Refocusing

I'm not giving up so much as I'm relenting... I am accepting the fact that I have hit the plateau of the century and I need to refocus my attention away from the weight loss and onto the fitness. I haven't seen any weight loss in weeks, but there are few things I  I think are just as important, if not more so.

Within the last month I started trail running. I knew my workouts were getting a little stale so I decided to mix it up, but I love running so much I had to find a way to mix that up. I started with the trail next to our house, it's a pretty steep climb to the summit, about a mile up with switchback, a small narrow trail, and lots of rocks. I had seen people run it before and I always thought they were crazy. I ran to the top with just a few slow downs in between. It was a great moment when I reached the top. I loved the challenge so much I did 5 more times. Now I am addicted to trail running. I can feel it really working my muscles and pushing my body.

I ran a 5k with husband. This wasn't a big push for me really, just a fun way to get in my daily run. I enjoyed it so much I decided I need to push myself a little, and I signed up for my first 10k in two weeks! I am so excited to cross this off my bucket list.

I also started running intervals on the treadmill. The interval running is definitely a challenge. I typically run a 10 min mile or 6mph. In interval running  get up to 8mph. By my 4th set I am tired and feel like I really accomplished something.

So instead of beating myself up for not losing pounds, I am going to focus on my accomplishments and keep up my fit active lifestyle. I keep forgetting I didn't just start this journey to lose weight. I also started to be fit, to be healthy, to be active, and to be a good example to my kids. I have done all of those things. Even if the weight loss does not continue the other things will, and that really is worth the most in the end.

Progress is progress no matter how small....

At the end of last week I was 174 and I was totally beating myself up. I decided it was time to get focused and serious again. I reduced my calories and got back on track with working out every day and this morning I weighed in at 170.8!! Now to be fair some of that was probably water weight, but today I am celebrating small victories, I am just that much closer to being under 170. I want to breech the 170 mark so bad. I thought this quote really said it all this morning and I need to keep this in my head, progress is progress no matter how small.

Burning out

I have been taking a hard look at my diet recently and I  think I may have figured out my plateau... I have kind of given up. I was so strict before and so on top of all of it. Then school started and I just kind of let everything slide. I mean I have been eating healthy, and I have been working out, but I have been way less strict and uptight. I am so busy, and so tired most of the time that it's difficult to keep myself motivated. I keep trying new things hoping that will be the answer, but the answer I think is very clear, I've lost my edge. I don't have the same time and energy to devote to this anymore. I want to continue to lose and to tone up, but I feel like I have hit a brick wall.

Some people say I was eating too little, others say I needed more of certain foods less of others, others are 100% sure it's my work out... I am so confused now. The stress of the whole thing is not helping I'm sure. You can't lose weight when you are stressed.

I think I have like 10 more lbs to go and I will be in a happy place, but good grief getting there might kill me! I am wondering if I have reached the point where I have used up all my resources and it's time to call in an expert. maybe a trainer? A nutritionist? Someone who knows what the heck is going on with my body. Someone who can give me a simple straight forward answer about what to do to reach my goal.

In happier news, I have found that I really enjoy trail running. I am heading out this morning for my second round of the steepest hills I have  ever run :)

A step forward

A good friend of mine gave me some advice about how to get over my plateau and it totally worked! I dropped two pounds in two days. What did I do? I ate way more protein. Not just any protein, low calories protein. And I pulled back on the work outs, while also mixing them up. I did strength training, and intervals with my running. I also relaxed with my calories and each day actually ate over my allotted calorie goal. I worked on being less rigid overall.

I love when things work. It makes life so much simpler, and me much less stressed. 

Diet: 

1 egg and two egg white, with fruit smoothies for breakfast

protein powder mixed with almond milk and veggies with light ranch dressing for lunch

a KIND bar for snack, and grilled chicken, with veggies and rice for dinner. 

I followed this for 3 days, with slight variations, in dinner and snacks. 

I was so excited to go to the store the other day and fit into a 12! I started at a 16. I was also beyond thrilled to fit into a medium shirt for the first time in 11 years! I started in an XL sometimes XXL. My bra size has gone from a 42 C (almost 44) to a 40 B which means I can finally find bras that fit. 

Overall I am thrilled with my results. 

I think the key is being unpredictable. Unpredictable with your calories and work outs, to make your body guess. The other key is lots of protein I aim for about 90-100 grams per day. I read an article recently that explained that for the best results with weight loss you should be eating way more protein. The "recommend" value in 50 grams per day but that is for sedentary folks. If you are working out or trying to lose weight you need to bump it up quite a bit. 

I will keep you updated but for now I am just THRILLED!!

Why can't this be simple??

I am so frustrated with my weight loss basically coming to a stand still I have been ready to give up. I asked friends for advice and of course googled it an this is what I came up with http://voices.yahoo.com/10-reasons-youve-stopped-losing-weight-despite-diet-4616431.html

I think my main problem is I'm too routined, which I have mentioned in other posts. I need to take my own freaking advice and get more strength training in the mix. I also need to add in interval training. I am so stuck on just running my 3 miles I have been reluctant to mix it up. But yesterday I tried a new interval running system and it defiantly challenged me.

My only other issue is food. I am always at  a loss with food. It should be a simple mathematical equation, A+B= C but it's not. My calories have been reduced so far on My Fitness Pal that I am always hungry with headaches and U can't stick to it. I am worried I am eating too little. I am too tired to work out because I don't have the fuel. But I am afraid to eat more, because I am afraid I will gain. So I stick around 1500 for the day and I'm not losing, but I can't decide if it's the food, or the work out..

why can't this be simple!?

Mind over matter

I think my brain and I are at an impass. I would say my body, but really I think it's my brain that needs convincing. I'm at a point where I have to eat so little to lose weight that I can't seem to stick to it. If I work out I get to eat more, but someohow my motivation has slipped. I just can't stick to my calorie allotment. Every day I am over just a little. This week I was under, over, under, over, which should have evened out and mathematically I still should have lost wait. But I didn't. And this weekend I was totally over. It's so exhausting trying to keep up wight the weight loss while I work and go to school. I'm not ready to give up, I think I just need to settle in with the idea that this next 15lbs is going to be a very slow process unless I can convince my brain that yes indeed I want this right now.

Why can't it keep being easy?

Goodbye boobs

In my journey to lose weight I have been able to say goodbye to lots of things. I have said goodbye to fatty foods ( mostly), I have said goodbye to soda, goodbye to desserts every night, goodbye to inches, and goodbye to pounds. But the sadest goodbye of all has got to be to my boobs...

They were never particularly perky or perfect, I never loved them much. In fact to be completely honest I have massive boob envy. I have found the perfect pair, that I will never possess because gosh darn it I was not made that way.

Starting out 3 months ago I was at least a cup size larger. The other day I tried on a bra in my closet and felt like I was 15 all over again. It was sad and pathetic. They didn't even come close to filling the cups. It was the first time I realized just how much weight I had lost.

I knew starting out that I was going to lose them. When I was 18 I was thin and flat as board, like seriously A and a half maybe. I knew this was coming, and I guess I'm not too sad. But still I think they deserve a farewell. I always wondered how those Victoria's Secret models were so blessed to to be insanely thin and yet still have the perfect rack. Maybe it's just the push-up bras? But then you have to have something to push up....

Anyway it's all worth it. I am ok saying goodbye to big ( or even average sized) boobs if it means I am lighter, thinner, healthier, and happier. So goodbye boobs, and hello healthy trim me :)