Hey guys! I am happy to report that I worked out Friday morning at the hotel. Haha =) the weather has been BEAUTIFUL lately. =) so Sunday instead of going to the gym I did like 2-3 hrs of yard work. Mostly weeding and sawing. My hamstrings are STILL a little sore. And they will be tomorrow, too, because I went to spin class this morning bc I finally had the day off. =) well, I did get to work out yesterday before work, and there's an interesting story there.
So yesterday when I went to the gym, it was peak morning time (which I HATE) so I couldn't get on the row of ellipticals that I usually do. So I get on one of the other ones that has completely different programs and I fool with it trying to find one like the one I usually use (calorie burner). I finally found something inferior but similar to what I'm used to doing, picked a random level and took off. Well it was a lower resistance level than I'm used to because I ran a mile in 10:30 which I'm fairly certain I have never done in my LIFE. I was looking at this display telling me I was running 6 mph and thinking "I think this means I should up the resistance...but I don't want to..." lol after I finished the mile I upped it and found my much more familiar 5 mph pace but I was really excited for myself. Haha.
So one of the things about getting in shape is that you have to constantly play mind games with yourself. Well, at least I do, but maybe I'm crazy. Or maybe it's because I'm a girl. But those are mostly the same, let's be honest. Haha. Anyway, today before spin, we re-did my measurements. I was pretty excited bc even though outwardly there wasn't a whole lot of difference from a month ago, my muscles were slightly more prominent, especially in my legs, so i knew my bf%(how much of my fatness is actually fat) had to be lower. So Carlos is measuring me and all of them are coming out larger and I'm starting to FREAK. OUT. Like I told y'all, I had actually gained weight the last couple of weeks but then I started losing it again so that usually indicates increase in muscle. I wasn't TOO concerned. Today I was +1 pound but then I started being +1...2..4 inches. And the self doubt and internal argument and freaking out began. "wtf is happening?!" "calm down crazy, it's muscle" "but my neck is bigger!! Why is my neck bigger?!" "I dunno, why is it?" "omg I'm such a fat failure!!" etcetcetc. Lol. Don't worry, I didn't have a meltdown in the gym. Very male Carlos saved the body fat % to last so my very female brain was stopped just short of that meltdown.
The good news is that I'm actually down 6 lbs in fat (finally under the triple digit mark, actually) and up 7 lbs in muscle. Soooo that means I'm 19 lbs lighter than I was in October, but I've lost 25 lbs of fat since then. =) I wish I had my starting fat % from a year and a half ago. It's probably close to like 50%. I feel so much stronger than that point. And I'm aiming for 18% body fat, FYI, which is considered healthy. Carlos said I should be ultimately aiming for 12% "lean toned". Lol. we'll see how long it takes me to get to "healthy" before I start thinking about having a movie star body. Right now I'll be happy when this summer I'm down to a large instead of a 2x.
So that's where I am right now. Today's been pretty good. I came home and scrambled some eggs in some semblance of a huevos-rancheros-turkey-omelette-bowl thing. Whatever. It tasted good and it was protein packed. I felt like actually eating my protein instead of drinking it. Haha. Although I did get some protein samples I'm excited to try in a care package from one of my pledge sisters. =D I've decided it's my first official piece of "fan mail". Lol. The main thing I wanted to cover in this post was that it may look on the scale like a plateau, and maybe in your clothes, but if it's muscle gain at the same time as fat loss, it will not FEEL like a plateau. My resting heart rate is down, my endurance is up, and I'm stronger than I was. Who cares what the scale says? (well, I still do...a little)
PS: go google image "5 lbs of fat". Right now.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Ok don't be mad...
Soooo I've slept in my own bed once in the past week, sorry I haven't blogged like I promised. But hey doesn't every blogger have to apologize for not blogging? So we all knew this was coming. Lol. Anyway, all of my working out of town has brought on lots of thoughts about just how freaking hard it is to be healthy when on the road and how bad I am at it. I'm doing my measurements again next week and I feel like I've totally dropped the ball.
First, I specifically got a hotel that had a fridge and a fitness center. Even when I looked at the pictures all it was was a busted looking bowflex and a treadmill, it was still better than nothing. Well I get here and it has NO fridge but a nice treadmill, elliptical and bike. So I can't go out and buy groceries like I wanted to but I can work out. Too bad I haven't yet- yesterday I had a valid excuse, today I was just lazy. Lol. But then I realized I was redoing my measurements next week and I need to keep my rear in gear and just go work out. It's not like I can cram for this kind of test, but I can undo my work very quickly with lots of bad food and lots of not working out. And my schedule this wk is just not conducive to being healthy. Especially because I'm working in a small town where the only fast food is sonic and the gas station. I'm sad to sad to report that I've had pizza for lunch the last 2 days.
But really, when you're broke an you can get 2 pieces of pizza for $2 or a grilled chicken sandwich for $6... It's kind of hard to convince the fat kid inside that the sandwich is a better choice. OMG speaking of sonic, can we talk about their newest addition to the menu? They sweet potato tots!! Which sounds amazing except that they're $3+. As in you could get a chicken finger sandwich, regular tots, and a happy hour drink for what they're charging for the [slightly] healthier option. This is just one really frustrating example of why it's so hard to be healthy on the road. I mean this isn't a new phenomenon; better ingredients are more expensive, healthy things are also unfortunately less in demand so combine these 2 things and you usually get significantly more expensive healthy options. Let's do a little comparing with everyone's favorite fast food punching bag- macdonalds.
99c McDouble= 390 calories
99c McChicken= 380 calories
Grilled chicken snack wrap= 270 calories
Now those are all smaller sized items. I can't find the prices online so this isn't going to work out how I wanted it to. Lol. Anyway, you all know what I'm talking about. This is why last week I asked for healthy options from fast food restaurants bc I knew I'd be on the road a lot.
And now I'm gonna do something that you're all probably going to hate me for. I'm going to enlighten you on specific choices that I used to make and ones I make now. Let's go back to sonic for a bit, bc you know I'm not the only one obsessed with tots. My old favorite to order was the bacon cheeseburger toaster combo. Large tots, large cherry limeade. [oh yes, I'm going here]. Calories in that? 870 + 330 + 220 = 1420 calories. What I order now? Grilled chicken wrap, small tots, Large DIET cherry limeade. 320 + 130 + 20 = 470 calories. Y'all. That's almost a THOUSAND calories difference. Ok this is the one you're really not gonna like, but I have to do it. *grits teeth* I've only been to Raising Cane's twice in the last year since I got this app. You know why? Oh, you know. Box combo, no slaw, extra toast. Ready for this? 1039 calories! that's not even counting sweet tea and each extra cane's sauce is 173 calories!! And there's no substituting at canes. Lol It would take me a spin class PLUS a weights set 3(3x15) to burn off a box combo. Add on the tea and an extra sauce and you're probably looking at another 3(3x15) ab set. That's a lot of work for fried chicken.
