Wednesday Weigh-in

There are so many conflicting theories about how often you should weigh in. If you have an eating disorder, or disordered eating, it is said never. Some say once a week, the same day and time, to track progress. Some research, however, says that those who weigh-in every day lose the most and keep it off.
The benefit of a daily weigh-in is that you get a great sense of how your choices affect your goals. The downside is that you don't see such dramatic changes.
I've opted for a daily weigh-in, every morning. I have been less anxious and more excited about seeing my progress. The funny thing is, the change sometimes is dramatic. After no movement on the scale since last week, I am down another pound and a half!  I'm still on track for my goal of 5 pounds down this month. One week and one pound to go!

Tuesday Trouble

My department went out last night for margaritas and dinner. I'd been anxious about this outing for days. Firstly, what about my 'no drinking on work nights?' Then, there are the general perils of eating out. And, finally, I would miss a workout!

I talked myself through it (with a little help from Casey). The no drinking on work nights allows for a drink if it is a special occasion, and this fit the bill. My department NEVER goes out. And I wouldn't be over indulging, because I am an adult. The food- I checked out the menu online and chose what I would order ahead of time. Mexican is tough for me as I don't eat meat and am allergic to shellfish. And my workout? My 6 days a week plan is designed to absorb the occasional skipped workout.

I ended up getting the sangria instead of a margarita. Restaurant margaritas can be super sugary, and besides, I'm a booze snob and was not impressed with the tequila list. Yes, sangria can be sugary too, but I decided to take my chances. It turned out to be more fruity than sugary (yay!), and it was not a generous pour, probably 5 oz.

I completely ignored the table chips!  They looked good, but I don't love chips so it really didn't seem worth it just because they were there.

For my dinner I ordered off the appetizer menu. (This is a classic diet trick). I got the Ceviche de Pescado. I was a bit nervous about ordering raw fish at a restaurant I'd never been to before, but it turned out to be fantastic. It was made with haddock which is my favorite.

I had a lot of fun out with my work friends, AND stayed under my calorie goal for the day. TUESDAY TRIUMPH!

A Note About Routine

I try very hard to stick to habits. I typically find it hard- I hate the feeling of being in a rut, or trapped. That being said, I have had to change a lot of things in a short amount of time in order to maximize my workouts. 

Here's what a typical post-work evening looked like for me a few weeks ago:

• Commute home on the MBTA (if you live in Boston, you know what this entails)
• Get home feeling drained from commute, pour wine or fix cocktail
• Consider dinner, run dogs out
• Feed dogs
• Shower
• Eat... something... cereal? cheese and crackers? sandwich? ehhh, whatever
• Get in bed and read until I fall asleep

What does an evening look like now?

• Go to yoga at 5:30pm
• get home around 7:15pm
• Make some dinner, this week it's 1/4 roasted spaghetti squash with spinach and marinara
• Walk Huxley
• Shower and get ready for bed
• Read and try to be asleep by 10:30pm

Sleeping is hard for me. I struggle with insomnia, and I think I have more sleepless nights than restful nights. I am able to fall asleep, but I usually wake up around 2am and will be awake until my alarm goes off at 5:30am. This is the one thing that has not improved with exercise, and I had hoped it would be one of the benefits. I am spending more time keeping clear and focused in my classes, in hopes that will carry into the nighttime hours.

I am going to try meditating next- does anyone have suggestions?

How HIIT almost kicked my ass. Then didn't.

On Saturday I went to a class sponsored by PopSugar Fitness in collaboration with Target and C9. It was led by celebrity trainer Adam Rosante- I knew nothing about him, so did a quick search and learned that in addition to being a generally cool guy, he has done primarily Boot Camp classes. "Cool!" my brain said, we got this, CrossFit/Boot Camp... close enough.

The class turned out to be HIIT, which stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It was hard, probably the hardest class I have taken since starting this journey. But post workout I felt amazing.

After I hung out and talked with some other people from the class (Hi Trevor from LA!), I decided to head home for a much needed shower. I was waiting by the elevators and Adam walked by, so I stopped him and thanked him for the class. I told him I just started working out two weeks ago, and that I felt great after his class. His eyebrows shot up and he said "really?! I saw you out there, you crushed it!" He gave me a high five and then pulled me in for a hug.

You know what? This feels pretty good. I find inspiration around me every day, there is always a reason to keep going- just remember to keep going for the reasons that are right for you.

Competition vs. Support

Casey and I have embarked on this journey together in a spirit of mutual motivation and support. The other day, a mutual friend heard me speaking of my latest weigh in. She knew that Casey was going to Cross Fit and working out, so she asked if we had a bet or contest going. "No," I said, "we are just being supportive of each other."

