Goals for July

It's July 1st, which means it's time to reflect on the month of June and the progress I made on my goals as well as set new goals for this month!

June's Goals

1. Get into the 180's

2. 15 runs in June

3. 90 oz water per day

4. Track w/integrity EVERY DAY!!

I'm happy to report on each of these goals!! WOOHOO!

Get into the 180's

I'm happy to report that as of this morning I'm fluctuating between 189 lbs and 188.4 lbs!  I recorded the higher of the two for HappyScale!  This means I met my milestone 4 and can start work on Milestone 5!  Slow and steady wins the race!

15 Runs in June

I'm counting this one done -- on a technicality... technically my "Month of June" started mid-week, So I'm counting all the runs that week instead of just the calendar mark.  Training calendar trumps actual calendar, right?

90 oz Water Per Day

This one is a bit tricky -- I didn't necessarily track the water I drank... I just made sure to drink a LOT especially after a hot run or after being in the humidity for a while.

My Go-To mug is a 32 oz double wall insulated deal that I refill multiple times per day.  I also fill it to the brim with ice at each refill, so the actual water content may be significantly less than the 32 ounce mark.

Moving forward, I'm just going to keep pushing water...

The silver lining is that I haven't had pop (or soda if you're southern) in a long time.  Well over a month -- so this pushing water focus is helping in that arena.  I'm a long time diet coke addict, but realized it was slowly killing me so I've since reformed.  I now obsess over coffee, tea, and water.

Track with Integrity every day!

I nailed this goal -- and I can honestly say that it's so much easier when I'm doing the 21 day fix meal plan.  I usually can bust through all my portions for the day and still have points leftover.  Cooking at home helps with this too -- as it gives me more control over what I add to the food, how my meals are prepared, and how big my portions are.

I'm trying to fall into a rhythm with eating that goes something like this:

• Breakfast - eggs or a smoothie
• Snack - Protein shake if I workout in the AM, coffee + fruit if I workout later that day.
• Lunch - Leftovers, a Big salad with lots of veg + protein, or avocado toast w/egg
• Snack - Fruit usually, or I skip it if my lunch was sufficiently large.  My go to around this time if I'm starving is an apple with almond butter.... mmmm
• Dinner - Protein + veg + carb,  I like to designate a carb to this meal time.  Something about having a carb at dinner helps me feel full and satisfied, even if it's just a half cup of rice.
• Dessert/Snack - Date Rolls (homemade), Greek yogurt w/ honey & nuts, or skip if I'm full.

Goals for July

1. Crush my Runs!!  (As planned)
2. Be active every day!! (Workout, run, or active recovery - yoga, pilates, foam rolling, stretching)
3. Drink up!!  (Water, water, water, unsweetened tea, water, water, coffee...)
4. Hit Milestone #5 -- 180!

I've got this!

What are you goals for this month?

Did you crush your June Goals?

What's your rhythm for meals throughout the day?

Weigh in Wednesday #9

It's that time of the week again!  Where we run to the bathroom four or five times, strip down to nothing, and hold our breath on the scale...  Nah just teasing -- I only do two of those three things... ^-^

Goals from Last week

• Eat single ingredient foods with every meal.
  • This went pretty well -- there were only a few meals (mostly when we ate out) where I wasn't super sure how the foods were prepared... I'm going to keep practicing this, and become more and more aware of how I'm fueling my body.
• Workout out every day!
  • This definitely happened -- As my mileage increases, I'm feeling the mental fight starting where I feel like I shouldn't run and workout on the same day -- but strength training means I'll grow stronger!  This has to be a part of my routine!
• Be Grateful each day
  • While I'm definitely grateful, this goal needs more practice as well.  I am blessed each day with so many thing - my husband, my job, my family, and my health - I'll have to incorporate a ritual to make this more of a focus.

Results from Happy Scale

Last week, my moving average was 190.9 and my 10-day-best was 189.6

This week, my moving average is 190.6 and my 10-day-best is 189.6... not much of a change, but I'm THANKFUL that it didn't MOVE UP!

