism-boosting-tea-concentrate, and aloe)

Exercise Monday through Saturday, with these workouts OR at least 2-3 cycles of the 7 Minute workout app; and on Saturdays, Iron Yoga/bike rides/hiking.

Stats and Such...

It has been a rough week. At the risk of sharing TMI, I've had nasty PMS cramps for four days, which is just ridiculous. And I've been starving (always am with PMS), so I've made some poor food choices. Although that churro yesterday was pretty darn good!

Regardless, here's how things looked this morning:

Nov. 20, 2015 vs. Jan. 22, 2016 vs. March 26, 2016 vs. May 6, 2016

Weight*: 200.6... 196.8 (-3.8)... 189.6 (-7.2)... 184.4 (-5.2; -16.2 total)

Bust: 43 inches... same... 42 inches (-1 inch)... 41.5 (-1/2"; -1.5" total)

Waist: 39 inches... 37 inches (-2 inches!)... 35 inches (-2 inches)... 34.5 (-1/2"; -4.5" total)**

Hips: 45 inches... 44.5 (-0.5 inches)... 43 inches (-1.5 inches)... 42 inches (-1"; -3" total)

Thighs: 25.5 inches [each]... same... 25 inches (-0.5 inches)... 24.5 inches (-1/2"; -1" total)

Upper arms: 14 inches [each]... 13.5 (-0.5 inches)... 13 inches (-0.5 inches)... 12.5 inches (-1/2"; -1.5" total)

Neck: 14 inches... 13.5 (-0.5 inches)... 13 inches (-0.5 inches)... 12.5 inches (-1/2"; -1.5" total)

Clothing size: 14/16/18... same... 14 solid... 12 (tight)/14 (looser)... Down 2-3 sizes!

*Please note: my highest weight last year was 208, which would make my total loss as of this morning 23.6 pounds! 

**I am at last out of the danger zone with my waist measurement! Phew!

So today I am trying really hard to be fully back on track. I had a tasty smoothie for breakfast, packed a healthy mid-morning snack; drank one of my daily six bottles of water, and hope to get in some Iron Yoga this evening. I hurt my knee a couple of weeks ago at a trampoline park, and it felt almost completely better, until I tried to piggyback my 138-pound teenage son yesterday. I find that yoga, especially with 3 pound hand-weights, seems to burn a lot of calories, and is still gentle and slow enough for an ouchie knee. I made a big pot of Thai Soup (from Bob Harper's Skinny Meals, just multiplied everything by 6), so lunch is covered, and tonight I'm making turkey-4 bean chili (I'm having a "high carb" day... sort of, as I'm doing mostly low-carb meals and snacks to help make up for the last few days of debauchery, before weighing in on Sunday).

And tomorrow, I plan to go for a twelve mile bike ride with the husband, if my knee holds up!

So that's where I am, and what I'm up to. Have a great weekend! And here's some weekend inspiration that right now, with the struggles this week, seems pretty appropriate...at least for me!

image courtesy of favim.com

Around and Around I Go...

And where I stop, nobody knows!

image courtesy of appliedunificationism.com

Okay, so vegetarianism did not work for me. I like meat too much, and it was hard getting in enough protein to satisfy my wellness coach.

South Beach did not work for me. I had headaches, and was just plain grumpy. Food cravings, etc.

Now, I do believe that each person needs to find the approach that works for them, and if it takes some experimentation, fine! So what am I experimenting with now?

Carb cycling.

I've been watching some old episodes of Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition with Chris Powell, and so I looked up his books. I started with Choose to Lose, although I also have his Choose More, Lose More For Life on hold at the library. I like the fact that each journey (on the show) takes a full year, versus Biggest Loser (of which I also watch old episodes), where the contestants, who I think get about 6 months.

I started officially with the Classic Cycle on Monday, after allowing myself plenty of food on Sunday (I know, I know... so much of a "last meal" dieter mentality). So far, I've had two low carb days (Monday, Wednesday), and today is my second high carb day. Here's a brief run-down of a couple of days of meals (all breakfasts, by the way, have carbs, which is one of the things I love so far)...