Ok guys I apologize, that was ugly but I had to do it. I just wanted to show you what this new awareness has done to/for me. Most places its a matter of just getting the smaller size or not getting sauce or holding the cheese or getting a wrap instead of a sandwich. [fun fact, 2 corn tortillas have about as many calories as one slice of bread] and if the choices don't allow for much difference I always try to get the better ingredient. Like wheat over white or brown rice instead of white rice. I think of it as getting better blocks to build with. If they cost the same, get the better one. Although I guess in a way it's like gas quality and prices. The cheap gas does the trick but the expensive gas makes your car run better. Supposedly. Unlike eating healthy, who ever buys the premium gas?
First, I specifically got a hotel that had a fridge and a fitness center. Even when I looked at the pictures all it was was a busted looking bowflex and a treadmill, it was still better than nothing. Well I get here and it has NO fridge but a nice treadmill, elliptical and bike. So I can't go out and buy groceries like I wanted to but I can work out. Too bad I haven't yet- yesterday I had a valid excuse, today I was just lazy. Lol. But then I realized I was redoing my measurements next week and I need to keep my rear in gear and just go work out. It's not like I can cram for this kind of test, but I can undo my work very quickly with lots of bad food and lots of not working out. And my schedule this wk is just not conducive to being healthy. Especially because I'm working in a small town where the only fast food is sonic and the gas station. I'm sad to sad to report that I've had pizza for lunch the last 2 days.
But really, when you're broke an you can get 2 pieces of pizza for $2 or a grilled chicken sandwich for $6... It's kind of hard to convince the fat kid inside that the sandwich is a better choice. OMG speaking of sonic, can we talk about their newest addition to the menu? They sweet potato tots!! Which sounds amazing except that they're $3+. As in you could get a chicken finger sandwich, regular tots, and a happy hour drink for what they're charging for the [slightly] healthier option. This is just one really frustrating example of why it's so hard to be healthy on the road. I mean this isn't a new phenomenon; better ingredients are more expensive, healthy things are also unfortunately less in demand so combine these 2 things and you usually get significantly more expensive healthy options. Let's do a little comparing with everyone's favorite fast food punching bag- macdonalds.
99c McDouble= 390 calories
99c McChicken= 380 calories
Grilled chicken snack wrap= 270 calories
Now those are all smaller sized items. I can't find the prices online so this isn't going to work out how I wanted it to. Lol. Anyway, you all know what I'm talking about. This is why last week I asked for healthy options from fast food restaurants bc I knew I'd be on the road a lot.
And now I'm gonna do something that you're all probably going to hate me for. I'm going to enlighten you on specific choices that I used to make and ones I make now. Let's go back to sonic for a bit, bc you know I'm not the only one obsessed with tots. My old favorite to order was the bacon cheeseburger toaster combo. Large tots, large cherry limeade. [oh yes, I'm going here]. Calories in that? 870 + 330 + 220 = 1420 calories. What I order now? Grilled chicken wrap, small tots, Large DIET cherry limeade. 320 + 130 + 20 = 470 calories. Y'all. That's almost a THOUSAND calories difference. Ok this is the one you're really not gonna like, but I have to do it. *grits teeth* I've only been to Raising Cane's twice in the last year since I got this app. You know why? Oh, you know. Box combo, no slaw, extra toast. Ready for this? 1039 calories! that's not even counting sweet tea and each extra cane's sauce is 173 calories!! And there's no substituting at canes. Lol It would take me a spin class PLUS a weights set 3(3x15) to burn off a box combo. Add on the tea and an extra sauce and you're probably looking at another 3(3x15) ab set. That's a lot of work for fried chicken.
Ok guys I apologize, that was ugly but I had to do it. I just wanted to show you what this new awareness has done to/for me. Most places its a matter of just getting the smaller size or not getting sauce or holding the cheese or getting a wrap instead of a sandwich. [fun fact, 2 corn tortillas have about as many calories as one slice of bread] and if the choices don't allow for much difference I always try to get the better ingredient. Like wheat over white or brown rice instead of white rice. I think of it as getting better blocks to build with. If they cost the same, get the better one. Although I guess in a way it's like gas quality and prices. The cheap gas does the trick but the expensive gas makes your car run better. Supposedly. Unlike eating healthy, who ever buys the premium gas?
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Tour de Pants
Y'all.... I am so proud of myself. I got myself out of bed, somehow, and went to a spin class BY MYSELF. As in I knew that I wouldn't know anyone there- not even the instructor. This is a new level of dedication for me. Lol this is my 3rd week to go to spin class and I'm really enjoying them. They are getting progressively easier(read:less excrutiating) to get through. Today was a different instructor so I can't tell how much of that was different styles or increase in stamina. I'm gonna say it was both. =) I don't have a whole lot to talk about, just some observations and thoughts I'd like to share since you seem to be interested. Haha.
So remember last time when I told you not to compare yourself to other people in terms of pace? Well spin class is a really good example of that. If you've never been crazy enough to go to a spin cycling class, let me briefly overview. You walk in and see a wide variety of people. You've got the girl in her I-live-here matching outfit, the person in the bike shorts and cycling shoes with legs that have more muscles showing than should be humanly possible, then you have the person who is probably like you- normal looking. So you choose the bike furthest from the mirrors that you can still see the instructor and you notice about 5 different ways to adjust things. Luckily you have a good instructor that takes pity on you and shows you how to adjust the bike so you don't kill your knees or your back. You find that you're not gonna make an easy get away if you wimp out bc your shoes are now strapped in for maximum safety. So you start cycling as you're on your 2nd and 3rd thoughts about giving this a try and class finally starts. For the next hour you have a very enthusiastic instructor telling you exactly where and how much it should be hurting if you're doing it right. 15 mins in you start planning you escape to see exactly how awkward it would be... Gym mascot mom might judge you, but rippling legs probably wont have hard feelings. But after 30 mins you realize you just MIGHT be able to do this. You may not be merely glistening like the pros, but you're still peddling. It's all downhill from there. Well, probably not. You probably have to do at least one more climb at at least an 85% resistance before you can peel yourself off of your bike seat and stretch your tired muscles. You assess the damage and realize that despite waddling everywhere for the next day or two, you're actually invigorated. You just did cardio for an HOUR. How awesome is that?
Pretty awesome. Which is why I'm considering going back tomorrow. But I'm concerned it'll have me limping this wknd and that's not ok. Lol. I'm not ashamed to say I definitely wore 2 pairs of underwear the last 2 times and that seems to help a lot. Haha. I'm working out of town this wk so my afternoon training isn't an option and I need to keep up my calorie burning. I'm actually kinda frustrated bc I've been the same weight for the last 2 wks even though I've been working out A LOT and eating pretty well. It's probably just muscle gain bc I feel like I can see a difference in my legs for sure, but it's still annoying. Just one of those plateaus I've gotta grit my teeth and get thru.
