Today is Day 1 of the next 30 days of training and good nutrition. Technically, it is day 31 because I didn't quit. I kept going. However, I am going with the mindset that I can do anything for 30 days. Just 30 days...
In the last 30 days, my goal was to go to the gym at least 3 times per week and to prioritize protein when I ate. I also wanted to focus on building muscle. I achieved my goal of visits to the gym and I also added in cardio workouts of one sort or another on days when I wasn't at the gym. This was a bonus, and I am glad that I threw that in. I have learned over the last few days that I am a grumpy bear when I don't move my body anymore. Maybe it always was that way and I just didn't acknowledge it. I don't know. Either way, I am glad of it. Nutritionally, I didn't count calories or macros. I just made it a point to serve myself protein every time I ate.
I can hear you screaming for results...
Relax.
I'm getting there...
I did get slightly derailed when I did a body scan at the gym. That hit me sideways because I was not prepared to see my weight. I was avoiding that until my 30 days was up. I am VERY PROUD to say that I DID NOT self-sabotage!!! This is probably the biggest take away from the whole last 30 days. That is AMAZING Growth for me and I am so impressed with myself!
The great thing about the body scan is that I got to see a baseline for my muscle mass. I was two weeks in to training, but I feel like that is a great place for me to start. That was the only thing that I liked about the scan numbers. Oh, well, and the fact that I am above average hydrated overall, intercellular, and extracellular. You know what that means? I drink enough and I have nicely balanced electrolytes. ::I'm saying that for the people in the back that are always telling me to drink more WATER...I do! It's just hot and poured over ground beans. Magic Bean Water if you will...LOL:: Seriously, since I have been training and moving more, I have been trying to drink at least some water throughout my day and I am doing just fine.
Let's get to the 30 day results, shall we?
My weight: This was the one that messed with my head the most. I know that I am not prioritizing fat loss and that is ok right now. However, 40+ years of hearing that I need to lose weight, I'm too big, I need to go to the gym to drop fat, etc. So that fact that the number went up, made my anxiety go up. I gained 5lbs. ::deep breath:: A little of that might be muscle gain and some of that might be water retention. Some of it might be a bit of fat gain as well. My stress levels have been pretty high, so my cortisol levels are probably up there a good bit and that makes the body hold on to and store more fat.
Measurements: I got bigger in some areas and smaller in some areas and stayed the same in other areas. It was a bit all over the place.
-Neck +0.25
-Waist +1
-Hips +0.5
-Chest -0.5
-Right Arm -0.75
-Left Arm -0.25
-Right Thigh No Change
-Left Thigh No Change
So, it was a little all over the place, like a said. I didn't like that my midsection got bigger. I did a little research, because that is what I do. I have to analyze everything so that I can learn and move forward, doing better. I learned that my arms getting smaller is a good indicator that I have, in fact, gained muscle. I will know for sure when I do my next body scan. My midsection getting a little bigger could be from gaining muscle there, but most likely it is from my cortisol levels still being elevated and body fat redistribution. I've only been adding in cardio for the past two weeks and a lot of that is really walking or mowing the grass. Working on reducing that cortisol. If you wanna know more about that, I just did a podcast on it yesterday, The Inspirationalist Episode 122, if you are curious. My thighs staying the same is indicative of muscle gain and fat loss being somewhat equal in that area. I know it is possible that I've gained at least a little muscle in my thighs because I have been hitting the leg day hard.
So what is the goal for the next 30 days?
I'm still going to the gym 3 times a week. I will have some vacation in the next 30, so I will have to figure that out. I do know that vacations with my family are active events, so I think I will be ok. Nutritionally, I think I am going to focus on reducing food between meals and trying not to snack after dinner. This one is the biggest one for me. I want to snack on ice cream or cheese or something before bed. I bought myself some herbal tea to drink before bed so that I am still feeling like I am having something. I also want to focus more on eating whole foods this 30. I love to cook! I want to create foods with single ingredients that nourish my body, and my family. That's a bonus, right?
I feel that if I keep focusing on muscle building and eating nourishing foods, still prioritizing proteins, that I will get to a point that my muscles will need to eat the fat stores between meals. Eventually, I will be ready to do a 30 stretch of cutting, but that time is not in sight just yet.
So there you have it. The big update. I'm still moving forward!
Thanks for reading!
Much Love,
Lady Misty