One Step at a Time

[whittierrenegade]

History

I was always relatively in shape because I played soccer all year round from elementary school up until spring 2009 (my freshman year of high school). Even back then though I did not have a lot of endurance nor was I flexible but I was confident in my own skin and loved my body. At 5'4" my weight averaged at 117. After quitting soccer I did not have any other form of exercise and didn't think I needed it. So young, so naive, but happy until about a year ago. Senior year of high school was a tough one. Not because of the typical senioritis (I actually got the best grades of my life that year) but because my family and best friend were having a lot of health problems and it all happened within 2 months. After this I started feeling out of control and took it out on my body. I luckily never had an eating disorder but I did have an obsession with researching them and even trying a few "diets" out. I quickly snapped out of it and since then have been an on-again off-again fitness and health researcher but never actually sticking to a healthy life.

 

Present

I am 19-years-old, about to be a sophomore in college and am severely out of shape.

Height: 5'4"

Weight: N/A (don't have a scale)

Waist - 27.5"

Hips/ Bum - 39.5"

Under Bust - 29"

Over Bust - 33"

Bicep - 11"

Thighs - 22" -both

 

Things I Don't Like

-I'm a pessimist

-I quit things if I am not instantly good at them

-the squish on my body

-my procrastination

-my indecision, axiety, and shyness

-how weak I am

-I can't let things go easily

-Acne

 

Things I Do Like

-My kindness

-My love for many different things (criminology, law, movies, music, dance, books, anatomy, traveling, ect.)

-My eyes

-My coworkers, though I hate my job itself

-Family and friends

-Pigs   and cats

-Adventures (from road trips to hiking)

-My sense of humor, one that most people don't usually get

 

Level One

-Adapt to the Paleo diet

-Start my own garden

-Create a workout plan

-Learn proper form for workouts

-Touch my toes (yes I know, it is sad that I cannot)

-Write down at least one positive thing every day

-Take my dog on a walk at least 4 days a week (My dad already walks him twice a day, I just don't usually join)

 

Workout Plan So Far

Beginner Body Weight Workout 3x a week - don't know how many sets I will be able to do yet.

Elliptical bike at an easy, steady pace for 30 minutes 3x a week

 

I do not really know if that is a good plan yet, will give it a go today and see how it is!

 

 

[whittierrenegade]

6-2-13

 

I made a small step towards having a paleo diet tonight. Usually at work I either bring a sandwich or eat the crap that we serve (I work at a Dairy Queen). For my break today I made mashed sweet potatoes with green onions, baby spinach, and chicken. It wasn't that great tasting.. but I think if I prepare my sweet potatoes in a different way than it would have been much better.

 

My food and exercise for the day went as follows:

Woke up and took my dog for a 20 minute walk around the block.

Came back and had a smoothie made with strawberries, banana, ice, and v8 splash.

A little bit later went to the movies and brought some pretzels with me there (small baggy).

Got back home and made another smoothie with strawberries, baby spinach, ice, and v8 splash.

At this time I prepared my food for break then went to work.

Came home and had 5 perogies.

Did the beginners body weight workout, 2 sets.

 

Overall- My diet is not good at all, but I am more aware now. I am proud of my small step towards having a healthier diet as well as doing the workout at night. I usually skip the workout because I am so tired from work but I stuck it out since I didn't make time for it earlier in the day. Hoping tomorrow I can change another thing about my diet to get closer to paleo. It's all about taking it one step at a time!

[wideeyed]

You can do it.  It takes a while to get used to fresh foods.  There are TONS of recipes for free on the web - the ones I like that are pretty easy (and not crazy expensive) to make, I will be posting in my own battle logs.  My son, who isn't a picky eater, salted tonight's (which I thought was fine).  I felt really guilty.  I've been feeding my kids so much stuff out of boxes and cans and jars and the microwave that they have gotten used to too much salt, MSG and the like.  Try experiementing with new spices - lots of garlic, ginger, chili, cumin.  If I had to suggest a single thing to speed you on your way, it would be to get in the habit of eating some sort of protein with every meal.  I keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge for when I am lazy    The sweet stuff is a bit harder to lose your taste for.  I tend to use watermelon in my smoothies to sweeten them instead of juice.  Just little things - I am sure there are people here who have been doing this much longer who have other ideas.

 

I have a friend who reminds me to celebrate the micromovements in my life.  Every change for the better should be celebrated, and you should be proud  

[whittierrenegade]

6-3-13

 

Quick log before I go to bed!

Ate 50/50 today. It was like good meal, bad meal, good meal, bad meal. But its better than all bad! Even though tomorrow is 4th of July, and I'm stuck at work 9-6 ugh!, I plan on eating 100% Paleo or as close as I can, my chicken may not be grass fed.. my dad got it so idk. I'm hoping that by celebrating this day by eating well instead of the usual bbq crap it will be the start to molding my brain into realizing that I don't need to eat a cupcake just because it is a special day. That is my usual excuse and I want it to stop, not because I never want to eat a cupcake again, but to prove that it is possible to be happy without sugary treats on an already happy day.

 

My Day

Did the beginner body weight workout (1 set) with 10 minutes on the bike as a warm up then walked around my house aimlessly afterwards until my breathing slowed followed by some stretching.

Made a smoothie with strawberries, banana, baby spinach, and ice then headed off to work.

At work had a soft pretzel before my break and then chicken and my sweet potato/onion/chicken/spinach mushed up thing I made yesterday during my break.

After work the Chick-Fil-A people gave me a free sandwich so I ate that for dinner. I cannot pass up free Chick-Fil-A, maybe some day.

 

Overall-Again nothing great but little improvements that will turn into life changes (: Taking things slow this time so that I don't give up like I always have.

[whittierrenegade]

Try experiementing with new spices - lots of garlic, ginger, chili, cumin.  If I had to suggest a single thing to speed you on your way, it would be to get in the habit of eating some sort of protein with every meal. 

 Thanks! I will definitely try both of those things. Today I am trying to have protein with every meal, starting with eggs of course for breakfast! I don't like eggs a whole bunch but I put a little bit of hot sauce on it and like it a lot! Tomorrow I will probably try eggs with garlic.. weird combonation but we'll see how it goes Thanks again for the tips and support!

[whittierrenegade]

6-4-13

 

So my plan to eat 100% paleo didn't happen but I did eat about 90% which is closer than the day before! Baby steps. I also was extremely tired for some reason and got a lot of sleeping done with little else. But my body needed it and I can tell by how much better I feel today!

 

My Day

Woke up late so I just ate a banana and nectorine for breakfast then went to work 9-6

At work I had chicken and another nectorine with some almonds on my break which was around 2

Then around 5 I started feeling sick because I was hungry but didnt bring anything else to eat So I figured I'd eat a little bit of the "healthiest" thing I can just so that I have something in my stomach. Since I work at an ice cream shop there isn't much.. so I had half of a soft pretzel.

That pulled me through until I got home where I was so tired I fell asleep and didnt wake up until 11 pm. I ate an almond butter and grape jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread then went back to sleep.

 

Overall-besides the soft pretzel and sandwich it was paleo! But definitely did not eat enough and slept too much. That's okay though, I can tell I needed the sleep and I am happy that with all of the 4th of July food temptations I didn't give into any of those.

[wideeyed]

Sleep is really, really important.  Lots of recent research that relates sleep to weight/fitness, and the fact that most American adults are chronically sleep deprived.  So I am glad you got some!

Baby steps are fine.  Just in a couple of days you can see the difference in choices that you are making.  Keep it up!