So yeah, soccer calves are making their return! Minus that creepy muscle right below my knee that soccer players always have. Haha. Let's talk about something else annoying. My clown pants. Lol now I'm really glad that I've lost all this weight, but the downside is that NONE OF MY CLOTHES FIT. Everytime I do laundry now I'm like taking a census of what's ok to wear and what's just so big that I can't get away with it anymore. I'm afraid one of my customers is going to tell me to watch what not to wear so I can learn how clothes are supposed to fit. I just need to bite the bullet and buy a couple more pairs of work pants that don't make it so painfully obvious that I used to be so much bigger. I just dont want to waste money on clothes that aren't going to fit me in a couple months. I think I'll just go to goodwill. Or do I have any friends that have 16/18 dress pants that are too big for them now? We should organize a clothes swap. Haha. How awesome would that be? Almost as awesome as burning 900 calories in an hour.
What else? It's HARD to be healthy. And expensive. I'd much rather have a 99cent cheeseburger than grilled chicken whatever. You know what's good tho? The grilled chicken wrap at sonic. If you have good healthy finds at fast food places, you should leave them in the comments!!
So remember last time when I told you not to compare yourself to other people in terms of pace? Well spin class is a really good example of that. If you've never been crazy enough to go to a spin cycling class, let me briefly overview. You walk in and see a wide variety of people. You've got the girl in her I-live-here matching outfit, the person in the bike shorts and cycling shoes with legs that have more muscles showing than should be humanly possible, then you have the person who is probably like you- normal looking. So you choose the bike furthest from the mirrors that you can still see the instructor and you notice about 5 different ways to adjust things. Luckily you have a good instructor that takes pity on you and shows you how to adjust the bike so you don't kill your knees or your back. You find that you're not gonna make an easy get away if you wimp out bc your shoes are now strapped in for maximum safety. So you start cycling as you're on your 2nd and 3rd thoughts about giving this a try and class finally starts. For the next hour you have a very enthusiastic instructor telling you exactly where and how much it should be hurting if you're doing it right. 15 mins in you start planning you escape to see exactly how awkward it would be... Gym mascot mom might judge you, but rippling legs probably wont have hard feelings. But after 30 mins you realize you just MIGHT be able to do this. You may not be merely glistening like the pros, but you're still peddling. It's all downhill from there. Well, probably not. You probably have to do at least one more climb at at least an 85% resistance before you can peel yourself off of your bike seat and stretch your tired muscles. You assess the damage and realize that despite waddling everywhere for the next day or two, you're actually invigorated. You just did cardio for an HOUR. How awesome is that?
Pretty awesome. Which is why I'm considering going back tomorrow. But I'm concerned it'll have me limping this wknd and that's not ok. Lol. I'm not ashamed to say I definitely wore 2 pairs of underwear the last 2 times and that seems to help a lot. Haha. I'm working out of town this wk so my afternoon training isn't an option and I need to keep up my calorie burning. I'm actually kinda frustrated bc I've been the same weight for the last 2 wks even though I've been working out A LOT and eating pretty well. It's probably just muscle gain bc I feel like I can see a difference in my legs for sure, but it's still annoying. Just one of those plateaus I've gotta grit my teeth and get thru.
So yeah, soccer calves are making their return! Minus that creepy muscle right below my knee that soccer players always have. Haha. Let's talk about something else annoying. My clown pants. Lol now I'm really glad that I've lost all this weight, but the downside is that NONE OF MY CLOTHES FIT. Everytime I do laundry now I'm like taking a census of what's ok to wear and what's just so big that I can't get away with it anymore. I'm afraid one of my customers is going to tell me to watch what not to wear so I can learn how clothes are supposed to fit. I just need to bite the bullet and buy a couple more pairs of work pants that don't make it so painfully obvious that I used to be so much bigger. I just dont want to waste money on clothes that aren't going to fit me in a couple months. I think I'll just go to goodwill. Or do I have any friends that have 16/18 dress pants that are too big for them now? We should organize a clothes swap. Haha. How awesome would that be? Almost as awesome as burning 900 calories in an hour.
What else? It's HARD to be healthy. And expensive. I'd much rather have a 99cent cheeseburger than grilled chicken whatever. You know what's good tho? The grilled chicken wrap at sonic. If you have good healthy finds at fast food places, you should leave them in the comments!!
Monday, February 13, 2012
A Typical Day at the Gym
Man these dreary days are sooooo hard on your motivation. I actually managed to go to the gym TWICE today, but I still couldn't get myself to do any cardio. Haha. But since a lot of you have asked what I DO at that awful/wonderful place, I will attempt to de-mystify my trips to the gym. Today was a little atypical so I'll tell you what I generally do, first.
So generally I plan on being there for about an hour if I'm just working out by myself. I've found it's better/easier to start with cardio because you're fresh so you work harder, and once you get the adrenaline going its easier to convince yourself to keep going. So I'll do at least 10 mins on the stair master, and then at least 20 mins on the elliptical. I do the "speed intervals" on the stair master and "calorie burner" on the elliptical. Then I'll focus on a certain muscle group/body part and do 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Usually I'll try to alternate one set with a set of abs. So, if I am working my back; I'll do 12 repititions of the incline row, 15 half crunches, and then do that 2 more times. I usually try to do at least 3 different machines. I never do free weights unsupervised just because I'm not comfortable enough with them without professional guidance. Haha. Anyway, depending on how I'm feeling, I'll go to the little section with the mats and do another 3x15x3 of abs. Some days I'm super motivated and sometimes I feel I've done enough. Like if I flaked out on the elliptical I'll make myself kick my butt on the ab mat.
"uuuuuuhh... How am I supposed to figure out what the machines DO? And then how do I do it?" I admit some of those look more like torture devices than a vehicle of self improvement, but they usually have labels that explain how to use them and which muscles they target. The ones at my gym have a man that has the muscles highlighted red to show which are used, and then has the names listed underneath. Some machines even have "primary" and "secondary" muscles listed. My gym has the machines all grouped together by which muscles they use which was really helpful when I started. I wanted to do shoulders but didn't know what to do so I asked(novel concept, right?) and Nichole told me to go to the left half of the second row and anything there would work my shoulders. Don't be afraid of looking stupid, because despite what they might try to make you believe, or is easy to convince yourself, even the most buff guy in there didn't just walk into a gym for the first time and know how to do and use EVERYTHING. I mean I've been a member for 4 months now and there are still machines I haven't tried. Some because I already have a few that I really like for that muscle group, some because they look boring and even some that still look scary or I KNOW are out of my league. There are some that I've tried once and said "ummm....no." Again, it comes down to self awareness. Know what your abilities are, but always push yourself forward. Go for 10 reps when you've been doing 8, or try that machine that you saw a girl using last time who looked like she was on your level. There's a difference between observing and noting those around you and gauging their ability in relation to yours, and then comparing yourself to someone and being discouraged when you're not as fit as them. Everyone has to go at their own pace.
