Day 87 - So confused, losing faith?

So its day 87 into my 365 day health and fitness journey and I have to admit that at this point in time I am feeling super confused and questioning my decision to sign up for the lean and strong program. Not because I dont like the food or the exercise (confession - ive actually done eff all of the exercise), but because I'm losing faith in the 'rightness' of the program for me.

The more research I do, and the more people I speak to is making me question whether eating 100 calories over my BMR and training 6x per week is actually the best thing to get me to my goals. I know right - little me questioning the allmighty Michelle Bridges? What do I know? Well i know that I'm hungry on 1500 cals a day - not the demon bitch I was on 1200, but still hungry - and proper hungry. This program is actually the only one to recommend training so often (most programs recommend abt 4 sessions per week) and eating so little to gain muscle. So I've kinda been doing my own thing, eating atm abt 1700 cals and will probably increase once im doing more regular training sessions.

I REALLY struggle to find the time in my day to fit exercise in - Even with a Sunday cookup. I am out of the house 11 hours a day for work and with everything else that comes with running a household, having any sort of outside interests or seeing family & friends I'm finding it so fucking hard. Cutting down my calories was easy enough as it only required a few hours food prep on a Sunday - but finding an extra 6 or so hours a week for training and managing to get 8 hours sleep seems near on impossible... am i just whinging? So I am thinking I follow the advice of just about everyone else and aim for 4 sessions a week. So basically I've just wasted $200 as everything but the recipes I'm really not using.

Man this post is turning into such a negative rant...

Definitely need to find my faith again... might have a chat to my pt tonight and see what he reckons...

Any advice would be much appreciated, has anyone else been in such a funk and dared go against the program in such a way?

Boo :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Emma's Superballs

Superfood and Protein Balls

 

Chop dates & goji berries, process almonds (I just used mortar & pestle for such a small amount)

Mix wet & dry ingredients

Add water (5-7 tablespoons) to get the right consistency

Roll into balls & freeze

Makes 16 balls @ 90calories each

1 cup oats

15g Chia seeds

20g Coconut oil

2 Tbs cocoa powder (or cacao powder)

8 dates

1 Tsp Cinnamon

2 Tbs Honey

20g dessicated coconut

½ cup almonds

10g goji berries

40g chocolate protein powder

1Tsp vanilla

Might still play with some of the quantities but they taste pretty good!

 

Enjoy!!!

X

 

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Day 74 - Here we go... Come at me Lean & Strong!!!

Hellooooo :)

So today was day 2 of the Lean & Strong 12wbt - and my first day of L & S training (I had a session with my PT yesterday). I should have known what I was in for when the name of the routine is HARD AND HEAVY! OMG!!! So already being sore from PT and a day of hardcore gardening on Sunday I have to admit I went fairly lightly tonight. I will build up the weights but I do want to ease into it a little more - plus Im doing the Western Mud Rush on Saturday which I'd really like not to be too sore for.

One of my goals is to get on here and confess / blow my own trumpet more often... I find that being accountable really helps - even if noone reads it, its like admitting to yourself that you could have done better when at the time its easier to close your mind and ignore the fact that your eating the rest of a box of lindt chocolates sitting at the back of the fridge cos you were 'saving' them to eat one at a time. Yep that was me last night... wierd thing is , if i knew i was coming on here to list everything I hate and process my thoughts I probably wouldnt have done it.

I made Super Balls on the weekend (a protein and superfood combo) and they are yum!!! Will have to post the recipe - makes 16 at 90 cals each. Ive been having them every morning when I get up as I dont eat breakfast till around 9 - 9.30.

Ive also been wondering about the 1500 calorie limit - I've been reading a lot of people going over up to 2000 cals... how do you know what your intake should be? On the 1500 plan I've stuck to the 300ish calorie main meals from the weight loss plan and just increased my snack intake as I find im constantly hungry and need to graze throughout the day. If anyone is reading this and has some advice please let me know!!!

Also I now own a Fitbit flex - still figuring it all out but i love it so far!

So now the time for accountability...

