diet

Sugar Shock

~ fitnessdammit ~ Leave a comment

Oh man… to say it’s been a while since my last post would be putting it very lightly. You know what’s not so light these days? Me.

I fell off the wagon this winter and have been too busy cramming cookies, donuts, cake and whatever other sweet things people have been bringing into my office or forcing me to try in restaurants. I guess you could say I was kidnapped by a case of Adult Onset Sweet Tooth. It’s a thing. It has to be.

I haven’t had a sweet tooth since I was a chubby ten-year-old but it came back a few months ago and it came back with a vengeance. I couldn’t fight it. Couldn’t resist it. And even though I knew better than to keep indulging it, I just couldn’t help myself. It became an everyday thing and my body is pudgy proof of my addiction.

I often joke that I work out every day so I can still eat tacos and drink beer but there is no amount of exercise that could counteract the additional daily intake of cupcake, ice cream and pastry calories. If it was sweet, I was shoving it in my mouth and it, in turn, was expanding my waistline and making my arms extra jiggly.

So here we are, five months into the new year and, more importantly, (fuuuuuuuuck) pool season is upon us. Changes must be made ASAP so I’m extracting this damn sweet tooth and turning this ship around. I’ve confessed everything to Trainer and admitted I need help, which is a step in the right direction because he’s a no excuses kind of dude and will whip me back into shape quick. I’ve also stocked up on fruit and healthy snacks to help me satisfy the evil, undermining sweet tooth and am learning to say things like, “no, I’m good, I don’t need that bear claw.”

I feel good about these decisions and hopeful for my fitness future. I slipped. It happens. Forgive me?

CODE RED

~ fitnessdammit ~ 4 Comments

I learned a valuable lesson at the gym last week and that is to not put all your gym crush eggs in one basket. Gymger, my (usually) trusty ginger gym crush, was MIA for several days and it set off a panic of epic proportions as I feared I’d lost my favorite fitness motivator forever. Sure, it’s summertime, and the likely explanation is that he went on vacation. Or he was away on business. Two things that take me out of town fairly often, but still… he’s not watching me so it’s not a big deal when I’m out of town.

So there I was, showing up every day and not seeing that beautiful red hair, those Wreck-It Ralph arms (when did I start liking muscles?) or his intense, mysterious gaze that every so often drifts in my general direction. I was lost. I felt like a ship with no captain. A woman with no gym crush. And for that long, miserable week, my heart just wasn’t in it. But then something unexpected happened.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. You know what else it does? It allows you to notice other cute guys around you. That’s right. Without my Gymger blinders on I noticed a man who, in my book, was very gym crush-worthy. He’s tall-ish and fit with dark curly hair and reminds me of British hottie, Rufus Sewell. And with one look there it was – my back-up gym crush. Or, as my gym BFF likes to call him, “SHIFT CHANGE!”

This adorable new man got me through some tough times and has earned a special place in my heart. It doesn’t mean I’m crushing any less on Gymger, it just means he doesn’t have to shoulder the responsibility (of which he is completely unaware) of keeping me motivated all by himself when he returns from wherever it is he disappeared to.

And return he did. I was over the moon to see he was back at it when I walked in yesterday. But now, with Shift Change in the rotation, I got to experience a whole new level of joyous gym crush-dom. As I made my way up the stairs to the workout room, Gymger was the first person I saw (Eeeeeeeeee!) before I realized that Shift Change was standing right behind me. Oh my lucky stars! Talk about thrilling. High atop my stair master perch, my attention was wonderfully diverted between the two of them and then my head nearly exploded as they passed each other on their way to various equipment.

It was a true feast for the eyes and I didn’t notice all the minutes ticking away on my own machine and felt zero pain as I burned a million calories. So I say to all you gym-goers out there, “Stack the deck.” You never know when you’ll need a backup or two to help you maintain that gym high. It’s not all endorphins you know. Sometimes the scenery is just as intoxicating.

 

It’s Working.

~ fitnessdammit ~ 1 Comment

Adages are old for a reason. Turns out universal truths are fairly spot on. At least I’ve found that to be the case when it comes to fitness. If you work hard and eat right, you’re going to see some positive results.

