Recapping back to Week 25.
Working out has 100% become a habit. Not just a habit...something that I feel like I NEED to do each day. Call it a discipline. I don't want to call it motivation because let me tell you, there are plenty of days that I'm not motivated. And now that it's dark outside when I wake up...I even finish my workout and hop in the shower before the sun comes up.
It's crazy.
What I'm now figuring out is how to build muscle but lose fat (not just overall weight, but actual FAT LOSS).
So because I started counting macros, I have a better understanding of what I eat and what it does for my body.
Figured you'd might want to see pics of me in real clothes. lol and let's be real, I'm wearing a sweatshirt that says "COZY" on it.
The basement is a dark and dreary place and now that it's like pitch black when I go down there....ugggghhh.
The light switch for some reason is across the room so I have to walk alllll the way to the other side in the dark (whilst keeping an eye open for any HUGE SPIDERS).
WHATEVER.
The end of Week 24 and the start of Week 25 I started using heavier weights more consistently. For any squats I do now, I add in dumbbells (12 per side). I REALLY felt it the next day!
For almost all of my upper body I'm now using the 8lb dumbbells. Progressive overload, people.
Still doing about 4 sets at 15 reps for my upper body work.
Post workout shoulder PUMP
Like I mentioned, another thing that I'm starting to do now that I'm in week 25, is really paying attention to what I'm eating.
Don't worry, I started using an excel spreadsheet. I am looking for the right app to use. Any suggestions?
Anyway.
I'm increasing my protein intake because it's just too hard to get in 110grams with just food. I can usually get in around 70-80grams via meat or other foods, but the other 30-40grams is now coming from protein shakes, made with whey protein. Gluten and soy free. I mix it with 8oz of skim milk. I drink it 1-2X per day.
Protein and carbs (seasoned chicken breast and sweet potatoes)
Read that tilapia is a good source of protein with very little fat
All the protein.
I shouldn't eat eggs, but since it's been a while, i let myself have one. This meal was DELISH. Scrambled eggs with spinach, a tiny bit of cheese, mashed avocado and beef.
Working on them leggggggsss
The start of week 26 (December 9)
We had a surprisingly nice day on Friday and I took that opportunity to get Steve's snow tires over to the garage.
Now remember that I moved my snow tires from the shed to the garage.
And then last weekend I moved my mom's snow tires from the shed to the garage.
And then it was the big ones.
Steve's tires are ginormous. For his Ford Expedition.
But it was a nice day out, so I figured it was the day to do it. Nothing worse than having to do it in the rain or snow or something.
It was super sunny out. I need to be careful of my face, or I'm going to get some serious crows feet.
Not mad at this in December. It was 50 degrees out!
Had to move these fuckers one by one. I burned 90 calories doing it.
111 lbs this morning.
Today (Sunday, December 13) was a decent day out (40's) and not raining or snowing so I am still taking the dogs for walks outside around our property. I put Bella's sweatshirt and harness on and off we went.
It was a decent 15-minute brisk walk. I don't want to be out there TOO long because MR will run into the woods and NOT listen to me and it's hunting season...so...
But, we're still feeling good about workouts. Like I mention above the newest thing for me is nutrition for these last couple of weeks.
As I learn how to eat, I also want to learn how to grow muscles. Like really learn about the physiology of muscles so I can design my own workout programs.
I just started focusing more on the kinds of workouts I should be doing. Since June, I've been doing full body workouts.
Now I want to figure out how to break up my workouts and focus on certain body parts.
So this past week, I started to focus on lower body/legs/glutes on Friday, upper body Saturday but going harder, lower body again Sunday morning (I added on a quick 10 minute arm circuit) and then at the end of each workout I will either do my slam ball for 2-3 minutes (without stopping), or pushups to failure.
Sometimes, very rarely will I do both - either time restrictions or I'm just tired. It's just a good way to end my workout strong and on a good note.
Grocery bill is going up also this week due to the sheer amount of protein I'm buying now. Plus my protein powder is $30. Not sure how long it will last me, but I'm drinking about 1-2 per day. I eat less during the work week (I get busy and forget to eat, not lying) so I will drink a shake. I tend to eat a bit more on weekends so I will only drink one on the weekend days.
Week 26 COMPLETE Y'ALL. On to Week 27!
I have a confession to make: I bought a two-piece bathing suit. From some random site I found on Facebook. I was worried it'd be Barbie doll-sized but it's surprisingly cute and feels like it's decent quality. It doesn't feel cheap at all.
And um.
Well...
It's my first "non-mom-body" bathing suit.
Listen, I'm all for being confident and YOU DO YOU.
