Happy New Year – the work continues …

Hey Readers!

I’m happy to say that without my food guru over the holidays I didn’t gain weight (well 0.5 lbs). I did the best I could to eat well and avoid the pitfalls of the things that I’ve learned are triggers for me.

Did I eat shortbread? Yes because it’s a 10 out of 10 for desserts.

Did I eat pasta? Yes because I’ve learned that is ok in moderation and needs to be paired with non carbs.

Did I eat turkey with all the trimmings? Yes because I’ve learned how to eat it in moderation.

Did I work out? This answer requires a “sort of” answer.

Did I to to the gym? No that didn’t quite work out timing-wise and the coach was off between Christmas and New Years. I hate being cold in snow (even though I love being cold when sleeping but that’s a column for another day) so I didn’t want to be outdoors, and my current exercise purchases don’t cut it.

I did however purchase a Total Gym in the sales during US Thanksgiving. I have been wanting one forever (like 5 years) but I always felt it was too expensive if all I was going to do was use it as a coat hanger. That seems to be my MO.

I’m also looking for that thing that is “fun” that makes me want to work out at home routinely. Right? Like I want to get up and do some exercise even if it’s horribly SNOWING outside or I’ve been working all day and I’m mentally fried. 

So I got a great deal in the sales WITH free shipping because that thing is heavy. It’s longer/bigger than expected. I put it together and minimally tried it out.

Starting on Christmas day then I wanted to try to create a routine. So far I’ve done the beginner program (not the newbie 2 exercise program but the beginner 7 exercise program) on level 3 or 4 – so far out of the past 14 days 11 days (3 days rest/miss). I like it so far. I feel warm. The muscles know they’ve been worked. Takes about 20 minutes. About a week in I then added a couple of exercises meant to mimic pull ups as I suck at those. So — so far creating a pattern if not a routine. I don’t routinely do the exercises at the same time of the day but I do get on the thing. It’s taking up a lot of space in my small living room because I don’t fold it up. If I fold it, .. well . you know where that thought is going 🙂

So the food is working even if I have to do it myself (which in the end is the goal – learn how and what to eat) AND I’m trying not to worry about rebounds that show up on the scale. I haven’t deprived myself materially (is it a 10 out of 10 question). And here’s what I’m seeing:

And I’ll take it.

Cheers peeps

b

Week 14 or so …..

Hey Readers ..

It’s been about 14 or 15 weeks since I started changing the way I eat and using my coach’s food program he’s developing – tailored to me.

I haven’t posted a lot lately since it’s been more of the same –

1. Foods are excellent and packaged to my macros – they aren’t varied every day but the menu changes with each set of foods I get. I asked for and got BEEF. So yum.
2. Exercise still is hit or miss (mostly miss) and I need to do better there
3. Weeks when the coach has been away or I wasn’t scheduled I have eaten better – made all by myself.
4. I love making soup on the weekends for the peckish times. Broth based with veg and usually some chicken.

Well .. I’m down 15.4 lbs. Yep. 

I failed on some days and ate “bad” things (yay doritos). 

I’ve eaten out several days and that might not have had the best choice in foods. I miss french fries and chicken parmesan.

I minimalized the exercise because – hey – lazy and unmotivated. I haven’t even made going to work out with coach a priority.

I’ve refused to give up my coffee with cream and plant stevia. Coach adjusted my macros.

I’ve questioned if this was “worth it” or going to “work” when I was STARVING. What was the point if I was miserable.

I had a bump back UP and that put me in a right tailspin (see the “worth it” comment).

I’ve had shitty stressful work days and so many other unexpected stressors. I retreated from everyone in the world for several days. Work “let go” an unexpected and well respected subject matter expert (Merry Christmas WTF). I despaired I would ever have success or even if I deserved to be successful.

Guess what? I didn’t give up. I kept coming back to the food program. I need it to be a habit and that comes from working the program.

And no matter how much I push, my coach won’t be pushed away and says true things I don’t want to hear. So I matter. And I’m doing it.

cheers

Happy Holidays

bb

And the Coach takes on a new role —

Some of you know that I’ve been experimenting with my coach Lukas Ryan with respect to foods and my macros and I AM one of the folks he speaks of when he says I have all the tools but I still suck at it (I’m paraphrasing here) AND I’m happy to have been part of his pilot.

I don’t trust and even after years with this guy (and yes at the gym I lift that when he tells me to so we’ve gotten that far) I still didn’t trust the food – and even when he gave me the meals catered and weighed out to MY macros I was frankly “Uh huh nothing works let’s see where this goes”. I would have told you I didn’t feel I ate that “badly” or overportioned.

The goal was set to lose a pound a week without exercise and so far – even with a couple of massive fails and binges – I am down pretty close to 2 pounds a week.

Imagine if I could actually become consistent with the working out too – but life and work is getting in the way – not to mention as a Taurus I’m pretty lazy LOL.

What’s the food like? It’s delicious and portioned out for me (insert Taurus lazy comment here) and I never know what I want to eat until it’s time to eat. Work keeps me occupied during the day to the tune of forgetting to eat some days. I got some salmon this time around (and I never eat seafood because I don’t like it). Salmon snuck in because he just told me to eat it – ok. Shrimp snuck in was a big NO.

So .. off he goes adding to his Health and Wellness empire with finding a commercial kitchen and doing the foods more fulltime.

Here’s what he says

For the longest time I’ve taken extreme pride in working in the field of Health & Wellness.

I’ve been a coach for longer than I can even remember. In fact, it’s probably the only thing I’ve ever been entirely consistent with in my whole life.

During this time, I’ve worked with every demographic under the sun. I’ve coached professional athletes, Olympians, world champions, the everyday gym guy, and probably your grandparents as well.

There is nothing more that I love in this world, than being able to help someone transform their lifestyle.

For the last 15 years, I’ve always given my clients meal plans to go along with their training programs.

I’ve given them all of the recipes, all of the macros, all of the grocery lists and instructions…..I’ve changed my methods hundreds of times in order to try to make it as easy as possible for them to follow….

And even with all of the guidance, it always is the part people struggle with most!

I get it, I really do.

We’re all human, we’re all busy- and it’s not easy.

Well….. NOW it is.

I’ve just opened a new business where I do all of your meal prep for you.

No more excuses.

I calculate your macros based on your goals, and I make ALL of your food to accommodate those EXACT goals.

I’m extremely excited to add another variable to my arsenal of Health & Wellness, and even more excited to share it with you.

Looking forward to this journey!

Find him as Lukas Ryan on Facebook and Instagram and soon he’ll have a website up and going 🙂

Super proud of my friend and coach.

cheers

b