Thoughts on the "intense" 4 weeks

Jan 1st was the beginning of the intense program that my trainer set up for 5 of us.  She didn't tell us what to eat but did give us some challenges in the exercise department (I didn't end up doing them because 1. I went to her house at least 2x/week for strength/resistance training 2.  tried to get some running in for my cardio.  I do have all her e-mails saved that have the challenges in them incase I can't make it to her house, run outside or make it to the gym (it is winter after all).  We had to send in daily food logs (I did ok with this but didn't send one in everyday but could recount what I had since I made weekly menus).

In these 4 weeks I have been eating clean.  Wow does that ever make me feel great.  Physically  and mentally i have noticed a huge change.  I also have noticed a change in my strength.  That is very exciting for me.  Each class I push myself and will be going again on sunday.  I will continue to go to her house when I am not working as I need that motivation and then 1x at the gym to get 3 days of resistance training in.  I am trying hard to build up my running endurance too.  I am a little bit upset with myself for letting it get to this point but I know that I can and will build up to where I was before.  I just really need to set up a program to get me ready for the 5K race at the end of march.

As far as the "diet" goes… I really hate using that word as I want it to be a lifestyle change not a temporary solution.  I haven't had to many times where I have gone out an found it difficult to eat clean.    This is an area that I will work on and usually I know where I am going out to eat in advance and will look at the menu so I can plan ahead.  Even if the options are not the best I need to have the 1 meal and then get right back on track.  This is where I really struggle…just like someone with an addiction 1 bite can send me into a spiral which is why I try to avoid things but I know that I can't always do that.  I just will have to limit the eating out (which only happened 1x in Jan which is great).  Menu planning and meal prep has been key in helping me this month and I will keep this up for sure.  Having lots of snacks in my lunch bag for work has really helped me too.

Still need to work on having my house clean and organized.  my running and this will be what I had to my goals for Feb.

Now the results.  I was going to weigh myself on Feb 1st plus today but I will just use the weight that I have today.  That way I will have 4 weeks in total for Feb.  So after my run I got on the scale and almost cried when I saw the number…I was down 4.4 lbs this week.  I was totally shocked as I had a big week the 1st week then small for the 2 after that and now I very good loss this week.  My total for the month was 15.6 lbs!!!!!!  CRAZY but I put in the work and am willing to keep at it.  I have to say I have never felt deprived this whole time.  I am so thankful for this jump start and can't wait for the next month.  I always have a number in my head but will take it 1 day at a time.  Always eat clean (or as clean as possible) and try and get some form of activity in for the day when possible.

Well I must say that January has been a great month for me.  I have gotten the focus back for my health which makes me feel very happy!!!!  Excited to see what February will bring (hopefully an organized house).

11.2

11.2 is how many pounds I have lost so far in Jan.  I will do my end of the 4 week challenge WI on Thursday (measurements on wed) but also will be doing a WI Feb 1st (can't believe that is next sunday!!!!!!)

I just finished up my set at work which was pretty steady and am very happy to have some days off.  I was asked to work OT tomorrow but declined since I am excited to get out to Jill's for my workout.  I will be able to go 2x this week which is awesome.  I have made a weekly plan for my workouts and we will see if I am able to stick to them.  I really want to get 4-5 days of running in either outside or an interval session on the treadmill.

I made my weekly menu and will be doing the meal prep tomorrow.  That has been very key in me being able to stick to healthy eating so far this month.  I have been doing it for over 3 weeks now which makes it feel more like a routine.

I need to stop thinking so far ahead and just focus on each day.  This is not about a diet and how much weight I can lose.  It is about having a healthy lifestyle in so many different ways.  Now that I am getting a bit more comfortable with the eating, I will work on the activity and also my daily living (like having a clean and organized house and getting our finances in order!!)

I need to make a chore list of things I hope to accomplish on my days off.  It will be a long list and I will work away at it.  Time is just flying by so I need to take advantage of each second I have so I don't have any regrets.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and I am just starting mine :)

10 more days

Wow, in 10 days the 4 weeks of the "intense" program will be done.  I am so happy that I have done this.  I needed a good jump start to get me on the healthy wagon again.  I am just feeling so much better.  I will feel even better when I get my running back as part of a regular routine but I know that it will take time.  I am working towards my 5K race the end of March.  My goal will be to do this race in under 30 min.

Today and tomorrow will be spend doing meal prep's and some house cleaning.  Right now I just wish I had a magic cleaning want and of course one that purge's too.  We so need to do a major purge.  I should make that a spring challenge for the 2 of us.  Go through every room and get rid of things that we don't use regularly.  I need to go through all my cupboards too and figure out a way to better utilize the space that I have since doing the renovation on the kitchen.

