Monday 7 March 2016

UPDATE: #jojos2016journey


I know, it has been a long time since I have posted.  I always say I will do better, but never seem to get with the program!  My excuse?  None really, it’s just laziness.  I am too lazy to get my laptop out of my work bag and write a post.  I will work on that.

The good news is… I have not given up on my goals for myself for 2016.  I am working out consistently.  I am for the most part eating clean, and I am working on being more present.
You would be proud of me.  I have been in my garage 4 mornings a week at 5:30am working out. I run 3-4km do some strength training and then throw in a WOD.  I am working on the skills I dislike, like push-ups, thrusters, and burpees. I am fighting through the awful, and I am continuing to do it alone. When I started my garage WODS in January I was working with just body weight, and now I am finally starting to add some weight to my WODS.  My strength is nowhere near what it used to be, but I can gradually see it coming back to me.  It’s a good feeling.

I’ve kept up with my running too.  I fall off the wagon all the time with running, and this time I have stuck to it.  Once again, I have stuck to it alone.  I started in January with 7km, and I have built myself up to running 17km… ALONE!  Never in my life did I imaging that I would just get myself up and go run 16+km just for fun. I have surprised myself with that adventure

The food and diet is continuing to be a bit of a struggle for one reason or another.  I completed the 21 day sugar detox, and kept it going for a week post detox.  Then I fell off the wagon (nothing drastic) and gained a few pounds.  I have maintained mostly Paleo.  I have been doing better meal planning, but always find I fall off the wagon when I have company or nothing prepared.  I have realized that if I am serious about the weight loss, then I need to take it seriously and make some serious adjustments.  I have discovered “If it fits my macros” flexible dieting, and I think that is the direction that I am heading in.  Or at least I am trying to.  That is an entire post to itself.  I will get that written ASAP. ;-)



So there it is… an update.  I am still focused, I am still working on my goals, just trying to figure out the best plan.

As always, you can follow me on Instagram: jojos_madhouse or you can just read my blog posts J

Take care,

JoJo

If It Fits My Macros

As I had mentioned in my previous post I have started exploring the world of “if it fits my macos”  I kind of hit a roadblock in my “dieting.”  I found that I lost quite a bit of weight when I did the sugar detox, but that was not sustainable.  I cannot live my life by the rules of the 21 Day Sugar Detox. (Although I do find it great for a jump start and just to get you heading in the right direction).  It’s too restrictive for a long term approach to eating. 



So I was stuck.  I was working out and I was stuck with no movement on the scale other than up.  I had a co-worker who had mentioned macros to me a few times.  It seemed like way too much work.  Measuring you food, making sure you have the right balance, analyzing everything you eat.  Way more work than just simply eating clean or eating paleo.

Then it him me like a hammer on the head.  If I want the results I have never had, I need to be willing to do things I have never done.  If I am serious about wanting to lose the weight, I need to be serious about making a plan. So I started reading about “flexible dieting,” and here I am.  Beginning to count my macros. Beginning to measure my food.  Beginning to 
analyze everything I eat.

How did I get started?


What Have I learned So Far?
  • I do not eat enough protein.  On average, I am short about 27 grams of protein per day.  About the average scoop of protein powder.  As a result I have added a protein powder to my daily routine.  I have also reintroduced cottage cheese, and gluten free oatmeal to my diet.
  • It’s working.  I have been playing around with it for a few weeks now, and I can already see positive changes. My tummy is flattening out.  I have not looked super bloated in some time.  I am starting to see a negative decline on the scale again.  –obviously after a treat weekend (where I count nothing) I bounce back up, but even the up is a lower point for me.
  • It doesn’t need to be tons of extra work to measure your food – I cook in bulk, I measure in bulk.  As I am chopping and prepping my food I measure it.
  • You really need to be thoughtful about the planning piece.  It is very easy to go over your fat goals for the day if you are not always thinking ahead.
  • You can make allowances.  If you go over on something today, you make the adjustments for it tomorrow.  If you go over on carbs, cut back on fat and vice versa.
  • You can actually eat what you want, as long as you fit it into your macros.  I am still trying to eat Paleo, that is a lifestyle choice for me.
It's not for everyone, but right now I think it is a good fit for me.  It is bringing a huge awareness to me about what I am eating.  I can see where I have been going wrong, and I know what I need to do to fix it.  I am on it!

I'll update again soon!

JoJo
#jojos2016journey