Progress Report!

I am so behind on my updates lately! Between it being the end of the fiscal year at work and the semester starting, things have just been busy, busy, busy.  But I wanted to share the results of my doctor’s appointment last week and do a quick progress update since I initiated my new plan of action for diet and exercise.

Doctor’s Visit

For a bit of background, I have hormone issues along with deficiencies in many vitamins/minerals-my body just doesn't like to produce the hormones or absorb the vitamins/minerals effectively. As you can imagine, this wreaks havoc on my body—it affects my weight, moods, energy levels, sleep, headaches…I could go on for days.  I've been seeing a doctor for years that has helped me a lot up until about the past year. Since then, office visits have gotten frustrating. I wait for 45 minutes to spend 5 in his office and it’s like he’s never seen my chart before (I've been going there since 2011)—he has to dig back through my history to see what I’m on and why and for how long. Every time I go in there complaining of new problems or of a lack of resolution to problems, the answer has pretty much been “here, take this pill.”  They’re all vitamins/herbal supplements, but I went to him because I was tired of the “here, take this pill” approach of standard medicine. I want to correct the problem not the symptom.

Anyway.  I've been steadily gaining weight for the past six months of so, mostly in my stomach area (which is unusual for me).  While I take some responsibility for the fact that I was eating too much (see last post), there is still no reason for me to have put on 15 pounds.  So last week I went to see a different doctor.  I went over my history and told her what my current doctor has me on.  After I told her I was on progesterone, she got this baffled look on her face.   Apparently progesterone (which he just increased my dosage of about six months ago!) is the devil for weight gain (and for making it impossible to lose) and it also causes some of the issues I've been having.  LOVELY.  She advised that I stop taking that and start taking a mild estrogen supplement instead.  It may take three months for me to see any results; if I don’t see any after that point we’re going to make some other tweaks.

I’m really pissed at my old doctor. I really trusted him—he was so good at first.  I trusted that he was making the right decisions for my body and yet all he did was set me backwards.  But I’m also really glad that my new doctor didn't just tell me to eat my vegetables and go run a mile—she actually listened to what I had to say and we’re taking steps to (hopefully) put me on the right path.  So that’s that.

Progress Update

I've made good on my decision to track my macros again.  I've been tracking every day and am coming very close to my targets.  I don’t worry about hitting each item spot on—it stresses me out mentally. At the end of the week it all balances out anyway.  I've also been sticking to my goal of consistently getting into OAF (the new gym I rave about) 2-3 times per week as well as getting in at least one other workout per week; I’d like to increase that to two additional workouts per week.  I have to make the best of what my schedule allows.

The good news is I've been reaping the benefits of these changes! In one week I dropped 1.2 pounds and 1% body fat.  According to my handy dandy app, that body fat drop accounts for a 1 pound gain of lean muscle and a 2 pound fat loss. I’ll take it!!

I've had many NSV’s as well.  I went in a clasp on my favorite bra last week.  My jeans are fitting better.  Gym shorts that were not fitting a few weeks ago now fit with room to spare.  My workout capris are falling down during my workouts.  I can also see my shape changing—I see my hips getting smaller, my shoulders getting broader, and my waist getting more defined.  HOORAY!

Here’s what I call an “accidental progress photo.” Last week I decided I should start taking progress pictures, particularly of my back.  But when I compared last week’s photo (right) with one taken at the end of June, well—looks like I was already making progress!

That was rather long winded, wasn't it?  Hopefully Friday I’ll have another update after I do my weight and body fat measurements. I’m also wayyyyy overdue on a half marathon recap!

Have a great, fit, fabulous day folks.  Remember:

Wake up.

Work hard.

Kick ass.

Every. Single. Day.

Slump, Backslide, and Action Plan--When You're Down, Pick Yourself Up!

