Week 3 Report: Rough week. Still moving forward.

Week 3 finished. Hard week at work, but staying strong.

Here's my attempt at "confident and happy face."

Stats:

Starting weight: 79.5 kg

Current weight: 75.5 kg

Week 3 lost: -0.5 kg

Total lost: -4 kg

Highlights:

Week 3 Summary: I'll keep this week's update pretty simple because I'm trying to keep my "extra work" to a minimum at the moment. I've been pulling lots of extra hours and taking on more responsibilities at my full-time job, and my coworker has been out due to illness. I am afraid I feel some cold symptoms coming on, so I'm playing it safe and taking a mellow, warm, indoor rest-day. My diet has been great this week, and I'm feeling overall energetic and healthy and steady. Even though my weight-loss on the scale was only 0.5 kg, I am very happy with the progress I'm making. I'm building up a bit of my muscle mass, so that's a very positive number, and I can see and feel the difference in my clothes and appearance. The BEST part of rebuilding a fitness lifestyle is that I FEEL so much better about myself and my abilities. I am starting to feel more like my ideal self: STRONG, CAPABLE, CONFIDENT, and WORTHY. It's easy to let my own needs and goals come last, but when I make it a point to take very good care of myself, I feel better and I can DO MORE in all areas of my life. The problem with selflessness is that we break down, and then we can't work at our fullest potential in any area of our lives. To offset the intensity at work, and try to stave off a probable cold virus, this weekend was all about naps and silly 1990's Kung Fu movies and light reading.

Thoughts: I'm focusing on building-up my CONFIDENCE and SELF-WORTH. Those words are easy to say, but it's so hard to really stand strong and know my own value. I believe strongly that the path to a truly meaningful and valuable life is through building HAPPINESS and DIGNITY for self and others. This comes through the difficult work of understanding ourselves and the REALITY of our lives, and working through the messy bits until we can create a LASTING PEACE. This is the opposite of being "weak" or "soft"; it's the exquisitely sensitive work of honoring our values and our vulnerabilities and not letting anything dismiss our damage us in the process of building ourselves STRONG. So often, I find myself pounding away at my work, ignoring my own stress or signals of physical or emotional pain. I can fight until I break, but I'm learning that being FIT is not about breaking myself. Being FIT is about BUILDING an UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT and a LIFE that supports our DREAMS and GOALS.  

"When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time."
Saint Francis de Sales

Stuff that was hard for me this week:

Work-Life Balance: Simply put, I WORK TOO MUCH! I need to find ways to balance my time, and maybe reduce my private clients. This is hard, because I LOVE MY CLIENTS! But I need to put my health in focus, and that means setting limits.

Healthy noms: lowfat stirfried veggies with tofu, and a snack with cucumbers and green olives.
I always make sure I have water and a bit of chewing gum around in case I need a fresh taste. Sometimes the drive to "munch" is just to have a different flavor or feeling in the mouth. 

Goals for next week:

• Workouts: cardio 3x medium-to-high intensity; daily long walks; strength 2x 
• Nutrition: packing foods for the day and using protein supplements (It's WORKING!)
• Work-Life Balance: reduce overtime at work ("Light and quick" work)
• Time/Routine: get at least 6 hours of sleep a night.
• Weight-loss goal for week 3: 1 kg

Visuals for the week:

Faking it at figure poses.

My beloved Bianchi! This beast and I have done thousands of kilometers of travel together. Waiting for the train for a light ride in the countryside.

Chilly summer weather. Rocking my home colors! (Go, Seahawks!)

Week 2 Report: Steady and Strong

Week 2 complete. Stronger = ready for more.

Goofy is glamorous. Seriously.

Stats:

Starting weight: 79.5 kg

Current weight: 76.0 kg

Week 2 lost: -0.5 kg

Total lost: -3.5 kg

Highlights:

Week 2 Summary: Week two has brought more challenges with time-management and planning, but has been an overall successful week. I made it through two running workous in spite of rainy weather and/or hot weather, and I managed to get into the fitness center once this week. For a special treat, we went to the rock climbing gym to play... My work schedule has been very busy (about 55 hours between my full-time job and other clients), and we were blessed by a visit from a beloved family member from the States. I wanted so much to make everything perfect for everyone, and that meant loosening up a bit on my own training/diet schedule. ...Naturally, that showed up on the scale this week. I'm not disappointed by my smaller weight-loss for week 2, but I am determined to make week 3 stronger in terms of performance. The only way to break through is to push harder and tighten up on my diet. Overall, it was a great week, and I'm feeling fitter and stronger. I can already see a very positive difference in my mobility and strength and range of motion, and it is amazing to be able to run again. (Yes, I can RUN again!!!)