  

This means my moving average is .3bs less than last week's!  It's also worth noting that my 10 day best weigh in (189.6) happened again this morning!  (Post run, so I'm sure I'm closer to 190.6 right now...)

 

I have to remember, when I feel discouraged or rushed, that these changes are for the rest of my life.  Health and nutrition are a top priority to me, because many of my long & short term goals require it.  There's no way around it.

The rate at which I'm losing weight and gaining strength don't matter as much as the rate at which my mindset has changed.

Points Breakdown

GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/23/+6

Tuesday -30/38/+3

Wednesday -30/33/+7

Thursday - 30/40/+5

Friday - 30/33/+3

Saturday -30/46/+8

Sunday - 30/39/+0

Totals:  Goal - 210, Actual - 252, Activity - 32, Weeklies - 49

This means I ended the week with 39 leftover points!!!  Compared to last week's 22, this feels like I'm moving in the right direction!  Essentially, I only used 42 of my weeklies and no activity points -- so I think I'm at a place where I don't need to swap my activity points for food.

Somewhere on social media or youtube or somewhere, I heard someone remark about how they don't, "train for treats" -- because they aren't a dog!  I had never heard it put like this before!  They were arguing that the mindset of having to earn calories by working out crazily created a dangerous mindset where food had more power over you than it should.  

Instead, this person argued, the focus should be on giving the body what it needs when it needs it (carbs after exercise to replenish glycogen stores, protein to build muscles, etc...).  The idea was that treats or cheat meals are earned by living a life that is otherwise healthy and nutritious.  This is like when all those nutritionists say that certain treats can be a one in a blue moon occurrence in an otherwise "healthy diet".

To me, treats aren't earned in the gym -- they are a part of my training plan and mental health.  Where's the fun in eating well and exercising if that means I can't indulge once in a while?  :-P

Goals for this week

1. Eating - 21 day fix + WWSP tracking.  I decided that this week will be a SmartPoints week to see how I do with smartpoints.  I won't be trading in my activity points, but I'll still track them.  I'll also be saving most of my weeklies for my cheat meal - though I'm not entirely sure what it will be yet... we'll see.
2. Exercise every day - I am currently running 4 days a week and will incorporate strength training, yoga, and pilates.  Becoming a ninja is hard work -- but worth it!
3. List what I'm grateful for each day - I have a hobonichi planner, which if you're unfamiliar is a cross between a planner and a journal.  In it's pages for the next week, I will write what I'm grateful and be thankful to have the opportunity.

How did your weigh in go this week?

How did you strike a balance between nutrition and treats?

How do you stay mindful of all your blessings?

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Tuesday's Treats

It's grey and drizzly out -- which means I'm working from the comfort of my bed!  I'm in complete denial about having to wake up, get up, and get moving -- so I'm counting this morning's lazy as my first treat!

Later today, I'll squeeze in an upper body workout and (maybe) a total body workout in the evening.  I have a few errands to run - groceries and such - so somehow, I'll need to get out of this bed.  But not yet.

Lazy Walrus

Have you ever had a lazy day?  Have you ever felt guilty about being lazy all day?  

I always feel bad about being lazy -- which means I don't really enjoy my down time.  I usually feel like I need to be doing something productive.

Since it's my summer, I don't have as much work to do as I do in the fall and winter -- so I have that nagging sense of "I'm forgetting something".  Normally, I'd distract myself from this feeling and my guilty conscience with some sunshine and summer fun, but today I'm stuck in the house.  I have nothing pressing to do (besides my workouts and errands) and I have very little motivation...

So instead of finding something to do around the house (cleaning, etc...) which doesn't need to be done (read: I just cleaned it yesterday), I've decided to treat myself!  My treat will be  a little laziness today.

I am the lazy walrus! 

Maybe not so lazy

Even as I sit in bed typing these words, I know that I still have a short list of errands I'd like to run and work I'd like to do.

Typing this post does count as doing something, right?

So maybe I'll just allow myself a few other treats as well... like a bath, or an at home facial, or even a yummy meal out.

