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Wait and Weight

All week I’ve been trying to balance resting, cardio, boxing and attending the fights. THANK GOODNESS I have an awesome boss who gave me the whole week off so I could focus on my training and deal with the up in the air schedule of the Golden Gloves.

 

Monday 

On Monday I knew I wouldn’t have to weigh in no matter what.   Even though I have a sub, my students have an important audition later this week so I had to pop in and rehearse them.   Also, I never had time to get them in to costumes, so I stayed and did that too.  Next thing I knew, it was almost lunch time.  So I packed up at work and went to find some lunch.  After wandering around target for what felt like FOREVER looking for food I knew I could eat, I finally settled on some low sodium lunch meat and a few side snacks.  I sat and ate my lunch outside, enjoying the sunshine.  All the while, everyone I know is texting me to find out if what my fight schedule was.  Same answer: still waiting.  Then I stopped by what I call my Sweat Gym.  For the last 6 months, there has been a handful of times that I wished I could go for a run but it was nasty outside.  Recently, I have to stick to a strict cardio schedule regardless of the weather.  So a coworker told me about her gym close to school.  I got the 3 day pass.  Of course, they offered me such a good price that I ended up joining.  It’s going to be nice having access to good equipment when I need it.  They also have a pool and sauna.  I didn’t work out, just signed paperwork.  Next thing I knew, it was time to train.

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I went to boxing training and did my fight week workout.  It’s still intense but in different ways and is training my mind as much as my body.  Don’t want to give out any secrets………… My coach thought it would be a good idea to attend the fights that night, even though we didn’t know anyone who was on the bout schedule.  It would be a good way to get nerves out.  After my workout I stopped by home to grab my premeasured meal and headed to the fights.  When I got there, I saw the brackets and full schedule were posted.  I was so relieved!  At least I’d have an idea of when I was fighting!!!  I even got a bye on the first round, which means my opponent will have already fought once.  I stood texting and calling my fellow fighters for about an hour, figuring out the schedule for the week. I didn’t stay for the rest of the fights because I knew I’d be back the next night.

 

Tuesday 

On Tuesday’s I do 4 am cardio. (Yes I read that in a Mean Girls voice)  I’ve been doing it for a few weeks now and recently I’ve taken it indoors for a few different reasons.  So I got up at 4 am, out the door by 4:30 and hitting it by 5:00 at the Sweat Gym. (Privately owned, swanky, they even have TVs 🙂 )  I do 45-50 minutes or so of cardio, depending on traffic because I know by 6:00 AM I need to be in the sauna if I want to have a long time to shower and putz around before I go to work.  BUT TODAY I don’t have to go to work!  I get to go weigh in my fellow fighter! So I follow the above schedule to make sure I’m on time.

I head to Starbucks to get my coffee and cram a protein shake.  I had to sit at Starbucks and send a few emails to prep everything for the day.  Then I head to the Colorado Golden Gloves Gym (CGGG) to weigh in Dawson.  I had already texted him to make sure he was at weight and on the way.  No trash bags for him, phew. (See my first weigh in experience here, next weigh in for me is Friday) The CGGG is about 30 mins away and I make it 2 seconds before him.  We go in.  He weighs.  I ask about his opponent,  we leave.  It was really quick.  Then I headed to Trader Joes and prepped all my food for the days to come.  Time to train!

Boxing training on Tuesday felt really strong.  I’m feeling really ready!  Again….no spoilers here.  Then it was time to get Dawson ready and all the gear ready for the fight.  When you are in a sanctioned fight, there are lots of pieces to consider.  There’s a long list of supplies, snacks, and equipment you need and I’m very list orientated.  So I made up a gear bag list with my coach and packed it to make sure we have everything.  That sucker is packed.  Also it eases my type A mind for when it comes time for my fight FRIDAY.  Before I knew it, Dawson was at the gym and it was time to go.

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Again, I stopped at home for my preportioned meal.  I made two stops on the way to get things we forgot.  Behind the scenes of a boxing fight is very interesting and I witnessed everything first hand. I think I’ll make it it’s own post based on the length of this one. Dawson fought around 9:15 and lost in a split decision. It took me forever to get to bed.