Anyway, off my soapbox...where was I? During my training sessions, we usually target a muscle group and do a variety of things to work that area. With Nichole usually we do a lot of very targeted exercises using a mix of machines, dumbells/free weights and weightless exercises[squats, etc]. With Josh We do less weights and more weightless stuff. Like I mentioned before, "weightless legs" is trainer speak for you-will-hate-your-life exercises. We also box which is such a good arm workout and is also really good cardio. I really love personal training. It's slightly masochistic but I'm always excited for them and they usually kick my butt so hard. It's really nice not having to decide for yourself what to do, and having a coach to motivate you.
Today I actually had a training session with Nichole, and then I went back for one later in the day bc I was going to try to squeeze in with Josh but I ended up not eing able to. I ended up just working back and abs, solo. So I actually did legs in the morning and then back in the afternoon which is really strange for me. I also started my afternoon workout with abs, which was also weird. But I was being lazy and indecisive so I just did abs until I could make up my mind what I wanted to do. I just made myself DO something and then I got in the groove and got motivated. ...but not enough to walk my butt upstairs and get on an elliptical. Lol My work schedule changed so I can't train tomorrow like I wanted to so I basically just fit 2 days of weights into 1 day and I'll just do all cardio the rest of the week bc I'll be busy.
2 other things that I feel are really important to an effective gym session: water and music. I always drink at least a big glass of water before I work out and a full bottle during my workout. Make sure you stay hydrated!!! Also, I definitely recommend setting up a playlist or pandora station to listen to during your workout. My "gasolina" radio station on pandora has gotten me thru lots of tough spots during cardio. Nothing to pump you up like Latin beats and booty-shaking rap songs from the 2000s.
So generally I plan on being there for about an hour if I'm just working out by myself. I've found it's better/easier to start with cardio because you're fresh so you work harder, and once you get the adrenaline going its easier to convince yourself to keep going. So I'll do at least 10 mins on the stair master, and then at least 20 mins on the elliptical. I do the "speed intervals" on the stair master and "calorie burner" on the elliptical. Then I'll focus on a certain muscle group/body part and do 3 sets of 12-15 reps. Usually I'll try to alternate one set with a set of abs. So, if I am working my back; I'll do 12 repititions of the incline row, 15 half crunches, and then do that 2 more times. I usually try to do at least 3 different machines. I never do free weights unsupervised just because I'm not comfortable enough with them without professional guidance. Haha. Anyway, depending on how I'm feeling, I'll go to the little section with the mats and do another 3x15x3 of abs. Some days I'm super motivated and sometimes I feel I've done enough. Like if I flaked out on the elliptical I'll make myself kick my butt on the ab mat.
"uuuuuuhh... How am I supposed to figure out what the machines DO? And then how do I do it?" I admit some of those look more like torture devices than a vehicle of self improvement, but they usually have labels that explain how to use them and which muscles they target. The ones at my gym have a man that has the muscles highlighted red to show which are used, and then has the names listed underneath. Some machines even have "primary" and "secondary" muscles listed. My gym has the machines all grouped together by which muscles they use which was really helpful when I started. I wanted to do shoulders but didn't know what to do so I asked(novel concept, right?) and Nichole told me to go to the left half of the second row and anything there would work my shoulders. Don't be afraid of looking stupid, because despite what they might try to make you believe, or is easy to convince yourself, even the most buff guy in there didn't just walk into a gym for the first time and know how to do and use EVERYTHING. I mean I've been a member for 4 months now and there are still machines I haven't tried. Some because I already have a few that I really like for that muscle group, some because they look boring and even some that still look scary or I KNOW are out of my league. There are some that I've tried once and said "ummm....no." Again, it comes down to self awareness. Know what your abilities are, but always push yourself forward. Go for 10 reps when you've been doing 8, or try that machine that you saw a girl using last time who looked like she was on your level. There's a difference between observing and noting those around you and gauging their ability in relation to yours, and then comparing yourself to someone and being discouraged when you're not as fit as them. Everyone has to go at their own pace.
Anyway, off my soapbox...where was I? During my training sessions, we usually target a muscle group and do a variety of things to work that area. With Nichole usually we do a lot of very targeted exercises using a mix of machines, dumbells/free weights and weightless exercises[squats, etc]. With Josh We do less weights and more weightless stuff. Like I mentioned before, "weightless legs" is trainer speak for you-will-hate-your-life exercises. We also box which is such a good arm workout and is also really good cardio. I really love personal training. It's slightly masochistic but I'm always excited for them and they usually kick my butt so hard. It's really nice not having to decide for yourself what to do, and having a coach to motivate you.
Today I actually had a training session with Nichole, and then I went back for one later in the day bc I was going to try to squeeze in with Josh but I ended up not eing able to. I ended up just working back and abs, solo. So I actually did legs in the morning and then back in the afternoon which is really strange for me. I also started my afternoon workout with abs, which was also weird. But I was being lazy and indecisive so I just did abs until I could make up my mind what I wanted to do. I just made myself DO something and then I got in the groove and got motivated. ...but not enough to walk my butt upstairs and get on an elliptical. Lol My work schedule changed so I can't train tomorrow like I wanted to so I basically just fit 2 days of weights into 1 day and I'll just do all cardio the rest of the week bc I'll be busy.
2 other things that I feel are really important to an effective gym session: water and music. I always drink at least a big glass of water before I work out and a full bottle during my workout. Make sure you stay hydrated!!! Also, I definitely recommend setting up a playlist or pandora station to listen to during your workout. My "gasolina" radio station on pandora has gotten me thru lots of tough spots during cardio. Nothing to pump you up like Latin beats and booty-shaking rap songs from the 2000s.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Compliments and Supplements
First off, I just really want to thank everyone for all the wonderful feedback! It really makes my day when I get a message or a comment about other people's successes and motivations. Let's keep inspiring one another! Shout outs to my old friends from the kimberlin/Austin/gtown days: Matt and Brandon! They both sent me really inspiring messages about their own significant losses. And of course all my wonderful sisters!! Keep it up guys!! =D
Ok so today I've had requests to talk about my diet and what I generally eat. I also want to talk about a few supplements I take to help me out. First and foremost I want to stress protein. "um, are you a big man?" "mmmm chalky" "uhhh like beef?" these are all attitudes I used to have about taking protein as a supplement. Will would make his protein shake and I would wrinkle my nose. But finally I came around, when everyone who was supposed to know what they were talking about kept recommending it. Really what sold me on it was remembering what I learned in structure and functions, and talking to the ex-biochemist at the sports nutrition store. If you're gonna be using your muscles, they're gonna need protein to at least stay the same size, and they're gonna need MORE if you want them to get bigger. And the more muscle you have the more fat your body burns to fuel them. Do you know that when your muscles repair themselves you're actually BURNING CALORIES IN YOUR SLEEP?! Now that's an idea I can get behind. Lol
Seriously though: Iso proteins. They're just pure protein, no fillers and other stuff. Right now I'm using the iso-100 mixed berry. I was using the "gourmet chocolate" but I needed a change. They're both pretty tasty, especially now that I discovered lactose-free milk. Lol. Did you know too much soy can make you retain water? It can also make you overly-emotional but that's neither here nor there. Lol. Anyway, yes. Protein. Carlos said 2 shakes a day, the guy at the store recommended 3, I usually drink 1 after I work out and that's it unless I'm sore and then I know my muscles need it so I drink more of it. Haha.
