A cold bath isn't for the faint hearted..

On Tuesday I ordered myself some compression pants, I have seen them but a friend alerted me of a sale and who can resist a good bargin. I managed to get two pairs for less than half price. I was a bit skeptical as the compression pants I had tried on before were too squishy (the idea being that they are TIGHT), but these arrived yesterday and while they are a firm fit, they defintely leave some of my shape to the imagination which I appreciate and they sit really well on my hips and around my butt (my biggest area haha). I loved them that much, I ordered another pair last night. This morning I decided to take them on a date to the gym, S came along (I called him a third wheel for good measure, but really it was great to see him at the gym :) ) I did 4.6k on the espresso bikes (basically a bike connected to a network where you can log in and record your data, it also has set courses to challenge you if you want). I then jumped on the treadmill to test out my flat running (I have been pushing the hills this week) and I settled on a pace that alternated between 9min/km and 8min/km, alternating speeds as I felt my body wax and wane. I ended up doing 4.05k all up, in 36mins - on Thursday I did 3.5k of hills and it took 35mins, so thats quite an improvement. My 3k hill time on Wednesday was 28mins and I did the 3k on the treadmill in 26min15seconds, another improvement.

So I am progressing. I have also decided not to weigh myself weekly anymore. I am weighing in once a month (on the 14th) and it will be what it is. I am atm more focused on fitness, rather than a diet per se. Two and a bit years of different programs have done my head in. I am booked in to see an endochronologist on the 16th April to discuss my underactive thyroid (autoimmune hashimoto's) and my poly cystic ovarian sydrome, both which hinder weight loss and cause rapidweight gain. Ill just go on, trying to make good food choices until then and see what weight I am.

I still have the fun run on the 16th March as well, which I am started to get excited/nervous about. Ill keep up the intensity running next week and then week of the race Ill probably drop back to one or two runs and then race day!

As for the title, one suggestion I have and its not for the faint hearted. After you exert your muscles, you get microtears in the muscles which causes bleeding (inflammation) and slow onset pain (the pain you get a day or two later) in your muscles. My suggestion, jump in a cold bath. It reduces inflammation to the area and is a nice way to cool down. But, its kinda a bitch ;-)

Stay tuned,
Megs xx

I am so proud of myself..

Took my beautiful dog Sassy out for a run with me this afternoon. We did a hill session, 3k in total. Took 28mins. Am very happy. She loved every minute of it, shes a very active breed of dog!

I also bought a diary so I can keep a hardcopy of my distances each week, only bought it the other day so can add the first entry today.

I feel even more proud of my acomplishment because I went after work, even though I was very tired. Go team!

Stay tuned,
Megs xx

And the verdict is...

That a controlled 1600 cal diet agrees with me. I lost 900gms this week. Total loss has headed back up to 18.7kgs. Cant argue with that :)

Stay tuned,
Megs xx

Shaking things up...

When I first joined the biggest loser online club you got to pick the level of weight loss you wanted per week and that equaled the amount of calories that you would be given to eat. I choose to try and stick to as close to what I would be eating at my goal weight, which in hindsight wasnt a very good idea. I'll admit, one of my biggest fears is being hungry, I dont know why, I have never been in a situation where I havent had access to food (financially or environmentally). Yet, I have this mindset where I would rather have as much food as I can possibly eat so that I dont have that feeling of hunger. So intially, based on my basal metabolic rate, my job and the type of program I wanted they gave me 2300 calories a day. I was cheering, I could eat that, no worries and I wouldnt be hungry. Problem is when you have such a high limit, when you go over it you have very little wiggle room. I am very good at rationalising poor food choices out in my mind and I would have extra in the guise that I would compensate with exercise, but in those weeks I wasnt exercising as hard, because of factors I have mentioned before (new job, new town etc). This combination has seen me really stall, I put on those few extra pesky kg's over christmas and was starting to become really frustrated that  my weight wasnt doing anything, I was also starting to get that bloated look which is quite common when I eat alot of heavy foods like bread.
Friday is now my weigh in day and on Saturday I began my new calorie adjustment, I brought it right down to 1600cals. Thats still above the minimum 1200cals for women, but more realistic in kickstarting the weight loss. The first day went really well, I did have "hunger" feelings, but nothing more than a sensation that if I ate it would be because I was hungry and not because I had to use up my calories. Interestingly enough, my food choices were more concious as well, I had this smaller limit and I was reaching for fruit as snacks, rather than savory items which I am quite partial too. I had to weigh in this morning for the 1million kg challenge and I have lost 400gms in three days, I am VERY excited by this. I have also done two good workouts so far and even though I have been tired, I have made progress to recommitting to keeping up my fitness levels. I have always said I want to be fit more than I want to be skinny :)

Stay Tuned,
Megs x

Now thats the Megs I know...

First run in 1-1.5months. Did 3.5kms, burnt 400 cals. It was a beautiful early morning run outside, foggy and slightly overcast, very picture perfect. How happy do I look :)

Stay Tuned,

Megs xx

Chocolate, pasta and bread.

The three dreaded carb words in the weight loss world. I have a different take on them. Tonight for instance, I made a pasta dish, but the difference I find is not using a heavy pre made tomato or cheese base sauce and instead use lighter ingredients. For instance, tonights pasta dish was small macaroni pasta, cooked in vegetable stock, with peas, tomatoes and topped with a small dash of parmesan cheese. It was delicious. The vegetable stock gave the pasta a little flavour and the combination of tomato and peas was actually quite yum.

I really do believe in everything in moderation. So if I have a chocolate, then I cant have anything else sweet and higher in calories for the rest of the day, so cue the fruit and fresh vegies for dinner. Depriving myself of chocolate, well it doesnt work because then its all I can think about. I may even have a little bit of chocolate every day, it really does help keep the cravings at bay. Its the same with coke, I love real coke, so I buy the small 200ml cans and I am allowed one a day, I dont have one every day, but knowing that its not off limits means I dont crave or even want it every day. So next time you reach for the chocolate, I say have some. Dont overindulge, have enough to satisfy your cravings and then make sure you look at healthy options for the rest of the day. I count calories, and I know for me I can have a treat and stay within my calories.

Stay tuned,

Megs 

2012

My last official blog was on the 10th december. I really cannot believe it has been that long. I have to say, the fitness side of things hasn't been very impressive. Before we left middlemount I said to both S and my PT I was worried that I would come back to "civilisation" with all the temptations (fast food, restaurants, nights out drinking) and I wouldnt cope, I would find myself falling back into old habits. And I have to say it was a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy. Its not even that I couldnt havent kept up the good work, I just let myself be slack. I also started working full time and I just felt so tiiiired. Christmas came and went, as did new years and my trip to Japan, cue lots of food and less exercise. I did throw in some compensary trips to the gym and some walks with the dogs, but really my heart wasnt in it. Overall I have put on around 2.5kgs, which I am counting my lucky stars it isnt more, but what I havent done is measure the cm's because I am sure they have crept back on which is why some of my clothes dont fit quite right.
Its sad, that I had all the right tools and the knowledge, but somehow I gave myself permission to get slack. The real wake up call has been recently, I have been watching friends find this wonderful motivation to become fitter and I have felt jealous, jealous that it wasnt me. And then I stopped and thought about it, why on earth isnt it me? Instead of reading about them, how about I just get my butt back into gear. Today S and I went to the gym, I did some intervals on the bike, 15mins of jogging on the treaddy and some weights. I feel a bit better but I know I have a ways to go to get myself back. I know I have it in me, I just have to reconnect with what it is I was working for.

Stay tuned.
Megs xx