Takes more than I thought it would
Hi. So, I thought I would be better about updating this. In the past few years I've found that I barely ever sit down in front of a computer at home. I have a laptop and an old iMac that works just okay, but has all of my stolen adobe programs on it so I'm hesitant to upgrade (also, $$$). Anyway, I just bought a new dress so I'm all hyped up and ready to tackle writing out some feelings. (After weeks of deliberation I bought this dress because I wanted something that I could wear to a wedding, or work, or a nice dinner - basically I want his dress to make my bed as well)
I successfully completed the first fitness challenge at Body and Soul Transformations. A pretty embarrassing name, but man you do feel different all over the place.
Some key observations:
- lost 22 pounds in 6 weeks the old-fucking-fashioned way by exercising 5 times a week and eating a diet of mostly fruit, veg, and eggs (wish I could cut down on the eggs a bit).
- It's weird to have your body change so fast that when you run your hands over it, it feels different. I still have the ghost of how my arm used to feel cached in my brain; it's always a surprise when it feels different. Same with my upper thighs and lower back (trivia answer to 'What is Emily's least favorite part about her body?'). These are areas that I subconsciously touch pretty often, so I guess it makes sense that these would seem the most noticeable.
- My mood and demeanor has lifted. I am a grump by default, but I've honestly felt way more breezy since I started this. Calling it a 'natural high' is gross, but, like, it's a real thing. I've had a few people even point it out to me.
- [totally personal info warning] My period got ultra regular (okay so I've only had 2, but still). My period has never been regular in my 20 years of having one.
- The workouts don't make me sore anymore really, which maybe is a bad sign. I do try to push myself as much as I can without tripping, or falling on my face. I've never sweat so much in my life as I do during these workouts.
- I now know how much work it really takes to make an impact. I'm actually glad that I waited this long to start a program like this, because this seems to be the most 'based-in-reality', least gimmicky way to approach healthy weight loss.
I'm about halfway through my second challenge at this point, and when I thought it might be easier, it has proven to be a bit more difficult. I had a week off between challenges, and while I definitely ate vegan ice cream on 3 different occasions, I also ate mostly 'plant days' (all fruit, veg, a little bit of sweet potato. no protein). I hit the gym 3 times that week as well. Getting back to the diet plan was so hard for some reason. The best I can rationalize is that I got cocky after having succeeded in my previous challenge. Anyway, after weigh-in for the first week, I was down 5 pounds, so at least I didn't have to back-track.
This challenge has solidified the notion that this food battle will be forever. It will probably fluctuate between 'not-an-issue' to 'intense craving', but it will always be there. I really didn't think that I ate that poorly, but there is so much more to it than what I was willing to admit. I can't imagine being a person who regularly ate wings and subs and soda, and then leapt into this thing. I'm still eating way too late with my last meal. I usually forgot to consume it when I get home from work until about 11:30 PM. Most of the other people doing this thing are in bed by that time.
Anyway, fingers crossed for this challenge. I'm fully back on board with the food being above-board. If I succeed in this one, I could then roll right into the next one. The thought of that is exhausting, but I should only be so lucky to be able to make my money go that far. That would be a solid 20 weeks, or 5 months spent on this. Not much of a sacrifice really if it sets you on a better course for the rest of your life. Counting on optimism.