Food...

Breakfast: Protein Ball & Banana Bruschetta

Morning Snack: Coffee

Lunch: Leftover Sticky BBQ Beef

Arvo Snack: Fresh pineapple & strawberries, weight watchers ginger kiss bar,small yogurt (only ate half - Coles brand Simply Less Greek Yogurt - tasted horrible!!!) Oh and I bought an Easiyo so will post about that when I make it :) and another protein ball as I left my protein shake at work!

Dinner: Wholemeal tuna spaghetti with lemon & cherry tomatoes - this was super yummy!!!!!

Exercise: Day 1 Hard & Heavy - Legs, Chest, Biceps & Abs... owchie!

Off to bed now to recover! Here are some pics of tonight and last night' dinners... and my Super Balls mmmmm....

 

 

 

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Day 54 - Lean and Strong!

Hello there :)

So this round of 12wbt is coming to a close, and I have decided to give the Lean & Strong program a go next round. Im almost at my goal weight - lost 300g this week so only 500g to go. It really just proves that it is 80% what you put in your mouth (or dont put in your mouth!) and 20% what you put in at the gym. Which for me this round has been very little I have to say... I do 1 - 2 sessions per week on average but have been super pleased that I've managed to get the eating side of it down pat, with a few slips here and there but once again, 80/20 right?

Next round I need to...

• Do ALL of my workouts, INCLUDING sss
• Do the weekly challenges
• Maintain my good eating (soooo looking forward to 1500 cals!)
• Continue with Sunday food prep for the week - amazing how much time this saves in the week! Who would have thought weighing out portions of yogurt, meat, cheese etc would take so long!
• Write proper goals
• Find that willpower muscle and be stronger against temptation
• Finish the round looking and feeling hot in my bikini!
• Blog more!!! and take more food pics

Need to finish clearing out the gym / garage and set up my weights & equipment!!!

 

Food:

• Breakfast - Banana Quinoa Porridge
• Lunch - Chicken, orange and avocado salad - yum!
• Snacks - Grande Skinny Caramel Latte, Apple, Natural Yogurt, one bite of boyfriends icecream
• Dinner - Lamb with herb & feta peas and beetroot puree - would have photographed awesomely with the bright veg!

I also walked the dogs and had a PT session tonight - absolutely smashed!!!!

 

Now for bed....zzzz

 

Xx

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Day 36 - I'm baaaack!!! Let's do this...

Hello Bloggersphere :)

It's 36 days since I started my challenge, and this weekend I got back from a 3 week holiday with the boy travelling around our beautiful state, WA. I had SUCH a great time, was well needed (though not perfect timing) and now I'm back refreshed and ready to pick up where I left off. So...

The good... We were quite active on the trip, hiking through gorges and walking around exploring, let alone putting the rooftop tent up and down every day. Plus over the three week period I only put on 500grams, which is pretty impressive as its hard to eat clean on the road.

The bad... I did put on half a kilo. I chose to eat unhealthy foods much of the time, mainly snacks for the long drives... chocolate, lollies, museli bars, cookies, red bull.... the list goes on :( Drank very little water also.

The ugly... We got back on Thursday, and it took me a few days to snap out of holiday mode... we ordered pizza for dinner last night - I would normally only ever eat 2 - 3 slices, last night I ate 4... and felt gross for it.

Monday I'm officially back on the 12wbt bandwagon with clean eating, water, and tracking my cals. Exercise will come later, but it will come this time!!! I am only a couple of kgs from my goal weight - looking forward to smashing it :)

Xx

 

 

 

 

 

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Day 11 - 100g, Just scraped by!

So I know the entire internet must have been wondering why I didnt post yesterday :P I left my iPad at work yesterday so didnt get a chance to do a blog post.

So here's the wrap up...

TUESDAY

Felt much better, my cold seems to have mostly disappeared, just for this annoying cough - last couple of days I've had coughing fits either in a client meeting or on the phone to a client... classy one Em! Early nights, cough syrup and vitamins don't seem to be helping much. It MUST be gone by Friday!!!

