Newbie Ranger

[allensm2]

Hey! I'm Sara. Been reading the NF blogs for over a year now, but haven't gotten into the community. Nerdy interests include: Doctor Who (classic and reboot), Legend of Zelda, Firefly, Harry Potter, Marvel, Star Wars, video games of all kinds, MtG (even though I haven't played in forever). I've played golf for about 11 years now, including 3 years of college level. I've recently gotten into health and fitness, tried a lot of things in the past, usually when I was home from school in the summers, but something about unlimited access to alcohol and crappy college gyms filled with 'bros' taking selfies got me off track when I would move back in the dorms every fall.

 

Now I'm graduated, trying to learn how to adult, and taking even more classes in grad school. It seemed like as good of time as any to get healthy and stay that way. I got introduced to macro-tracking by Evan Childs Fitness (a proud member of her Alpha Female Class 8!!). I absolutely fell in love with tracking and lost of strength training with some cardio work thrown in. Currently working towards increasing my distance running while kicking asthma's ass! During the 12 week class (October 26-January 17) with Evan I lost about 16 lbs (started at 174ish, got down to 159ish), gained visible muscles, and increased my PRs. After the class ended, I did pretty well for the first week or so on my own, lost an additional 4 lbs (woo! 155!). Then I got off track.

 

By February (back at 164ish, ugh!) I had mustered up the motivation to start the 12 week program on my own. I started out great for the first 2 weeks lost the weight I had put back on between programs. Then I got tired of cooking everyday...which was really my hatred of doing dishes. So I tried meal prepping for the week, other than my tiny downtown Charleston apartment kitchen not being big enough to handle bulk cooking, it went okay. I ate the pre-portioned meals when I was supposed to and stuck to my macros. I didn't want to commit my entire Sunday to cooking when I needed it to do the reading or writing of the paper I hadn't done all week for class. Each week I resign myself to starting fresh a sticking to my macros, cooking my meals, not spending money that I need to be saving to move to a different apartment next month. Each week I fail because I lack the motivation to cook those meals and it's easier to hit the vending machine at work when I have a craving for chocolate than to try and convince myself I don't need it.

 

What is so different now than when I was successful during the Alpha Program? Accountability. Evan was there to push me, and the other women, in the class when we needed it. The program was broken into 4 three-week phases. At the end of each week we would send her progress photos. Based on those photos and what we told her about our phase, she would adjust our macros and the process would repeat it self. I need to find that motivation to succeed that I had during those twelve weeks. I tried making myself take progress pictures on my own and sending them to my girlfriend, but it didn't have the same results. I don't have a problem making myself work out everyday, that's the fun part! It's the clean eating that is kicking my ass. Anyone have any advice on how to get it back?

[Allycat2407]

Hi Sara,

 

Welcome! It sounds like you've already made some great first steps. When I get tempted I sometimes try to visualise all the food I've had in a day, all its ingredients and components laid out on a table or in bowls. That makes it easy to recognise all the healthy things I've done and makes me all the more aware that the tempting food is no more than a (admittedly delicious) poison. That makes it easier to resist. Other than that, good luck on your first NF challenge!

[Bob the Bardbarian]

Diet is always the hardest part.  Just as we plan our workouts, so should we plan what food we eat, and do it mindfully.  When we don't have a plan, we improvise.  And I don't know about you, but when I improvise on my diet, it usually goes bad; I reach for whatever is convenient.  No matter what, stay vigilant.  Know that you will fail, we all do, but don't give up.  Remember who you are, who you're becoming, and what you're capable of.

Welcome to the Rebellion!