How are you treating yourself today?

Do you ever feel guilty for "down days"?

How do you handle relaxing?

Let me know in the comments below!! ^_^

Marathon Monday #9

Good Morning -- As I'm writing this, I'm recovering from this morning's run; the first run of week 9.  I'm red, I'm sweaty, and I'm beat!!

Planned/Actual

Planned:

Monday - Run 25 mins, Total Body Cardio w/ weights

Tuesday - No run, Upper Body Strength

Wednesday - Run 30 mins, Lower Body Strength

Thursday - Run 25 mins, Pilates & Ab Workout

Friday - No Run, Cardio without weights (Plyo)

Saturday - Run 40 mins, Total Body Strength

Sunday - No Run, Yoga + Active Recovery & Foam rolling (if needed).

 

Actual:

Monday - Ran 25 mins, Total Body Cardio w/ weights

Tuesday - No Run, Upper Body Strength

Wednesday - Ran 30 mins, Lower Body Strength

Thursday - Ran 25 mins, Pilates & Ab Workout

Friday - No Run, Cardio without weights (Plyo)

Saturday -  Ran 40 mins, Total Body Strength

Sunday - No Run - Recovery Day (*No yoga due to tummy bloat issues*)

How'd it feel?

I keep feeling stronger and stronger each week.  I did a handstand with hubby's assist again (because my negative self doubted I ever did it in the first place... showed that B**** what's what!).

On some of the workout days (arms, lets, Dirty 30) -- I upped my weights to challenge myself!  Strong legs, strong arms, strong lady!!

This week's Plan

This week is the "big switch" in my training.  I'm switching from running for time to running for distance.  This is not a problem 0_0 -- only it messes with my head.  Today's run is done, but it was a total mental fight to get out there and get it done... but now that it's done, I feel great!  I could've kept going, so physically I'm ready.  I just have to sharpen my mental game!

Monday - Run 25 mins, Total Body Cardio w/ weights

Tuesday - Recover, Upper Body Strength

Wednesday - Run 30 mins, Lower Body Strength

Thursday - Run 25 mins, Pilates & Ab Workout

Friday - Recover, Cardio without weights (Plyo)

Saturday -  Run 40 mins, Total Body Strength

Sunday - Recover, Yoga

As far as eating, I'm battling the need to switch things up.  I didn't see huge jumps in the scale, like I was hoping for, but it dawned on me (mid run, when I have most of my epiphanies) that I just need to stay the course.  The last few years have been a constant switch from one thing to the next to chase weight loss.  That part of my life is over.  I'm chasing strength now.  

I want to be a NINJA!  I want to show how strong I am; to prove it to myself and to anyone who's ever doubted me.  

Instead of changing this up or quitting, I'm digging my heels in.  I will stick with the 21 day fix + weight watchers combo, but to satisfy the "change" without steering off course, I'm going to do Smart Points instead of Points Plus -- This means no trading in activity points (since I train for strength, not food - cuz I'm not a dog) and this also means that treats will cost me. 

This is fine with me.  A fit lifestyle for life means 6 days eating on point with one cheat meal on the 7th day.  I plan to save those weeklies for an awesome cheat meal... more on this on Wednesday...

How did you do this week?  

What are you training for? To be a ninja like me?  

How do you sharpen your mental game?

Weigh in Wednesday #8

It's weigh in Wednesday -- and I've been battling my internet service provider since yesterday.  It seems they cannot fix the issue over the phone and will have to send out a technician sometime between 1 and 4 pm today.  Luckily, I have no plans to do anything other than work out...

Goals from Last week

1.  Eating 21 day fix plan
   • This went well, until Saturday -- we tried a new breakfast spot, spent the morning running errands, and then found a new spot for lunch (where I indulged in fried foods and cheese and carbs!).  I stayed within my points, but definitely didn't eat as "clean" as I usually do.
2. Meditation
   • I barely meditated at all this week  o_o.  I'm going to reserve this practice for when Fall is in full swing, as I think it'll be more beneficial when I'm stressed or anxious.  For now, I'm just enjoying the sunshine and chill days.
3. 21 day fix workouts
   • This went super well!  I've found enjoyment (and an immense feeling of pride) working out every day-- every. single. day.  On days when I run, I get two workouts per day, but I run in the morning and lift in the evening.  I've been feeling really recharged by the evening or afternoon workouts, so I'll keep listening to my body and pace myself if necessary.