I’ve been at this whole fitness game for a few months now and I’m starting to see some major changes. Since my last (somewhat frustrating) “Results” post, things have really turned around. I’ve lost 13 pounds. And while I’ve still got a way to go on the scale, the real difference is in my body composition. I’ve lost fat and gained lean muscle. I’m smaller, faster, fitter. (Is that even a word? I hope so.)

Those fitness goals I devoted my second post to? I’m ticking them off one by one. I’ve shaved 30 seconds off my mile and have worn a bathing suit in public. While I’m not quite ready for a bikini contest, I now feel comfortable enough to walk around one of the chicest pools in town in a two piece.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve conquered fitness fears I didn’t even know existed until I found myself doing them with ease and confidence – like becoming a regular on the free weights benches and navigating the circuit training area like a pro. I might be a disaster when it comes to step aerobics but I know six ways to Sunday using the TRX bands, how to load up a squat bar, and just recently blew my own mind by doing one-armed burpees. Whaaaaaaaaaaat?

And the real kicker? I didn’t flinch at my last weigh-in/measurements session when Trainer said “off with the tank top!” and broke out the fat calipers. Why? I knew there’d be less fat for him to pinch. And there was. When he did the math and delivered my results his exact words were, “Absolutely crushing it and doing it the right way!” It’s one thing to feel like you’re making progress but to have that progress validated by your favorite fitness guru is another thing entirely.

Which brings me to the Oscar speech portion of this entry where I thank the people who’ve helped make my success possible. In no particular order, because they all play a valuable role, I’d like to thank:

Trainer, for his brutal – but still kind – honesty, showing me the way and believing in me. He’s even started doing me a major solid when Gym Crush is nearby and I’m working out on my own by chatting me up and making me look good in front of him. Bonus!

Which brings me to Gym Crush. He may not know it but he has provided some serious motivation for getting my ass to the gym and working out like a champ when I’m there. My goodness, the man is perfection. *swoon

And last but certainly not least, my Gym BFF. She is my rock. Everyone should be so lucky to have a gym buddy like her. Not only is she my constant companion through brutal workouts and every type of fitness class you can imagine, she is my comic relief. She makes me nearly cry laughing as we plié and plank our way around the gym. (Seriously, she deserves own post and will have one soon so the world can learn all about our gym antics.)

So there you have it. A few of the keys to my success so far . I used to feel like the first image was an accurate depiction of what I looked like when I ran. But the pic that follows is actual proof of where I am now. And it feels pretty great.

little girl running meme    hb running

Taking My Act On the Road

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Hello friends! I haven’t posted in a while because I’ve been traveling. Some personal, some business, all taking me away from the comforts of my city, gym and routine for nearly three weeks. I knew these trips were coming up and was a bit anxious about keeping up with my training without trusty Trainer or my dedicated gym BFF by my side (more on her later – our gym shenanigans deserve their own post), but did my best to plan ahead and pack more active wear than real clothes for both trips so I’d be forced to be more, well, active while I was away.

The first trip was to my home town for the best reason ever – MY TWIN SISTER HAD A BABY!!! She went a little past her due date but wanted me home before she went into labor because she was kinda freaking and then, of course, I wanted to be around for a little while to help when that magical little creature finally made her appearance.

It’s good for me is that 1) my sister understands my compulsion to exercise (she is a longtime marathoner) and 2) my hometown is loaded with steep hills so you can get a lot of bang for your workout buck… quickly. I was able to sneak out for quick 30-45 minute hill runs that kicked my butt and didn’t make me miss out on too much time with my family. The hill runs are also great for counter-balancing all of the food I eat when I’m there. I’m from the South and, well, it’s where my sometimes unhealthy love of food comes from. I have at least three favorite taco joints that I have to hit when I’m home, plus all the BBQ and other delicious whatnot the South is famous for cooking up. Fortunately, my hometown rewards these demanding penance runs with stunning trails and gorgeous views so staying on the fitness track isn’t so tough.

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The second part of my extended stay away from home was a work trip that took me to our nation’s capitol for a HUGE science festival sponsored by a client of mine. I was super pumped about the trip because, SCIENCE! and I thought I would get to log a ton of miles exploring the city in my running shoes. Running is one of the best ways to explore a new city without looking like a tourist and I hadn’t been to DC in like 15 years so, essentially, it was like going for the first time.