Another thing I wrinkled my nose at was Will's pre-workout drink. I read the label and it said "not for women who are nursing, pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant". Ok I'm sorry, I'm none of those things, but as a woman: that is always a red flag. So I blew off pre-workout drinks as another "muscley guy thing" and ignored it. Well, now it turns out I'm recommending one to you. Lol. I actually am taking a fat burner. The bottle says twice a day, I only take it once about 30 mins before I work out, but usually not on days that I don't. One of the reasons is, it's usually mostly caffeine and legal crack, so if you don't work it out of your system, you're never gonna get to sleep. If you are a girl, be careful if you want to try these! A lot of them have something in them that isnt good for us or has lots of testosterone in it. I recommend triple checking the labels and talking to someone who knows what they're talking about before you try it. Now that I've scared you, i'll mention that it also tastes awful, lol. Mine is just a pill but it's still kinda yucky. But I like how much energy it gives me and I feel like its working so I'm still taking it. The one I take is "ripped juice" I don't use it all the time because again, the label is still kinda scary, even though I was assured by the biochemist turned health nut that it was safe for women and, more specifically, me. Lol
Ok...man-like supplements, check. I also take a multivitamin when I remember too. Lol. This is another thing "if it doesn't suck you're not doing it right". Vitamins taste SO gross. Haha. But now let's focus on the natural source of protein, energy and vitamins: food. On a normal day, my lunch is usually far healthier than my dinner. Mostly because I usually share dinner with someone else and I don't want to subject them to something boring, but also because I get tired of the same stuff if I eat it too much. This week for lunch I've had: progresso Italian style meatball soup, a burger, and a turkey sandwich. The last 2 were on 100% whole wheat bagel thins. These are awesome because not only are they thinner, they're also slightly smaller than a normal piece of bread. So my 2 pieces of turkey looks a lot more satisfying on those than on bread. Today I also had an apple and a yoplait light yogurt. So today my lunch was about 450 calories. Another strategy of tricking your inner fat-kid: smaller plates and multiple trips. I put my sandwich on a small plate instead of a normal sized one. And then I went BACK for the apple, and then I went BACK for the yogurt. I knew all along that's what I was gonna eat, but if you put it all on one big plate, it looks pathetic. Going back for "seconds" or even "thirds" keeps your fat kid happy. And who wants room-temp yogurt anyway? Also slicing up your apple may be another way to trick yourself into thinking you're eating more, but I'm lazy and I like eating it off the core.
For dinner, my mentality is I'll do what I can with what I'm given. If my family is having speghetti, small portions and no bread for me. If we're having something calorie-friendly like grilled chicken and steamed veggies? Load up. I also recently discovered no sugar added blue bell. So if I have enough calories left, I'm going for it. Lol Another ice cream trick: serve it in a coffee mug instead of a bowl, and eat with a tea spoon instead of a regular spoon. Again, it's all about playing mind games with yourself. Lol smaller portion in the same size bowl is going to leave you feeling unsatisfied. Smaller portion in a smaller container with a smaller utensil? Satisfaction. Monday I went to Sara's for dinner and we had talapia, asparagus and couscous. Her family is so good at eating healthy, I'm learning calorie-cutting tricks from her all the time. Yesterday? Chili with my friend Patrick. I was 200 under my calorie goal even afterwards, so I didn't let myself feel bad about it. Tonight I have no idea what I'm eating. But I had spin class today, then I worked out for 30 more minutes and burned 1263 calories altogether, so theoretically I could eat whatever I wanted pretty much. I think I'll stick to trying to eat healthy and have a mug of [sugar free] bluebell for desert. Gotta keep that fat kid happy, or she'll make life a lot harder than it has to be.
[note: yes, I'm lactose intolerant, and yes I'm talking about my obsession with blue bell. I take lactaid pills with it so it's ok. Lol]
Ok so today I've had requests to talk about my diet and what I generally eat. I also want to talk about a few supplements I take to help me out. First and foremost I want to stress protein. "um, are you a big man?" "mmmm chalky" "uhhh like beef?" these are all attitudes I used to have about taking protein as a supplement. Will would make his protein shake and I would wrinkle my nose. But finally I came around, when everyone who was supposed to know what they were talking about kept recommending it. Really what sold me on it was remembering what I learned in structure and functions, and talking to the ex-biochemist at the sports nutrition store. If you're gonna be using your muscles, they're gonna need protein to at least stay the same size, and they're gonna need MORE if you want them to get bigger. And the more muscle you have the more fat your body burns to fuel them. Do you know that when your muscles repair themselves you're actually BURNING CALORIES IN YOUR SLEEP?! Now that's an idea I can get behind. Lol
Seriously though: Iso proteins. They're just pure protein, no fillers and other stuff. Right now I'm using the iso-100 mixed berry. I was using the "gourmet chocolate" but I needed a change. They're both pretty tasty, especially now that I discovered lactose-free milk. Lol. Did you know too much soy can make you retain water? It can also make you overly-emotional but that's neither here nor there. Lol. Anyway, yes. Protein. Carlos said 2 shakes a day, the guy at the store recommended 3, I usually drink 1 after I work out and that's it unless I'm sore and then I know my muscles need it so I drink more of it. Haha.