Wow, it’s been quite some time since I've posted.  Things have been a little crazy (I started night classes again three weeks ago) plus I've been in a bit of a slump.  My body has been fighting me, and hard.  Two steps forward, one step back. Heck, at this point it may even be one step forward, two back! I've regained some body fat, which I’m not happy about, and see noticeable changes in my body.  To say I’m not happy would be an understatement.

But—the only way to see change is to make it happen, right?  So, here’s my action plan:

#1: I re-calculated my macros today and discovered that I’m eating too much. I’m still eating like I’m working out 5-6 days per week/1.5-2 hours a day and I’m not. I can’t—my schedule doesn't permit it. (Please save the ‘you have to make time’ lines—Mon and Weds I leave the house at 530 am and don’t get home until 930 pm. You've gotta sleep sometime.)  SO I will track my food daily for a while until I readjust to how much I actually need to be eating.  This just goes to show that even if you’re eating good, whole foods you can still eat too much and gain fat.

#2: I’m going to ask my doctor to run some blood work for me this week to make sure everything is in line. I’m not trying to make excuses, but there is no reason for me to be having as many issues as I’m having—slight overfeeding or not.

#3: I have a meeting with my health coach next week. I emailed her today about my current issues; she’s going to talk me through some Ayurvedic and herbal remedies to help resolve some of the items in #2 and hopefully speed up this process.

#4: I’m going to sleep more. I read a quote the other day that really hit home for me. I’ll paraphrase since I can’t remember it exactly “Sleep debt is like credit card debt.  If you accumulate too much credit card debt, eventually you max out and hit your breaking point.  Your body is the same with sleep.  If you get too little for too long, you will feel the effects.”

#5:  I will love myself.  The numbers on the scale or on the body fat meter does not define me. I am still a strong, capable woman. My body can do some incredible things, and even if my weight isn't cooperating I’m still getting stronger.  I will win this battle, just as I win all other battles.

Barbell Training Session--I'm a Natural??

Last night I had another one-on-one barbell technique with my trainer; it went really well!! He seems to be really impressed with my progress.  He actually told me that I’m a fast learner and that I’m “a natural.”  That seems so surreal to me.   I've never been a natural at anything athletic.  I've been running for years, but even that has never been easy for me.  I've had to work and labor for step, each mile, and each race.  After I got home last night I was talking to my Aunt about her taper for her upcoming race and she’s all “Oh, I’m going to miss my long Sunday runs!”…and by long Sunday runs she means 20 miles or so.  I've just never been to that point.  In high school I sucked at sports—I was considered as un-athletic and uncoordinated as you can get.  But now…now here I am, being told I’m a natural at Olympic lifting.  Something that’s not common, and definitely not easy—I’m a natural at.  Yes, I have to work HARD—my form is by no means perfect and I can’t yet push a ton of weight.  But it feels so good to know that I’m actually good at this, and that I have the potential to really excel!  It’s incredibly nice to have a trainer that believes in his clients as much as mine does. He really wants everyone in his gym to succeed; and because of that, everyone is motivated to work that much harder. *I* am that much more motivated to work harder, to eat cleaner, and to push myself beyond anywhere I ever thought I could go.

I can’t wait to see what my future holds in terms of lifting and my personal fitness levels. I can’t wait to be able to deadlift or clean a stupid amount of weight. But wait I will. And while I’m waiting, I will put in the WORK to make my dreams come true! 

Trust the Process

Lately I’ve been struggling with frustration—I feel like I’m stuck, like I’m making no progress, like I’m actually going backwards in some areas instead of forwards.  I’ve been in the nutrition/fitness game long enough to know that results take time, but that doesn’t stop me from irrationally wanting them right now—and getting frustrated when I don’t get what I want.  We are a society of instant gratification, after all. 