Rocking the pink this week.

Thoughts: Building a fit lifestyle is a process of balancing and integrating our values and responsibilities to make a life that WORKS. For me, this means incorporating activity into my daily life as much as possible, and building social events around fitness. It means ordering the salad and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. It means going to the rock climbing gym with our out-of-town guest, and making it a fun time to share fitness tips. The work we invest in our fitness is something that brings value not only to ourselves, but to everyone we meet. It's important to really focus on a holistic approach to fitness, and not get lost in the details. We can count the reps and sets, the calories, the distance and times... We can measure food and weight and bodyfat and circumferences. But we can't quantify the value of moving our bodies thought strenous activities without pain, or the incredible feeling of overcoming an obstacle. True fitness isn't about restriction and regimentation, but about expanding ourselves and our abilities so that we can live more fully. 

holistic

həʊˈlɪstɪk,hɒ-/

adjective

PHILOSOPHY

1. 
   
   

   characterized by the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.

   
   

Stuff that was hard for me this week:

Time-management: This is a recurring theme for me, and I think it's something most of us really struggle with. I tend to take on too many responsibilities, and then I end up losing out on important parts of my own self-maintenance (sleep, personal enrichment, relaxation, household management, leisure)... Organization is going to be a huge key to achieving more.

Setting Limits: This is another tough one. I have such a heart for others, and I absolutely hate to inconvenience or disappoint anyone. When I look at my schedule, I wonder how I manage to get everything done and still have a smile on my face. True, I have a huge amount of energy to give and a natural inclination to help and be of service to the well-being and happiness of others. But the reality is that I need to find ways to create limits, activate my support network, and delegate. I don't know how to ask for help, but it is absolutely essential to my health and my success in life. This seems to be a very common theme for most of us who struggle with weight-management. We put our own needs last, and we don't know how to say "no" or "help" or "I need more time." This is a fundamental skill-set to expand and develop for lifelong health and well-being.

Goals for next week:

• Workouts: cardio 5x; weights 2x 
• Nutrition: continue to pack all foods in the cooler (Prepare for Success!)
• Life Skills/Interpersonal: set limits and find ways to reduce commitments
• Time/Routine: get at least 6 hours of sleep a night.
• Weight-loss goal for week 3: 1 kg

Visuals for the week:

The light isn't great, but the upper back muscles are starting to come in.



Week 1 Report: A good start to the challenge... Much more to come!

Week 1 complete. Time to level up!

I'm a gym poser. A totally sweaty, tired gym poser.

Stats:

Starting weight: 79.5 kg

Current weight: 76.5 kg

Week 1 lost: -3 kg

Total lost: -3 kg

Highlights:

Week 1 Summary: We have been blessed with gorgeous summer weather this week, so I did a lot of outdoor activities. I managed two jogging/running workouts; lots of long walks; a functional fitness workout in the park; and a bicycle ride. I hit the gym twice, and found that I still have good strength and decent muscle endurance. I've been really loving salads and herbal tea and fresh fruits this week, and drinking tons of delicious, cool, refreshing WATER. Also, anything with spice is amazing! I've eaten so many hot chilis and hot sauces this week. Overall, it's been a great week, and I've been working at balancing my priorities so I can make fitness an integral part of my lifestyle. 

Thoughts: If we feel like we must choose between fitness and other important things in our life, we need to shift that perspective. It's not a question of "fitness VS my life"; it's about living a fit life. Don't just think of fitness as a short-term goal, or something you have to do in addition to all of your other responsibilities and priorities in life. Fitness is about making a better life for ourselves and everyone we interact with. Why not try to make social events active and healthy? When you go out for a meal with friends, enjoy the company and eat lighter options. Improvise activities that include other people and/or pets, so that everyone can share in an active lifestyle. Encourage others to get involved, and make it more fun to share a fit life with everyone. 

This is my stash of treats: fresh oranges, tomatoes, and nectarines, and a selection of sweet herbal teas. I have a sweet tooth, and it's important to have healthy treats on-hand.