 

Wednesday 

The plan was to get up and go to work because I didn’t have a sweat workout or weigh in to do, why not use the morning to go to work where I already have a sub? Well, I woke up to about 4-5 inches of snow and blizzard conditions.  School was closed.  There was no where to go.  No where to feel guilty about not going.  Weird.  Back to bed.

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The next step in the plan was to get some equipment I needed.  Jump rope and cocoa butter Vaseline. (Essentials for a boxer, obviously!) So we got up at a normal time and headed to Target.  It was bad but not BAD outside.  I’m from the midwest.  By the time we got home however, it was really bad.  Blizzard bad.  No wonder they are calling it a blizzard!

Step three in the day: boxing training.  There was no way my car could possibly make it that far without getting stuck.  I felt horribly guilty about canceling on my trainer but I had to.  I think this was the first time ever that I’ve canceled the day of.  Later in the day, the gym was officially closed anyway!  So again, nothing to feel guilty about.  Weird. I couldn’t go if I wanted to now…

Step four in the plan was to attend the fights again.  No one from my team was fighting but the first round of my competition was so of course I’m going to attend.  In the early afternoon they cancelled the fights.  The blizzard has now shut down my whole day.  SO I was stuck in limbo again.  If they are rescheduling all the bouts from today, what does that mean for my bracket? What does that mean for the other guys going from my gym? Argh!  I had just felt some relief from knowing when I was going to fight and now everything is messy again!

 

Overall the Golden Gloves have been quite the journey.  I feel like one of those girls after she gets cut from the Bachelor but I’m learning so much about myself!  I’m better at some parts of it than I expected and worse at others.  The waiting, the lack of sleep, the workouts, the diet…….I’ll have so much to say when this is all over.  But for now Golden Gloves, I still accept this rose.

 

 

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Weigh Ins!

Yesterday I weighed in and registered for the Golden Gloves tournament! The day was quite the experience……

 

5 AM

I set my alarm for 5 am even though the weigh ins were scheduled to begin at 10 AM. I have been struggling to get to my fight weight for a while. After talking to my coach two weeks ago, he really eased my mind that the weight would come off and the more I worried about it the harder it would be. He really made me feel better about it and the weight came off. My weight class is 141 pounds. My coach was expecting 138 on the scale. This will allow me to fuel for fighting but not kick me overweight for weigh ins. I FINALLY started seeing the right numbers last week. So when I set my alarm for 5 AM, I knew I would be at weight but I got up any way just to check. If I was overweight, I’d spend the morning running on a treadmill in trash bags……..

 

I stepped on the scale and held my breath. 137.2. Not only had I made weight but I had an extra a pound just in case. So I went back to bed J

 

8 AM

At 8 I got up to meet my fellow fighters at the boxing gym. There are 5 of us going under the Touch of Sleep name. I was hoping we were all at weight and the morning would go smoothly. When I arrived, I saw one of my fellow fighters sprinting on the treadmill in three sweat suits. I was SO thankful that wasn’t me. I had prepared SO much that I made sure I didn’t have to do that and it worked. I’ve been counting every calorie and watching every nutrient to not end up in that situation. It felt good to relax and not have to worry. 8It came time to leave and we all got in the car.

 

10 AM

We got to the weigh ins early and got our places in line. I knew for sure that I was registered for the tournament but there was a problem with all the other fighters. I quickly checked in and headed to the weigh in lines. The lady took me back to the scale alone. I was nervous and excited about seeing the number. I knew I was at weight. I didn’t eat or drink anything since 7pm the night before. Before I stepped on the scale, in my bra and underwear no less, I took a deep breath. Here it was. The moment that I’d been waiting for. A whole year of training was coming down to this. I could never prove to myself or anyone else how good or hard my training was if I couldn’t make weight. I’ve never had to be a certain number for anyone other than myself. When I stepped on the scale, I almost cried. 136.5. Not only had I made weight, I had come in 4.5 pounds under.

 

**To be clear, 136.5 is not what I consider a healthy weight for me. I prefer my body at 145 or so. But this is the boxing world, it’s just how it works.

