I'm a bit confused but I know it can happen. You can gain muscle (increase in weight) & lose inches at the same time. I've lost over six inches around my body (approximate) in the past 7 days. I've been doing a lot of strength training at the gym (very little cardio) and eating healthy. I feel smaller but look the same. :( I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Yes, I want to build new strong muscle, but I want to lose fat/weight. I'm going to talk to a personal trainer tomorrow tonight to see if I'm doing something wrong. I feel the results (soreness, etc) so I know its all working. I just don't see the scale moving in my favor. It's a bit depressing. I'm restricting my calories (not outrageous) and limiting my intake to high protein, high fiber & low carb foods. Keeping it as clean and gluten-free as possible. My meal prep for the week has been grilled chicken, deviled eggs & brussel sprouts. Breakfast is usually an apple and/or Herbalife shake with almond milk. Snacks are varied between greek yogurt, nuts/dried fruit, etc.
*Having a rough week with Grant being in Canada/New York (Places I've always wanted to go and he went without me because it's a work trip). Boohoo. Anyways, I'm super happy for him and proud of him to be able to go to awesome places.*
Motivation for this week:
I will go ahead and state that I have not been following my plan very well (Catfish Festival got the best of me). So, besides my "Cheat Day" on Saturday, it's been going reasonably well. I eat a light snack (nuts, apple, or yogurt) then lunch a few hours later (usually salad or chicken and veggies - LOTS of protein). Another snack and dinner! And let's not forget WATER! Tons of water! (And an occasional coffee on my part - I know! Bad Maddy...)
In 6 days, I have gone from 232.8lbs to 229.4lbs. Not a lot of different in size/inches. And considering the devastation from Saturday, I'm really not surprised. It's pretty much water weight. ;) But the good news is... I am officially a member of a gym again! I'm SO excited! I've been dreaming of squats and lat pull downs for a month now. Oh how I've missed the awesomeness. I signed up Friday and everything went through yesterday so I can start working out today! Who has two thumbs and is going to the gym in an hour!?! This girl! I hope I feel sore tomorrow. I think I will start with legs today (I am probably the one person in the world who looks forward to leg day - That's my strongest asset too, lol).
My basic leg day workout (It's all about quality, not quantity!):
-SQUATS!!!!
-Calf Raises
-Kettlebell Swing & Squat
-Hyperextensions (Get a little back workout, too!)
-Leg Curls
-Deadlifts
-Leg Extensions (Don't forget to crunch those abs! It doubles as a core burner!)
-Cardio: Bike! (Stretch and work those sore muscles. Don't over do it!)
*I HATE lunges. They make my knee hurt like heck! That's why you don't see them on my list. It is a great workout but, if it hurts or you do it incorrectly, you're looking at having some problems later on (torn muscles, cap slippage, etc)*
So my leg day motivation (not that I need any!):
This was an interesting recipe. It was tasty but it had a loud egg flavor. Next time, I'll try stirring it before the blueberries are added and maybe use a medium egg instead of a large.
2-Minute Paleo Blueberry Mug Muffins
-2 Tbs almond meal -3 Tbs blueberries
-1 Tbs honey -a dash of salt (I use Celtic Sea Salt)
-2 Tbs applesauce -1 tsp vanilla
-1 egg -1/2 tsp baking powder
-Mix everything (except blueberries - add after thoroughly mixed) in microwaveable bowl or mug.
-Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes -OR- bake for 15-20 minutes.
**After I microwaved for 2 minutes, I stirred the mixture and there was a lot of liquid on the bottom so microwaved it for 30 secs. Suggestion: Microwave 1 minute and stir then finish microwaving.
I adjusted the original
Flourless Zucchini Brownies recipe from Delighted Momma to reflect some changes to make it taste more like the brownies I made from scratch (you know... the Southern girl, unhealthy style brownies). Here's my version of the recipe:
Paleo Zucchini Brownies
-1 C. almond butter -1 tsp baking soda
-1 1/2 C grated zucchini -1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 C organic/raw honey - 1 Tbs cocoa
-1 egg - 1 C dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla - 1 Tbs olive/safflower oil
-PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.
-Combine all ingredients (except chocolate chips) and mix until blended.
-Stir in chocolate chips.
-Pour mixture into a greased 9x9 baking pan (I used a glass Pyrex dish).
-Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (35 minutes was not long enough and, at 45 minutes, the toothpick came out clean but it was a bit cake-y. Suggestion: 30 minutes for gooey brownies).
This recipe was delicious... It was a bit unusual at first but once you get a few bites in (middle portion of brownies), it was rich, smooth, and extremely tasty. I liked this recipe because I ate two small pieces (I cut it into 16 small pieces), and didn't feel the need to eat another bite! I am a HUGE chocoholic and almost always need something for my sweet tooth. This worked out well because I am thoroughly satisfied and don't feel the need to eat the rest of the batch. I'm interest to see what my husband thinks of it when he gets home. I'll get his reaction and add it later. ;)
If you try this recipe out and modify it any, please let me know if you like it better... I LOVE having the absolute best recipes and if your version is better than mine... I want it. ;) Thanks in advance!