I was all, “I’ll be in DC for a week so I’ll get to run and play and explore and it’ll be great!” But then the realities of work travel set in and I found that the only actual running I did was for and at the event. We had the largest exhibit there (36,000 square feet to be exact) and the miles I logged that week came from running end to end of our space.

Then I became one of those “steps” people. We all did. Because we were blowing the recommended 10,000 steps per day out of the water, logging between 20,000 and 30,000 each day. And those weren’t leisurely stroll steps either. We walked/jogged with purpose and almost always pushing a dolly or carrying something heavy. The work days became our own special manual labor form of Cross Fit.

 

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And the best workout I had the whole trip ended up being a very special treat I like to call VACUUMING NEARLY 20,000 SQUARE FEET OF CARPET. Yep, three hours of straight vacuuming. It started as a smaller project of vacuuming the “runway” section of the exhibit and then something took over and I was a woman possessed. By what I have no idea. I barely even vacuum my own home (hardwoods, baby, hardwoods) so I really don’t know what got into me. Perhaps it was a sense of accomplishment or some hidden OCD I have for clean floors. Either way, I had to have burned a million calories that day alone. (Seriously, I must have because I almost fainted near the end of the day and was told to leave and get some rest.)

But I have no regrets. That carpet shined like the top of the Chrysler Building and, despite my “sight-seeing” running hopes getting dashed, I managed to get a hell of a workout pulling off one of the coolest events I’ve ever had the privilege of working on. Also, much to my delight, all sight-seeing dreams were not lost. I managed to sneak in a couple leisurely walking tours of DC – one with a cute new scientist friend and the other, on our last night, with my brilliant team. What can I say? When I want to see monuments, I am going to see some damn monuments.

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Results. Are. In.

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I love “All I Do is Win” by DJ Khaled. It’s been a staple on my workout mix for a few years now. It’s got Luda. It’s got Snoop. It’s got everything a girl trying to shed some serious pounds needs. And for the first two months of my training, it was practically my theme song because I was winning this fitness game. Little did I know “up-down-up-down-up-down” would end up being the part of the song that resonated most with this journey.

Let’s start with the first “measurements” day that happened one month into training. (Remember the horror of the initial assessment? Scale + shirt removal + fat calipers = mortified reality check.) So I approached this office visit with an interesting mix of PTSD and hope. I’d been working hard, watching what I ate and had become damn near intimate with MyFitnessPal.

Then I stepped on the scale and watched as he moved the slider. To the right. Two pounds to the right. I looked at the scale. Then at him. Then back at the scale. Then back at him.

Me: exCUUUUUSE ME? I’VE GAINED WEIGHT? WHA?

Trainer: Hold on! Don’t panic! You look smaller so let me do measurements and I’ll show you we’ve made progress.

Me: (no words, just look of disbelief, defeat and despair)

Off went my shirt. Out came the calipers. Pinch, pinch. Measure, measure. MATH. And ahhhhhhhhhhh yeah…. he was right. Sure, I’d gained two pounds on the scale but the important numbers were the percentages. I was down 2.55% in body fat. His fancy equations showed that I’d lost four pounds of fat and gained six pounds of muscle, which he assured me were incredible results so my blood pressure returned to normal. Whew.

Fueled by my progress and motivated to move the scale in the other direction, I decided to up my game a bit and start taking some classes I’d been afraid of before but now had the confidence to at least try. The weather was starting to break as well which meant I could ditch the treadmill for my beloved sidewalks and park. And that’s when I started to notice other results that weren’t tied to weight or fat percentages. I had gotten faster. I had shaved nearly 30 seconds off my mile and it didn’t feel like extra work. I was running comfortably at a faster pace. I could also do high impact cardio and weights classes without feeling like I was going to die. I was actually getting FIT. I was like a Daft Punk song! Harder. Better. Faster. Stronger.