 

The woman weighing me in didn’t know anything about me. She didn’t know I used to be 290+ pounds. She didn’t know my journey or all the work I’d put in to see that number. There was no shouts of congratulations or looks of astonishment. To her, I was just another boxer trying to make weight. But I knew. I knew everything that number represented. I knew the tears, the sweat and the bruises I’d gone through to get there. Even though I’ve been officially training for a year, it’s been more like 3. It felt like the culmination of my whole journey. It was different than crossing a finish line because this time, it’s the starting line.

 

I got dressed and had my doctor check. And just like that, I’m qualified to fight. All of my fellow fighters made weight as well (even if we had to wait another hour for all of them to get through registration!)

 

The whole situation felt a little anticlimactic. I knew it wouldn’t be a celebration for me but it’s been so long coming that I couldn’t believe how fast it was over. But now the real fight begins. Each day we don’t find out who is scheduled to fight until that day. So now there’s a balancing dance between training and waiting for your fight. Will it be tomorrow? The next day? There’s no way to know…..

 

Obviously I’m really good at waiting. I love to schedule my life down to the T. I like having control of what’s going on. So instead I’m learning even more lessons about myself and my constant problem with control. It’s hard to be anxious when you don’t have anything to be anxious about. I thought I’d be a wreck but I’m doing alright with the waiting……….for now.10250102_1726232567611968_4506162408645246567_n

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Running in the EARLY Morning

Last Saturday Morning, I went on one of the hardest runs that I’ve ever experienced. with my fellow fighters from my gym.  They are all younger and well…..men.  They ran their asses off and I tried to keep up.

My coach has been expecting me to run 5 miles three times a week.  I’ve been making excuses and just trying to fit in a 5K here and 5 miles there.  After I went on the run with the boys, at which I met them at the gym at 5 AM, I realized how much more I could be pushing myself in my running. I’ve been avoiding the dreaded, the thing I always said I would never do, run in the early early morning.

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So this morning I did it.  Dan has been getting up to work over time at the same time I should be getting up to run.  So I got up and put on SO MANY clothes and ran 5 miles, and once again, lived to tell about it.  Here’s my thoughts in an ever so convenient list format.

No One Is Up

On a normal run in the evening, my preferred running time, I’ll see between 5 and 30 people depending on the weather.  This morning I saw two.  Two people walking their dogs.  Turns out, everyone hates being up at 5 am. Also, there’s really no traffic, so the traffic lights are less of an annoyance as they usually are and they are easier to see from far away.

 

No Food

I usually run in the late morning when I have eaten breakfast, or in the evening after many more meals and snacks.  I’ve always thought if I didn’t have enough fuel my body wouldn’t go at all.  Lately, I’ve been ill with a touch of stomach flu and knew that an empty stomach was probably the best choice for the first time.  I did it on Saturday and it was fine.  I did it again this morning and again…..it was fine.  I wouldn’t recommend this for new runners but I found that I could just go just like when I had eaten a meal.  I didn’t cramp up or anything which is what I expected.  I do get hungry but not too hungry. I wouldn’t recommend going much farther without eating.

LOTS of Clothes

When I showed up at the gym on Saturday, the boys were all wearing sweatpants but I was not really. I wore double layer, winter style gear.  They were all sweating bullets later but I was sweating normally.  So this morning I wore more clothes than I have ever worn to help me sweat but also because it was 38 degrees.  When I got back, I was very sweaty. I had to lay out my clothes all down the hallway like when you’re a kid and you’ve been playing in the snow all day.  Other people did that too, right? This said sweat and combination of clothing makes it VERY interesting to get to your keys when you get back, which are in your bra. Awesome. (Again, I would not recommend this for new runners.  Boxers only. Oh, the lots of clothes part, not the sweaty keys part)

Mario in Real Life

I made sure to choose a path that I knew and one that was lit this morning.  My clothes aren’t too bright and I didn’t know how many cars would be out.  BUT even when you run where there are street lights, there are still shadows. In those shadows lie mysteries.  At one point, I was playing a game with myself like I was a Mario character and I would avoid the shadows.  Sometimes though, the shadows were so wide that I had to step in them and it was always a mystery what would happen.  I don’t really want to wear a head light.  Maybe I could carry a really small LED flashlight? I’m not really sure yet but I think I should bring something? Also, the time is going to change soon so I really don’t know what that is going to effect either.

