Have You Gained Weight? The Test

How The Test Came To Be...

About a month before the marathon I realized I was gaining some weight, and no it wasn't just muscle. I was consuming more carbs and probably overcompensating after runs while not being very active otherwise.. definitely a recipe for weight gain. However, I wasn't going to start cutting calories before the big day so I figured once the marathon was over I'd get back on track with food/calories/activity outside scheduled runs. Well.... I haven't :/ I've been working out moderately (and actually had an awesome interval work out yesterday that I should write about) but the eating... the eating has been not so good. If you can't tell look at that piece of pizza form the Best Way to Reheat Pizza post. Stuffed pizza! That's basically two pieces of pizza in one. But anyway, the eating has been off track and I need to get back on track and there will be more posts about that later but this post is about... 

How to be 100% honest with yourself that you've gained weight...

Now you may weigh yourself daily like I do but there are a million things that can affect that. Like yesterday morning I stepped on the scale and then just before my shower I did it again and was 2 pounds lighter. Not only had I splurged on 3-7 Snickerdoodles nor did I do anything remotely active yesterday... I have only had one cup of water. So no, I didn't lose weight in 6 hours, I was just dehydrated.

I've also posted a bunch about the importance of before and after pictures.... You can find those posts here: Motivating yourself again and again, Before and After (1st Challenge), Before and After (2nd Challenge) But I haven't been doing anything lately that warranted a before or after pic so I didn't have any recents and I already knew I wasn't doing as good as I had been in my old after pictures so I didn't feel the need to compare. 

As mentioned I had just showered so it was time to put some pants on. Even though I'm still job hunting/sitting on the couch I figured it was time for real, non-pajama pants. Lucky me all my clothes are clean since I have lots of time for laundry. Put on the first pair of jeans... a little tighter than usual and not coming up quite as high on my hips/waist as I'd like. So I give that little pull and squat maneuver and they rip. They ripped! That soft, worn patch where my legs rub (which is 100% ok by me. I'm not going for the thigh gap and have read that in some people it's physically impossible to get based on their build without being severely malnourished) had enough tension and just tore. 

So on to the next pair of washed jeans... which actually already had a rip in them already (yes that same spot where my thighs rub) but it was from camping and trying to climb into a truck that about 5 feet off the ground and these jeans were pretty old, so I don't feel bad about that. These jeans usually are loose after 30 minutes of wearing them and are my favorite so despite the tear I wanted to wear them around the house. So on they go, tighter again than usual but that tear had some lower butt/upper thigh sticking out of it, not cute at all. I wasn't going to wait for that 30 minutes for them to loosen up while my back side bulged out of the tear. 

Onto a third pair of pants that I know will fit. I got the message and my wake up call. So that is...

The Test

1. Wash all your jeans 
2. Dry them on high or medium in the dryer
3. Try putting them on. Especially the ones that you know how they typically fit you straight out of the dryer.
4. Take note. If they still fit ok and you don't have to do too many squat and pull manuevers then you're probably doing ok. Slide right on? You may have lost weight. Tear some while doing the pull and squat or are way too tight/unflattering now? Well maybe it's time for some changes.

So there you have it, an easy way to have an honest discussion with yourself about your weight without pictures, the scale, or measurements. I know a lot of people who judge their weight loss or gain based on how their clothes fit but if all your jeans loosen up after one wear and you rarely wash them (because seriously jeans rarely get washed)  you may be fooling yourself. If you go through these steps you might have that same realization I had. I had been slacking and I didn't feel good about it. 

So What Now?

I'm probably about where I was in the very first before picture, nothing outside of my normal 10 pound fluctuations but it is time to get motivated. I need to get back on track. I will get back on track. For me it's not about being skinny. I want to be fit, I want my clothes to fit (maybe a size or two down), and I want to feel healthy and good about my body inside and out. So what now? I'm taking my own advice and getting motivated. So I will start here: Motivating yourself again and again. Then I will update the blog with the next journey and process. 

For anyone new to the blog... This is not a blog of someone who has it down yet. I am still struggling with living a healthy life and I don't think I will ever be someone who loves working out or is the poster child of healthy living. But I'm doing my best and my blog was started to share that journey and to have a positive outlet for my thoughts and feelings regarding my struggles and successes. 

*Also please note that this is meant to be light hearted and judging weight by how your clothes fit isn't some new crazy test that I invited, I know that :)

I'm Back!