Luckily, the universe seemed to know exactly what I needed. Both my inbox and Facebook feed have been flooded with posts about trusting the process, results taking time, etc. One trainer that I follow via email and Facebook (and hope to work with some day), Allison Moyer, sent out an email this morning stating that direction is more important than speed.  “Training + Nutrition + TIME = GOAL.”  Real results take real time—not one week, not two weeks, maybe not even six weeks. You can’t expect to get rid of weeks, months, or maybe even years of bad habits in a short period of time. You must stay focused, stay dedicated, and continue making baby steps towards your long term goals. As she put it, “Direction is more important than speed.”  So very true!

My trainer at Over-Achieve Fitness sent out an email this morning with the following quote: “If we just keep taking positive steps toward our goal (and refuse to be discouraged if these steps don’t produce immediate success), eventually the law of numbers will start working in our favor, and the outcome will be success." – Nick Murray” That was EXACTLY what I needed to read today. I cannot—I WILL NOT—let myself become discouraged.  No, I haven’t seen immediate success.   But that’s okay. I am making little bits of progress here and there—I’m starting to build some upper body strength/definition. My aerobic conditioning has improved.  I’m feeling more confident in my abilities.  Nothing huge or groundbreaking, but progress nonetheless. 

So, starting right now I will relax. I will quit analyzing my body.  I will work hard, train hard, and trust that I will get where I want to go.

Goals and Dreams: The Scarier the Better

Goals and dreams are an interesting thing.  They’re easy to set, hard to stick to, and even harder to attain.  I've set many, many goals in my life and I've achieved a lot of them—I've gotten a college education, landed a great job, lost a lot of weight and built a healthy body, just to name a few.  But in the scheme of things, none of these goals were particularly huge, or even really that hard to attain; a little bit of hard work reaped some great rewards.  And now here I sit with a goal in front of me that’s so huge it seems unattainable. It’s downright terrifying!  But you know what? I've also want it more than I've ever wanted anything else.  I want it so bad I can taste it. I’m willing to work harder than I ever have, to dig deep and push through, to sacrifice.  I want it so bad I can walk away from donuts at work (I freaking love donuts) and push through the millionth burpee my trainer is making us do on any given night.

I’m scared.  I’m scared of failing, but not trying is scarier than trying and failing. But I want it. I want it so bad I can taste it.  I’m hooked on the lifestyle and the idea; I’m hooked on the sweat and the hunger for the dream.  And that’s what it takes to succeed. You need to have hunger, you need to have dedication, and you need to have persistence. Look in the dictionary—dedication comes before persistence, which comes before success. You can’t have one without the other.

Dream big.  Work hard.  Visualize what you want and then go out and grab it.  No dream is too big, no goal is unattainable. As I've said before, small steps lead to huge victories.  Go get it!

Photo credit http://littlemisswife.com

Feel the burn...The After-burn, that is!

I am completely, totally, and thoroughly in love with my new gym.   Seriously, if you live in south-central Pennsylvania, Over-Achieve Fitness is the place to be.  The atmosphere here is a billion times better than any corporate gym (I’m looking at you Planet Fitness!) and the members work about three billion times harder.  I've worked out at a lot of different gyms and I've never seen the encouragement and camaraderie that exist at OAF, nor have I ever seen a group of people work harder than they do here.  Everyone truly just leaves their baggage at the door and gives it their all for the 1+ hour that we’re there.  And the owner/trainer Mike is completely fantastic.  His passion is beyond inspiring, and he really believes in his members and wants the best for them.  I won’t lie; I totally go all fan girl whenever he compliments me or tags me in a post on Facebook.  Last night he put a ‘Happy Birthday’ post on my wall and I was so excited that I saved a screenshot.

Last night’s workout was pretty brutal. I’m not sure that I've ever been that sweaty or out of breath. I burned 830 calories in the hour that I was there.  Because of a glorious thing called EPOC, I was over 1100 calories an hour later; by the time I took my HRM off to shower (about 1.5 hours after class), my calorie burn was almost 1250. Incredible!!  I thought about putting my HRM back on after my shower and sleeping with it just to see what the continued burn was, but I felt a bit silly doing that.

EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) is a pretty amazing thing.  Basically, working out at a high intensity forces your body to work harder to build its oxygen stores back up for a period of anywhere from 16-24 hours post-workout.  This means your body is continuing to work hard for that time period and continuing to burn calories. Eventually, high-intensity workouts will increase your body’s VO2 max, which is the body’s ability to use oxygen for energy.  This means better endurance and the ability to sustain more work for a longer period of time.  (Source)  I’m really hoping that this helps my running, since I have a half marathon coming up in roughly a month.  I feel obligated to note that you shouldn't do this kind of high intensity training daily; be sure to allow your body to recover. But don’t mistake recovery as an excuse to be a couch potato! Do yoga, stretch, or some light jogging to keep the circulation going and aid in releasing your tense muscles.  Now, enough internets.   Get out there and work!  Get those heart rates going.

“Small daily improvements are the key to staggering long-term results”

The Power of Positivity

Isn't it amazing how one negative comment can completely unravel you?  I was talking with my sister in law recently and she was telling me about how one of her best friends called her obsessed and told her she needs to just give up the whole diet/working out thing already.  She was absolutely crushed—she said she almost cried on the spot.  Luckily, she wants it bad enough and is strong enough in her own mind that she was able to put it aside and keep on truckin’.  But a year ago, that may have been enough to make her quit.  One simple statement could have completely stopped all of the hard work and progress she’s made. 

It is so incredibly important to surround yourself with positive, uplifting people—both in person and online. I've recently started unfollowing/unfriending people on Facebook and Twitter who are nothing but sources of stress and negativity.  Instead, my feed is filled with supportive friends and family and people in the fitness world.  Every day I can log onto social media and seek support and inspiration instead of negativity and its done wonders for my own attitude and outlook.  When I’m surrounded by positivity, it’s easier to be kinder to myself and others. It’s also easier to cheer others on and lift them up.  I’m genuinely happy for the success of others—it’s no longer a threat or a competition.  The only person I’m in competition with or strive to be better than is myself as I am today.

You have to believe you can do it, whatever “it” is.  You have to believe that you can run that distance, lift that weight, nail that public speaking engagement, land that job or promotion. You have to believe it, visualize it, and want it so bad that you can taste it. Only then will it happen! It may not happen right away…but it’ll happen.  One day you’ll wake up and see that all of those tiny steps, all of those struggles and hiccups and yes even failures, led to one giant, terrific, fantastic result!

Smile. Stay focused. Love yourself.  Cheer yourself on. Cheer others on.  You've got this!

“Strength doesn't come from what you CAN do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you COULDN'T.”  ~Unknown 

Down But Not Out

I've been quiet for a bit—over a week now!—but I haven’t lost sight of things.  I came down with a stomach virus on Saturday that had me knocked down until Tuesday.  It was pretty dang miserable!  It kept me out of the gym for four days, which made me even MORE miserable. I was getting quite twitchy!  But, I am recovered, so onward!

I started at a new gym this week: Over-Achieve Fitness in Chambersburg, PA.  It. Is. Incredible.  It’s not your typical gym; right now it’s just group fitness and personal training based. He eventually hopes to expand to be a full access facility. But the owner/trainer has equipment no one else in my area has—real lifting equipment.  Barbells, TRX systems, kettlebells, you name it he has it. Right now I’m just doing group classes; next month (once I get through my half marathon) I plan to start private training with him once a week.  Mike (the owner) is incredible. His passion is inspiring and contagious.  He truly loves what he does and really wants the best for his members/clients.  I cannot wait to start working with him one on one.  I have no illusions that it’ll be easy, but I’m 110% confident he’ll help me achieve both my short term and long term goals.

Wednesday night I went to a class called CRUSH.  It’s essentially the beginner level (though it’s still tough!) and is designed for fast, efficient weight/fat loss.  It was circuit training based.  Half the class focused on strength and then the second half was conditioning.  It was pretty much 45 seconds on 15 seconds off the entire time.  Let me tell you, I was crushed by the end of it!! I was a panting, sweaty mess but I felt like I was on top of the world!