Another thing I wrinkled my nose at was Will's pre-workout drink. I read the label and it said "not for women who are nursing, pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant". Ok I'm sorry, I'm none of those things, but as a woman: that is always a red flag. So I blew off pre-workout drinks as another "muscley guy thing" and ignored it. Well, now it turns out I'm recommending one to you. Lol. I actually am taking a fat burner. The bottle says twice a day, I only take it once about 30 mins before I work out, but usually not on days that I don't. One of the reasons is, it's usually mostly caffeine and legal crack, so if you don't work it out of your system, you're never gonna get to sleep. If you are a girl, be careful if you want to try these! A lot of them have something in them that isnt good for us or has lots of testosterone in it. I recommend triple checking the labels and talking to someone who knows what they're talking about before you try it. Now that I've scared you, i'll mention that it also tastes awful, lol. Mine is just a pill but it's still kinda yucky. But I like how much energy it gives me and I feel like its working so I'm still taking it. The one I take is "ripped juice" I don't use it all the time because again, the label is still kinda scary, even though I was assured by the biochemist turned health nut that it was safe for women and, more specifically, me. Lol
Ok...man-like supplements, check. I also take a multivitamin when I remember too. Lol. This is another thing "if it doesn't suck you're not doing it right". Vitamins taste SO gross. Haha. But now let's focus on the natural source of protein, energy and vitamins: food. On a normal day, my lunch is usually far healthier than my dinner. Mostly because I usually share dinner with someone else and I don't want to subject them to something boring, but also because I get tired of the same stuff if I eat it too much. This week for lunch I've had: progresso Italian style meatball soup, a burger, and a turkey sandwich. The last 2 were on 100% whole wheat bagel thins. These are awesome because not only are they thinner, they're also slightly smaller than a normal piece of bread. So my 2 pieces of turkey looks a lot more satisfying on those than on bread. Today I also had an apple and a yoplait light yogurt. So today my lunch was about 450 calories. Another strategy of tricking your inner fat-kid: smaller plates and multiple trips. I put my sandwich on a small plate instead of a normal sized one. And then I went BACK for the apple, and then I went BACK for the yogurt. I knew all along that's what I was gonna eat, but if you put it all on one big plate, it looks pathetic. Going back for "seconds" or even "thirds" keeps your fat kid happy. And who wants room-temp yogurt anyway? Also slicing up your apple may be another way to trick yourself into thinking you're eating more, but I'm lazy and I like eating it off the core.
For dinner, my mentality is I'll do what I can with what I'm given. If my family is having speghetti, small portions and no bread for me. If we're having something calorie-friendly like grilled chicken and steamed veggies? Load up. I also recently discovered no sugar added blue bell. So if I have enough calories left, I'm going for it. Lol Another ice cream trick: serve it in a coffee mug instead of a bowl, and eat with a tea spoon instead of a regular spoon. Again, it's all about playing mind games with yourself. Lol smaller portion in the same size bowl is going to leave you feeling unsatisfied. Smaller portion in a smaller container with a smaller utensil? Satisfaction. Monday I went to Sara's for dinner and we had talapia, asparagus and couscous. Her family is so good at eating healthy, I'm learning calorie-cutting tricks from her all the time. Yesterday? Chili with my friend Patrick. I was 200 under my calorie goal even afterwards, so I didn't let myself feel bad about it. Tonight I have no idea what I'm eating. But I had spin class today, then I worked out for 30 more minutes and burned 1263 calories altogether, so theoretically I could eat whatever I wanted pretty much. I think I'll stick to trying to eat healthy and have a mug of [sugar free] bluebell for desert. Gotta keep that fat kid happy, or she'll make life a lot harder than it has to be.
[note: yes, I'm lactose intolerant, and yes I'm talking about my obsession with blue bell. I take lactaid pills with it so it's ok. Lol]
Monday, February 6, 2012
Victories of All Sizes
I have so many things I want to tell y'all! I didn't know what today's post was gonna be about til I was on my way home from the gym. Today I want to talk about victories and setbacks and how I classify and handle them. This was spurred by a victory I had today: I jogged on the elliptical for 5 minutes without breaking a sweat. I remember times [not too terribly long ago] that I couldn't jog for 5 minutes straight, or it would've had me breathing like that rhino at the end of the stampede in Jumanji. So needless to say, today was a great day for me.
Especially considering I ate like CRAP this wknd. Belated birthday celebrations and superbowl snacks are not conducive to eating healthy/staying under your calorie goal. But instead of dwelling on the fact that for 2 days in a row I ate like "old Marissa", I just made myself work that much harder today. Josh's schedule got pushed back so I actually was on the elliptical for 20 minutes before he kicked my ass for an hour. And I survived, like a champ. This is another reason why today is very victorious, especially in the shadow of the weekend of deliciously awful food/drinks. Lol.
It's really all about celebrating your victories no matter how trivial they might seem. That's how you keep yourself going. My victories at the beginning that were huge to me are now common occurances. Again, it's about being self contained and not trying to compare yourself to everyone else. That may work for some people, but I know for the majority of women, that's gonna be a recipe for sweat pants that never see sweat and always see couch. And also letting what you COULD consider failures fuel you as motivation to do better next time.
So just START! Be self aware. "Today I will not eat anything fried" "I climbed the stairs without breathing harder" whatever your starting point is, just start. Set goals, big and small. Long and short term. It's kinda like when you add something to your to-do list that you've already done just so you can scratch it off. Think of something you can already do, congratulate yourself, and take it a step further. So you can already climb the stairs with no difficulty? Great! Try running up them or see if you can walk 2 flights. These are the kind of baby steps you HAVE to take to keep yourself motivated. At least for me, if I'm achieving something every couple days, I can only keep improving, right?
This is how I've dropped 40 lbs and 32< inches. And guys, I'm on a roll. Suddenly stealing my sisters size 12 shorts is no longer a day dream but a GOAL. One I'm on track to achieve by this summer, if I can keep up the intensity. And if I can't? I'm still 3-4 sizes smaller than I was. My size 24s from 2 summers ago look like clown pants on me now. A couple weeks ago I bought a size 16 jacket and I did a little dance in the dressing room(and I don't care that you know it)! So what that I ate a crap-ton this weekend? I burned 1111 calories today and I "ran" a mile and a half in less than 20 minutes without breathing like a rhino. I am my successes, not my failures.
Especially considering I ate like CRAP this wknd. Belated birthday celebrations and superbowl snacks are not conducive to eating healthy/staying under your calorie goal. But instead of dwelling on the fact that for 2 days in a row I ate like "old Marissa", I just made myself work that much harder today. Josh's schedule got pushed back so I actually was on the elliptical for 20 minutes before he kicked my ass for an hour. And I survived, like a champ. This is another reason why today is very victorious, especially in the shadow of the weekend of deliciously awful food/drinks. Lol.
It's really all about celebrating your victories no matter how trivial they might seem. That's how you keep yourself going. My victories at the beginning that were huge to me are now common occurances. Again, it's about being self contained and not trying to compare yourself to everyone else. That may work for some people, but I know for the majority of women, that's gonna be a recipe for sweat pants that never see sweat and always see couch. And also letting what you COULD consider failures fuel you as motivation to do better next time.