Competing seems silly and counterproductive. For starters, we have similar, but somewhat different goals. I want to be a strong surfer girl, with a dash of Jillian Michaels thrown in. Casey wants to be cut.

We have different approaches. Casey prefers going to classes, and I like working out at home.

We have different ways of measuring progress. Old fashioned weigh-ins still work for me, as well as seeing the visual difference in my body. Casey is seeing her progress in how her body is changing, and also in her being able to go harder in her workouts.

We are different people with different body types. What is the same is that we are both getting up and doing it. Knowing that Casey went to HIIT today made me push myself on the exercise bike and one of my Firm videos. Together we encourage each other in our food choices and celebrate each sucess, large or small. Support is when I look at Casey and tell her she looks slimmer, or when she congratulates me on a healthy food choice. I'm finding this lifestyle change so much easier with support. I don't think a competition would keep me as motivated.

It may be a day off from formal exercise....

But I can still do a dinner time dance for the dogs while I feed them!

Observations on the week

I'm so glad it's Friday! Friday night I get to have a drink. I really do see a difference in skipping the weekday beer and wine.

It was a good week. I  worked out everyday, and made healthy food choices. Next week I want to push harder on the exercise videos.

Some changes I've noticed: I can tell that exercise is becoming more of a habit because I am actually disappointed that it is a rest day! I declined a slice of cake at work on Tuesday. I  don't really like cake all that much, so it seemed silly to have some just because it was there. I weighed in a pound lighter this week. I want to lose 2.5 more this month. I think my biceps look a little more defined, and today I wore my top tucked in!

Looking forward to a drink tonight and a workout tomorrow!

How every workout starts

Why Start Now?

I think it's important to start by pointing out that this blog will not tolerate or promote fat shaming, nor will we encourage the pervasive diet culture women can feel so oppressed by. Personally, this journey is about my health. I am not trying to get skinny, obtain a thigh gap, or look "perfect" to suit another person's ideal.

I sit at a desk all day, hold tension in my shoulders and back, and have noticed a distinct softening of my body since changing careers a couple years ago. I used to work on my feet doing an active job that was, in all honesty, no healthier for me than my currently sedentary position.

I have set personal goals regarding my health and well-being. I expect my goals to change and evolve over time as my habits change.

• Reduce my sugar intake
• Improve my cardio function
• Strengthen my core
• Lengthen my body through improved flexibility

And, most importantly

• Get cut so people look at me and feel intimidated by my raw power

I am also trying to center myself mentally, though this tends to be a more difficult task for me. I am anxious by nature, and my mind almost never stops. This leads to insomnia, overthinking, and generally missing the moment. 

I have started CrossFit  and Yoga, alternating days. I have been at it for two weeks, and already I have noticed some changes in how I carry myself, my flexibility, my recovery, and my mental state. I chose group classes because it forces me to be accountable to other people, not just myself. My Coaches know my name, say good morning, welcome me back to class- I know they look for familiar faces, I know they want the best for everyone who takes time to be present. I am terrible at just going to the gym and working out- I get bored and don't feel motivated if I am just going to run on a treadmill. 

Today I went to sunrise yoga. Nope, I am not flexible. I can barely hold the poses because I don't have enough strength. 

Yesterday at CrossFit, I was the last person to finish the WOD (workout of the day), but it is such a great environment- the entire class cheered me on, helped me count, and kept me going.

Find the right fit for you. And remember, raw power.

My Plan

I have dabbled in fitness and diet forever, but have decided to commit. I want to be fit and healthy, instead of how I feel now-lumpy.  My long-term motivation is, of course, to look better and be strong and fit.  I also want to improve my stamina, core, and upper body strength.  My greatest dream is to surf.  I went to a mini surf camp last summer and it was great, but I need to get stronger to really do it!

(I'm the big girl.)

My immediate goal is to adopt new habits.  My SEPTEMBER goal is to lose 5 lbs.  I'm halfway there, so right on track!

MY PLAN

Diet

-No more takeout!  This saves money too!

-Choose my food carefully.

-Portion control.

-No alcohol on "school nights." (meaning if I work the next day.)

-Count calories.

Fitness

-get into a regular exercise habit overall.

-Exercise 6 days a week.  Friday is a day off!

-Workouts are a combo of my exercise bike, strength routines from magazines, and DVDs.

-Find ways to sneak in a little more activity into my day.

Motivators

I'm really into metrics so I am using the Lose it! app to track my meals and exercise.  It really helps to keep me on track with my calorie goal.

Having a partner in crime really helps too!