Last night I got a bit more than I bargained for.  Thursdays at 530 is usually the Shredder class, which is much more advanced and is typically filled with fit/strong people and athletes.   It’s all strength work—a lot of barbell stuff.  Mike had to cancel the 630 CRUSH class last night, so he told us that if some of us wanted to come at 530 he’d have an alternate workout for us. Several ladies said they’d come and they talked me into it. Well, guess how many showed up? Me and me only!  Sooooo Mike decided that *everyone* was going to do the Shredder workout.  Oh my goodness. I was terrified!  But I did it.  It wasn't pretty, but I did it. My arms were so sore when I got home that I could barely get my sports bra off, but I did it.  It was nice to get an idea of what that class is like and what I want to work towards, but I will be the first to admit that its way beyond my current level. I need to stick to CRUSH, get rid of some body fat, strengthen my muscles, and then transition to that. But hey, everyone has to have goals right?!

I do have to say that the people in this gym are the most welcoming group of people I've ever met.  There don’t seem to be any of the cliques that come with normal gyms or workout crowds. In both classes everyone introduced themselves, cheered me on, high fived me at the end, and said they hope to see me at the next class.  In both classes someone took me under their wing and showed me the exercises and helped me through.   It’s just such an incredibly positive environment—even though I leave exhausted, I leave in a better mindset than when I got there.  And that, folks, is the power of positivity—which will be the topic of my next post. Stay tuned! 

End Body Shaming: A rant

This was supposed to be a post on empowered eating.  But, because I suck at Google, it quickly turned into something else; I’ll save that post for another day.  For right now, this is much more important. 

I just ended up on a pro-ana forum by way of an ill-fated Google search.  I only lasted about 30 seconds on the page and I was so incredibly saddened (and yes—creeped out!) by what I saw that it shook me to the core. The particular forum post I landed on was a thread about how many times per day these girls purge.  I was horrified reading through the various responses; they varied from “once per day” to “after every meal.” I finally had to click the red x at the top of the page when I got to a photo that was in one girl’s signature line.  It was some sort of a stock photo of a girl with her head in the toilet. It had two lines of text “What are you doing?” followed by “Being perfect.”

I just…I probably shouldn't even be writing this post yet because I haven’t wrapped my head around it enough to concisely to my thoughts into words. I’m just so saddened by the fact that there are women (and men, I’m sure) out there that think this is how you achieve perfection. No, scratch that—they think perfection is attainable in the first place. It’s NOT. It’s an illusion. Everything we see on TV and in magazines that we perceive is the human body in perfect form is an airbrushed illusion.  And yet people are putting their bodies through hell, via starvation or purging, to try to attain this so-called perfection.

I’m so sad. I’m so ANGRY that this is what our society has come to.  I know that eating disorders have always existed.  Body image issues and the perfect form have always been a “thing;” just look at how Victorian women used to cram themselves into corsets to obtain that perfect hourglass figure.  But now it’s so much of a thing that it’s SUPPORTED and ENCOURAGED in select groups.  And as a society, we do nothing to prevent it!  Clothing designers produce clothing in impossibly tiny sizes Read: J Crew comes out with a size 000 and people lose weight to fit into them!  We become obsessed with thigh gaps and arm gaps and gaps anywhere we can get gaps.  We show and teach our young girls that THIS is what you should aim for. You should aim for the impossibly tiny waist, limbs that never touch other limbs.  And if you don’t/can’t achieve that, you’re not beautiful. And so we have the pro-ana forums.

I’m equally bothered by the meme based photos that float around saying things like “real women have curves” and “only dogs like sticks” and other such nonsense. STOP. Stop idealizing what a “real woman” should look like.  Everyone is different.  Everyone has a different genetic makeup, a different bone structure, and is at a different place in their journey.  All we should focus on is being happy and healthy and loving ourselves in the now.  Do you need to improve your body?  Fine. But do so in a healthy, safe way.  Let’s all come together to end body shaming and to start practicing self-love and self-acceptance. 