Low Carb

Breakfast: Kashi GoLean Crisp with almond-coconut milk and vanilla protein powder; coffee w/milk; water with aloe and lemon

Snack: cottage cheese (2%) and celery sticks; water

Lunch: chopped cabbage salad with leftover grilled steak, Persian cucumber, and cilantro-avocado dressing; water

Snack: Strawberry cheesecake Quest bar; water

Dinner:  Baked tilapia w/a little Parmesan; roasted broccoli

High Carb

Breakfast: two pieces sprouted raisin bread toast w/cottage cheese; coffee w/milk; water with aloe and lemon

Snack: Greek yogurt w/a few raspberries, and a sprinkling of Kashi GoLean Crunch (honey-flaxseed); water

Lunch: Green salad with chicken, quinoa, black beans, Persian cucumber, and Bolthouse (yogurt-based) salsa ranch dressing; water

Snack: smoothie made with almond-coconut milk, a frozen banana, and chocolate whey protein powder

Dinner: Baked lemon-herb chicken; sweet potato w/lime juice and pepper; green salad

I'm also looking forward to Sunday. I weigh in first thing each Sunday for the weight loss challenge, and then I think I'll have a nice breakfast! I'm not planning on treating the day as a free-for-all, just a chance to work in a small treat or two.

Things I really like so far:

If I'm cravings carbs on a low carb day, I know I can have them the next day

Chris and Heidi's suggestions for eating within half an hour after waking up, eating every three hours, protein at every meal and snack, and drinking a gallon of water a day all completely mesh with my wellness coach's suggestions

Reward days

Carbs at breakfast. I love oatmeal, toast, some cereals, etc., so this makes it easier for me to get that first meal in!

And an update...

On the weight loss challenge. So far (as of last Sunday), I've lost 9.4 pounds, or 4.8% of my body weight! Not a ton of weight loss, but definitely a decent amount, and I've lost a lot of size too.

Pants that were much more "form-fitting" just 5-6 weeks ago!

Also, as of that weigh-in, I'm at 16th place out of 70+ challengers! I've lost a total of over 20 pounds since about January. And my coach says I am doing a fantastic job!!! 4 weeks to go after this one!

image courtesy of myperfectline.com

Another Fresh Start to the Week...

Sundays are always so promising... a fresh start to the week. I weigh in every Sunday morning, take a picture of the scale, and text it in to my coach. Here's this week's pic...

versus the original weigh-in...

Which is a loss of eight pounds in six weeks! A little slower than I would like, but at the same time, it is a respectful 1.33 pounds per week on average.

Which, believe me, is better than NO weight loss, or gaining weight.

And for me, the positive changes go far beyond the scale. I've dropped inches, gained energy, sleep better, feel better, and best of all... I have a confidence in this journey that I didn't have before.

Yesterday, I tried something new, and fell in love. This is how my coach lost her weight, so here she is, doing what I now really want to do more of...

Look at her awesome arm and shoulder muscles!

Yep, that's TRX, or "Total Body Resistance Exercise"

TRX is AWESOME! It really made me use my body-weight and muscles differently. And I loved how it felt doing it. Today, I can definitely feel what I did yesterday.

I want to do it again!

Besides trying out TRX, which my coach set up for me and a couple of other ladies with her trainer, I've actually been running this week. Sometimes outside, sometimes on the treadmill. I'm not using a program for this currently.. just running as much as I can. Friday, for example, I ran 4 out of 6 "laps" (1/4 mile) on the treadmill. The day before, I ran about half of 2.25 miles outside. It's hard—I won't deny it is hard—but how I feel afterwards is worth it. And sometimes I even enjoy it in the process of doing it!

Oh, and I know I'm technically "jogging", not "running", but with the effort I'm putting in, I'm sticking with calling it running, thank you very much.

As for food, I did pretty well this week, though I had a couple of slip-ups, namely some homemade cookies from my mom one day, and some peanut-butter filled pretzels another day when I woke up starving, and in a hurry.

So, goals this upcoming week:

At least 4 more runs (not jogs!)

Karate one night

TRX if at all possible... I will find a way!

Bowflex at least twice

NO junk food! Clean diet, which means preparation and planning!

Inspiration for the week's beginning:

image courtesy of shreddedbyscience.com

and

image courtesy of favim.com

Making Some Progress...AT Last!

First off, I have now passed the TWENTY POUND mark! Of course, it's taken me since December to do that, hence the name of the blog.

image courtesy of pinterest

 But, in the last few days, with some adjustments, I see the weight is coming off a smidgen faster!

Diet Adjustments

image courtesy of dietdoctor.com

I caved, and started up with the South Beach Diet, phase one. I know, I know... I said I would not follow a "diet" again, but it works, and is easy to follow. I can cook meals, add one thing for the family (or not), and be good. I'm not generally hungry. I did add a little extra protein, especially to snacks, to keep at the level my wellness coach recommended. And as I've been at sort of a plateau the last few weeks, I thought this might help me get past it. K recommended I change something up a little if I felt stuck, so cutting out grains/starches for a couple of weeks didn't seem too bad.