Results from Happy Scale

Last week, my moving average was 192.0 and my 10-day-best was 191.0

This week, my moving average is 190.9 and my 10-day-best is 189.6!! WOOHOO!

This means my moving average is 1.1lbs less than last week's!  WOOT WOOT!

This is really encouraging, even though -- to be honest -- I was alittle upset from the scale's results this morning.  I weighed in at 193!  Last week I was eating really well and feeling really strong with my workouts, but then splurged for mostly the whole weekend.  Saturday was full of eating out and "treats", though I managed to stay within my PointsPlus allowance.

Points Breakdown

GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/39/+3

Tuesday -30/30/+3

Wednesday -30/30/+2

Thursday - 30/36/+6

Friday - 30/32/+2

Saturday -30/62/+2

Sunday - 30/31/+5

Totals:  Goal - 210, Actual - 260, Activity - 23, Weeklies - 49

This means I ended the week with 22 leftover points!!!  Compared to last week's 8, this feels like a lot!

Goals for this week

My goals for this week are a bit different from last week but are in the same vein:

• Eat single ingredient foods with every meal.
  • I'll be using the 21 day fix containers to ensure portion control, and keep in the spirit of the 21 day fix as far as the number of servings of each type of food.  So in a way, this is the same as my 21 day fix eating plan goals -- I'm just upping the ante in that for this week, I'll be trying to eat foods with a single ingredient.  Sweet Potatoes, Chicken, Beef, Broccoli, Lettuce, -- foods that are whole and clean.  This means avoiding those meals of mac and cheese from a box or super processed cheese crackers.
• Workout out every day!
  • Though this week is going well so far, I feel that soon I'll tire of the 21 day fix workouts (?) Maybe?  If so, I wanted a goal that would keep me active and focused on strength/fitness but won't keep me in a box.  (When I feel boxed in, I tend to also get scatter brained and discouraged -- so trying to avoid this is best).
• Be Grateful each day
  • There is so much to be grateful for in this world -- and remembering to be grateful first is so important to me.  I refuse to be one of those jerks that takes everything for granted!  [Today, I'm grateful for all of you readers -- just FYI!]

How did your weigh in go this week?

What workouts have you found that've worked?

Have you ever had to change up  your programs to keep things interesting?

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Weigh In Wednesday #7

This past week's eating plan was based on the 21 day fix eating plan (4 servings of protein/veg, 3 servings of fruit/carbs, etc...).  Meals were designed around these while tracking using WWPP.

For exercise, I did my training runs but also incorporated the 21 day fix workouts.  My idea was to try this for one week to see how it felt... and I have to say, it felt pretty good.

I felt so good and so successful with this combination that I'm doing it again this week!

Goals from Last week

1.  Eating 21 day fix plan
   • This went well!  I was not striving for perfection, but this eating plan emphasizes portion control (which I tend to cheat) and clean foods (power foods).  By trying to get all 4 servings of veg and protein and al 3 servings of fruit in each day, I found myself eating really well.  I didn't feel hungry, but when I felt like indulging - I just made sure it fit into my points for the day/week.
2. Meditation
   • I took time to meditate most every day.  Some times it was just on the run - zoning out and letting the music flow.  Other times, I used the Headspace app and took a 10 minute meditation break.  It's getting easier, but as far as how it impacts the rest of my day, we'll have to see with continued practice.
3. 21 day fix workouts
   • This went well!  I've found myself in different places each day -- a few days working out was a challenge, others it was a joy.  It was nice to just press the play button my DVD player and go.  I can definitely feel these workouts today though -- will need to stretch more.  With all this extra time in the summer, it's really a nice commitment to work out every day -- every. single. day.