It Didn’t Kill Me

Once again, completing this goal did not kill me.  It’s surprising how often this is true 😉 Anyway, I thought running in the morning would be the worst thing ever.  I thought I would hate every single moment of it.  The truth is, I felt more ready for the day than I have in a really long time!  I had thought through my entire day before I had even started it.  I felt ready to take on the world.  Bring it.

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The Wide World of Supplements

Ok. I am not a doctor, nutritionist or even overly educated in the medical sciences of the body, yet.  So anything you read in this post is based on how my body FEELS and only that.  Just saying.

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I’m training as an amateur athlete now.  In 5 weeks, I will compete in the Colorado Golden Gloves State Tournament.  Holy Crap.  So this last 2 months, my training has really been more intense.  I’m taking class 5-6 times a week, sparring at least once a week, sometimes having private time, and working on the regular bag and speed bag.  I’m also running a little (<10 miles a week, I wish it could be more) but the weather and my body are making it hard.

I have gotten through my entire weigh loss journey with three containers of protein powder.  Up until recently, I only took it when I was sore or I had put in way more work than usual at the gym.  Maybe a couple shakes a month.  Dan takes them too but also rarely.  Up until now I have only taken my usual multi-vitamin and the occasional B-12 or something.  This week: I had to invest in a new pill box because I have started taking so many supplements.

Last week, I suffered an minor-ish injury in the ring.  I’d rather not literally publicize my weaknesses but I HATE being injured.  I have a hard time being slow and making myself rest.  I had JUST hit my fight weight so I, ONCE AGAIN, reached out to my amazing friend Jessica Kidd.  She recommended adding Glutamine to my smoothies in the morning.  I am already have a protein shake a day and I’m trying to get my nutrients from food as much as possible.  But maybe it’s possible I’m expecting my body to do things it just can’t without some extra help.  I’ve been feeling MORE than just sore for a long time now.  Adding a crap ton of protein to my diet helped but only took the edge off.  So after a trip to the store and talking to other people, I’m on three things:

  1.  Glutamine: Is a building block of protein, and sometimes your body just can’t make enough of it to repair your muscles. It comes in powder and pill but I take powder.  I put it in my smoothies in the morning.  I noticed a difference the first day.  I wish I could take 10X the dosage and feel 10 times better, but it doesn’t really work that way.   I paid $30 for enough for 2-3 months.  I’ll probably keep this in my regimen until I’m done boxing.
  2. Turmeric After Sport:  To be perfectly honest, I only bought this because the lady suggested it.  As I’m standing there, I could have counted about 15 things that hurt so I would have bought nearly anything.  When I told her why I was buying the Glutamine, she suggested this.  She also reminded me of their return policy and if I didn’t think it was doing anything, I could bring it back.  So far, it seems ok? I’m not really sure if it’s doing anything yet.
  3. Fish Oil –  I’m taking this because we had it in the house.  A few people I talked to were surprised that I wasn’t already on them.  They are supposed to help with joints and overall health right? But I also read recently that most Fish Oil pills are really nothing……so I’ll probably take these till their gone and then see if I see a difference.

My point is, when I was losing weight, it was important to me to do it without supplements and by getting what I needed from my food.  But now I’m not losing weight.  I’m training and I’m training hard.  Maybe my body just can’t produce everything that it needs.  I’m still trying to get as much as I can from my overall diet, but if I need a little help keeping my body in one piece to make it to the tournament, I guess I have to do that.

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My Fight Weight Fight

So I’m now in training mode and focused on competing in the Golden Gloves.  I’m training 8-10 hours a week and trying to trim to my fight weight of 141 pounds.  141 pounds.  That’s small.  I’ve been at 141 pounds before and maintained it for 6 weeks or so just to make sure I could even be that small, and for the record: I think I’m too skinny at that weight.  Regardless, this is the weight my coaches have determined is the safest weight for me.

