A Small Reveal

I alluded to a complete change of lifestyle in my last post. It drew a lot of interest and some questions so I contemplated doing a 'halfway' reveal. That would be next weekend but I still am not sure I'm ready to open myself up for input, criticism, or commentary from the general public yet. Sean and a couple of my closest friends have seen and supported me through the last 5 weeks. It's not always easy to be patient and trust the process. I want instant results just like everybody else. So instead of completely unveiling my new plan and body I thought I'd share the overview and a sneak peek instead.

The easiest way to explain what I've been doing is to say it's a balance between exercise, nutrition, and supplements. I'm hitting the gym 11 times per week. I run 5 days per week and lift 6 days. I combine easy runs and speed work and I hit every body part with weights at least once per week. I eat 'clean' 98% of the time. That's no joke! I eat 6 times per day, 7 days a week. One of those meals on Sunday gets to be a 'cheat' meal where I go out to eat with friends or family and splurge on a burger or a milkshake. And every day I follow a routine of supporting my nutrition and workouts with a careful selection of supplements.

Today's cheat meal at Rockhoppers

(Split with my mom!)

The results of this complete change have been astounding. I'm still waiting on an appointment to get my body fat percentage checked so I don't know where I started or where I am now (yet). But I have seen huge changes and my clothes fit differently than ever before.  My performances are improving on both runs and weights. And my energy is through the roof.

And here's the proof:

Completed 5k on the treadmill, the day after leg day and after going out dancing last night, in 24 minutes. My previous best was 24:27 and that was back in 2012. After only 5 weeks I have already met one of my 2015 goals (set a new 5k PR!).

AND

I'm stronger and happier with my body than ever before. Every week I go heavier, go harder, find another way to tweak my nutrition. And while I can't wait to share the full transformation with everyone, right now I am enjoying the journey and focusing on learning and growing on my own. 

Are you ready for 2015? Have you set your goals and outlined the steps to reach them yet?

LiveFit Trainer Week 1

Today marks the end of my first week of the LiveFit trainer. Obviously there aren't any huge changes to report but I thought a little update might help with motivation (mine and yours!) as we make our way further into the new year.

I made it through all of the workouts for week 1 with a few modifications. The gym was closed New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (isn't that when they get all their new memberships?!) so I made due with home workouts using bands and body weight exercises for chest and triceps day. I was at Paul's house on back and bicep day so we used his gym, which is fairly limited, and did our best. Leg day and shoulder/ab day both happened at my YMCA and the only thing I had to substitute for was seated calf raises because the Y doesn't have the equipment. And yes, I have been sore from head to toe all week. I love it!

Using my toddler for squats

 

As for the nutrition, I have been doing really well in my own opinion. I cheated with some wine and champagne on New Year's Eve but I saved the calories in my plan so the only damage was the shift in my macros. I had some popcorn and fruit snacks with the kids one day. And I have had Starbucks coffee twice this week but I stuck to a tall and made it a 'skinny' version of my usual order.

A 'skinny' treat

My typical day consists of lots of eggs, chicken, and fish. I get unlimited veggies so Birds Eye Steamfresh bags are my best friend right now. I only get a single serving of starch with each meal so rice cakes and sweet potatoes make up most of my carbs.

As Honest Toddler calls these, Sadness Patties!

I figured I'd be getting bored or sick of this by now but I really don't mind it. I feel more alert and I'm sleeping better (my Fitbit says my sleep efficiency is at 99%). The only thing I really miss is cardio and that will be coming back soon. I may begin to add a few miles warm up pre-lifting in week two. I know I won't get optimal muscle gain but I also have a 5k and 50k that I'm registered for!

I've also improved my overall habits. I upgraded to a 40 oz water bottle to aid with hydration. My Fitbit is motivating me to move more. (I still can't get 5 full lights without cardio!) My grocery bill has actually gone down now that I buy produce, meat, and a small amount of other things and then do an entire week of food prep in a day. Eating out has also become a thing of the past for the most part. The one time I was out for a meal I had a salad with oil and vinegar and then ate my protein and starch when I got home.

40 ounces of awesome!

 

There's really no physical changes to report yet other than being sore. I was up 0.5 pounds when I weighed in today which I expected. Inflammation, better hydration, and being stuffed full of fish and veggies will all add some weight. All in all, I'm excited to keep trying to improve as I go and see what happens over the next few weeks.

 

 

 

How are your goals coming so far this year? Do you have any tips for avoiding temptations?