Results from Happy Scale

Last week, my moving average was 193.4 and my 10-day-best was 192.6.

Today, my moving average is 192.0 and my 10-day-best is 191.0!

As far as progress towards my goals/milestones, my next goal is to get below 190 -- this makes 189 a milestone.  2 lbs to go!!

My weight trends are all "in the green" - meaning I'm trending down.  In the past 90 days, I've only lost 3.6lbs, which is due to gains and losses canceling out the effort.  I'm determined to keep these all green and moving!

The most exciting change is under Predictions, where it now says that I'll reach my 189 Milestone in 25 days (instead of over a Year!!).

Points Breakdown

GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/30/+1

Tuesday -30/37/+3

Wednesday -30/34/+2

Thursday - 30/43/+5

Friday - 30/38/+7

Saturday -30/42/+6

Sunday - 30/54/+3

Totals:  Goal - 210, Actual - 278, Activity - 27, Weeklies - 49

This means I ended the week with 8 leftover points!!!  Compared to last week, this is such an improvement!

Goals for this week

My goals for this week are similar to last week -- because why change something that I feel good about and that worked for me?

1.  Eat based on the 21 day fix and WWPP
2. Meditate!
3. Workout based on the 21 day fix workouts and include the training runs

How did your weigh in go this week?  

What have you found that's worked?  

Have you ever merged together programs like this?  

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Tuesday's Treats #7

It's Tuesday, which means I'm all about treats today.  After a weekend of girly fun, I feel like I've been well "treated" and am going to focus on self care as my reward of choice.

Treats from Girl's Weekend

My bestie and I had a girls only weekend that included a sleepover.  We watched movies, ate junk food, and got the glitteriest mani/pedi's EVER!

This morning's Treats

First up, my morning run.  I set my mind on the goal of running and set my music to motivate.  It was a hot one, but it felt SOO GOOD.

Once I finished my run, I made my recovery drink of choice -- a Protein Latte.  This is basically a scoop of EAS Lean 15 Protein Powder  mixed into iced coffee instead of water.  I ran out of iced coffee, so I used a scoop of my favorite Espresso powder and lots of ice and water.

For Breakfast, I made avocado toast with a whole fried egg + 1 egg white on top.  Something about the yolk + avocado is the best most amazing treat ever.  Adding a ton of Korean Hot Pepper Powder bumps it up a notch.  A generous sprinkle is REQUIRED for deliciousness.

Paired with some fat slices of Watermelon, my tummy was in heaven!

Afternoon/Evening Treats

This afternoon, I have to do some work and then go to a dinner meeting -- where I'll be treating myself to a meal of FISH!  Something I love to eat, but don't often cook for myself.  This is mostly because I can't stand the smell that lingers once fish is cooked in a small space, but partly because Hubby doesn't eat fish -- and I don't like making a fuss for something only I'll eat.

Once the meeting's over, I'll do my Upper Body Strength workout and have a quick shower before some one on one time with Hubby.

We'll end the evening with some movies that I've wanted to watch -- they've been sitting on my Netflix for what feels like 254 years.

How are you treating yourself this week?

What's your stance on glittery nail polish??

Do you eat Fish at home?  If so, how do you prevent the fishy smell???

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Marathon Monday #7

Welcome to week 7 of Marathon Training -- it's Marathon Monday, so let's review how last week went

Planned/Actual

Plan - 4 runs

• Tuesday - 5 min walk, 5 min run, 3 min walk, 8 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run, 5 min walk
• Thursday - 5 min walk, 10 min run, 3 min walk, 10 min run, 5 min walk.
• Friday - 5 min walk, 22 min run, 5 min walk
• Sunday - 5 min walk, 22 min run, 5 min walk

Actual - 3 runs

• Tuesday - 5 min walk, 5 min run, 3 min walk, 8 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run, 5 min walk

• Thursday - 5 min walk, 10 min run, 3 min walk, 10 min run, 5 min walk.

• Saturday - 5 min walk, 22 min run, 5 min walk

How'd it Go?

