Little late with this post as it’s been a hectic week.
Week 4 went fine. I missed my extra HIIT workout as I didn’t get enough sleep over the weekend. But I managed to lose a little (less than a pound). My measurements were up a little again but I think it’s due to the fog of hormones that is also affecting my motivation. I’ve had some fairly severe mood swings this week which has been tough.
So close now to getting into single figures in the 10s. Must keep pushing!!
Not much to say this week. Energy levels are finally returning so I did an extra HIIT workout. Aerobic fitness has dropped but it’s getting back to where it used to be.
I noticed mid-week that I’d strayed into high carb low protein – probably due to the cold weather which always makes me crave carbs and sleep. So I’m started making a concerted effort to get my protein levels back up. This is going well. I’m making sure I hit at least 90g protein a day. Still working my way back into the healthy eating groove but slowly getting there.
Weight-wise: I am down another pound this week. Was hoping for more but clearly my food wasn’t quite right. One more to go before I get back to my lowest weight since I started training again.
Measurements: waist and lower belly were both down (yay!). Again not as much as I’d hoped for but still good. Down is always good! I think a full body measure will be in order when I get below my previous lowest weight. That may coincide nicely with my anniversary at Lift365. It will be a year later this month!!! How time flies when you’re having fun 😄🏋🏻
Food: protein levels are up again and I’m doing well on the veg count most days. I’ve reintroduced a little wheat just for variety. Hopefully it will be fine but if my tummy starts complaining then I’ll cut back again. I need to be careful on study days at home as I tend to snack more and walk less.
All in though I’m making progress again and feel like I’m finally moving out of my recent rut.
This week has been better. I’ve finally managed to shift my cold and I’m feeling a lot better. My PT sessions were harder than normal as I think I was still recovering but I managed to fit in an extra HIIT session yesterday so I’m feeling good. It was tougher than I remember though. Always saddens me how quickly cardio fitness declines.
Food wise I didn’t do too bad. I can do better and need to be careful of lazy lunches. I’ve not been prepping lunches everyday so have been getting food at work and it never fits my macros or calories. Will try to plan better this week. I’m gonna get the slow cooker out again now it’s getting cooler. That should help with meal prep. Must add more veggies too as I’m still not great at that.
So this week I’m down 1 lb (yay!). Back in the 10s 😄. Waist measure is a little misleading as I think my magic leggings last week were the support kind. So waist measurement appears to be up again but that’s probably due to less supportive leggings this week. Still my lower tummy measure is down half an inch which is great! Slowly going back in the right direction.
This week I’m gonna try and lose another 1-2 lbs to get to back where I was before illness. Rash plans to do a full body measure next Monday too which will be interesting. We usually do weekly weight and tummy measures. But not done a full body in a while.
The new training programme is going well although I’m not loving the power plate squat pulses!! I did however have lots more fun than I was supposed to doing ball slams haha. I found a point on the gym floor that seems to allow the ball to bounce really well. Reps are always easier when it’s a game 😄🏋🏻♀️
I’ve been asked by a few friends why I’m doing all this training. Do I have a goal? When will I stop? What’s the point?!
It’s something I’ve thought a little about but only in passing. I’m actually enjoying not having a goal. I’ve always had something to aim for before. There’s always been an event – usually a race – that marked the finish line. Then I could stop. But for me this training is just the start of a new lifestyle and it’s fun. I have no plans to stop completely. I will probably ease up a little once I’m down to a healthy and happy weight but I currently don’t know what that weight is.
I know most people have a number in their minds, either on the scales or as a dress size. But my aim is to get to a point where I feel comfortable and happy, where Drs tell me I’m healthy and that I can maintain. That may change as time goes on. I may decide to see just how lean I can get but I honestly don’t think I have the discipline to see it through. That kind of training requires a lot of planning and control. But it could be fun to enter a competition at the end before bouncing back to a more manageable weight.
There’s a long way yet to go so I’ve got plenty of time to think about it.
Today was my weekly weigh-in with Rash at Lift365. I do check my weigh over the week with scales at home but the official weigh-in is always on Mondays just before my session.
Today was the end of the first week of my 8 week pre-Christmas transformation. It could’ve been better but it wasn’t. I have stayed the same weight wise (still 11st). On the plus side though I have lost over an inch from my waist!! This may be partly due to shiny new leggings (they’re long ones for winter). I suspect that the waist band is somewhat ‘supportive’ which is probably why my measurements dropped so much. Either way though not too bad considering I’ve not been well.