Breakfast - Berry Museli

Lunch - Thai Beef Salad - huge portion, very filling, yum :)

Snacks

• Apple Cinnamon Chobani Yogurt
• Apple
• Fruit Tea
• 2 Arrowroot Biscuits
• White Tea

Dinner - Seafood Laksa - swapped the mussels for prawns (roughly same cals per 100g) and I thought this was yummy :) Something so satisfying about slurping up soup!!! Om nom nom!!!

Total Calories - 1193

Exercise - None, other than the usual short walk to the park to throw the ball for the dog.

 

WEDNESDAY

Now I'm really ready for this cough to shove off!!!!

Work is busy - I have so much to do before I leave, and home is busy - along with 12wbt getting everything ready for the trip. I am super excited though :) Last night I was wondering how may calories would be in a Smore, I reckon about 150 - 75cals in the biscuit, around 50 in the choc and say 20 in the marshmallowwwwww...

This is a smore... You make them by putting some chocolate (or a small freddo) and marshmallow between 2 biscuits, wrap in foil and heating it over a campfire - melted choc & marshmallow on a biscuit... ***drool***

WEIGH IN WEDNESDAY!!! Oh crap - being sick plus bad eating on the weekend does NOT make for good weigh in results :( Still managed to lose 100g - so glad it didnt go the other way!!! Hung on by the skin of my teeth. This will be the last weigh in before I go away - 56.7kg's. Almost at goal weight (55kg's) - which by the way is still healthy for my height. I'm hoping not to put on too much while I'm away - but in saying that I wont be depriving myself either. Lots of activity will hopefully prevent too much weight gain. When I get back and get to goal of 55kg's I'm considering going on to the Lean & Strong program to tone up and put on some muscle. But I also want to be able to run, I'm so jealous of people who can run. Hopefully by the start of the next round I can do my 1km time trial in under 5 mins, without stopping once.

I am so excited for my holiday but I'm also oddly excited to come back and get back on the meal plans and start exercising regularly - never thought I'd say that out loud! Well... type it out loud...

Life is crazy busy on 12wbt - and I'm not even doing the exercise part. By the time I get home at around 6pm, make dinner, God forbit sit down to eat dinner, make tomorrow's breakfast, lunches, snacks and clean up, and hit the shower its already 9pm and time for bed and a blog post if I have any hope of being up before 5.30am. I work long days and am out of the house for 11 hours which makes it harder, I sure don't know how these ladies with kids do it though!!!

Breakfast - Breakfast Crumble - forgot the Cinnamon AGAIN!!!

Lunch - Leftover Laksa - still just as good second day

Snacks

• Banana
• 2 Cruskits with Ricotta & Tomato
• Carrot stick & hummous
• Tea

Dinner: Basil and Walnut Pesto Spaghetti. Not bad, but i did think it could have used a bit more pesto and maybe some fresh baby spinach. Direct quote from the bf 'not bad for vegetarian', he was a little dissapointed by the lack of meat!

Exercise - Nothing to note here - I really should just stop including this part...

 

And finally something from my inspiration board thingo..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Day 9 - WWMBD (What would Michelle Bridges Do)

Ok so here goes...

I havent posted all weekend so I'll start with Saturday I spose...

SATURDAY

The day started off with breakfast for my best friends birthday - 12wbt Breakfast Burritos, yum!... and 2 glasses of low alcohol, low cal bubbles and it really just went downhill from there... Lunch was 2 Coronas, some twisties, Jatz & Dip and Choc chip biscuits as we visited the inlaws in their newly built house. I was planning on eating lunch at home and visiting later in the day but plans changed and boyfriend wanted to go then and there - no time to make a packed lunch, but I guess I could have thrown a banana or healthy snack in my bag. Dinner was looking up though with the lemon and chilli marinated pork medallions from the plan, and no more alcohol and no more snacks. Wait... I did have ONE evil little TeeVee snack that the boyfriend bought on our late evening shopping trip. Luckily he'd eaten the rest before I could think about a second... Over cals today by about 364 - not huge damage but no real exercise and not clean eating at all.

