Happy November! It's been a few weeks since my last post, and I wanted to update you all on how my 90 Day Body Composition Challenge is going! We are about at the halfway point...and I am feeling AMAZING!
Here are my 10 "Ah-ha" moments thus far...
1. I LOVE FOOD! This challenge has reminded me how much I love the taste of good, clean food, but also how much I love what that good, clean food does to my body. Let's face it, fueling our bodies is the main reason we eat. I never realized how much damage I was doing by eating crap, even as delicious as that crap tasted. My skin is clearer, I have more energy, excuse my TMI moment-eating clean regulates your "system," and gets rid of toxins. I'm even going to try a 3-5 day juice cleanse in a week or so...more information on juicing coming soon.
2. CHEATING ISN'T ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE. When I first started the challenge, the urge to cheat was super strong! I still craved chocolate, greasy food, and chips. Even though I was enjoying the clean food I was making, I found myself looking forward to my cheat day. Now that I am almost halfway through, I have realized that urge to cheat is decreasing more and more. Don't get me wrong, on Saturdays when watching my Gators play, I still might eat a chicken wing or 5 or 10, but then I have to deal with an upset stomach and sluggish feeling, and I instantly regret my decision. I still allow myself to indulge once a week if needed, but it doesn't make me feel great, so my cheat "days" are dwindling to cheat "meals."
3. I AM SEEING RESULTS AT THE GYM! The past few weeks, I have felt stronger, more conditioned, and have had WAY more energy during my workouts. I don't get fatigued as quickly. For example, I pushed back my weight maxes for many of my lifts because my form was starting to break down. That really hurt my ego at first, but now, I am so happy with my decision. I am seeing a HUGE improvement with my form, and I feel much more confident when attempting a big squat day, or when doing heavy deadlifts or cleans.
4. I FINALLY FEEL LIKE A RUNNER! WAHOO! I ran a 5K on Oct. 26 with my Tampa Bay Athletics family, and I KILLED IT! This might not seem like a big feat for you 15K or half marathon runners, but I can't describe how proud I was of myself! One year ago, I ran the same race, and I received a time of 33:20. My goal was to run under 35 minutes, and I met that goal. I also set a new PR. Well...during the past 4 months or so, my 5K times haven't been super great. For the race this year, I told myself I wanted to beat my PR of 29:37 (when I was taking deer antler), and I wanted to run it in under 29:00. My official race time was 28: 36!!! I not only came under 29 minutes, but I also shaved a whole minute off my PR. I 100% believe that this challenge has helped me accomplish this huge goal!! I HATE running, and I have never considered myself a runner, but for the first time, I am actually enjoying running, and I have goals to keep improving! Who knows, I may even try a 10 or 15K...but let's not get ahead of ourselves!
5. WATER, WATER, WATER! The easiest part of this challenge for me so far has been my water intake. I have pretty consistently kept my intake to 80-90oz a day. On the weekends, I don't drink as much since I'm not talking all day like I do while teaching, but I still drink a decent amount. Drinking a ton of water is SO SO SO important!!
6. FOUR PANTS SIZES! FOUR PANTS SIZES! Last week, I wore a pair of Anne Taylor pants to work. THIS WAS A HUGE DEAL FOR ME, because one year ago I was wearing pants FOUR sizes bigger!! I even danced around the bathroom, and did a little cheer. I haven't been able to wear them for at least 3 years, AND today I put on a BCBG skirt that I bought my second year teaching. Last time I wore it, I had to un-do the clasp, zip it down a bit, and then pin it to get it to fit me because I couldn't close the clasp. It was even a little loose today- and fully zipped! These were probably my happiest moments during the first half of the challenge. Most days, I get frustrated because I'm not seeing results (or so I think). So, when I was able to put the skirt and pants on, and button them comfortably, it gave me the proof I needed. It's working. I never care what the scale says, but what I do care about is how my clothes fit, and how I feel. I weighed myself today, and I literally weigh exactly the same as I did before the challenge, but I am down 4 sizes!
7. PROTEIN...INTIMIDATING and IMPORTANT. One of the hardest parts of the challenge for me so far has been including enough protein in my diet. My goals were to lost body fat and to gain muscle, so I should have about 100-120 grams of protein a day. This is a HUGE increase from what I was used to. I'm really trying to vary my sources of protein, and for the second half of the challenge, I am going to introduce protein shakes using the protein from the fabulous Ten Institute! I still feel like I'm not having enough protein every day, so I think the protein shakes after working out will help supplement the small amount I'm lacking.
8. GETTING IN A RUT. Another challenge for us has been trying to avoid getting in a food "rut." When the challenge started, we had our staple items that we ate every day. We spent a lot of time trying recipes, and finding ways to eat clean and organically without breaking the bank. After a while, we started to get bored of eating the same things. I was tired of having my mid-day snack EVERY DAY be celery with natural peanut butter. Or, I was tired of green beans and chicken AGAIN for lunch. I've realized that it takes a bit of time to try different foods and recipes, and to plan out your menus for the week. We are trying to vary our protein sources, our snacks, our breakfasts, and our dinners. I got so sick of eating hard boiled eggs and bananas every morning, so I tried a fabulous egg muffin recipe that someone on the Challenge Facebook page posted. I loved it!!
9. WE ALL NEED A CHEERLEADER! When trying to complete a challenge like this one, it's so vital that you have an accountabillabuddy to complete it with you, or to cheer your on, and keep you motivated and on track. I am lucky enough to be going through this journey with my fabulous husband, Brett. On days that one of us wants to break, the other one gives a reminder of why we are doing this in the first place. On days where we are getting bored with our meals, one of us finds something new and yummy to make for dinner. And most importantly, we encourage one another, and we let each other know that the results can be seen! I have noticed a HUGE difference in Brett, and I make sure to let him know, especially when I see that he is getting frustrated. This is NOT something that you can, or should do alone!!
10. WE ALL SLIP SOMETIMES. I admit...there has been a week or two where I fell off the wagon. Whether it be that work was so insane that I couldn't bare to put on gym clothes and get myself to TBA, or that my monthly hormones were raging and I just HAD to have those french fries or giant brownie or I would just DIE. Either way, I cheated. It's okay. It happens. It doesn't mean that I am going to lose ALL the progress I've made, or that the brownie was going to push me up two pants sizes. Although, at the time, I felt so guilty, that I was SURE I was going to gain 15 pounds. The important part is that when trying to complete a challenge like this, you have to realize that you are human, you might fall off the horse, but you can get right back up again. I have not lost determination, I have not lost the drive and will, and I have made a PERMANENT decision to live an active, clean, healthy, and strong lifestyle for the rest of my life...even if there are a few bumps in the road along the way.
Needless to say, it's been a long journey, and we are only halfway done. It's been hard, and I've learned SO many new things so far, but the one thing I know is that I am NOT giving up. I love how I feel inside and out, and I refuse to give that up. This isn't a diet I'm on, it's not some "new" thing. It's a lifestyle change, and I am committed.
I don't like to think of it as, "I still have so far to go." I like to think of it as, "I am halfway to the fabulous new me!" And I mean this in every sense...both mentally and physically.
I will post another update on the challenge soon...in the meantime....keep on keeping on :)
