Whole Life Challenge Results!

[MariahSnow]

Some acquaintances roped me into a Whole Life Challenge back in September. I was kind of at the end of my rope with diet - what's bad, what's good, what should I avoid, what should I eat? Ahhhh! The challenge broke it down pretty easy - no soy, no diary (except yogurt and butter), no sugar (except whole fruits), no wheat. I did the "Intermediate" level It had a giant list of "Yes" foods and "No" foods. It also had mini-challenges throughout, stretching daily, exercising in some way for 10 minutes a day (even if that's just going for a walk). Anyway, read up on it if you're curious. It just ended Friday (yesterday).

 

Goals: Get faster at running.

Lose body fat but not necessarily weight.

 

Results?

 

I lost 1.5 inches off my waist, 1.5 inches off my booty. At the beginning I timed 1 mile at 10:00 minutes. Today I ran 1 mile in 8:35, and then ran another 3.5 miles after that (much slower, but averaging ~10:30 mins/mile). 

 

This is why they make you take before pictures because although my weight hasn't changed at all, I can tell a difference in the mirror, doh!

 

Lessons learned:

 

Scales are stupid. Weight means nothing. I weighed myself about a week ago and was crushed to see the weight was the same as it ever was. But that certainly didn't mean I wasn't progressing!!

Consistency is key. This is hard for me because I get a snowball effect when I eat something "off the list". I just want to keep eating and eating instead of just saying, "well that was a delicious cupcake, and now back to your regularly scheduled programming".

Portion control! Because I was planning all my meals and didn't want to get caught without food, I rarely overate.

Eat when you are hungry! Sometimes I eat just because it's time, or because I think I should. Listen to your body! It's much better at telling you what's going on than you think.

 

Anyway, I'm pretty excited and can't wait to see where I am 8 weeks from now!

 

[Super Destroyer]

That is awesome! Keep up the great work! Way to stick to it!

[MariahSnow]

Thanks! I'm pretty excited!

 

And also, how strange it is that I can make a promise to a group of strangers and a website and stick to it like glue. But if I make a promise to myself, I'll break it as soon as I get a chance. Definitely room for improvement there!

[Super Destroyer]

Support is important.  There has to be something tangible for me.  Just being able to play more with my kids is motivation!  This site just makes the process easier.

[Guest]

8:35 min mile?   Holy guacamole! That is impressive, congratulations!

Keep it up, it sounds like you you've made awesome progress, with more good things to follow 

[MariahSnow]

8:35 min mile?   Holy guacamole! That is impressive, congratulations!

Keep it up, it sounds like you you've made awesome progress, with more good things to follow 

I've been doing lots of intervals  

[Super Destroyer]

Intervals are tough but pay off in endurance.

[MariahSnow]

Intervals are tough but pay off in endurance.

The surprising thing is that I can only do about 25 minutes of intervals before I'm really wiped. And I thought it wasn't going to be enough or I wasn't going hard enough. Turns out, it was just fine!

[Tolsimir]

Thanks! I'm pretty excited!

 

And also, how strange it is that I can make a promise to a group of strangers and a website and stick to it like glue. But if I make a promise to myself, I'll break it as soon as I get a chance. Definitely room for improvement there!

 

How great is that? There's a strong sense of community going on, sort of like your own sports club where everyone motivates each other, only now it's virtual. It reminds me of the third space theory, hidden in the spoilerbox.

 

"Third Space Theory has been applied to the pre-school space within which children learn to read, bringing domestic and school literacy practices into their own constructions of literacy.^[11] Another contemporary construction of three “spaces†is that one space is the domestic sphere: the family and the home.^[12] A second space is the sphere of civic engagement including school, work and other forms of public participation. Set against these is a Third Space where individual, sometimes professional,^[13][14] and sometimes transgressive acts are played out: where people let their "real" selves show. Sporting associations may be labeled as Third Space.^[15]"

 

^{- Blabla Wikipedia}

^{Sorry I got superexcited about the subject}

[Gidget13]

This is AWESOME!!  You're doing great work.