I am officially back to it! March is the beginning to the next chapter of This is My Edible Life. It took me a month from moving in to get to this point but it is ok, better late than never. Saturday I went for a 3 mile run (woot woot, so happy, seeing that it had been months since running) and I started a BodyRock 30 Day Challenge. I like the idea of the 30 Day Challenges as it keeps me on a schedule and I feel more accountable. As much as I love(d) BodyRock I think I liked their old format more than their new one. Props to them for growing and expanding but I think I am going to try something either from their archives after this challenge or a different work out site. You can still find anything I did or do that is related to BodyRock underneath the tab above. Anything workout related will be under exercise (so if it's BodyRock it will be in both places). I will make another post dedicated to this 30 Day Challenge so if you want to follow along or start it with me you can.

Getting Motivated Again

So how have I motivated myself to get going again? I followed some of my own tips: Getting motivated again and again. On Saturday before my run I did these:

• Spent some time on Pinterest in the health and fitness section looking at quotes, work outs, and pictures of extremely fit women--jealousy is pretty powerful haha.
• Wrote on my mirror that "I will work out today" just a little reminder that I need to do something each day and to feel proud when I work out and then see it later. I get to say "yup, I did"
• Took some Day 1 pictures. I will post them once I'm done with this 30 Day Challenge so I can do before/after.
• I also though about why I had been motivated before and why I was feeling stuck and came to some of the realizations below...

Some Realizations

So it had definitely been awhile since blogging, cooking, and working out and came to a few realizations in the time being. I realized that my mood had really changed as a result of my lack of activity and (way) less than perfect eating habits. I just felt more... blah. It's weird because I rarely worked out before starting this blog, then started working out consistently, and then kinda lost steam which was when I noticed how good I had felt before. I had more energy, even being at a heavier weight I felt more confident on the days I worked out, my mood was better, and I had more energy.

Another thing I realized after yesterday's work out was how much I missed feeling strong. I had totally lost my stamina and strength I had gained from the first 30 Day Challenge and continued BodyRocking. I felt pathetic hardly being able to do the exercises but rather than letting it deter me I am motivated to get that strength back and maintain it. I like knowing I can carry something heavy, kick ass, or be active at the drop of a hat if needed. Time to get that all back!

Lastly, and it kind of goes with the first one, is that I am caring (a little) less about the weight on the scale. I know muscle weighs more than fat and everything shouldn't be measured by the numbers on the scale. However, I have always been someone who weighs myself everyday. I think since I have been taking pictures of my progress it's easier to see the changes and differences. Right now I'm about 139 without the added muscle and I'm seeing a big difference from the 139 (about) I was after the 30 Day Challenge. I really think taking measurement or pictures is a better way to track progress. If you aren't working out and just changing eating habits then the pounds is a pretty good indicator but if you have started a work out regimen especially something intense like cross-fit, bodyrock, etc. then there are much better ways to see improvement.

Getting Back on Track

Ok. It has taken me a couple days to write this post and come to accept that the week of traveling and visiting family bucked me off the wagon. It is no one's fault but my own, I accept that. I am happy to say I did manage a run while I was visiting home but afterward the food and laziness took over.  I gained 2 pounds (way better than the usual 8 or so of the holidays so that's a positive I guess). I have fallen but I will get back up! I am starting fresh tomorrow morning... I know I know, I should start today/right now... but tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start. No waiting around until Monday and if I put this out there to the world then I better follow through.

My new perspective on this is that there will be set backs along the way, they are not failures. Failure would be to let it derail good intentions so much so that I'd be are back at square one, no longer motivated, and feeling ashamed and regretting what I could have accomplished. In the past I would have continued to eat crap and stop working out for another few months. Not this time. Even though I gained 2 pounds that's still less than where I started. I still have a lot of the muscle and strength from BodyRocking. If I can get motivated again now I will just continue my journey to a healthier, fitter, leaner appearance and life with just a few minor hiccups here and there. I have been going through my list of re-motivating techniques here and will update the blog soon with some new recipes and other stuff.

Found this today (11/30, after my work out woot woot) and thought it was very fitting!