Wow... It's really hard! I understand that I shouldn't get down about it because its better than it was 3 weeks ago. But still!!! It's hard to deal when you used to easily run a 10 minute mile! But at least I'm trying again. Here's a cool story (see pics)... I finished running and crashed in the living room. Zoey Jane then jumps onto my recliner and starts growling at me. I won't let her come with me when I run. She then jumps on my stomach and puts her paw on my arm and stares intently at me while huffing. I'm assuming she was telling me that everything will be okay and I will reach my goals if I keep working hard. Or she just wanted some attention and wanted to play. Haha! So... Here's my stats from today's run and my baby girl being all huffy and junk. ;)
This time change is bring me down! I can't wake up on time and I can't go to sleep on time either! It's making me hungry too! I have some major cravings for unhealthy food. Luckily, it hasn't been too hard to keep up the healthy eating. The hard part is eating the correct portions! It's been like the for about 3 days and I've gained 3 lbs in the last week! It's very frustrating! I started my training for the 5K in July and that's been going pretty well... Like a fish on dry land more like! ;) I'm trying to get back into my rhythm, if you know what I mean. The pace, the breathing... At least I have more daylight when I get home from work now. I can go to the park and run and not feel like I'm being stalked. haha.
Grant & I are looking into finding a new local gym. The one I went to was great in terms of equipment & staff but the people and hours weren't so great. I'd have to work out by myself because Grant can't get home in time to work out... and he's not really supportive unless he has a similar goal. He helps a lot in the kitchen with the food prep and portions when we go out to eat. But in regards to exercise... not so much help there. But I can't force him to workout or eat healthy. I've tried and it just brings me down more.
The Iodine Protocol is going pretty well. I did gain 3 lbs in the past week but I'm not sure if that's due to the hunger/bad sleeping habits or if it's due to the iodine therapy. No telling right now. I do have a bit more energy and I can tell I still have detox symptoms (minor headaches, itchy skin, bad acne, mild nausea in the morning/night, etc) but I'm not as cold as I used to be, my skin is not blue white... more like a off white now (color returning - not flush or tan). Overall, I feel happier and less depressed than I used to. I feel like I can do a million things... I'm just still too tired right now. I feel more alert to what's going on but I still wear down fast.
My hair is really thick now and shinier than it used to be. I also switched some of my hair products to more natural ingredients. I use Ulta Sulfate free shampoo/conditioner (big difference there even though not organic or anything), 2chic leave in conditioner/split end remedy + 1/2 pump of treseme split end remedy. The combination stinks but once your hair is dry, you can't smell it. I've switched my deodorant from clinical strength to Crystal (all natural). Since I'm adopted, I don't know if I have a history of breast cancer or not but I decided to switch regardless. Just one less product made with harsh chemicals going into my body. Now if I can only find something to help clear up my skin!!!
I haven't posted near enough in the past week. I'm going to start taking screenshots of my 5K training stuff and posting them after my workouts. I recently bought an iPhone so I can do that now!!! I also have a pushup trainer app (created by the C25K guys) that I'm going to be using for upperbody workouts until I can get in a gym (along with kettlebells).
Goal for this week: GET BACK TO 225!!!
Motivation: 5K & PC Beach!
This is the equivalent to how many pounds lost... Amazing because you don't realize what you're carrying around on your body!
1 pound = a Guinea Pig
1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts
2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs
3 pounds = an average human brain
4 pounds = an ostrich egg
5 pounds = a Chihuahua
6 pounds = a human skin
7.5 pounds = an average newborn
8 pounds = a human head
10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year
11 pounds = an average housecat
12 pounds = a Bald Eagle
15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs **WHAT I'VE LOST 3/7/13**
16 pounds = a sperm whale's brain
20 pounds = an automobile tire
23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year
24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super-premium ice cream
25 pounds = an average 2 year old
30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year
33 pounds = a cinder block
36 pounds = a mid-size microwave
40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg
44 pounds = an elephants heart
50 pounds = a small bale of hay
55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner
60 pounds = an elephants penis
66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year
70 pounds = an Irish Setter
77 pounds = a gold brick
80 pounds = the Worlds Largest Ball of Tape
90 pounds = a newborn calf **WHAT I WANT TO LOSE**
100 pounds = a 2 month old horse
111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year
117 pounds = an average fashion model (and shes 5'11")
118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica
120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month
130 pounds = a newborn giraffe
138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year
140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year
144 pounds = an average adult woman (and shes 5'4½")
150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary
187 pounds = an average adult man
200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds
235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger
300 pounds = an average football lineman
400 pounds = a Welsh pony