My cold is now mostly gone. Although I’m not entirely back to 100% if tonight’s session is anything to go by. Hopefully a little more rest and I’ll be back better than new. I hope to be well enough by mid-week to get back to my additional workouts and introduce some HIIT back into my week. We do some HIIT at the gym but i have been doing extra on my own to help keep my activity up and allow me to eat a little more 😄 (it’s all about the food!).
Will update with progress next week and maybe even scare you all with some photos!
It’s been a rough week. I’ve tried to be better with food but it’s difficult to get back into healthy eating habits. Not helped by being unwell and away on a course. Always more difficult to eat healthy when eating out.
First weigh-in is tomorrow and I doubt I’ve lost anything. I may even have put on weight. Never mind. Will try harder from tomorrow. My cold has almost gone now so hopefully I’ll be back to full training strength tomorrow. That means at least 1 HIIT session next week! That should help.
7 weeks left to get it right!! If I win for 2lbs a week then I could lose a whole stone before Christmas! That would be amazing!!
As some of you may know I’ve been feeling a little stuck lately. I can’t seem to get back into the weight loss/fat loss groove. My fitness is still increasing but my measurements seem to be hovering around the same point.
My PTs (Lift365) have recently started an 8 week pre-Christmas transformation for some of their online clients. This seemed like a good opportunity for me to refocus on my food so I am jumping on the band wagon. Or at least that was the intention. They started week 1 last week but sadly I was unwell so had to postpone. I’m starting this week though and will follow along just a week behind.
So the plan for me is to refocus on my food and cut back on those bad habits that have snuck back into my diet. I need to get back to proper food prep too as I’ve been a little lazy with that lately. I’ve decided to cut my calories too so I’ll be back down to averaging 1400 a day. That seemed to work for me before and was easy enough to maintain. I wasn’t overly hungry or tired on it which is good.
Training-wise, I’ve just started a new program at Lift365 which will be a bit more HIIT and fat burning. I’ll also be adding back my own home workouts 1-2 HIIT/cardio sessions a week and hopefully 1 yoga session if I can find the time.
My weight has crept up a little over the last few weeks so I’m currently at 11st and 36in on belly button. I’ll try to update you on these measurements over the coming weeks. Let’s see if I can get under 10st7 by my anniversary with Lift365 at the end of November 😊 always good to have a goal.
The weight loss journey is continuing. Slowly and with a few minor set backs but it is continuing. Sadly the list of foods I can eat without ill effect is getting rather short, particularly in the carbs section. Basically I’m down to quinoa, oats and potatoes. But I guess that’s ok. I suspect that dairy will be the next thing to go since my skins has flared up and my tummy’s been a bit unhappy lately. The trouble there is that dairy is one of y main sources of protein and my main breakfast food. Without it I have no idea what to eat in the mornings or how to keep my protein levels up. I’ll have to look into it. But it’s a worry.
On the plus side though I’ve hit a number of PBs at the gym. My weights have all been going up lately. And I feel fitter on all exercises. Most notably are the following:
That’s all really good! Especially with the heat lately. I’ve not been sleeping well cause the flats too hot and it’s really noisy with the windows open.
I think the extra workouts have helped too. I’m now consistently (for the last month or so) been doing at leat one but most 2 HIIT sessions a week on top of my 2 sessions a week at the gym with Rash. I’m trying to fit in yoga on another day cause everything is feeling a bit tight but it’s tricky with all the uni work and work-work I have to do too. Hopefully after this weekend once I’ve got my uni assignments in I can concentrate on fitting more stuff in and working out my food.
Food wise (other than the intolerances) I’m doing ok. I’m mostly hitting my calories and my protein is always at least 100g (good for me). The problem is that my fibre and fat intake is low but carbs and sugar are high. Carbs very high in fact. I think cutting back there will help with the bloating so that’s good. But I’m not sure how to get fats up without sugar and without any more dairy. I will have to look at it all properly next week. For now I’m gonna concentrate on not snacking while I study 😊 3 more pounds to go before my birthday and I’ll feel good.
I hit my next weight/fat loss goal!!! I am now under 11st for the first time in years (I think about 2 and a half but possibly longer). And I couldn’t have done it without the support and encouragement of Rash. It’s very exciting!!!