Exercise Adjustments

image courtesy of rundmach.wordpress.com

I've been running! Well, okay... jogging, alternating with walking. But it is something I am actually enjoying, and I feel really good afterwards. Most of the time, I practice this from home to a nearby park and back, a two mile round trip. On Thursdays though, while the kids are at derby/parkour, I practice on a longer route, at about 2.5 miles. I am hoping eventually to be stronger and faster at this, and to be able to log 2-3 miles at a steady pace most days. I am not interested in marathons, or things of that sort... just running enough for health and enjoyment.

I'll check in again on Sunday or Monday, after my next weigh-in!

Inspiration for today...

image courtesy of healthyplace.com

Exercise Ideas & Lunch Thoughts...

I've been collecting exercise ideas, since changing things up is one way I can keep motivated.

You've seen this link on my blog, and truly, these are good total-body, relatively quick workouts...

 The five day workout series from EatFitFuel

I've also come across these, which are more specifically targeted at different areas of the body:

If I really want to push myself, I could work these in (3 days abs, 2 days arms, 2 days squats) on top of the other exercises.

I don't know. I'm still figuring it all out, though I'm seriously considering getting up half an hour earlier to get some exercise out of the way!

Now, on to lunch thoughts.

image courtesy of shockinglydelicious.com

I am definitely a salad-for-lunch kind of girl (woman). But the salad has to have some heft—some protein, something crunchy, something chewy... I like a lot going on in my salad!

So I turned to Andie Mitchell, and her great post on planning a 400 calorie salad. I love the mix-and-match approach, with a healthy green base, some protein, a little fat, and some fun and tasty toppings!

I've been really good this week at pre-making healthy breakfast options for a grab-and-go type of day (I'm sure most of you are familiar with those mornings!), so now I need to work on setting up a similar system for salads. I've gotten better about cooking up a bunch of chicken breasts once or twice a week. Next on the agenda: prepping beans, hard-boiled eggs, and veggies.

I'm also totally in love with Bolthouse yogurt-based salad dressings. A ton of flavor (and plenty of varieties to choose from), low in fat, some probiotics... what's not to love? The cilantro-avocado and Caesar are delicious, though I'd also like to try the roasted garlic, mango chipotle, and salsa verde-avocado! And I think I need the creamy balsamic!

So, when I come up with some awesome salad combos, I'll be sure to share!

In the meantime, ponder this...

image courtesy of nutrillynutrition.com

Happy Monday!

Another week already, sheesh!

Workouts Done:

Did Thursday's, and Friday's, workouts from 

the five day workout series from EatFitFuel:

I actually even ran (okay, jogged) just over 3/4 of the mile from Friday!

And then, on Sunday, the kids, the husband, and I all hiked 7+ miles out at Mont Tamalpais State Park. Up to the peak, then around for another couple of hours.

On This Week's Workout Agenda:

Today: as much walking as possible, and Monday's workout from the link above, if I have time (I did do 25 incline pushups and 25 squats, so far, just in case... this is my 12+ hour day!)

And of course the rest of the workouts over the rest of the week, plus karate on Tuesday 

And maybe some Biggest Loser cardio, since I found a long lost dvd lurking in the back of the cabinet.

Food This Week:

I need to get more things made ahead, especially breakfast items! I'd like to tamper with some of my breakfast favorites, to up the protein a little.

And I'm still working out my meal/snack protein balance, but I'll figure it out!

My food focal points this week are to cut down on sugars overall, to keep green veggie intake up, and to watch my protein and fat intake!

Inspiration for the Week:

Trying New Things...

For years and years, I have put off trying new things. "Oh, I'll try them when I'm thin enough", I've told myself.

I was "weighting".

image courtesy of adaptibar.com

I've stepped outside my comfort zone the last couple of weeks for sure.

I've done [assisted] pull-ups

karate

kickboxing

all kinds of plyometric exercises that made me very sore

And I've found, through all of it, that the soreness is totally worthwhile. I felt vibrant, aware, more fit, and generally calmer. Exercise totally pays off!

Except I've been falling down on that this week. Last week, with spring break, it was a lot easier to get up and move. This week, I'm back to a full work + school load, so it's a little more challenging. So I've been scouring the internet for quick, efficient, and challenging workouts, and here is what I have come up with:

First, a five day workout series from EatFitFuel:

I'm definitely going to give this a try, although some of it looks pretty tough! (And a side note... I'll be jogging/walking wherever it says to run a mile or more).