It’s actually quite difficult to think about what my true weight is.  After dropping over 50% of my body weight, I pretty much have loose skin…..everywhere.  So…..it’s hard to calculate my real weight, muscle mass or body fat.  So I’ve been obsessed with getting to that number again and I’ve been really struggling.  I have been eating within my calories everyday.  I have been working out more.  I have haven’t have a sweet treat (soda, candy, cupcake, cookie……) all month.  I have totally cut alcohol out.  And the scale………kept going up.  I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong.

My elbows hurt all the time.  My knee hurts every day.  My should hurts every day.  Weird aches and pains pop up all throughout the day. Am I going to be able to: 1.  Stay in one piece until March? 2. Make fight weight?12510425_10103151284597509_1504549280907727655_n

So I reached out to my amazing friend, Jessica Kidd, once again.  She is studying for her nutrition degree and often has to make a certain weight or look for events.  I knew she could help.  I know I still have almost two months to get to fight weight, but I’m starting to go to an unhealthy place about it and I want to make sure I do it right.

At first she noticed that I wasn’t eating enough.  My body was pretty much in starvation mode and if I didn’t increase my calories, I would never drop the weight.  I know it seems CRAZY.  But if you aren’t eating enough, you body saves every last calorie because it doesn’t think it’s ever going to get calories again.  But if you feed it when it asks, it learns to take what it needs and throw the rest away.  My body was saving everything because it needed everything. I lost my ‘excess weight’ quickly.  But then it started coming back.

I reached out to Jessica again.

Since I’ve been tracking my food in Myfitnesspal (LOVE!) I could simply send her a photo of what I’d been eating and my nutrients.  She noticed right away that my protein was too low and my fats were too high.  Honestly, I usually don’t pay much attention to anything but my calories and sugar.  I’ve gotten away with this for a looooong time.  But I’m training differently now.  I’m training as an amateur athlete. (What?!) So I have to provide my body with different things.  She told me the new levels she would suggest and I reset my app.  I went shopping the next day and prepped food for the whole week.  And.  It.  Worked.

I’m finally dropping some of my ‘excess weight’ that my body has been holding on to.  I thought I was getting enough of what I needed because my body was still going.  But now I realize how much my body was telling me it needed something different. Now that I’m eating the way I need to, it’s not complaining.  My elbows don’t hurt.  My knee is only sore after running.  My shoulder doesn’t hurt.  I feel so much more put together and stronger.  And the scale has agreed.  I’m not to fight weight consistently yet, but I’m getting there!

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Everybody Needs Somebody

So the struggle continues……..

It’s been one week of no sweets or alcohol.  I can feel my cravings resetting and I’m proud of walking past the trays of cookie leftovers at work without taking one.  I can feel how clean my system is.  BUT……I haven’t dropped any of the excess water weight that I thought I was putting on.

On the scale yesterday morning, I had a moment.  A bad one.   I woke up and got on the scale to see I had gained 3 pounds OVERNIGHT.  This is a huge red flag for me for several reasons.

  1.  I NEVER bloat or gain three pounds over night.  Never.
  2. I’ve been on no sweets
  3. I thought I’d eaten perfectly for three days straight

I stood on the scale and cried out of frustration.  Normally, a few pounds here and there is no big deal but now I’m trying to trim down to my fighting weight and seeing the scale jump was devastating. If you have never cried on the scale, I congratulate you.  I can’t believe that my emotions are still so tied to the number I see but it’s important right now.  Now I HAVE to be a certain weight or I can’t fight.  So it’s a very weird feeling.

Anyway, I reached out to a friend that I have to see what she thought.  This friend is not just the average person or someone that I have even known that long but she’s awesome.  I first met Jessica in my very first class, MY VERY FIRST CLASS, at Touch of Sleep Boxing Gym. I case you don’t remember that post, or you’re new to this blog it was titled Boxing with DaVarryl and it was the first timed I had ever cried in a workout.  I felt so stupid because I didn’t know what he was asking me to do.  Jessica was sympathetic and tried to help even under the strict “no talking rule” in the ring.  My trainer was unable to be there that night, which is how I ended up in class.  Later I said to him, “And there was this girl there”.  He immediately cut me off and scolded me for focusing on others instead of myself.  But I saw her and I’ve been drafting off her inspiration and motivation ever since. She was also the first girl I had ever sparred with and it was terrifying. Again, read here. Then when I ran my first half marathon, she waited to see me finish! (that one’s here)

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Wow that picture seems really old now……..