Plus with a few tweaks to my diet (cutting out rice) my waist measurement has finally gone down. I think the rice was bloating me. I have suffered in the past with an intolerance to rice but several months ago I found that my tummy could tolerate it again in small amounts. Since then it’s slowly been creeping into my regular diet. Mostly cause it’s quick and easy to cook (I cheat and buy microwaveable rice) and easy to weigh out properly. It’s not like pasta that’s vastly different weights before compared to after you cook it. I always get confused with pasta as to whether the nutritional whatsits on the packet refer to cooked or dry. Turns out I’d been eating portions over twice the size of what’s recommend (oops!).
My weight and waist measurements being down is fantastic. Long may it continue! But I’m keen to stress to any of my readers that for me the fat loss is personal. I don’t need to lose weight or fat, no-one told me I had to do it, but I feel better in myself now that I am. Mostly it’s to do with having more confidence now that I’ve taken control of my eating and my health. I’m working out lots (3-4 times a week) more than I used to and I’m finally enjoying it. It took me years to find the exercise that worked for me. But I finally feel like I’ve found it. I enjoy weight-training. I like the challenge every session of trying to better my last. Of pushing myself a little harder. Plus there’s so much more variety in exercises than traditional cardio. I get bored running. I need an activity that engages my brain to stop it wandering off and doing other things. If my brain wanders far enough then my body tends to follow (or head for home if I’m out for a run).
I’m very excited about my latest achievement. Mostly cause it means I can now control my food and eating. I managed to do this while faced with a week long trip to the US l, several family events and constant cakes/donuts at work. Food no longer controls me which for me is huge! I do plan to keep going. I have a vague ‘ideal’ weight that I’m aiming for but to be honest I’m just going to see how I feel pound by pound (sorry I’m old-school and can’t do kilos). I remember liking being under 10st. So that’s where I’m aiming at the moment. It kinda depends how and where I lose the fat though. If my tummy fat is still being stubborn I may keep going. But if it’s evenly distributed and it doesn’t bother me then I may stay a little heavier. We’ll see how it goes. For now I’m just gonna keep on keeping on.
I’m finally making steady progress. It’s been hard going especially with food cause I’ve been away a lot or had weekends with family (these usually involve eating out). But I’m now fast approaching another milestone.
Only 4 pounds down from my last post but consistently 1 pound down a week for almost a month now. I’m hoping to push that to 2 pounds a week soon as I’ll have less social events his next month. I doubt I’ll hit my aim of 10 stone by my birthday but anything even close to that would be amazing!! Looking back over my food diaries and weight charts shows me that I haven’t been under 11st for nearly 2 years!! This week will be my week. 10st something is gonna show on that scale on Monday! And even if I don’t hit 10st flat at least I’ll be solidly in the 10s by my birthday.
I’ve found it is very important to have goals but also to be kind to yourself if you’re not meeting them as quickly as you think you should. I’m still making steady progress, that’s all that matters.
On the exercise front I have hit a few lift PBs recently. I’m never overly sure what weights in lifting as Rash tends to sneak more on there while I’m trying to breath in the breaks between rounds. But she always lets me know when I’ve hit a new high. Leg press is now up to 130kg (yay!!) and I believe hip thrusts were up too although if forget what. I feel slimmer and stronger and people at work have started to comment which is always nice.
I’ve also started doing more at home on my own. While twice a week with Rash is awesome and she pushes me way harder than I would push myself. More was needed. So I’ve started doing some HIIT sessions in the week. So far just one a week but I’m hoping to fit another one in there somewhere. And maybe even a yoga session – although there’s no pressure for that one. Only if I find the time or need a study break. I do need to get back into the habit of regular stretching though! I’ve found my hamstrings are tight as are my glutes which I think might be giving me back ache. Hopefully a little more stretching and/or yoga will sort me out. Then hopefully my next sports massage won’t hurt quite so much (fingers crossed).
I haven’t really set a goal for after my birthday yet. And I still haven’t really thought about where is ultimately like to be size-wise. I’m more concerned with waist measurement and it would be good to get back in the healthy zone there. I know a lot of the fat scales are rather subjective but it’s a good thing to aim for. Some of that will come down to diet and I will have to look more closely at what foods are not sitting well with me. I’ve cut out a lot of the ones I know I have intolerances to but there must be others. I fear rice will be the first to go and possible pasta too. Quinoa and potatoes are looking like carb friends now. Always seems to take more prep than pasta or rice! Never mind. It’ll be better in the long run. The aim is to be down on inches as well as pounds in Monday. Wish me luck! I’ll let you know how I do 😊🏋🏻
trainingtam 