Tuesday, May 21, 2013

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Leaner!

Hey friends! Things here are going great.  Didn't mean to have such a long blog break but life has been moving at full speed ahead as usual and my weekends crazy packed too! I'm also so busy EXERCISING I'm having less time to blog.

YEP. You heard me right.  Someone has found her motivation to move her tater again.

I belong to a Facebook group that is all about the Whole 30 way of eating and connects me back to some folks I've been in a few healthy eating/workout challenges with since December.  I posted that I really needed some group accountability and voila, a May challenge was created by one of the awesome members!  We're trying to get all the pieces moving at once. 

I think we all struggle sometimes with either doing great on exercise OR eating but not both.  This is all about trying to do it all in conjunction for best results.

I was down to 193 this morning.  My goal was to be at 189 by end of next week, but not entirely sure that will happen as that's a bit of a stretch for me.  Heck, I'm back under 195 and pretty happy about that!

I started thinking back and yeah, I spent a LONG time in the 190s and even longer in the 180s when i lost the 100 pounds before getting discouraged, busy and losing my focus (and creeping back up over 225 - holy crap how did that happen???)

SO that in mind, I'm trying to stay true to the process.  Because it IS a process. One that may take many more months to get me to where I want to be!  I'm in the downswing at 193...so I know I'm moving in the right direction. 

And I FEEL great.  Truly.  Just posted a picture to my facebook page of my family last night.  I didn't realize how different I look and it made me realize how much my body is changing for the better. 

Sometimes, in this journey, we kind of get stuck in a rut where we feel like nothing is changing, the scale isn't moving fast enough, clothes still feel tight in certain annoying places, etc.  Then, sometimes, you experience this kind of magic where you feel like you wake up one day leaner and more toned. I don't know if it's just that you get so busy with life you don't notice it until you actually LOOK at yourself, but I'm experiencing that this week!

I am noticing my shoulders definition.  My biceps, while still flabby, are tightening up tremendously.  My back becoming fat-roll-free again.  My waist, just below my chest, is truly looking TINY (well as tiny as I will ever be, by definition).  I still have a belly, one that stretched out to almost 300 pounds, and that will just take time (and a ba-donka which may ALWAYS be there) but I'm really shrinking.  I actually think I look as lean now as I did in my 180s.  My face is leaner, and I look younger overall. Helps that my skins is essentially clear, my nails longer and stronger and the whites of eyes/teeth thing ain't too shabby either.

How am I getting these results?

CONSISTENCY.  I consistently do the following:

EAT CLEAN - I'm eating almost completely clean and very very close to W30 all of the time. I eat beans maybe once every month, maybe a little bbq sauce occasionally, but otherwise stay almost 100% on track.  Even with my travel.  No interest in grains, dairy or preservatives.  love the way I eat now!

EXERCISE - I'm back to exercising 5-6 days/week.  Part of our May challenge was to move every day in some way.  So even on rest days I will go for a walk or do housework.  My hubby is on week 3 of his Couch to 5k running training, and I'm running with a new running buddy in addition to that.  I'm also CONSISTENTLY lifting weights.  I use the T30 Monster, Beast and Warrior workouts and they are HARD.  I was using 8 lb weights at first, moved up to 10s and just bought and began using 15 lb weights.  (yep that's 15 pounds in EACH hand).  The guy is a little obnoxious (geared towards guys so there's some goofy guy talk) but I really like that in 25 mins I can have sweat pouring from lifting weights and using body weight for exercise.  I like to do this in combination with a HIIT workout for Turbo Fire or on a shorter run day.  I'm doing this 3x/week at the least.  On other days sometimes I toss around a kettlebell. That's always fun! I am enjoying my exercise again.  FUN to run with my hubby and my new running friend!  I do much much better in group situations.

So, admit it, are some of you reading my excited download above and thinking I have more of the following in my genetic makeup than you?

1) time
2) money
3) energy
4) discipline

Well I have news for you.  Not at all true.  On any of the 4.

1) TIME - nope, I work full time, travel 30-40% for work, have an active church life as a pastor's wife, mommy to a wonderful 9 year old, I cook when I'm home from my travels, I also take care of the budget for the family and keep my household running even while I'm away.  I meal plan every week and plan meals for when I'll be out of town for them and me as well.
2) MONEY - Sheesh, I just said I was a pastor's wife.  In all seriousness, I do have a really great job myself.  But I don't spend alot of money on my fitness.  No gym membership.  I buy running shoes (good ones I'm fitted for), the occasional fun new outfit to run in and healthy food.  Worth. Every. Penny.  I just choose to do that instead of spend on other things (like eating out constantly at crappy places).
3) ENERGY - Honey, I am as wiped out as the next person.  And I am one of those weird people who need a solid 7-9 hours of sleep to be at full function, no joke.  I just try to multi-task as much as possible.  And I choose what to spend my energy on.
4) DISCIPLINE - I'm so tempted to leave this blank and allow one of my dear friends to, while laughing, explain just how UNDISCIPLINED I am...I am not a routine follower.  I change up things about my food, habits and exercise ALL THE TIME.  I think that's why I'm successful.  I like shiny, new things, including routines and fun new veggies.

You know what I DO have that people who are repeatedly unsuccessful at their fitness/nutrition goals don't have?

COMMITMENT.