 

She currently is a personal trainer, studying nutritionist, WBFF pro, Ms. Cherry Creek, (Soon to be Ms Colorado!) a World’s Toughest Mudder and has fought under our gym in previous Golden Gloves fights and soooo many other amazing things.   Oh and she just got married and rocked a KILLER red dress.  Anyway, I sent her a message freaking out.  I knew she would understand the feeling I had and know how to help or at least listen.  She asked me what I had been eating and I sent her my list of typical foods.  Which, if you’ve been reading, you know I pretty much eat the exact same foods everyday except I switch up dinner and the weekends get messy.  So I feel like it should be kind of a no brainer for me by now.  If I make these choices, the numbers do this and everything is fine.  I have control of my choices, so I can control the numbers……right?  Not always.

I’m investigating what is going on but I want to see what works before I give out the secret because it sounds quite ludicrous. So if you’re intrigued……stay tuned!

So THANKS Jess!  Sometimes people look at me and see that I’ve lost the weight and assume I’ve figured it all out right? I have lots of somebody’s for different things but here’s a shout out to Jess for being my somebody the other day!

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In The Last Year……

Last year for New Year’s, I posted a comparison of what I could do when I started at my local gym and where I was currently. (View Here) Two months later I left said gym and started focused boxing training and running.  So…….I obviously won’t be posting the same comparison because I do so many different things now.  Instead, this year I complied a list of what were my best memories and accomplishments this year:

***Click the links to see the original posts about these events and photos from each.***

Personal 

A New Car – While this one isn’t directly weight loss related, I sort of feel like it is a little bit.  Without the change in my self confidence in the last two years, I wouldn’t have gone after the job I currently have.  I might not have been able to physically keep up with my current position.  However, because of the weight loss and transversely a better job, I could get a new car!

Tenure – I received tenure in my current school district this past spring.  Again, related to the above, without my new confidence and self investments I might not have received such a status.

A Trip to New York – Without my weight loss, I would have never taken this trip.  My friend might not have even invited me, knowing I couldn’t keep up. But while we were there and seeing EVERYTHING, we walked/ran over 100 miles.  I made memories I’ll have forever.

 

Fitness Events

My first Half Marathon – I ran the Colfax Half Marathon in May after training by myself with inspiration from my friend Thomas.  This was a goal I never thought I’d even have and then surpassed.  This race meant the world to me and marked when I think I officially became an athlete and a runner.  I’ll never forget this day!

300+ miles run – Through my training and completion of now two half marathons, I logged 250 miles on my Nike running app as well as completed many many more at the gym.  I can’t believe in one year how many times I ran when I didn’t want to, finished when I didn’t think I could and surprised myself along the way.  Running is awesome and the best promise you can keep to yourself.

Other Races – I also completed The Graffiti Run (5K), The Runnin’ of the Green (7K) and the Rock and Roll Half Marathon.

Tough Mudder – When I signed up for this race/obstacle course, I didn’t even know what I was getting myself into.  Only shortly before the race did I find out it was 12 miles and 20+ obstacles.  This race was so fun and something I couldn’t have done a year ago.  I can’t wait to do it again next year!  I’m already putting my team together!

Ninja Training/OCR – I went out on a total limb this year and took a few Ninja Warrior Training Classes and Obstacle Course Training Classes.  They were so fun.  It’s something I’d love to do regularly but I tend to hurt myself a lot so I can only do it during certain times of the year.  I can’t wait to get back to it!

Mount Bierstadt – Dan, some friends and I hiked Mount Bierstadt this year which goes up above 14,000 feet. I feel so thankful to even live in a place where you can hike that high.  The view from that high is incredible and like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  I wish I had more time to hike and I’m looking forward to the temperatures coming back up so we can.