So just START! Be self aware. "Today I will not eat anything fried" "I climbed the stairs without breathing harder" whatever your starting point is, just start. Set goals, big and small. Long and short term. It's kinda like when you add something to your to-do list that you've already done just so you can scratch it off. Think of something you can already do, congratulate yourself, and take it a step further. So you can already climb the stairs with no difficulty? Great! Try running up them or see if you can walk 2 flights. These are the kind of baby steps you HAVE to take to keep yourself motivated. At least for me, if I'm achieving something every couple days, I can only keep improving, right?
This is how I've dropped 40 lbs and 32< inches. And guys, I'm on a roll. Suddenly stealing my sisters size 12 shorts is no longer a day dream but a GOAL. One I'm on track to achieve by this summer, if I can keep up the intensity. And if I can't? I'm still 3-4 sizes smaller than I was. My size 24s from 2 summers ago look like clown pants on me now. A couple weeks ago I bought a size 16 jacket and I did a little dance in the dressing room(and I don't care that you know it)! So what that I ate a crap-ton this weekend? I burned 1111 calories today and I "ran" a mile and a half in less than 20 minutes without breathing like a rhino. I am my successes, not my failures.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
If It Doesn't Suck, You're Not Doing It Right.
Just got a belated birthday pedicure, and was reading the "half their size" issue of people while my nails dried. That's gonna be me, y'all. How? Because I have a great support system. Besides my living-inspiration-success-story better half, I have the amazing staff at my gym. So if God hasn't sent you the answer to all your prayers, I would suggest a personal trainer. aka go out and answer them yourself. Lol
I hope nobody from Sallie Mae reads this, because I'm not gonna lie, training can get pricey. Not like, car payment pricey, but more than I thought I'd be spending. If you think about it though, it's a lot less than you'd be paying for diabetes meds and heart surgery later, so preventative medicine it is! Lol besides Sallie Mae, I'd rather be around to pay you back.
Anyway, I've been keeping this all generic because the specifics haven't been important, it's the overall mindset and determination that has been the key to my success this far. But I have to tell you about the three greatest trainers of all time: Carlos, Nichole, and Josh. Carlos is the head trainer, the one in charge of your initial assessment and keeps tabs of your program and such. So we sat down and set initial goals, long and short. I told him honestly, I would be happy if I was under x amount on the scale. "that's all?" ...that's all?! It's like almost a 90 lb loss from where I started!! I was so taken aback I was like "well yeah sure it'd be great to be the healthy weight for my height. What is that like 125?" to me, aiming for 125 was like aiming for the moon. This man was obviously crazy. He explained that with a lot of hard work on my part, we could get there in about 14 months. So I decided he must know what he's talking about, he's the one in charge and he obviously LOOKS like he knows how to make people look good. I'll smile and nod and see what else he had to say.
After my initial fitness assessment I was slightly more optimistic. I was out of shape, obviously, but I wasn't as bad off as most people at my body fat percentage. We took my starting measurements and it was hard to look at those numbers, knowing that they were still so high even after my losses thus far. But I was DOING something about it. I hate not being able to do anything, and this was the apex of doing something. Lol. I trained with a couple trainers and right away really liked Nichole. She reminded me of half a dozen of my old teammates in different ways and she was just good! Like when you hear music you're unfamiliar with and you're like "I don't really get it but I know that person is talented". Haha. Our sessions were great, and I felt both great and like death afterwards. Of course she was so good it was hard to get a time with her when my work schedule was so nuts. So I was going to try some different ones. On Halloween I was setting up some more appointments and one of the trainers was running around being crazy and I thought to myself "how fun would it be to train with that guy?"
Turns out, fun but awful. Lol. My first session with Josh I told him I wanted to work out my legs. I had been doing the weights by myself but I felt like I needed a pro to tell me what to do. He asked if I wanted to do "chill legs or hard legs". Well, hard, of course. He said "oookay" In that way that means you're going to regret the decision you just made. Oh, but I did. Haha ok not really, but he had me doing "weightless legs" which is code for "all of those awful things you had to do at soccer practice as punishment". I was both pissed off and deeply impressed. Haha. It's funny how so much about getting in shape can have you feeling 2 things at once. I like to think of it as "old me" and "new me". Old me was completely pissed and wanted to punch this jerk in the face. New me was stoked and wanted to make him my new best friend. I settled for trying not to whine and asking for his next available appt time. Haha
These 3 have been instrumental to my success for the last 4ish months. They push me when I don't think I've got anything left and I prove to both of us that I can do it. Nichole is my guru on weights and kicking my butt in a small group setting; Josh is the master of making me hate my life and thank him for it. And Carlos is the best cheerleader any fat girl could ask for.
My biggest epiphany yet was after my first round of measurements in December. I exceeded my expectations and those 3 seemed genuinely surprised and proud of how much I had lost. On the scale I had only lost 6 lbs, but really it was 10 lbs of fat and 22 inches. My hard work had me visably smaller. Shortly after that I had the realization that I never had to be that size again. Everyday for the foreseeable future I could wake up and look in the mirror and think "I will never be this big again". Like, think about that for a second. All my life I've been the fat kid and now I could truthfully, and with faith say "never again". This was like the most mind-blowing thing to me. I'm not saving my fat pants "just in case", I'm throwing them out because there is no going back.
I hope nobody from Sallie Mae reads this, because I'm not gonna lie, training can get pricey. Not like, car payment pricey, but more than I thought I'd be spending. If you think about it though, it's a lot less than you'd be paying for diabetes meds and heart surgery later, so preventative medicine it is! Lol besides Sallie Mae, I'd rather be around to pay you back.
Anyway, I've been keeping this all generic because the specifics haven't been important, it's the overall mindset and determination that has been the key to my success this far. But I have to tell you about the three greatest trainers of all time: Carlos, Nichole, and Josh. Carlos is the head trainer, the one in charge of your initial assessment and keeps tabs of your program and such. So we sat down and set initial goals, long and short. I told him honestly, I would be happy if I was under x amount on the scale. "that's all?" ...that's all?! It's like almost a 90 lb loss from where I started!! I was so taken aback I was like "well yeah sure it'd be great to be the healthy weight for my height. What is that like 125?" to me, aiming for 125 was like aiming for the moon. This man was obviously crazy. He explained that with a lot of hard work on my part, we could get there in about 14 months. So I decided he must know what he's talking about, he's the one in charge and he obviously LOOKS like he knows how to make people look good. I'll smile and nod and see what else he had to say.