“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.”Kenneth H. Blanchard

I love this quote.  Dude who wrote it wasn't any kind of fitness buff (from his picture I didn't get that vibe) but it applies to so many areas of our lives.  I'm not an aimless wanderer. In career world, I've been blessed to find what I love to do fairly early and made an awesome career out of it.  BUT I was 31 when I finally finished my Bachelors degree (remember what I said about discipline?  haha!).  I have lost 100 pounds...but gained 40 back (and have lost 32 of that again thankfully).  I have gone a week without exercising at ALL many times over in the last 4 years.  Slept in at hotels instead of going to the gym, made poor food choices here and there, if you've been following my story you know ALL of that is true.

But what sets me apart is the fact that I'm committed to seeing this through. No matter how LONG it takes.

Yeah, I'm also a pretty positive person.  That helps for sure.

What's in your way of fully committing to your own health?  Drop the excuses, and turn your interest into a full on commitment to your health.

You won't regret it.

Even now, almost 4 years later, not exactly where I was hoping I would be, I wouldn't change ANYTHING.  Not even any of my bumps in the road. 

What didn't kill me, made me leaner.  Eventually.

Peace out!

Clara B.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Balance!

Hey friends, sorry it has been so long since I've posted.  You all must be busy too, as I haven't received many "where have you been?" emails.

Things have been going good!  My weight loss over the last few weeks has stalled a little.  Lots of travel plus little sleep really seems to mess me up all around.  I've eaten well, stayed on plan for the most part and felt pretty good.  Then got a little sick last week that put me down for a few days from exercise.

After over 90 days of being pretty strict W30 eating, I decided to take a few offroading adventures in a 24 hour time span.  The book (It Starts With Food) talks about offroading as consciously eating things outside of the normal plan. It's impossible for anyone to be perfect all the time, especially when you travel and eat out as often as I do, but overall, I've done pretty well with it.  There have been a few things I "miss" a little, and so I made a plan to indulge in those few things for 24 hours and then jump back on.

I noticed a few things.  I had some ice cream, and while it tasted good, it left a strange film in my mouth - in looking at the ingredients I realized it had about 15 things I haven't eaten in the last 90 days, mostly additives, soy, butter oil (what is that???) etc. Decided that was not really worth it.

Then had some birthday cake. It was ok.  Again, kind of a plasticky feeling it left in my mouth once the sugar went down.  Pizza...I have decided I don't really like too much cheese anymore.  Now THAT is an unexpected result.  HAHA!  It was ok but nothing I felt I couldn't live without.  I'm finding food SMELLS much better to me than it ends up tasting.  And it tastes SO bland!

I have one more off roading meal planned today at lunch, my hubby's birthday is today and there is a local place that makes the most amazing burgers.  I plan on having one with sweet potato fries. 

Then I will be turning back into a W30 eating pumpkin when the clock strikes midnight tonight.

Interestingly, so far I haven't eaten anything thinking to myself, man, have I missed this!  I found myself actually craving strawberries last night.  Didn't eat any because I literally had no room in my body for it after the other junk.

My stomach is bloated and I've experienced other gastric distress I won't go into here in case you're reading this on your lunch break. 

It's incredible that when you eat really clean, then try something from your past, and it doesn't "do it" for you like it used to.  The only thing it "does" is seem to clean out my intestinal track and give me a tummy ache.

Another interesting finding in all of this is that I don't feel guilty AT ALL.  This is actually a HUGE change for me.  Typically I would have shed a few tears by now, upset with myself, etc., because this doesn't usually happen on PURPOSE.  I usually trip and fall face first into a pizza buffet.  The old me would anyway.

The new me decided, consciously, that I would offroad for 24 hours, and then get right back on track.  I don't have any longings for anything else, and I don't feel I'm missing much (except tummy pain and weight gain) by eating this way regularly.

I feel really good right now.  I'm sure the scale will not be my friend tomorrow when I have my back to W30 weigh in, but I am ok with that and ready to square off.

Because I'm realizing, since I'm not wallowing in guilt and self-pity of the recovering food addict that I am, that balance is so important.  I will NEVER call this cheating as that has a negative connotation.  I'll simply say I'm offroading and I will decide in advance to do it.  The book warns against making decisions in advance, but I really feel good about all of this and each person is different.  Being conscious about making poor food choices is hugely liberating.  And since I know so well how poor they are (as my gut is rumbling while I type) it will be no problem for me to jump back on track.

The good part is I made it a really long time of being really really solidly good.  Enough time to learn to LOVE how I eat now.  The first round, I made it around 45 days before doing my "grain reintroduction" that went so poorly.  If you look back over my blog, that day made me feel sick and gain 3 pounds and I felt terrible guilt.

Well given the last 24 hours has been planned, I don't at all feel that way!  I went another 45 days before offroading on purpose.  Wow.  That's a long time!  I feel excited to get my tail back in gear tomorrow and I truly miss my healthy food.

So I'm not going to smack a label or time stamp on my offroading.  Instead, I'm going to go for as long as I can (at least 30 days plus) before deciding I want something off plan.  There will be certain special occasions that are worth it - and some that are not! I will partake in what I WANT to partake in, keeping in mind I still have 30 pounds to lose!

So right now, I feel balanced (and bloated, but balanced).  I know I will reach my goals and think my brain is finally wrapping around how to exercise moderation.  Which will be extremely moderate for me until I get lean enough for my body to handle offroading better.  BUT the funny part is, the longer I go eating like this, I'm thinking the less and less foods I will find "worth" more than a bite or two.

Ah, it's been 4 years in the making folks...but this thick chick is getting it all figured out. Finally.

In other news - my husband started training today for his first 5k!  I'm so excited. Today's his birthday and in honor of it we began training for his first race.  I want us to run a half in the fall.  So super excited!  He did great.

Will keep you posted on everything!

Take care,
Clara