Rock Climbing – In the winter last year, I went insane.  So this winter I wanted to make sure we had something we could do active indoors.   Rock climbing is a great sport/exercise for so many things and it’s very popular in Colorado.  I’ve been interested in learning for about a year and this year we did.  We now go a couple times a month and I wish I could go more often, yet again.

A Boxer – One of the most important things to me this last year has been my boxing training.  I box 4-6 times a week and I can never get enough.  This December, I registered with USA boxing to compete at the amateur level in 2016.  I have so much more to say on this in future posts but this one is already carrying on long enough. I can’t wait to show off my skills in the ring this year!

Milestones

I hit two major milestones in my life and weight loss journey this year.  I never set these goals but because of my love of health and fitness, they just happened.

Half My Size – Sometime over this summer, I hit half of my original weight of 290 pounds.  My original goal weight was 165 and then I just kept losing very slowly.  Later I discussed competition fighting with my trainer and he set my fight weight at 141.  Since then, this is where I try to stay.

My First Size 0 – While this should have been a post all in itself perhaps, I tried on my first size 0 and it actually fit.  I was at Express and wanted to try on a dress I had seen the previous weekend.  Of course it was gone in my expected size of 4 or 6.  There was only a 0.  I was trying on other items so I grabbed it just in case.  It kind of looked big enough.  When I tried it on, it zipped with ease.  I couldn’t believe it.  I didn’t purchase the dress because I didn’t like it better than one I already had but I still wanted to just because it was a 0.

Here’s what I think it probably the best photo of my from 2015.  My hubby took it at dinner on no particular night and there’s no particular reason I love this photo.  I didn’t even do my hair or put on hardly any makeup. This dress is a size 8 and not a 0. It doesn’t show my new slammin body.  I’m not standing with a popped hip and perfect angle.  No duck lips or ‘smizing’. It’s just me.  And this is the very first year that I feel like I’m finally that, just me.

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Man.  2015 was freaking awesome.  I’m so excited for 2016! Happy New Year Everyone!

 

 

 

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Step Three: Green Smoothies

I am, without a doubt, a creature of habit.  I could eat the same meals day in and day out forever if I love them enough.  I have the exact same routine when I’m working. I usually eat the same breakfast and lunch every day.  I even shop at the same store on the same day each week.  I just do.  But lately I’ve switched up my routine and have changed my breakfast back to something I used to really enjoy in the beginning of my weigh loss: Green Smoothies. I blogged about it almost exactly a year ago but wasn’t eating them at the time.

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I HAD been eating a bagel with cream cheese every morning for….maybe a year? Sometimes I’d switch it up with peanut butter but usually not.  I even skip breakfasts provided for the staff at school and eat my breakfast anyway because I don’t want anything else.  I like not thinking about it and still really enjoying it.  I know this doesn’t work for everyone but it works for me.

I’ve been trying to up my protein  since my workouts have increased.  One easy way to do that is in the morning.  So about two weeks ago I switched back to Green Monsters and I’m still having them every morning.  I still love them every morning! You can read the full recipe and health benefits HERE already written out from last year. This year I’ve switched it up just a bit.

 

Usual Recipe:

1 frozen banana, sliced

4 cups spinach

1 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt

1 T. Peanut Butter

1/2 C. Milk of Choice (We drink soy milk)

 

My Recipe this year:

1 frozen banana, sliced

4 cups spinach

1 cup Light Greek Yogurt (Banana flavored, vanilla when their out)

1 T. Peanut Butter

1/2 C. Water

4 T. Protein Powder (Old stuff I wanted to finish off, it’s gone now and I’m not replacing it)

1 T.  Trader Joes Super Seeds

 

I love this recipe because it’s easy and when I’m out of an ingredient I just make it up.  You can switch the banana for any frozen fruit. I also made the switch from milk to water because it’s cheaper and cuts down on calories.  Also, another change from last year is that I invested in a Ninja blender recently and I HIGHLY recommend them!