Stuff that was hard for me this week:

Food: I haven't been able to plan/carry my meals with me everywhere, and when I'm out with friends, I have to balance the "party vibe" with my goals. Visiting a fun Bierfest with friends was a super fun experience, but my diet took a few big hits. 

Workouts: Because it's been a crazy-busy week, my workouts haven't quite hit the mark as I had planned. I was still very active, but had to modify my approach a bit to accomodate all of the other goings-on this week. I know that if I want to reach my time-specific goal, I have to stick to the plan. 

Mood/attitude: It's frustrating when I see an unflattering reflection in the mirror or photo of myself, and think "Gaaah, is that really me? I have SOOOO far to go to reach my goal!" It's tricky to stay out of negative self-talk and toxic body-image territory. I have to stay humble and real, but not let old negative ideas dominate my energy and my thinking. I can decide RIGHT NOW that I FEEL GREAT about myself, that I'm doing a GREAT JOB, and that I AM LOVELY JUST AS I AM. (Talk back to negative self-talk!) 

Goals for next week:

• Make a workout plan for the week and STICK TO IT. Skipping workouts is not an option.
• Pack/carry food for the day. If it's not in my blue cooler-bag, it's not for me.
• Focus on a healthy schedule. Sleeping, eating, exercising, and relaxing are all equally important to health and successful weight management. Routine is key.
• Weight-loss goal for week 2: 1 kg

Visuals for the week:

Power breakfast: Oats, banana, fat-free quark, cinnamon, vanilla flavor packet.

Champion's lunch: gloriously colorful veggie salad with spicy vinegar dressing, veggie burger, a small portion of whole wheat pasta with lowfat yogurt, fresh orange slices, and lots of fresh water.

Refreshing dinner: colorful veggie salad with spicy garlic vinegar dressing, stirfry veggies and tofu (with very little added oil), apple slices, and quark for dessert. Of course, lots of water throughout the day and with every meal.

Visualize a day's nutrition: This is what my day's intake plan looks like for Week 2. In order to reduce the number of decisions I have to make throughout the day, the best practice is to PLAN, PREP, and PACK the whole day's foods/supplements. PREPARE FOR SUCCESS!

Finishing up a legs/back/chest/abs workout. Time to get back on the bicycle for the second half of cardio: another 30 minutes ride home. I love that I can do cardio and commute at the same time.

See you next Monday for another exciting update!

Challenge ACCEPTED!

Here's a little bit about me:

Age: 37

Sex: Female

Height: 175 cm

Starting Weight: 79.5 kg

Bodyfat %: approx 28%

Activity level: moderately active 

Sports background: 15+ years running, swimming, cycling, weight training, etc

I love: running, weight training, swimming, cycling, naps, reading, anything spicy

I am: creative, friendly, idealistic, kinetic, spontaneous, prone to overtraining

My current lifestyle mission: To make fitness, movement, and healthy eating a priority in my daily life once again! 

GOAL: To have a measurable (but ambitious) goal, I am focusing on one specific goal for the next 10 weeks: Lose 10 Kilos in 10 Weeks!

The plan:

1) Work out daily!

2) Eat clean!

3) Journal workouts/foods/moods and any obstacles that get in the way of #1 and #2!

4) Share the journey in a positive way!

5) Practice positive self-talk and body acceptance, and encourage others to do the same!

Here are some photos from day 1:

Just finished a nice 30 minute jog plus easy sprints. Working at rehabilitating a seriously sprained ankle. I'm a classic all-or-nothing overtrainer type, and it's hard for me to hold myself back when I'm feeling good. But I know that my body needs time to adapt to increased activity. Trying to pace myself and not cause injuries or burnout. It's only Day 1! :)

The weather today was rainy and warm and misty. Great for sweating it out in the park, haha!

I can still see my hard-earned muscles lurking about. Hello, muscles! Time to wake up and get back to work! 

Remember: looking good comes from FEELING GOOD! I'm trying to make friends with my tummy. Hello, tummy! 

Impossible not to make silly faces when taking a "selfie" in this outfit. Silly faces work with this outfit.

I have this many molecules today. Most of them are useful and keep me healthy and happy. Some of them aren't so useful, and make me feel a bit unhealthy and uncomfortable in my body. So long extra molecules! You're free to fly away now. I'm done hauling you around. :)