Rapid Shift of Focus

I made a decision this morning that caused a rapid shift in my training focus.  I’m now officially registered to run the VIA Lehigh Valley Half Marathon on Sunday September 7^th.   As in…only seven short weeks away (and I'm away on vacation one of those weeks!).  I wasn't planning to run a half this year, so aside from the trail runs this week I haven’t run more than three miles since last year.  BUT, someone pretty important to me asked if I was interested in running it, so away I’ll go. I've done three halfs already, so at least I know what to expect. I just need to shift focus and train hard.  The good news? The course has a net elevation drop! I’m somewhat familiar with the area; it should be a pretty nice race.  I’m kind of excited!

I found a six week training plan here that looks pretty doable. I've adapted it for seven and I'm planning to do two XT days (either upper and lower body lifts or a lift day and a functional training class) and only one rest day. The days may shift around some depending on what I decide to do there. I was going to post a version without highlights and notes, but I thought it was important to show that life happens and sometimes you need to adapt and adjust.

I’m going to need to shift my nutrition focus too; get away from the lower carb and higher protein, at least on run days.  Need that fuel!  The nice thing is that this will help me drop off body fat in a hurry (running always leans me down quickly) so once I can REALLY focus on my lifting I should start seeing some major gains!

I don't do trail running...And then I did.

I've been running for somewhere around six years now. Not long after I picked it up I went to our local rail-trail for a run.  HATED.IT. I was flat out miserable.  It was too hard, everything hurt, just rotten all around.  So I decided that I hated trail running and would never again do it. Whenever I'd run some sort of obstacle 5k that would take me off of paved road I was pissed.  I would let it ocmpletely ruin my race.  Well...that all changed yesterday.

After being stuck in a boring business meeting (on a beautiful day in a room with no windows), I decided to go for a run.  The meeting was at an environmental preserve, so there was a lake right there and people told me there were "walking paths."  I was expecting nice paved paths around the lake...imagine my surprise when there was a teeny bit of pavement followed by some very rough trail.  I'm talking rocks, grass, tree roots, that kinda thing.  I got that familiar feeling of dread, but I was so tired of being cooped up indoors that I decided to go for it anyway.  Shockingly enough, I liked it!! I liked it so much that I went for another run today after we finished up!

See, I liked it! Look how happy!

See folks, this just goes to show that attitude--and positive thinking--is everything. Had I let my negative experiences and thoughts take over I would have missed out on two great runs!  Part of the trail I ran went across a dam. What a cool experience!  I saw some truly beautiful sights including lovely lake views and even some deer just chillin' in their natural habitat.  And I got some much needed sunshine and cardio while pushing my body--these were the longest runs I've done in 2014! I feel happy and refreshed and ready to take on the world. 

Let's all make a pact to never say never, and to always give things a second chance.  (Crap, I guess that means I have to try skiing again...) 

Meal Prep Madness

Meal prep is a huge part of my fitness routine. If I didn't prep my week’s food on Sunday I’m pretty much setting myself up for disaster. It’s a giant PITA, but totally worth it.  I don’t typically prep dinners, but I try to get an idea of what I’m going to make and pre-chop any vegetables I may need and/or items that take a while to cook (think brown rice and quinoa).  Here’s a quick rundown of my typical prep routine:

First, I thaw a crap pile of meat. I’m carb cycling right now, so I’m eating high protein meals most days.  This week I started with about 5 pounds of chicken and 2 pounds of lean ground turkey.  I also prep a bunch of eggs, egg whites, Greek yogurt, vegetables, and salad. 

Thank goodness for BOGO sales!

