It's been over a year since my last blog post, and honestly, 3 years since I posted consistently. The thing is about a weight loss journey, is that it's like anything else. When you are super focused on it, and chasing a goal, accountability is key, and makes that goal attainable. I never reached what I had claimed as my weight goal before my Sleeve Gastrectomy in 2013 (my stated goal was between 145 & 155). I got as low as 172#, and then life happened. Sick parents, in-laws, and grandparents. These things required me to eat at the hospital, or eat out. I slowly allowed myself to fall back into old, unhealthy habits. Fast Food, Starbucks fru-fru coffee drinks, sweet tea, bigger and bigger portion sizes.
In the first 3 years after my surgery, I was running fairly consistently and was able to keep the weight to a healthy level, but in 2016 I was dealt another blow and told to stop running. After 20+ years of obesity I have literally ZERO cartilage in my left knee. This is why after my 2 half marathons ins 2016, both time my left knee swelled up like a cantaloupe. I have also broken my feet and ankles many times, those have led to arthritis that gets worse, not better.....so I gave up.
I gave up, and quit exercising and continued to allow myself to fall back into the old habits, and go further and further down the rabbit hole. I allowed my frustration over not being able to run to lead back to me sitting on the couch.....NOT GOOD.
Sometimes road trips have detours, and that's what I've been on. Basically I detoured from my post-op healthy eating and let myself just wallow in the "I guess I'll just be fat again" pity for a while. But the thing is, just like detours end, this one had to as well. It still haunts me that the last thing my grandmother said to me was, "You're starting to gain your weight back and I'm worried about you."
For whatever reason, my brain jumped on board with ending this little detour and I'm back at it.
I find blogging to be therapeutic. I like it because I can share what/how I feel, and also hold myself accountable. My 2019 New Year's Resolution is not one I'm used to. This year I am focused on being more mindful and healthy in every way; Physically, Emotionally, Spiritually and Mentally. To that end, since I can't run, and my other favorite workout is CrossFit, I found one near my work, and I LOVE them! CrossFit Brave is right by my school, which means I can't go home to change clothes before going to work out (It'd be about 45 minutes round-trip). That means I have to bring my clothes to work with me in the mornings and be prepared to go work out after school. That also means I can't go home with the best of intentions of "coming back to work out later" and getting too comfortable snuggled up on the couch. As part of joining I decided to participate in a 6 week/42 day Body Transformation Challenge. This means that I also get a meal plan to follow, accountability, weekly weigh-ins and coaching. I'm finishing up my first week, and I love how it's going.
I meal-prepped on Sunday night and packed up most of my food for the week. It's good to just open the refrigerator, grab what you need and go for the day. Today, that kind of got wei-leid as I left my healthy prepared food at home. For a hot second I thought I might just cave and buy some of that greasy fast food that I love (But have figured out this week that my body hates). Then I decided that speed bumps didn't have to mean failure. I drove through Starbucks this morning, and rather than a fru-fru coffee drink and oatmeal with a crap ton of brown sugar (My go-to) I ordered classic oatmeal with no toppings and the Egg-white Sous Vide bites with red pepper. They were DELICIOUS, and fulfilled the protein portion of my breakfast. Sadly, the folks at Starbucks didn't see fit to put the hot water in my oats to actually make it oatmeal. It's all good though.....I just kept rolling. I'm short on veggies and carbs for today, but that's fine.
Now, the working out part, that's a whole different beast. My body loves and hates CrossFit simultaneously. I love how it makes me feel, my body seems to naturally move the way it should, but it's been YEARS since I've lifted. I worked out Monday and was still struggling to walk yesterday, but still went to work out again.
Strength--Find our 1-rep max back squat.
I'd have to look back to see what mine was before, as I can't even begin to remember, but I was concerned so I started out with the 35# bar only. I ended up maxing out at 115#, which felt FABULOUS!
WOD: Our WOD was insane, and I'm still sore!
3 rounds, count how many reps of each movement you do
1 minute front squat (I used dumbbells since I'm not quite up to par yet)
1 minute sit-ups
100 meter run in 1 minute (this only counted as a rep if you got back into the building before the minute was up)
1st round I got in 39 reps---and yes, I made it back into the building on the run
2nd round I got in 36 reps--yep, made it back into the building again, so the run counted, but only barely
3rd round I only got 27 reps. My quads were burning like mad, felt like I might vomit on the sit-ups, and the nausea got worse on the run. Nope, didn't make it back this time for the run to count.
I got in 102 reps. It felt AMAZING, and while my body HATES me at the moment, I'm SO GLAD I'm getting to do CrossFit again.
I'm going to be blogging regularly again this year, as I get back on track for this journey. I've set a few small goals:
In the 6 weeks of the challenge, I'm hoping to average about 2 pounds of weight loss per week. That would put me right around 196 on my bathroom scale at home, on Sunday mornings, before eating anything.
I plan on continuing this meal plan/working out for an additional month, leading up to our Cruise in March. That would be 11 weeks, and thus, 22 pounds of weightloss. On my scale at home, that would mean I'd board the cruise ship around 184 pounds.
After the cruise, I plan to continue a similar, but not as restrictive meal plan, and work outs, so that I can continue to lose weight. I don't have a specific number in mind, but I figure fit and healthy sounds like a good goal, right?
I hope you'll join me on the continuation of this journey and help to hold me accountable.
Here's to Healthy accomplishments in 2019!!
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