Arise

[Lena Llanasolion]

I am returning to Nerd Fitness after being away since February 2017 (A Journey of a 1000 Stairs) where I attempted to do 1000 stair climbs and lose weight accumulated and maintained post the birth of my 2nd son.  I succeeded in getting down to about 180lbs from about 200 lbs.  I did not reach my dreamed of 165lbs. Instead, I got pregnant with my third and final child (a dreamed of daughter) and my weight bounced right back up to 220lbs at the height of the pregnancy.  For the first time I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes - which made for interesting self experimentation with a blood glucose reader and many meals.  I had my baby girl in May of 2018.  Recovery was better than it had been with number 2 - at least I did not have drop foot!  AND I was super active before and after the birth.  However, something about turning 40 and having gained all this pregnancy weight - my weight went down to 190 and then did a massive up turn back to 110.  I have been hovering between 202 and 206 lbs ever since.  

 

So - given my NF experience... and I signed up to Mutu Mamas and had a physio as well in the early days post pregnancy (diastis rectii).  So here I am thinking, I am crossing the T's and dotting the i's and yet.. not a single budge of my weight.

 

This is the least stressed I have been in eons.  I am not working, I have the time and ability to go to the gym at max 2 hours per day... I spent a lot of time in an active upright state.  I eat wholesome healthy home made food.  I work out at least three times a week and I get a decent (if not enough) amount of sleep.  I haven't eaten my children yet.

 

I have a weakness for sweets and baked goods but I am not as glutton as I have been in the past. I practice a great deal of restraint.  

 

Breastfeeding may play a part and be a factor with regards to hormones that are involved in retaining weight.

 

So bringing it down to basic things that affect my weight

 

- I will make an effort to drink more

- I will make an effort to sleep more

- I am aware breastfeeding hormones are a thing

 

As far as diet goes, I have started Intermittent Fasting as of last week - too soon to see any difference - and last week I went to the gym for a two cardio box classes, one aquafit class, one yoga, and one anti-gravity restorative class.  That's four times!  This week I've already gone in for a 20-20-20 class (step meets weights).  Plan is to go to the gym at least three times a week.  At least one time for a yoga/restorative session.

 

That leaves food - Granted with three kids and a bunch of carb eating junkies... I am pretty good at keeping things home made and nutritious.  I started baking my own bread!  So given that I started regime above only last week - too soon to tweak anything here.  (I did a MFP check and my daily calories are around the 1650 mark.. so not terrible).

 

[Lena Llanasolion]

Just over a week later.. I've lost about 4lbs!  So there's something to this current lifestyle.  I'm extremely clear headed as well.  Sleep has been hard extremes of either 5 hours or 8 hours... ha ha.  I celebrate when I sleep enough and boo when I don't.  I notice that I'm more hungry when I haven't slept well - breaking my fast earlier.  Today, I started eating a lot later than usual and because of the kids, wanted to eat a little more so ended up eating a bit later into the night.  

[Lena Llanasolion]

January Goals revisited:

• Keep up with a Fit Mom's Whatsapp group chat I started with two other girlfriends who are looking to lose weight using IF
• Plan ahead for the workout tomorrow
• Establish habit of Intermittent Fasting (18:30:00 to 12:30:00 M-F and sometimes Sa or Su)

Motivational Charge: Enjoy Life!

 

Hard goals: Practice daily gratitude, Keep a mini diary, Lightly track food, track rest & relaxation

 

Softgoals:  Time away from mothering, baking, work on relationship with the husband, writing/publishing

 

 

Summary: I met most of the goals for the last two weeks of January when I had set them.  February will be the real baseline since I will be tracking for the entire month.  

[Lena Llanasolion]

February Goals:

• Be kind to my husband
• Allow myself to take my time and be late for anything
• Let kids and husband look after themselves
• Hit up my gym for their February challenge 21/28 days

 

Motivational Charge: I think; I intend, I do.

 

Hard goals: Practice daily gratitude, Keep a mini diary, Lightly track food, track rest & relaxation

 

Softgoals:  Time away from mothering, baking, work on relationship with the husband, writing/publishing

 

Summary: No change in hard goals or soft goals - as metrics I want to see how those improve in the long run.  My personal goals reflect my need to step back from anxiety causing instances.  I recognize my stress is usually of my own making because I'm wrestling with things that are out of my control.  The product manager in me is trying to push my product (kids and husband) to be perfect when there is no such thing.  They are perfect the way they are in their little imperfections.  My motivation, is to clean up my thinking to be more streamlined and less cluttered. Know myself. Know my instincts. Know my mind. Do. (Don't question my judgement but stick to one plan)

[Lena Llanasolion]

This week I have been fighting a pretty bad cold that has taken away my voice for a time and left me unable to breathe at another.  As I am still breast feeding, I also don't want to fall behind on hydration or over work myself.  Baby E also has a runny nose and is teething to my luck.  I've modified my daily workout to walking at least 20 minutes a day on the treadmill and incorporating some sort of weight exercise just to fatigue.  On Tuesday I used a pull bar at the gym with a 25lb weight and today I used a gravity ball 10lbs (didn't see the 12lb ball until I was done).  

 

The past weekend I was really sick and upped my fluids and didn't IF at all.  As a result I saw all of the weight lost come back - but the moment I started doing IF again I went down again below. So perhaps it was due to fluid retention or perhaps it was just a need for sleep or some such that made my weight bounce up by so many lbs.

 

On a side note - my scale lists weight in KG and my fitbit records as lbs.  I understand what my weight means in lbs and so by having it show me Kgs I don't think too much about the number itself - only that it's dropped or raised.  I try not to look.  I also weigh myself twice a day since I have an Aria - and that way I have a pretty realistic idea of how much my weight fluctuates daily and throughout the day.  My body fat percentage has started dropping for the first time since I started IF. 

 

Husband - the man of my dreams - is attempting IF as well.  I think its pretty cool.  He's taken up climbing and is working hard to get back into fit form.