My number one reason for liking them is that I feel much cleaner when I have them.  I can feel the spinach energizing my system and the yogurt and everything else are so yummy and keep you full until the next meal/snack.  If you prioritize the ingredients of each of the ingredients in your smoothie it will be wonderful.  Check the labels of your yogurt and peanut butter for sure.  Make sure your buying ones with no additives and junk and it will make a difference, I swear.  And I love the super seeds.  I don’t know that I can really tell a difference but even if it’s placebo effect, I’ll take it.

Enjoy!

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Step Two: No Alcohol

Oh boy.  This might be a tough one.

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I have never been much of a drinker.  Alcoholism runs pretty deep in my family and I’ve always avoided consuming too much.  I’ll go out for Girl’s Night Out or have a few when friends and I go to watch fights but it’s not routine.  I don’t keep wine or beer in the house.  I can go out and have no drinks or too many drinks.  (which I always regret)

But lately, there’s been so many events that I find myself excusing a drink here and there and then everywhere.  Everyone wants to meet for a drink or is serving drinks at their get-together.

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For some people, giving up alcohol would be the end of the world.  For me, it’s just going to be inconvenient and not very fun 🙁  I have signed up with USA Boxing to be an amateur boxer this year.  (more on that later…..) They require you to sign a code of conduct against performance dampening activities like alcohol and tobacco.  While this is a perfect reason to cut out alcohol, I’m excited to do it for the calories as well.  I know there are a lot of opinions out there on alcohol, wine especially, but I’m just saying no for the next few months at least. I don’t need it and it’s just empty calories. I went my first whole year of weight loss without a drink, I know I can do it again.

So over the next few months, I’m going to figure out how to meet for drinks without having a drink and how to get through social meet ups without ordering a cocktail. Who wants to join? alcoholcomparisons

 

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Step One: No Sweets January

Yesterday I wrote about my feelings of having lost some control over my eating (click here if you missed it).  Everywhere you turn during this time of year someone is offering you a sweet treat or left some out in the office lounge.  90% of the time I’m great at saying ‘no thank you’ or just walking away.  But lately, I’ve been helping myself to half a cookie or a bite of this several times throughout the day.  Those small bites have turned into a lot of bites by the end of the day.  Also, I’m left thinking about the food I just walked away from.  I used to be able to walk away from it and not think twice about it.  Now I walk away day dreaming about what it would have been like and this is NOT GOOD.

I’m ok with allowing myself small treats here and there.  I had a piece of cake on my birthday even.  BUT it’s the craving feelings that scare me.  When my body is clean and healthy, I crave naturally sweet things like green apples and fruit juice.  I ALWAYS have Trader Joes pineapple juice in the fridge.  But now I’m craving candy and sweets all over again.  That is something I’m not comfortable with.  When my body is clean, I don’t really even enjoy sweets.  I can taste how sweet it is and the sugar swimming in my body.  I used to not finish things because they were too sweet.  Now, I just want it all.

So how do I reset my system? How do I make those cravings go away? I’m going to make the food go away. I lay down a “NO CHOCOLATE” mandate in the house about twice a year, for a two week period,  when I feel my control slipping.  But, this year it just felt like one event after another, meet this friend for lunch, celebrate this holiday here…….so I felt like I couldn’t do it in the middle of the holidays.  So I’m going to do……drum roll please…….No Sweets January!

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For the whole month I will not be partaking in candy, cookies, muffins, ice cream or anything of the sort.  I’m hoping by doing this that by February, I can enjoy my candy hearts and then through the rest of the box away and that I won’t be consumed by thoughts of chocolate.  As I was talking to a friend about the ‘post Christmas yuck” he agreed to jump on board!

If you are considering making your first small steps or just looking to gain more control of your cravings, consider a No _______ January.  Let those around you know to help keep you honest.  Also, they won’t be offering you the things they know you are avoiding.  Someone might even do it with you!  If there’s a food or group of foods you are trying to cut down on, consider giving them up for a whole month.  You’d be surprised to see how much your body recalibrates your cravings! If you haven’t already done it…..I’d recommend soda! Just look at all these benefits and tell me it isn’t a good idea!

Bye Bye Sugary Drinks: What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Drinking Soda

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