Motivation to Run Again

Well it took awhile but I finally went on a run again today. I did 2.5 miles (not bad for the first time in months) and at a better pace than usual. The first mile felt really good but the second one wasn't too bad. I can definitely tell that doing BodyRock on a regular basis has made a difference in my run. My muscles felt good and strong it is more of a matter of getting my breathing back in running shape. It was also the most perfect fall day today so that helped I think.

What helped me the most today was just saying "it's ok if I just do 1 mile and come home." Reassuring myself that it was ok to just go out and give it a try took off a the pressure and the dread of going on a run. If I get out there and just do it I'll usually do more than a mile. If you allow yourself to take baby steps it takes away that guilt if you decide to, or can only do, the minimum.

Some things that may help:

I mean... how can you not?

I'm letting go of the guilt for having stopped running but I am going to work on it and get it back and do my best to maintain from here on out.

Charity Miles app donates to the charity of your choice when you run, walk, or bike! The app tracks how far you run and a corporate sponsor donates $.25 per mile ran and $.10 biked to your charity of choice. Click here for more info

So this idea is one of the main things that got be motivated to make a change in my life. I've seen it written a few different ways but this idea regularly motivates me. I am in charge of my body and I am going to make it how I want.

Getting Motivated... again and again

I think one of the most difficult things with eating healthy, working out, and making changes is staying motivated. It's pretty easy to get motivated the for that first trip to the gym, first day of eating healthy, going on that first run, or cutting out that first unhealthy food. And often it's easy enough to do for a few days. However, it's maintaining that schedule or habit for days, weeks, months that is the most difficult.

There are plenty of things that can happen to derail someone from their best intentions. I've had my own hang ups so far. I've had physically and emotionally difficult days where the last thing I wanted to do was work out or just didn't care about what I ate. I have been far from perfect on my journey but I am still seeing progress and don't want to give up. I've been able to maintain pretty good eating habits and have been working out but I feel like I'm losing steam. So I've been trying to think of a list of things to do in order to stay motivated or find that extra push.

The following list is in no particular order. These are things that I have done, will be doing soon, or things that I think would work for people even if I haven't done them personally.

The List

• Do it everyday. When it comes to working out it is good to give your body a break but I've found that when I give myself a day or two off  it makes that Monday work out difficult; not physically but mentally getting myself to actually do it. Even if you need a break from your normal work outs (muscle repair, sore joints, etc.) take some time, even if it's 10 min, to purposefully do something active. Take a walk, lift some weights, do yoga. Just do something and make it purposeful. It will make it easier to do your normal routine the following days because you are still in the mind set of taking time out of your day for exercise.

• If you leave notes for yourself, set goals, or write on your mirror change it up occasionally. If you see the same post-it note or motivational image every day after awhile it loses it's meaning and you may not even notice it. Every few weeks, or as soon as you realize you are ignoring it, change it! Find a new inspirational quote, image, goal and put it somewhere different.

• Find what it was that motivated you the first time. No matter what it was whether it was a picture, a blog, something traumatic or exciting happening, a quote, anything... revisit it. It may have been sometime since reading/seeing/living whatever it was that worked for you. Re-examine that inspiration and think about how motivated you were the first time. Consider if what you're currently doing is still getting you to where you want to be. If it's not consider what change you need to make.

• Anyone who has read this blog knows I love Pinterest. I find a lot of inspiration from the Health and Fitness section. There are great quotes, blogs, work outs, and recipes to give you that little nudge of inspiration. I have also realized that when I am feeling guilty about not eating right or exercising I will avoid looking at it. So now I know if I'm feeling that way that is the time I need it the most. I need that little kick on the pants to get back on track.

• I know this is a tried and true tip but it's because it often works. Find a buddy. I don't like to work out with other people that much but I do find it more motivating if I have a friend that is trying the same work outs/challenges/eating habits that I am. You can share tips, recipes, and keep each other motivated. It's my hopes some people will comment on my blog and let me know if they are trying anything that I am. We can be each other's buddies if you need one. If you or an old buddy starts to slip make a new pact or find someone who wants to start a new challenge with you

• Get a personal trainer. I do not have the means but if I did, I would have one. It's like the tip above, you just have a professional buddy at least for the work out part. I would love to have someone there to push me that much harder every time I work out. Also if you are a beginner it can be a good way to learn the basics. Even if you just have one session (sometimes places will give one free session with a gym membership) you can learn what kind of moves to do to target areas, how to use equipment, and it will help you feel a little more comfortable maneuvering the gym.