Even though I didn't make all four planned runs, I'm really proud of myself for this week.  I worked out EVERY SINGLE DAY -- including the days when ran.  I challenged myself to try a week of the 21 day fix workouts as well as mostly the eating plan (focusing on getting all the servings of fruit, veg, and protein in each day, but still tracking WWPP each day).  

I have to say, I'm feeling really strong... so I'm going to try it again this week.  

This week's plan, Running & Workouts

Monday - No Run, Total Body Cardio w/ weights

Tuesday - Run 20 mins, Upper Body Strength

Wednesday - No Run, Lower Body Strength 

Thursday - Run 20 mins, Pilates & Ab Workout 

Friday - No Run, Cardio without weights (Plyo)

Saturday - Run 20 mins, Total Body Strength

Sunday - No Run, Yoga + Active Recovery & Foam rolling (if needed).

How did your week go?  

Do you get all your planned runs in or do you have challenges like me?  

How do you incorporate workouts into your week?

Just for Fun Friday

Summer time means having lots and lots of fun!

This week, the fun is in the planning!  

Hubby and I have been invited to spend some time with his folks this summer.  They are renting a cabin by a lake and it'll be my first time (even though they've been doing this for years).

My M.I.L. called today and booked the dates for the cabin while I booked dates for a rental car.  Now that things are reserved, it's so exciting!!

Vacation = motivation!

Picture this, my M.I.L. on speakerphone chatting with hubby and I while I rummage through my drawers and closet to find my swimsuit.  Once I find the little bugger, I (of course) try it on.

Nothing like a reality check to MOTIVATE!

Knowing that I'll be seeing hubby's whole family [and knowing they'll be seeing me in my swimsuit as we spend time by the lake] is a great appetite and craving suppressant.  It's also great for workout motivation.

Girl Time

There's been a lot of girl talk and girl time as well.  This weekend, a very dear friend of mine will be coming over for mani/pedi/scary movie/sleepover time!  Hubby will be away for the weekend, so it'll be just us girls!!

What are you doing for fun today?  

Do you enjoy having girl time?

 When was your last vacation?  Do vacations motivate you towards healthy choices too?

Let me know (with some details please!) in the comments below ^_^

Thursday's Thoughts & Things

Good evening all!

Here are some thoughts from my Thursday

Why does Pilates feel like so good?

After days of strength training and running, my dabbling in pilates today felt AMAZING.  The stretching and lengthening of my tight muscles make me feel relaxed (like I do after a yoga session) but working some of my minor muscles and my abs also felt like I was actually toning... Not that yoga or stretching isn't toning, it just doesn't feel like a toning/strengthening workout.

I really liked the feeling of engaging muscles that hadn't been worked in a while and will definitely include a pilates workout into my routine next Thursday!

"Rolls" & creases - NSG

NSG = "No Scale Goal"

I thought of this randomly today, but I wanted to set a no scale goal for myself.  Normally, fitting into my clothing or looking better in certain outfits is my loose goal.  Today, I thought a better goal, which is a tad more specific, should be to no longer have a belly "roll" or a crease created by my belly fat hanging over my waistband!

Maybe this is a bit too much info, but my belly is my absolute least favorite body part.  It's always been my trouble zone since I'm technically an apple shape.  Whenever I start gaining weight, you can immediately see it round my tummy.  Unfortunately, it's also the last thing that starts to shrink when I lose weight. 

Having a round tummy (a la Winnie the Pooh) limits me in certain yoga poses and pilates moves -- simply because my gut prevents me from bending all the way. 

I'll reach this No Scale Goal, not when I hit a certain number, but when my tummy shrinks to the point where there's no longer this "overhang" or "apron" of fat creating a crease where my waistband is.  (Does this make sense?)

Snap-Obsessed!

Relatively recently, since I'm not one of these young hip types, I've become obsessed with Snapchat!  The fun filters, disappearing chats, and daily stories have helped to fill the void that comes with summer time. 

I love using it as an accountability measure - snapping moments in my workouts or pics of my meals and sharing with all my friends makes me want to make better choices!