After my initial fitness assessment I was slightly more optimistic. I was out of shape, obviously, but I wasn't as bad off as most people at my body fat percentage. We took my starting measurements and it was hard to look at those numbers, knowing that they were still so high even after my losses thus far. But I was DOING something about it. I hate not being able to do anything, and this was the apex of doing something. Lol. I trained with a couple trainers and right away really liked Nichole. She reminded me of half a dozen of my old teammates in different ways and she was just good! Like when you hear music you're unfamiliar with and you're like "I don't really get it but I know that person is talented". Haha. Our sessions were great, and I felt both great and like death afterwards. Of course she was so good it was hard to get a time with her when my work schedule was so nuts. So I was going to try some different ones. On Halloween I was setting up some more appointments and one of the trainers was running around being crazy and I thought to myself "how fun would it be to train with that guy?"
Turns out, fun but awful. Lol. My first session with Josh I told him I wanted to work out my legs. I had been doing the weights by myself but I felt like I needed a pro to tell me what to do. He asked if I wanted to do "chill legs or hard legs". Well, hard, of course. He said "oookay" In that way that means you're going to regret the decision you just made. Oh, but I did. Haha ok not really, but he had me doing "weightless legs" which is code for "all of those awful things you had to do at soccer practice as punishment". I was both pissed off and deeply impressed. Haha. It's funny how so much about getting in shape can have you feeling 2 things at once. I like to think of it as "old me" and "new me". Old me was completely pissed and wanted to punch this jerk in the face. New me was stoked and wanted to make him my new best friend. I settled for trying not to whine and asking for his next available appt time. Haha
These 3 have been instrumental to my success for the last 4ish months. They push me when I don't think I've got anything left and I prove to both of us that I can do it. Nichole is my guru on weights and kicking my butt in a small group setting; Josh is the master of making me hate my life and thank him for it. And Carlos is the best cheerleader any fat girl could ask for.
My biggest epiphany yet was after my first round of measurements in December. I exceeded my expectations and those 3 seemed genuinely surprised and proud of how much I had lost. On the scale I had only lost 6 lbs, but really it was 10 lbs of fat and 22 inches. My hard work had me visably smaller. Shortly after that I had the realization that I never had to be that size again. Everyday for the foreseeable future I could wake up and look in the mirror and think "I will never be this big again". Like, think about that for a second. All my life I've been the fat kid and now I could truthfully, and with faith say "never again". This was like the most mind-blowing thing to me. I'm not saving my fat pants "just in case", I'm throwing them out because there is no going back.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
That Place of Dreams and Nightmares: The Gym
I just did a spin class for the first time this morning. Only the extreme sense of accomplishment is keeping me from swearing I'll never do it again. I burned close to 900 calories in an hr. I'm still at negative 350 calories for the day even with extra cheese on my lunch. Lol. Anyway, this is perfect bc I really wanted this post to be about the gym, and most people's attitudes about it.
One of the reasons I never asked to go work out with Will is because I didn't want to go into the gym. He looked like the poster child for any gym in America and I looked like the poster child for a insulin pump. Lol. Seriously though, the LAST thing a fat girl wants to do is put on shorts and go sweat infront of a bunch of skinny people. When I finally went, I just had to get over it. Put in my earphones, block out the rest of the world, and focus on what I was doing. Going with Will was like getting passes backstage, in a way. I got to see what he did to get the way he was.
I started out doing weights like he was, but a Mexican woman and a Black man have completely different bodies, so needless to say I wasn't making the great strides that he had. I was still losing slowly but surely and I was feeling stronger and better so I kept it up. I added cardio and started to see and feel a bigger difference. Weight wise I wasn't really making a whole lot of progress but as you know, muscle weighs more than fat, and I wasn't too concerned.
When Will left for bootcamp I promised I would keep working out on my own and in 8 weeks when we saw eachother again we were both going to be measurably thinner. Well back in April I had gotten a new job and it had me traveling and busy and it was another month before I managed to join the gym by my house. I had put back on 5 pounds in that time, but I was still about 20 lbs lighter than the year before. It was about a year since my starting point when I finally threw out all the excuses and got my smaller-but-still-big butt into the gym.
It helped a lot, mostly unconsciously I'd guess, that the gym looked almost EXACTLY like the one I'd been in for months with Will. The guy who signed me up was even in the navy and we talked about that and I felt strangely comfortable. Now, let me tell you, it was still super intimidating because it was mostly skinny people, but I wasn't the only one there because they were trying to better themselves, not by a long shot. And even at closer look those thin and muscular people were still sweating and breathing hard on their chosen machines. I could do this.
I started going as much as work would allow, and you know what? It SUCKED! A lot. But it was also the best feeling when you were done and knew that by your own will power and determination, you just burned off x amount of calories and were on track to lose x amount of fat. You by your power are changing your life. And THAT, my friends, is worth every minute of feeling gross and sweaty and being sore. Which is why I am actually about to go back to the gym for my training session. I'm probably crazy, but I'll talk about personal training next time. Until then, keep up the positive thinking! You guys are great =)
One of the reasons I never asked to go work out with Will is because I didn't want to go into the gym. He looked like the poster child for any gym in America and I looked like the poster child for a insulin pump. Lol. Seriously though, the LAST thing a fat girl wants to do is put on shorts and go sweat infront of a bunch of skinny people. When I finally went, I just had to get over it. Put in my earphones, block out the rest of the world, and focus on what I was doing. Going with Will was like getting passes backstage, in a way. I got to see what he did to get the way he was.
I started out doing weights like he was, but a Mexican woman and a Black man have completely different bodies, so needless to say I wasn't making the great strides that he had. I was still losing slowly but surely and I was feeling stronger and better so I kept it up. I added cardio and started to see and feel a bigger difference. Weight wise I wasn't really making a whole lot of progress but as you know, muscle weighs more than fat, and I wasn't too concerned.
When Will left for bootcamp I promised I would keep working out on my own and in 8 weeks when we saw eachother again we were both going to be measurably thinner. Well back in April I had gotten a new job and it had me traveling and busy and it was another month before I managed to join the gym by my house. I had put back on 5 pounds in that time, but I was still about 20 lbs lighter than the year before. It was about a year since my starting point when I finally threw out all the excuses and got my smaller-but-still-big butt into the gym.
It helped a lot, mostly unconsciously I'd guess, that the gym looked almost EXACTLY like the one I'd been in for months with Will. The guy who signed me up was even in the navy and we talked about that and I felt strangely comfortable. Now, let me tell you, it was still super intimidating because it was mostly skinny people, but I wasn't the only one there because they were trying to better themselves, not by a long shot. And even at closer look those thin and muscular people were still sweating and breathing hard on their chosen machines. I could do this.
I started going as much as work would allow, and you know what? It SUCKED! A lot. But it was also the best feeling when you were done and knew that by your own will power and determination, you just burned off x amount of calories and were on track to lose x amount of fat. You by your power are changing your life. And THAT, my friends, is worth every minute of feeling gross and sweaty and being sore. Which is why I am actually about to go back to the gym for my training session. I'm probably crazy, but I'll talk about personal training next time. Until then, keep up the positive thinking! You guys are great =)
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