Next I start making meal muffins.  I like to get these mixed up and in the oven first since they take the longest.  Two of my favorite creations are Jamie Eason's Turkey Meatloaf Muffins and Quinoa Egg Muffins.  I eat two of the egg muffins and some lean pork tenderloin for breakfast; one meatloaf muffin goes in my lunch along with about 6 ounces of chicken breast and a vegetable (this week it’s a mix of broccoli and green beans).

While the muffins are baking, I prep/portion small salads, Greek yogurts, peeled and chopped carrots, hummus, and whatever steamed veggies I want for the week. The end result is a giant disaster of a kitchen and a fridge filled with organized, pre-portioned deliciousness. 

I have to go to an off-site meeting Wednesday and Thursday of this week and I know the provided meals will be pretty junky, so I prepped myself a giant cooler filled with breakfast, lunch, mid-morning, and mid-afternoon meals.  I also packed bottled water, unsweetened tea, protein powder, almonds, etc. etc. etc.  I’m fortunate enough that the hotel I’m staying in has a mini-fridge and microwave and the meeting facilities have a full kitchen. So, I’ll be the weirdo bringing her own food. J Evening networking dinners are pretty much required, so I won’t have a ton of control there, but at least I can keep it together during the day. The hotel also has a partnership with a local gym, so I won’t even have to miss a workout. Wo0t!

Here’s to staying on track no matter what life throws at us! Cheers!

Gettin' Muddy With It!

Well, I made it through the mud run with no injuries, aside from a few small cuts and a few major blisters!  

So much mud!

Saturday I completed the Dirty Girl Mud Run in Schnecksville, PA with my favorite partner-in-crime (who just happens to be my sister-in-law) and a coworker.  We had an absolute blast!  There wasn’t much running to be had—that pretty much stopped once we got good and muddy.  Something about trying to run in squishy, muddy shoes just didn’t appeal.  The obstacles were a ton of fun and we were proud to say that we conquered them all, even the ones we found terrifying. (I was not a fan of climbing on the cargo nets). The course very much fit the old adage of “uphill both ways”—it seems like we were constantly going up steep hills and very rarely going down them.   This course was definitely a lot muddier than the one I did in April, and a whole lot more fun. I’d definitely return to be a “dirty girl” again!

Post-run beer was necessary and enjoyed!

I have to admit there was something pretty fun and inspiring about completing a women-only event.   There was no cattiness or competitiveness—everyone was just there to have a good time, cheer each other on, and help each other out if necessary (my feet got SERIOUSLY stuck in the mud at one point—if it weren't for a girl helping pick my legs up I’d still be there!) Plus there was none of that macho-male testosterone going on.  I love hanging with the guys, but it was nice to not have that added pressure and to really embrace the whole girl power thing.

I had three pretty big personal milestones at the event too.  #1: I completed all of the obstacles. I really, really wanted to go around the first cargo net. I went up and over instead.  WOO! #2: I allowed myself a corn dog after the race. I know how silly this sounds (and yes, how unhealthy they are!) but I haven’t had one of those since I joined WW in 2007. Allowing myself that indulgence and not feeling guilt over it was a big deal. And it was damn delicious.  #3: I stood in line for the rinse station in nothing but a sports bra and my muddy spandex pants. I know I still have work to do on my body, but I have learned to love myself and be confident regardless.  That was a big, BIG step for me.  I’m proud of myself (and the lovely ladies I ran with!) for taking on this challenge and rocking it!!  I can’t wait for the next adventure! 

My favorite picture of our group!

Health Coaching, Body Fat, and More

Last night I had my first meeting with my health coach, who also happens to be my sister-in-law. I didn't really know what to expect, but it was a fantastic meeting.  She affirmed a lot of what I'm already doing nutrition wise and offered some great tweaks and suggestions for improvement.  The thing I liked the most is she focused not only on the action, but the WHY. She believes that all aspects of you life need to be in order for you to attain optimal health and fitness.  Today we talked a little bit more about my future goals, why I have them, and the steps I need to start taking to attain them. She was 110% supportive and its great to know she has my back. I'm already looking forward to our next meeting!