I completed part of my fitness test today - took 10secs off my running time which I was pretty pleased with considering I'm still sick, its 4 weeks further into Winter and I did my run much earlier in the day when its cooler. Measurements were reduced all round, except for my arms which stayed the same. WINNING!!! After the run I had an earache and a headache - running in the cold when sick is NOT a good idea, postponed the rest of the fitness test...

SUNDAY

Breakfast was the 12wbt Buttermilk pancakes. I made the full 3 serves, giving 2 thirds to the boyfriend and serving myself the other third with banana, berries and yogurt. I love this recipe - sign me up for any diet that let's you have pancakes, meat pies and pizzas!!! Though I guess thats where the whole 'its really a lifestyle change' comes into it - this is real life, and we need a treat now and then. I had planned to have the Chagrilled Brocollini and Salmon salad - BUT!!! Wasnt looking at the time and wasn't hungry as I'd slept in and had a late breakfast. Went out to do the grocery shopping, look at watch - 12pm, oh F#$k Im STAAAARVING!!!! No chance of getting through the shopping, gettting home, putting it away and cooking and sitting down to lunch now... so boyfriend got me a spinach and feta scroll from the bakery - came in at around 330 cals. Not Mish-worthy but within calorie limits. Only snack was around 120 calories in Lindt dark choc. Then we went out for my birthday dinner which consisted of (delicious) chilli mussels and bread (shared) and a very creamy Veal Scallopini and 2 glasses of red wine. Didnt even bother counting cals for this - I had 483 to spare to hopefully I wasnt more than 400 - 500 over.

Didnt get the rest of my fitness test done (abs / pushups / wall sit). I just piked, kept putting it off and before I knew it it was time to go for dinner, prep lunch and snacks and go to bed. Booo - fail on the fitness test front - I WILL get it done. I think I am just worried I wont see an improvement considering my lack of exercise...

So in summary the weekend didnt go to well food or exercise-wise, the whole time I just kept thinking to myself 'What would Michelle do / think / say if she saw me do this / eat that'? How does that lady get inside my head so much from just being on a screen!!! Surely I can't be the only one with Michelle barking orders at me in my head? I hope...

Week 4 Challenge

The challenge for last week was to try something new every day. I didnt quite get there every day but I have tried so many new things in the meal plans so far.

New things last week were...

• Quinoa porridge
• Lamb rump
• A new warming Rooibos tea
• Cranberry and Pomegranite Herbal Tea
• Cannellini beans in salad

Other new things tried so far on 12WBT...

• frozen berries
• ricotta and cottage cheese
• cous cous
• quinoa in salad
• lamb mince
• yogurt as dressing / sauce
• fish in stew

things i know i don't like so have avoided...

• baked beans
• artichokes (especailly canned)
• marinara mix

things i discovered i dont like...

• tinned olives
• roasted eggplant
• not a huge fan of zucchini or raw red onion

Week 5's challenge is to get to bed early every night, I am normally in bed by 9:30 anyway as I'm generally up between 5 and 5:30. Challenge sorted :)

 

Today...

Breakfast: Apple Cous Cous with Cinnamon Yogurt - One of my faves, so filling!

Lunch: Roasted Beetroot, Walnut and Feta Cheese Salad - This was nice, though not a big serve for a salad and way too much prep time for my week day lunches.

Snacks:

• Coffee
• Banana
• Peach Green Tea
• Weight Watchers Apple Crumble Bar
• Peppermint Tea

Dinner: Asian Chicken Patties and Noodle Salad

TOTAL = 1206

Exercise: PT Session, forgot to wear hrm.

I watched Michelle's Self Sabotage video last night and realised - woohoo thats not me :) She says its ok if you fail or have a weekend blowout because we're still learning, as long as we start back on the clean eating & exercise it will be ok.

That's JUST what I needed to hear after this weekend. I definitely think my planning and organisation and pre-empting last minute schedule change skills need improvement!

Now, for some zzzzzz's!

Xx

 

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