And the high continued for a while as I had a doctor’s appointment two weeks later and had lost four pounds. Then another appointment two weeks after that and was down another four pounds. I was losing two pounds a week! It was working! So when Trainer wanted to do another check-in a few weeks later I was super confident I’d have more impressive results for him. I’d go so far as to say I felt cocky as I stepped on the scale. Then, disaster. I had only lost one pound in the last three weeks. What happened to my two pounds per week? I should have lost more weight. Ok. breathe. I was distraught but still hopeful that the calipers would reveal a higher fat percentage loss and then the stalled weight loss would be less of a blow. But that barely budged too. I was only down a quarter of a percent in fat. Ugggggghhhhhh. This was so depressing and I actually felt myself shutting down.

Trainer was telling me I’d lost almost ten pounds and three percent body fat since we started, which was great progress, but my brain wouldn’t hear it. It was in panic mode and drowning out his encouraging words with questions about why I’d stalled. What went wrong?  What’s a girl gotta do to lose 30 pounds around here? Surely it’s not go home and drown your sorrows in a bottle of wine but that’s what I did. It was kinda pathetic actually. What was I thinking? “I’ll show you FitnessPal… calories be damned!” Fortunately, I realized I was just feeling sorry for myself and only allowed one day of wine-y wallowing.

A lot of good has happened in these two months. I’ve lost ten pounds! That is huge and I should celebrate it with more hard work, dammit. No more sulking and throwing myself pity parties if I have an off day. The highs, the lows, the good days, the bad days. They’re all part of the deal.

It can be an emotional roller coaster, especially since food is involved. (Or, rather, a lack thereof.) People who are hungry are not rational. I’m a basket case with an empty basket so please be patient with me, and I will try my best to be patient with my results. Besides, if all I really did was win I’d probably stop appreciating it so much.

The Sleep Diet

~ fitnessdammit ~ 3 Comments

 

In order to lose 30 pounds by pool season (fitness goals 2 and 3), Trainer mapped out a workout regimen and put me on what he called a “conservative” calorie count of 1550 cals a day. At that rate (I started in January) I would lose 1.5 pounds per week and hit my goal in time for summer.

At first I thought, ok, 1550 isn’t so bad for a weight loss plan. In fact, it sounded almost decadent given that I’d worked with a trainer a few years back who had me on 1200 cals a day which made me think I was dying. Working out that hard and eating so little made me ravenous and a wee bit insane. Things got weird. I had to apologize to friends and coworkers when they caught me staring and drooling, and explain that everyone around me was turning into turkey legs, bowls of spaghetti and pieces of pie. You know… like in the old cartoons where two people are marooned on an island and they’re both starving so they imagine the other person is food and they end up chasing each other around with a knife and fork that appears out nowhere? Yeah. That.

So, clearly I was a bit nervous that might happen again but had high hopes the extra 350 cals a day would feel luxurious this time around. And they did. Sort of. For the first few days I found it was pretty easy to stay under 1550. Turns out managing calorie intake is a piece of cake (CAKE!) if you prepare all of your meals at home and avoid alcohol. Then the weekend came. Whoops.

“It’s ok,” Trainer said. “Think of your calories in three day increments. If you blow it one day, just make up for it with low cals the next couple of days so your total count works out overall for those days.”

Hmm… more math. But it sounds a little more forgiving and doable as I attempt to find some will power. It’s tough. When every calorie counts, you end up obsessing over everything you ingest and there’s a number in your head that climbs all day long as you get closer and closer to your limit.

One day I’d underestimated something I ate for lunch and by the time I had a snack and saw my mistake, I realized anything I ate for dinner – no matter how healthy – would put me over for the day. Oh no. Panic. Despair. What to do? I was trying so hard and thought I was being so good. Then I had a terrible thought. Brilliant. But terrible.

What if I take a sleeping pill when I get home from work? Then I could skip dinner and just go straight to bed! GENIUS!

Yep. That was an actual idea from my brain. Desperate times were calling for desperate measures and I’d been reduced to thinking I could knock out my hunger by knocking myself out. What had my world come to?

Fortunately, the more mature and wise part of me that wants to be healthy about losing weight didn’t let me to do that. So, instead, I had a ton of roasted vegetables and a small piece of grilled chicken for dinner and didn’t go to bed hungry. I did have a good laugh though because, come on, I almost invented a horribly unhealthy “sleep diet.”

And I’ve heard laughing burns like four calories a minute. But who’s counting?