In other news, I finally broke down and bought a body fat meter.  I clocked in at 28.1%, which while higher than I expected, is still firmly in the 'average' category.  M y short term goal is sub 24% (the 'fitness' zone) and long term is sub 20% (the 'athlete' zone).  I'm not beating myself up over it; its nice to have a baseline and a tangible thing to use to track my progress.

Up this weekend: Dirty Girl Mud Run tomorrow!! I'm completing it with my other sister-in-law and a girl from work. I'm super excited about it...and am also hoping not to injure myself again!  Tomorrow night my SIL and I are going out on the town for a girl's night.  Sunday is the normal food prep routine.

Have a happy, healthy weekend all!

It's Go Time.

I've had this blog for a long time, over two years to be exact, and yet this is my first post.  I could never decide exactly what to write, nor did I think anyone would be interested. But fitness blogs and social media pages and transformation stories are exploding all over the interwebs these days, so…why not?

I guess I should start with a little bit about me. I’m an ex-fat girl, turned skinny girl, turned slightly chubby girl, who’s working on turning into bad-ass fit girl.  Back in 2007 I topped out just over 200 pounds.  Right around Thanksgiving of that year I joined Weight Watchers and dropped off 70 pounds over the course of the next year.  I maintained between 130-140 pounds until about 2011, but I was never particularly “fit.” I ran a lot, I was in good cardiovascular shape, but I had no muscle strength. In 2011 I took a desk job and pounds slowly starting creeping on.  The scale says I’ve gained about 20 pounds, but I don’t believe that’s all blubber—I’m still wearing a lot of the same clothes from when I was 130/140 (more on that later). I guess that brings me to 2014…

In January of this year I decided to try Jamie Eason’s LiveFit program (which is online, FREE, and can be found here).  The program is 12 weeks; unfortunately I sprained my foot during a mud run in week 10 and couldn't finish.  My weight didn't move much in those 10 weeks, I think I only lost 3-5 pounds, but I gained more muscle than I've ever had and was fitting back into some of my “skinny” clothes (I told you I’d come back to that).  I've restarted LiveFit and am currently in Week 6.  I have another mud run this Saturday, so here’s hoping I don’t injure myself again (if there’s a tire obstacle I am NOT doing it!).

Now, onto the good stuff—the reason I’m even here typing.  Weight lifting has changed my world.  It has changed my views on myself, on strength, on size, on food, and on body image. I’m no longer simply focused on being “skinny”, or on taking up as little space as possible on a chair.  I am focused on being strong.  Nothing feels better than when I can increase weight on a tough set or than when I can execute a move that I've been struggling with with perfect form.  I love that I can walk into the free-weight area of the gym with my head held high and feel right at home.  Food is now a fuel source.  Yes, I enjoy food.  I enjoy BBQ and cheeseburger and pizza. But I know that those things, while a nice treat now and then, don’t make a great fuel source. If I go out to lunch today and get a big greasy stromboli, my lift is going to suck tonight.  Food isn't just for enjoyment.  Food is fuel.  Crap in=crap out.  Body image and confidence—these have been the biggest changes for me.  I no longer pick apart my body. I have “problem areas” and things I definitely want to improve.   But instead of standing in the mirror and berating myself for them, I praise the subtle outlines of my abs, my emerging biceps, or my kickin’ quads.  Weight lifting has taught me that I’m worth more than the number read from a scale or from a measuring tape.  I am a muscle, I am strength. 

This has been a pivotal week for me.  Earlier this week I put a HUGE goal in my five-year plan (I’m not willing to throw it out there for the public yet though).  I've kicked butt with meal prep, have stuck with my plan, and have hit my macros spot on every day (I’m carb cycling to kick-start my metabolism).  Last night I CRUSHED my personal bests in the squat and leg press.  I’m sore today, but feeling stronger and more determined than ever.  This road, this goal, won’t be an easy one. But it’s an attainable one. And I’m more committed than ever.  Here’s to the future!