November Goals

The last couple of months have been pretty tough for me.  It is never easy to come to terms with weight gain.  It often feels like I am starting all over again.  Of course that is not the case – I have maintained a lot of muscle, my fitness has not declined excessively, and … it is never too late to make changes.  Determination, strength, perseverence.  I don’t quit.

So I am loving the fact that it is November.  I am … READY for it.

Now that I have more time, it is time to really focus on nutrition, while maintaining exercise.  The facts are really pointing to weight loss being 80% nutrition, maybe even 90%.  And the last little 10-20% being exercise.  So, I got that 10-20%.  I will exercise.
Throughout November (and the beginning of December), I will continue to exercise with the following goals:

+ Continue with the P90x routine.  That a means maximum of one day rest per week.
+ Burn a minimum of 2100 calories per day.  (I think the best way to reach this goal is to monitor my calories over the next week or so, because a change in routine means my activity level will surely change, and I am not sure what my BMR will look like.  I am thinking that if my burn has been low, an evening walk after dinner will help).

But what about that all important nutrition?

+  Start logging my intake again.  With as much accuracy as possible.
+  Keeping my calories consumed under 1500, which means a minimum deficit of 500 calories per day.
This may be difficult now that I am moving toward ‘holiday mode’, but I want to try my best.  During the week, 100% no excuses.  But I do want to save one meal per week, (not a cheat meal), but a chance to eat out and enjoy myself without feeling guilty.

And of course,

+ To monitor my progress, weekly measurements and weighing.

I’ve sneakily filled in Nov 1st.  It’s good motivation.  Day one – exercise, tick, good cals burned, tick, good calorie deficit, tick(!)  Definitely going to stick with that trend!

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Pump

As planned, after some serious stats work (boring! mindnumbing!), I made it to Step on Wednesday.  As usual, I wasn’t really feeling it beforehand, but as soon as I am there, and got into it, it’s great.

All the new releases were out- And this was a tough class.  I guess that my body/muscles adjusted to the routine of the last one, because I hadn’t got my heartrate so high In Step for a long time.  Pretty crazy >>Thursday I was in class all day, and I had every intention of just heading home, but at the last minute I pushed myself to go to the gym.  I thought that Attack was on Thursday’s at 5:30, so I was getting changed thinking nothing of it, and as I walked into the class, I saw everyone setting up weights…(?!)  And then I realised – Attack is 6:30, Pump is 5:30!  So I figured that it was about time I sucked it up and gave it a go.

So the verdict?  Remember this is coming from me, who has never lifted weights before(!)

It was hard, but doable.  Although I had pretty light weights compared to the rest of the class and I still suffered.  I know people will say I could lift heavier – but for the majority of the sets, I was done by the time we reached the end.  Wasted… So I think I did okay.

And I am sore today.  And hungry, majorly hungry…(!)

Time for more tea, otherwise it will be lunch time and I will have eaten my daily intake!

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Weight Loss

I am trying to get back into my groove.  After a solid month of effort, my motivation certainly isn’t what it used to be.  21 days to make a habit right?  Well I smashed that…and me, habitual about exercise and healthy eating?  I think not(!)

I need to keep pushing myself, I don’t want to end up back where I started.  I have come so far…

Monday I went for a walk; I had a headache, but wanted to make sure that I got some activity in.  Here is what Monday looked like >>

It was 99.9% walking with a tiny run at the end – so pretty amazing how much vigorous activity that amounts to!  Nice big calorie deficit of 847 calories…

Tuesday I should have gone to the gym for a session after work, I really need to pump myself up to go to a pump class – Ha!  But ended up having coffee with a friend >>

But I still did pretty well calorie burn-wise… no complaints over here.

And this morning (Wednesday), I woke up to see a loss on the scales!  It is official:

2.5kg loss since August 1st 

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Out of Action

No, I haven’t fallen off the wagon – I just have no internets!   And a lot has been going on anyway really…  Crazy times, I am holding on to the fact that I only have a few months to go and I will be out of university forever!

So time for a re-cap I reckon

Monday – Working, working, not so happy about my current situation, but thinking positive and hoping things will start to look up.
Tuesday – Wasn’t too much better on that front.  But I did make it to the gym for 4.14km run/walk in 35 minutes.
Wednesday – Meetings, and more meetings… Then Step(!)  My favourite at the moment
Thursday – Class all day… not very exciting either.
Friday – Started the day with 30 Day Shred Level 3.  Then it was onto assignments, coursework, research etc, but at least I was at home    Later Mr. J and I hit up Friday late night shopping, a few errands, and then dinner at Gus’s Cafe.

Calories over the week were pretty average:
Monday – 2108 cals burned and a 559 cal deficit.
Tuesday – 2639 cals burned and a 822 cal deficit.
Wednesday – 2346 cals burned and a 803 cal deficit.
Thursday – 2126 cals burned and a 405 cal deficit.
Friday – 2436 cals burned and a 779 cal defcit.

Happy it’s the weekend, but also stressy about stuff that I should be doing – ahh the woes of being a student.