Also, the occasional pup pic -- because my doggy love is strong.

 

What are some of your thoughts from today?
 Do you set "No Scale Goals" for yourself?
 Do you have any trouble zones where you see your weight gain? 

Let me know in the comments below ^_^

Weigh in Wednesday

Good Morning Sunshines!!

It's weigh in Wednesday - which means it's the day of the week where I reflect on how things are going, how I'm feeling, and how the scale moved this week.

Results from Happy Scale

My moving average today is 193.4 -- which means a +0.4 change in weight.  My 10-day best is also +0.4... So I'm going to call it a gain of 0.4lbs.  

According to Happy Scale, my weight trends are a gain of 0.4lbs.... so yeah...

I'm not entirely surprised, as I ate a bit more than normal this week, but I do want to acknowledge what this means for hitting my next milestone... An extra month??  Aww Heck Naw!  This makes me determined to prove Happy Scale WRONG! :D

Points Breakdown

My Weight watchers week starts over each Monday, so I'll list the final points score for each day during the calendar week.  I'm following Points Plus, which means in addition to the 30 points per day I can swap activity points and have 49 weekly bonus points.  For each day the score will be:  GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/46/+0

Tuesday -30/39/+5

Wednesday -30/37/+4

Thursday - 30/41/+2

Friday - 30/46/+8

Saturday -30/66/+0

Sunday - 30/51/+3

If you're keeping score, then my week totals were 210/326/+22.  If you take what I ate (326) and subtract what the goal was (210) AND  take away the 22 activity and 49 bonus, then you'll see my overeat was 45 points!!

After seeing this in black and white, I'm glad my gain was only 0.4lbs!  

Goals for this week:

First, I will to eat according to the 21 day fix plan -- but while still tracking and monitoring how I feel as I eat.  This means a focus on whole foods (power foods) like veggies and fruits as well as lean sources of protein.

Second, I will incorporate meditation into my routine daily -- with a focus on being fully present throughout the day (especially while eating).

Third, I will include 21 day fix workouts on days when I'm not schedule to run & strength workouts on days I do run.  For example, yesterday I ran in the morning and did Back & Biceps later that night.

How was your weigh in this week?  

Do you incorporate meditation into your routine?  

How do you balance workouts (strength v cardio, etc...)?

Thoughts & Things for your Thursday

I have a few thoughts and things to share today -- most of which are centered around one gnawing fact:  I keep waking up at 3am and can't get back to sleep!

My issue of waking up at the Devil's Hour hasn't happened every night -- but it has happened often enough that it's becoming a problem.  It seems to only happen on days when I haven't had a run or a workout -- and it only seems to happen during the summer months. 

This struck me as odd, because I'm usually super stressed out during semesters and much more calm and peaceful during breaks (summer & winter breaks).

Some research

Of course I turned to Google -- I searched and searched and stumbled upon a few different theories:

• Something in chinese medicine associates this time period (2-3am) with the liver?
• Catholics associate this time (around 3am) with the Devil's hour and some have reported seeing doors close or dark figures lurking as they awake in a panic
• Adrenal gland issues?
• Low blood sugar -- due to spiking sugar throughout the day.

Which is it?

I'm not going to rule anything out -- but the Low Blood sugar option seems like the easiest place to start.  If it's something more sinister I'll need a medical professional or an exorcism!

What am I going to?

My main concern is that my body is somehow out of whack.  For me, falling asleep and staying asleep is the ultimate prize at the end of each day.  The more restful sleep I get, the more I'm motivated to do good works the next day.  The more tossing and turning I do, the more worthless I am the next day.

So my plan is three fold:

1. Workout or run each day - hopefully this will exhaust me enough to sleep all night
2. Watch my blood sugar - by watching what I'm consuming and limiting the bad stuff (ie. refined or simple sugars or simple carbs without protein during meals, too much snacking, lots of processed junk) I'm hoping to balance this blood sugar thing out.  I'm also going to try to have a small snack before bed of an apple and almond butter or carrots and peanut butter.
3. Track my nights of no sleep -- hopefully by collecting more and more data, I'll begin to see larger trends.