So, for example, today being Thursday, I would need to do:

10 pushups

20 tricep dips

50 Russian twists

30 reverse lunges

40 bicycle crunches

Add to that a quick mile walk on my break this morning, and a 2.5-3 mile walk/jog this evening when the kids are in parkour/roller derby, and I think I'm good to go!

Another option is this 30 day challenge from Betty Rocker:

Today's email asked me to do:

Warm Up: 

1- Air Jump Rope (30 seconds) 

2- Jumping Jacks (30 seconds) 

Workout:

Format: do 3 rounds; do each move for 0:30, taking little rest between moves and rounds 

1- Sumo Squats (0:30) 

2- Superman Extensions (0:30) 

3- Burpees (0:30) 

4- Floor Wipers (0:30) 

5- Star Plank Walk Outs (0:30) 

6- Single Leg Deadlift to Lunge (0:15 each side) 

7- Alternating Crescent Kicks (0:30)

And, each daily email contains a link to a video, so you can watch and then workout, or workout with Betty's guidance. 

So, now I just have to choose which to do... both might be a little much, though I could certainly try it, as long as they are spread out from each other timewise! 

And, in other trying-something-new news...

I'm doing my first 5k Mud Run (walk/jog?) on Sunday, with my kids!

image courtesy of marriedtoadventure.com

I'm both nervous, and pretty darn excited, about it!

Phew!!!...

It's been quite a spring break! I didn't do the myriad of chores I had planned. Instead, I focused on myself, and enjoying my time off from everything. I also tried out some new workouts...

3 pretty darn intense circuit training workouts with my wellness coach, K

1 kickboxing workout, with an instructor who happens to be my neighbor as well

I stuck to my diet, and drank my water

Eating 25 grams of protein five times a day is not easy. I really am not a huge fan of supplemental protein in the form of powders or bars, though I've been using a lot of them lately. I'm also not huge on eating meat two-three times a day, which I've been doing in order to hit my protein goals. And I really dislike eating within half an hour of waking up.

But, I've been told I will get used to eating early. And I am researching other protein options (tofu, more beans, quinoa, etc.), so that it isn't all supplements and meat.

I think, since my baseline protein goal is 110 grams a day (not the 125+ I've been cramming down, though that was a strong recommendation), I can cut back a bit on the snacks. I like eating three meals a day, albeit not huge ones, and I can handle a snack or two on top of that. And I should still be able to hit at least 110-125 grams of protein daily, without too much trouble! So that's my goal for tomorrow... to test run and see how I feel at the end of the day.

I am sticking with the water though. Seriously, I felt bloated the first couple of days of drinking a gallon of water, but that passed quickly, and now drinking 6 of my 24-oz water bottles daily seems pretty normal and very doable, especially if I get the first 3 down by 1 pm.

image courtesy of finnjackson.com

And, despite advice to the contrary, I have weighed myself a few times this week, with unhappy results. At first, I gained a pound and a half. Now it's back down to last week's weigh-in level.

But, I have lost inches this week, so that's what is getting me through. I've posted the changes below.

Nov. 20, 2015 vs. Jan. 22, 2016 vs. March 26, 2016

Weight: 200.6... 196.8 (-3.8)... 189.6 (-7.2; -11 total)

Bust: 43 inches... same... 42 inches (-1 inch)

Waist: 39 inches... 37 inches (-2 inches!)... 35 inches (-2 inches; -4 inches total)

Hips: 45 inches... 44.5 (-0.5 inches)... 43 inches (-1.5 inches; -2 inches total)

Thighs: 25.5 inches [each]... same... 25 inches (-0.5 inches)

Upper arms: 14 inches [each]... 13.5 (-0.5 inches)... 13 inches (-0.5 inches; -1 inch total)

Neck: 14 inches... 13.5 (-0.5 inches)... 13 inches (-0.5 inches; -1 inch total)

Clothing size: 14/16/18... same... 14 solid, so down 1-2 sizes!

So, beyond diet, how am I planning this week's exercise? Well, on Tuesday and Thursday, I will be trying out a 45 minute karate class with my neighbor/instructor. Besides that, on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, I will either do circuit training on my own, or an Insanity workout. Today, I'm taking it "easy", with a core workout (lots of plank work!) and a 3 mile family walk.

Here's a good inspirational start to a good week!