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Catch Ups

Wednesday was a bit brighter than Monday and Tuesday; so no need to make it an -itis! 

I hit up Step in the afternoon, and was really happy with the class, as usual.  I burned 2287 cals and had a deficit of 895 cals – Awesome-o!

Thursday was back to class – Hello semester 2, I can’t wait until you are over(!)  It was a long day, with virtually zilch activity.  I couldn’t face doing any exercise in the evening, plus I desperately needed to prepare for a job interview for the next day.  Ended the day with 1676 cals burned and a 467 cal deficit.

Friday I was a nervous wreck.  Wait, scrap that – I have been a nervous wreck all week (apologies Mr. J!).  The interview wasn’t until that afternoon, so even though I was feeling pretty sick – 30 Day Shred Level THREE saw another day   I still have to modify some of the exercises.  But loving the extra burn

Because of the job interview, I did not wear my body media armband for the day – and have no idea about cals -

But never mind that – I weighed in!  And, I know it has a lot to do with stress, but I was down another 700g!  .7kg!

Bringing my total loss since August 1st to > 2.2kg <

Date night with Mr. J tonight at a French restaurant 

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Mondayitis, and Tuesdayitis too

I find it so hard to get back into the swing of things after not really getting any relax time over the weekend.

So it was all rush in the morning, getting ready then braving the traffic… etc etc!  It was a long day, but I managed to make it to the gym after work(!)  Made it a late one, that’s for sure.

4km on the treadmill, in 35mins; then 10mins on the elliptical.

So with the gym, and my lower calorie intake, I hit a mega 1200 calorie deficit on Monday

I was feeling a bit the same today (Tuesday).  It may have something, no wait, pretty much everything to do with my new area of placement.  Thus far, I am seriously lacking in tasks that meet my clinical requirements.  Hoping that tomorrow will be a brighter day.  But the stress seems never-ending.  At some point I need to prepare for the Friday job interview too… and breathe(!)

Anyway, had planned to head to the gym again tonight, but just couldn’t face it after my not-so-stellar day.  Instead, I dragged Mr. J out for a walk.  3.3km in 41minutes, took it pretty easy, but some good hills in there.

So doing pretty well with the activity at the moment – bring on Step tomorrow afternoon!!

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Resting & More Progress

And this is what a rest day looks like >>I felt a little bit guilty about it last night:  Only 38minutes moderate activity?  Only 1751 steps?

Luckily, I was careful with my intake yesterday,  it would have been very easy to eat “normally” and there goes my deficit for the day(!)

In other news, I think that moving last week was exactly ‘the push’ that my body needed.  Because …

> I have lost another .5 kilo! <

Which brings my total loss since August 1st to > 1.5kgs < 

Going to hit up 30 Day Shred today, before going shopping for an interview outfit for next week

 

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Burpees

Forgot to update on my Step class attendance – yes, I attended

I was feeling very sore yesterday, very sore.  The jog on Tuesday, and Step yesterday – it is a love/hate situation.

I really pushed it at Step on Wednesday.  I wasn’t feeling it before I got to the gym, but once the class started, I was in the mood!  I did every single burpee in one of the sets, I struggled with the ab set though.  I was pretty stuffed by that point(!)

I was red-faced, sweaty, but feeling great at the end of the hour, and I hit 31minutes vigorous activity, and 2hours moderate activity for the day.  Considering I basically sat on my butt all day before the class > 2346 calorie burn is not too shabby <  And I still managed a 1000 calorie deficit. Maybe this also has something to do with my progress of late?   

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Gym Sesh

I made it to the gym yesterday afternoon – I knew that leaving my gear in the car would ensure that I had 100% no excuse!

So yesterday, I of course wasn’t feeling the gym bug, but I made myself commit to 30 minutes.  The gym was packed full, lucky I got a treadmill before every machine was taken.  I was going to do 20 minutes, then move on to the elliptical, but it was so busy I didn’t want to risk losing a machine(!)

There was some jogging in there!  Which was reflected in my time.  35minutes, 4km.And the jogging was also reflected in my body media stats, >> 33minutes vigorous activity!

Pretty pleased with my efforts recording my food intake so far.  Some things I have had to guestimate   But my deficits have been so high, which means I can be confident that I am still seeing a deficit overall, even if my calorie recording is 1-200 cals out.

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Deficits, a Good Thing

Wow busy day, it’s going to take me a while to get used to f/t placement again.

Here was my calorie breakdown over the weekend >>

Saturday

And Sunday

So burning a bit less, but still with a 900 calorie deficit each day > That’s what I want to see, a deficit every day.
Today, I was planning on going to the gym after work, but dramas with a friend who also wanted to go, meant that I gave up on going    I should have gone on my own, because sitting waiting for her in the car 35 mins outside her work, is just too much.  I don’t want my day to turn into a 12hr day just to go to the gym, I can’t handle it!  I need my relax time.  Next time, I will just do my own thing.

So another full work day tomorrow, and my gym gear is still in the car, so it might get a look in 

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