• Set new goals. You may start working out or eating healthy without ever setting goals. Maybe somewhere in the back of your mind there was an ultimate goal but whether you are just getting started or need another push take the time to sit down and write out your goals. Try making daily goals, weekly, monthly, and long term goals. It may include how many minutes you will exercise each day, how much weight you want to lose each week, a 30 Day challenge you want to complete, or just broad goals like living a healthy lifestyle, living a long active life. It can be anything. And if you fall short of a goal, its ok! Readdress it , set a new one, or set the same one and figure out what you will do differently.

• Keep track of your progress. Take pictures, take measurements, keep a journal of how you feel. One way or another track your progress. I never took before and after pictures in the past, always meant to but never got around to it. This time it's made such a difference. Sometimes you don't realize how far you've come when you see yourself in the mirror every day. Take those pictures or measurements and if you are feeling yourself lose that motivation look at what progress you've made and think of how good it feels to win even those small battles.

• If anyone else has tips or tricks please feel free to share!

Week 4 BodyRock Confusion and Challenges

Confusing Week 4/Week 5 

First off let me say with the change in the calendar (both of which are posted in earlier posts) things get a little confusing at Week 4. If you are doing the 30 Day Challenge and get to the next work out by clicking the link at the bottom of the previous day then there are multiple links/posts between Week 3 Day 5 and Week 4 Day 1. I've realized these are technically Week 4 and then when you get back to what actually says "Week 4 Day ..." that would be the fifth and final few days of the 30 Day Challenge.

So not realizing this I did the Couplet Workout on Week 4 Day 1 and then skipped ahead past the bodyrock lite work outs and unlabeled ones so I got to the ones that said "Week 4..." and now I'm out of the scheduled workouts with a week left of my 30 Days. I'm annoyed but if you look at the dates you can see what work out were supposed to be on which days if you correlated it with May. I'm irritated but just going to go some repeat work outs or random ones from the website until I'm done.

Don't get frustrated. Even though the Couplet isn't technically one of the labeled days it was an AMAZING workout, so intense and 20 minutes long (you can make it 30 if you do it 3 times through) but it felt really good and I was able to just keep pushing. Then the sculpt that went with it was great and the flow was nice because it was more fluid than some of the other ones.

If you want to do the couplet workout (technically week 4 of 30 days) here is the link:   http://www.bodyrock.tv/2012/05/21/couplet-workout-body-heat-workout-new-warm-up-flow/

If you want to find the 5th Week but labeled  Week 4 Day 1 without clicking through everything here is the link:  http://www.bodyrock.tv/2012/05/28/week-4-day-1-show-your-skin-bodyrock-burn-sculpt-flow-workout/

Update/Challenges 
So I'm on Week 4 Day 4 and things are going well. I am seeing more muscle and definition and the fat layer covering that is slowly getting smaller. I had a it of a set back this weekend/monday. I didn't eat healthy Sunday and then Monday we had a potluck and at the end I crashed an burned and ate way too much cheese and desserts. I felt bad both inside and out. I felt gross and bloated but also felt bad and it put me in a bummed mood. I was feeling a little defeated because I had been doing so well with the 30 Day Challenge and was just disappointed in myself and willpower. I felt like saying screw it and not working out but instead I just forced myself to do it and because of the confusion on bodyrock.tv I did the couplet workout which as I said turned out to be awesome. That made me feel better cause I knew I burned some serious calories but it also helped me refocus. We can't be perfect all the time but I know I will be so much happier if I just get back on the horse and back on track rather than giving up and saying screw it. If I said screw it and stopped trying, working out at diligently , and eating as healthy in one month I would be so upset with myself. I'm opting to feel awesome in a month rather than guilty and frustrated, and I am in control of that. I am trying to use this as a reminder when I want to eat the world and sweets and a million pieces of cheese... remember how I felt when I did that. I didn't feel good physically or mentally. I can have things in moderation and sweets here and there but it needs to be balanced. If I can keep this in my mind when I am at places with lots of good food (my weakness is cocktail parties and such... love those finger foods and appetizers) and can use will power I will feel good at the end of the day because I know my body will feel healthy but I will also be happy rather than guilty and disappointed .

To wrap it up I am still on my way and staying focused. I am loving BodyRock and look forward to doing another 30 Day Challenge after this one.