I personally just felt more comfortable in a cute one-piece suit, that you know, held everything in and smoothed things out.
I did get a couple of two-pieces this past summer and wore them. Around my family.
And these new ones?
They are what you call "cheeky" lol.
Let's see if I actually wear them on vacation next year.
I started Week 27 focusing on upper body. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm starting to split my workouts and focus more on certain areas rather than doing full-body 5-6 days a week.
I've been alternating upper and lower since Sunday, so about 4 days and I'm REALLY feeling it. I guess it makes sense if I'm going harder now and on top of that, adding more protein. So I'm excited to see what gains I make during the winter months!
There is a saying that has helped me keep going - although I'm very disciplined at this point, there are definitely days I am tired and just don't really want to go hard. Then I think of this "don't think of today or tomorrow, think about what you want to be like in 6 months." And since it's been just about 6 months of my journey, I know how much can change in that short amount of time.
I'm looking forward to having some more relaxed days as we head into Christmas week.
I generally wake up before anyone else does so I can work out, shower and be kinda ready for the day before 8am.
With most of my clients either off or just slower in general because it's Christmas week, I feel like I can dedicate a bit more time into my work outs and probably fit in two different circuits.
Right now I spend between 35 minutes to an hour and I'd like to spend closer to an hour each day. It's just that even if I have a 9am meeting I want to be really ready for it, so I like to prep beforehand, regardless of what it's for.
So I don't like to cut it too close.
BUT! With Steve being home and it being a holiday week things are much more relaxed and I'm hoping to add to my workouts.
Nothing to report on other than I'm hoping (fingers crossed) for maybe some new home gym equipment for Christmas. I don't want to be whiney or spoiled about it because Christmas is obviously about more than getting gifts (just HAD to put this disclaimer in here - for all those Karens out there).
Steve starts PT in January, so I'm hoping that will help encourage him to put more effort and budget into really making a home gym more "real" and closing an area off and making it a nice place to work out. I'm hoping PT will get his motivation going - he used to workout all the time and straight lost 40 pounds in like 8-9 months I think.
ANYWAY.
STILL GOING STRONG AND NO INTENTIONS OF STOPPING.
OH - one more AMAZING THING?
I stopped at my one friend's house the other day and he told me "whatever you said to my wife got her all motivated - she's working out now and she's just in such a better mood all the time" - you're welcome! I'm in a group text with his wife and another wife of a friend - we've become close. Anyway, she's known me since Mila was a baby and has had babies around the same time Ava was born. So we've bonded over the whole baby thing.
ANYWAY. Isn't that awesome?
I got my sister into lifting weights and being more mindful of her overall health and then this.
It just made my day!
WEEK 27 COMPLETE Y'ALL.
I'm still splitting my workouts and starting to do more research on the right types of split I should be doing.
I'm NOT tracking my macros this week - I didn't plan on not tracking, but because it's a holiday week and we're going to be eating randomly here and there (Steve's parents Christmas Eve, my mom's Christmas Day) I don't want to stress myself out.
It's too hard to track when I'm eating things I didn't make. I've been assuming but we all know what that means.
So, I'm still conscious of what I'm eating, including the 1-2 cookies I'm eating each day. #sorrynotsorry
I absolutely enjoy a cookie with my morning coffee.
After my workout, shower and protein drink.
Starting Saturday (the day after Christmas) I'll be back on track :)
Since I'm staying roughly at 110lbs and with my added protein intake AND me upping my weights, I'm hoping that I'm still experiencing fat loss, but hoping that my muscles are growing, and ergo, keeping the weight on.
Which is fine by me. I'm not going by the number on the scale by any means.
#shouldercaps #taper
We're completing WEEK 28 really strong! Even with it being a holiday weekend and with eating ALL THE FOOD in front of me, I'm still working out everyday and crushing the workouts!
I did a 100 squat challenge the other day and it was surprisingly easy to get through. Don't get me wrong, my legs were on fire, but definitely something I could do.
So this morning I tried the 300 squat challenge.
HOLY FUCK.
Ok, so I probably only did 250 squats because girlfriend was going FAST and I couldn't keep up 100%.
I did 5 different style squats, each for 20 reps.
3 sets.
By the end I was sweating my ass off and my legs were shaking.
It took about 15 minutes or so, so I opted to try out a new upper body routine.
In the last week or so, I've been ending each and every workout with pushups to failure and then my slam ball. Only with my slam ball, I'm actually slamming it into the floor now, instead of just throwing it over my shoulders. I do 12 reps. 3 sets. By the end of it, I'm DYING.
I'm increasing the number of calories burned, too during each session, so that's good.
All in all, things are going well and I'm still maintaining.
ONWARD!
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