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night?  

What do you do to fall back to sleep?  

Do you watch your blood sugar? Any tips and tricks would be great!

Share your experiences & let me know in the comments below ^_^

  

Weigh in Wednesday #5

How'd it go?

This week was full of ups and downs and less than mindful or "on point" eating.  It showed on the scale.

+0, -0

Same as last week and that's unfortunate. 

Here are the weight trends:

Goals for June

• Get into the 180's
• Drink 90 oz of water each day
• Run 4 days a week
• Track with fidelity daily!  

I'm hoping that focusing on tracking this month will mean a better result each week.  There's a possibility of seeing family towards the end of July or early August -- and this is a huge motivator for me to lose weight.  I always want to look my absolute best and be my fittest self when around family, because there's always so much I want to do.  When I'm chunkier and less fit, I'm sluggish and just want to sit, talk, and sleep.

There's also another reason to feel motivated to run & eat right this month -- some friends are training for their first ever 5k race!  I want to be supportive, so I'm training as well and trying to find a race we can all do together.  I'm extra competitive, so pushing myself for an upcoming racing deadline is just the ticket to get me laced up even during these hot and humid months.

What are your goals this month? 

How was your weigh in this week?

What keep you motivated during training cycles?

Thursday Things

Hello!!  Here are some things from my Thursday

Hubby lost 8 pounds!!

Randomly, my hubby weighs in and sees an 8 pound loss!  How amazing!  The only things we've been doing are (1) cooking foods he likes & trying out new recipes and (2) strength training together.

To see such a huge weight loss is super encouraging -- especially since he wasn't "really trying".  Meaning he's not on a strict diet or weight loss program and he's not on a strict workout regiment.

I think the key for my hubby's success is to lean into the fact that he's not super strict with himself -- He likes to go with the flow and do what feels right in the moment.  Maybe this will work for him?

As for me, I prefer schedules and routines -- it's an anxiety thing.

Anxiety

I've written about my anxiety in the past, but today I stumbled across an article that says children/people who bite at their lip skin or bite at the skin around their nails (both of which hubby and I do) are really showing symptoms of an anxiety disorder.

No duh!  Nail biting & nibbling on my fingers has been a coping mechanism for me for years -- I can't remember not doing it.

As of right now, my nails look the best they've looked in a while.  I have them done as much as I can, so I keep my teeth away from them otherwise they'll get destroyed and I'll have wasted money.

Strength training

Hubby and I have this agreement -- He'll strength train with me if we can watch his shows while we do it.  It was an easy agreement, since I usually zone out while working out anyway.  It doesn't matter what's on the tv or radio or whatever as long as there's something in the background.

Anyone else hate hearing their own panicked gasps for air while working out?  No one... just me?

-_-

Lazy days and transitioning to summer time!

My husband loves his TV shows and when their season is over he experiences a sort of minor sadness -- he calls it his "show-hole".  A sort of emptiness that he feels when there's no good shows to watch.

I experience something similar every summer -- it's like a show-hole but with teaching/work.  Fall - Winter - Spring I have the same routine, since I teach at 8:00AM on the dot.

Summers don't mean I don't work -- in fact I teach year round via online classes, it's just that I get to work from home on my own schedule.

This flexibility and freedom is what's jarring -- in a good way.  I can wake up when I want, go where I want, and as long as my work is done by the end of the day I'm fine.

The challenge here is that without the strict routine I'm used to, I just kinda hang out all day.  I get everything that must is important done, but then I watch junk tv/movies, or play video games, or play with my dog, or just have fun!

I feel so guilty about this laziness because I know not everyone gets this chance... but at the same time it's the most amazing thing ever.  Maybe I should "treat myself" to relaxing while I can and take advantage of the summer to do things I can't do in the fall-winter-spring.

What are some things from your Thursday/week?

Do you have any triumphs you'd like to share?

Do you have any productivity tips for me to use this summer?

Let me know in the comments below!