We are working on figuring a way to get rid of some everyday debt too.  Hopefully the plan we think will work will be accepted.  It will be nice to start fresh and get rid of some credit cards that we really don't need to use.

Well I should get going.  Need to take advantage of these 2 days that I have off…well I must admit that if they call me to work days tomorrow I will go in.  I will make sure to have food ready that I can just grab and go if I get that annoying 6 am phone call.

post night workout

After my night shift last night I headed out to Jills and actually did a 60 min workout.  It was hard but I am so happy that I actually did it.  Tomorrow I won't have time to workout as I am going to a conference in TO.  

I made myself breakfast and lunch and a snack to take with me to the conference.  1 to save money and 2 so that I will be able to stay on track.  I have been feeling so great that I don't want to blow it by not eating healthy.  

On sunday I hope to get a run in.  It felt good yesterday to get out and do a 4K run/walk and I want to keep it up.  everyday that I don't train I want to do a run.

i don't really have much to talk about today.  Hope to have a great weekend.

Week 2 results

I really wasn't expecting a loss this week but i am down 1.4 lbs.  total of 10.4 lbs in 2 weeks.  Pretty amazing if you ask me.  Not sure how I am in the inches category but I know when I was measured yesterday a few things were down…just not sure how much.  My mood is pretty great compared to how it was when I was eating crap.  My motivation is still up there so I hope it keeps going.  I keep reminding myself that it is a lifestyle change.  I don't need that junk food in my diet!!!!!  I had many days of eating it so I know what it tastes like and I don't really need to have it everyday.  I will be very select when I have a treat as it tends to make me spiral out of control.

I need to figure out how to get some type of exercise in the days that I work days.  I had 3 this set which really made me miss my workouts.  I know I will figure something out.  Even if it is just intervals on the treadmill at the gym.  I used to run outside early in the morning but now for some reason I am too paranoid to do this.  I should be able to do it before work.  Maybe I will try this next week on wed and thurs.

Had a great workout yesterday at Jills.  I thought for sure my legs would be killing me but it is my upper body that is really sore.  Probably from the chin ups, push ups and the rows (with a 30lb weight!!!!).  It is funny how I grab a weight I think I should use and she gives me one double the weight.  That is what I love about her, she pushes me harder then I would ever think of pushing myself.

I am working on my menu for next week.  I am trying to come up with some fun foods and I need to make sure to go through the 2 new cook books i bought a couple of months ago from blogs that I read.
Keeping the meals exciting and tasty will help keep up the motivation.  I really am loving having the lime juice on my foods.  It really makes the taste jump right out and have lots of flavour.

Well I need to go get the kids something quick for supper…treat supper for them tonight.  even though I wish I wasn't buying it for them i am in between nights, don't feel like cooking and there is hockey right at 5:30.

Have a great thursday everyone :)

day 10

This morning started off early for a saturday.  I went to the gym bright and early.  I did about a 40 min strength training workout from a collection of workouts I have from Jill which seemed like a great workout.  I added 2 ab focused workouts to it.  I am loving the strength training and for my cardio I am going to start doing some running on the treadmill for those days that are just to cold to run outside (which have been a lot this month).  I have a decent interval training one written in my workout book so will hopefully try that the next time I want to run and have time to get to the gym (I may try to get out there early monday morning before I go to work…hopefully the doors will be open just a tad bit before they actually open which will be great or maybe I will do that tuesday and do a ST workout in my basement before work).  I want to make sure to get 3 ST workouts in each week).

I will be working on meal prep today as I am working the next 5 days (3 days and 2 nights).  I want to make sure that I have everything ready so I can just pack it all up which makes for a more successful week of eating clean then if I have to think about what I will be having to eat the day of.  It is one thing to make the menu but another thing to do the prep.  

I am loving what I have been having for suppers lately, so simple but yet so good.  just a meat and some veggies but with fresh lime juice which really adds a yummy flavour.  It doesn't seem like much but it is satisfying which is so important.

well I am going to do some more browsing on the computer while I drink my coffee and then get some housework, meal prep done.

Have a fantastic friday :)

Week 1 results

I full week of eating clean and getting some exercise in and I feel great.  More then great actually.  I had 2 workouts at Jill's and this morning I went to the gym and did one of the workouts she gave me in the past.  Lots of legs and shoulder work with a little bit of triceps.  I actually felt pretty good at the gym and stronger then when I had gone in the past.  I had been doing some classes with Jill since December so I am sure that is why it felt a bit better.  Still not a lot of cardio workouts since it is so cold but I need to get some running in.  I may try and run tomorrow outside as long as the windchill isn't crazy (I don't think it is supposed to be).

