Positive Directions

So last week it was pinch time.  You know, the awesome time where they pinch your skin and see how much fat you have in there.  As much as I dislike the whole process I still seem to have some sort of sick fascination in wanting to know where I am.  I will be honest with you, it makes the even the most body confident/comfortable person cringe.  It’s putting yourself out there in a very emotionally vulnerable position.  But to the pinch defense it gives information you wouldn’t otherwise know, it’s a relatively short process, and no one is paying attention but you and your trainer.  I try and go to my happy place and ignore it.  Of course, I then try to act only mildly interested once all the data is collected and evaluated.

All my hard work in the kitchen paid off these last few weeks!  I am happy to announce the numbers that we wanted down, went down and the numbers we wanted up, went up!!  Best.  Feeling.  Ever.
This whole thing is a journey.  I was in relatively fit shape when I began this whole process.  I think the fact that I am not trying to diet to lose weight is what blows the most minds.  I am eating a diet to build muscle.  You have to feed those muscles if you want them to grow and apparently it’s a pain in the butt to balance.

Here are some of the things that I find are working for me.

8 g of protein and they taste awesome!

•  Find a food combo that works and stick to it!!!  For me my snack every work day is cottage cheese and later yogurt.  Yogurt is like my afternoon sweets craving replacement.  I drink a protein shake either in the AM (if I am on my way to the gym in a hurry) or at night (after training or a run session).  I then try and fill in around those what else I need.  It works don’t rock the boat.
• Plan ahead, even though it sucks.  I am thinking about my whole day’s food before I even get started with the day.  For me starting with dinner and planning around it is best.  Dinner is a family experience and if I account for a piece of cake for dessert then I can eat it without tanking the whole day.  But ONLY if I plan for it.
• Get a trainer and see them at least once a week.  You think you can do it on your own but unless you have crazy good impulse control you won’t.  If you see them less than once a week you will find it easier to cheat and fall off the wagon.  You won’t have the same level of another person counting on you to do the right thing.  Plus, they are great resource to learn how to do new exercises, make adjustments to current exercises to make them more effective/comfortable, food suggestions, push your preconceived boundaries of what you are capable of,  and someone who will not take it personal when you give them legit stink face.
• Pack your things.  Pack your gym bag and have it ready and by the door the next day.  I am at the gym at 6 AM two days a week.  I *have* to have everything packed and planned down to my underwear and socks.  If I oversleep or drag my feet for 5 minutes my whole morning will be rushed.  My gym clothes are laid out in a particular order, my bags are packed and I allot myself a little more time for a relaxed transition into the land of the living. 
•  Everything in its place.  For me any tiny little trip up will bust the door wide open for an excuse.  I can’t find my running shoes.  Where did I put my headphones?  The liners in all my sports bras are wrinkled and need to be straightened.  I can’t find my favorite shorts.  My shaker cup is dirty.  Shoes are always together in their spot.  I try to straighten the bra situation before they get put in the drawer.  Headphones are zipped in the running belt.  Any little thing I can do ahead of time to save me when I feel like I have no time.
• Talk to your partner about your goals.  They will play a huge part in success and probably unbeknownst to them.  Usually they want to help but they don’t know how.  For me it’s food.  I need to know what our dinner plan is so I can plan my day around it.  Or if we have no planned dinner I have these parameters that I can eat in will you help me figure it out. 

All of this is STILL a process.  I still fail.  I still get mad.  Occasionally I eat my feelings. But I am trying REALLY hard to do better.  And little by little I am getting there.