My eating has been almost perfect…my lunch yesterday is not something I normally would have had but since I was eating out I tried to make the best choice that I could.  Next time (and I knew I should have done this) I get a salad I will ask for dressing on the side.  I don't quite get why the drown the salad in dressing.  It actually takes away from the enjoyment of eating the salad.  You really don't need that much on it to make it taste ok.

I am working on my menu for next week and will get groceries tomorrow and will do the prep on saturday.  I am working 5 shifts this week so I want to make sure I have enough meals made so that I can just grab them.

Now for the WI…down 9 lbs!!!!!!!!!  I know that is a pretty big result but I was eating that bad that I am not totally surprised by that result.

My plan for week 2 is to maybe do a ST workout at home before a day shift, out to Jill's one day and to the gym one day.   I hope to get 2-3 days of running outside too.  I really need to try and do one run after working a night shift since I don't want to be running outside really early in the morning.  sounds pretty reasonable.

I need to keep reminding myself each day that eating clean makes me feel great and when I include exercise with it I feel on top of the world.

My menu for today:

greek yogurt protein pancake with 1/4 c blueberries

turkey shep pie with 2c of romaine lettuce

red pepper with hummus

chicken with lime juice and 1 tsp honey and broccoli, few red peppers and onion

smoothie (greek yogurt, almond milk, tbsp of PB and banana)

sounds so yummy as I am typing it.

I need to go get my measurements done by jill, get to the bank to get my debit card fixed, make a to do list for my days off, and try for better luke bryan seats for this concert May 1st :)

Have a great Thursday!

Day #5

Time please slow down a bit (well now that we have freezing cold weather the time can speed up til spring then slow right down).  So I am going on day 5 of this 4 week "intense" challenge and after 4.5 days of eating clean and getting some training classes in I am feeling amazing already.  I need to remember this feeling.  I had a peak at the scale this morning and was happy with the result.  My official WI day will be wed or thursday.

Today was an awesome workout (as it always is with Jill).  I know my shoulders and arms will be feeling it tomorrow.  Because of this crazy cold weather I probably will hit the gym a couple of times to do some running on the treadmill.  I won't be able to go right to bed tomorrow so we will see if I make it there or not.

Yummy meals were made today which should help me stay on track for Day #5.

Well I should go.  Need to get ready to go to work tonight for night 1/2.

A new year

Wow, I can't believe we are already in the 2nd day of January.  Sometimes I wish time would just slow down.   Instead of making yearly resolutions I am going to make goals for the month.  If they are just monthly goals I won't feel as overwhelmed and I may be more apt to achieve these goals.

1.  Give 100% to the 4 week challenge that I am doing with Jill.  Seriously, it is only for 4 weeks.  What I hope to take from the 4 weeks is that I will incorporate resistance training to my weekly workouts and that clean eating will become part of my lifestyle again.  I need to stop putting the crap into my body.  When I eat clean I feel great, when i don't I feel miserable and it shows to those around me.

2.  Weekly menu's.  This will not only help me to eat clean and stay on track but it really should help with finances too.  I need to stop with the daily trips to the grocery store!!!

3.  Start running again.  For the month this month if I can get out 3x/week I will be happy with that.  I need to remember that I haven't been running that often so it will take months to get back to where I was.  Plus I have a bunch of extra pounds on so it won't be as easy.

4.  Try and tidy things each night and do a really good clean 1x/week

5.  Do laundry 1x/week and that includes folding and putting it away.

6.  Work on a plan for finances.  Save money for myself and start putting some away for Matthew every 2 weeks (or look into a plan for him so he will have money in his future).

7.  enjoy life, don't sweat the small stuff.  Take time and breath before saying or doing something that is stupid or that I will regret.

This holiday season brought lots of emotions for me.  I felt sad because I was working the entire cmas time and then my husband went to work for 2 of the 5 days that I was off and I just felt that we didn't really do anything as a family.  We ended up having a great time as a family (minus Chris who was with his mom) by going to 2 hockey games for the world junior championship and then spent the rest of the evening ringing in the new year with friends.  I am so thankful for being able to do that.  I had so much with with my family and friends.

I will try and give daily updates on how the challenge is going which will include my food diary and what I have done for activity.

I love this saying and I think that it was brad paisley that said it "Tomorrow  is the first blank page of a 365 page book.  Write a good one."  I will try to remember that each day.  I should write it out on something that I will look at each day.  Maybe I will make an inspiration/motivation board and put it above my dresser.

Here is to a great and successful year :)