nisajaie’s fitblog

…wasn’t too bad actually. I am proud of myself. I had to travel (I made sure I had healthy snacks for my drive up and back) to see my folks and help with the cooking when I got there. I worked out and ate my clean diet the days before Thanksgiving. And when Thanksgiving came I ate good and clean until dinner and I did a morning cardio session as well. For dinner I allowed myself to have anything I wanted because it was my cheat meal for the week. I got back in town yesterday and stepped on the scale and I only gained one pound but more than likely water weight from that time of the month. Which I was shocked cause I normally gain from 3-5 pounds during this time of the month (Ugh). I got back on my diet and workout on Friday so I did good. Now I just have to survive Christmas with the folks. Lol. I am hoping to cut 5-10 pounds before then. We will see.

Finally the scale & the mirror are showing what I want to see. The stubborn pounds and fat cannot possibly be more stubborn and persistent than me. I just to hit it hard and make sure my diet is clean. My friends think I am weird and have always called me the "Fitness Girl" but they always complemented me on how great I look and for my dedication. Somehow I lost that a few years back and threw everything that had to do with my health out the window. Is it possible to have 20 some year burn out? I don’t know. All I know is I had stop loving the gym and dancing and stop eating foods that were good for me and started exploring other foods that weren’t good for me like Taco Bell (before several years ago I had never eaten at one) or PF Chang. So I guess I had to get tired of being THIS and wanted to get my inner sports gal back. I am determined to get back and surpass my athletic toned body (I used to be 19% body fat and 170 pounds) and mold it into something better than before. Right now my short term goal is to get to under 30 % BF, into the 230s, and down another dress size. I think I am stubborn enough to do that.

I am going to get a workout in today. Repeat as many times as needed. I am getting better with this bug or allergy issues. I am a little sluggish today. I need to get in a workout since I had to skip yesterday. Even if it is 30 mins of light cardio and some weight circuit training. I managed to push thru some shoulder and arm sets about 15 mins ago but still NEED that cardio to get rid of the layers of fat on top of my already athletic frame.

…which made it difficult to keep up with my regimen. I decided to do the best with my diet and drink lots of a water (had a cup or two of Trop 50); however, I didn’t have much of an appetite so I did my best. Since I was blah with a runny nose and a little chest congestion I rested instead of working out. Hopefully tomorrow will be better and I can do a workout and eat a little more. But other than that I am doing fantastic.

I have been pushing myself hard these past few weeks. Trying to mix it up and upping the intensity and drowning myself in water. Yesterday I was energetic and today I am a little out of it. I guess it is my Monday. Or it could be the Chinese that my roommates wanted for dinner. I ordered shrimp and broccoli in garlic sauce with brown rice. Where I come from it is a light white sauce. OMGah it was in a brown sauce. So I while I try to wipe off the shrimp with a towel (looking like a freak to my roomies) and rinsing the broccoli off trying to not get too much of that sauce I panic and remembered it is my cheat day. But still I wanted it sorta healthy you know. And I was so glad that I didn’t skip my hour cardio workout earlier that day. Of course I woke up bloated and blah. So I am back to my carb cycle of three days of low carb then to one day high and then to three days moderate and back again. I only have one cheat meal per month (usually to coincidence with "that" time of the month) and I try to not go too crazy with it. I am downing water this morning like it is no tomorrow. So far I have had three egg whites and one egg and steamed broccoli for my first meal. Next will be my protein shake with a few strawberries. I am going to try to get in HIIT and circuit training later today after my business meetings.

I am back to 60 mins a day work out now. Either I do an hour of cardio or 30 mins of HIIT and 30 mins circuit training with weights. I try to do each every other day like this weekend: Fri-30 mins HIIT in the AM & 30 mins weights PM. Sat-60 mins of cardio on recumbent bike (13 miles). Sun-30 mins HIIT in the AM & 30 mins circuit training in the PM. Today I am planning to do 60 mins in the PM since I had to do housework this morning. I am hoping to get down 10-15 pounds in 4-6 weeks. So I am working hard on my carb cycling and exercise. This girl is stepping up her game!

After 4 weeks…I only lose 1.5 pounds. MEH to that! I have to reevaluate what I am doing with my diet and exercise. Granted the diet got cleaner 2 weeks ago but still I was watching portions and all. Here is what it has been looking like:

Intake:
Wake up: Water with a Lipo 8 Black AM dose
1/2 hour later: Protein shake Dymatize Gourmet Vanilla
Workout here if I am doing an AM session of cardio
2/3 hours later: Egg whites with broccoli with a small piece of salmon sometimes with ezekiel bread (depends on if it is low carb day or not) if high carb I have oatmeal with egg whites
Workout here (Circuit training or just cardio if no AM session)
3 hours later (Lunch): Grilled chicken or Salmon with broccoli/spinach or a small romaine salad with balsamic vinegar & olive oil
3 hours later: Handful of almonds with 1/2 cup of greek yogurt
2/3 hours later (Dinner): Same as lunch sometimes I have shrimp instead for meat substitution

WO:
Unfortunately, I can’t afford a gym membership right now. I have been using what resources I can. I use the sidewalks of this great city (I try to get 4-5 miles in) or the recumbent bike (30-60 mins) and 5 pound weights for circuit training & plyos in the place I am staying. I trying the Jillian Michaels "Making The Cut" now to amp up in circuit training. I am trying to get to 5 days a week of the circuit training/cardio. Was doing 3-4 days but now up to 5 days.

Well if you see something I can adjust or improve please let me know. Thanks so much. You all have all ways been so supportive and keep me in check.

I have my diet down now (only eat clean and low glycemic) and a new supplement (Lipo 6 Black) helping with the water weigh and energy. Now I need to get more fitness in. Sorry folks but just walking or running about NYC and playing around with 5 pound weights just don’t do it for me. I need that gym. I miss it. I put in for a front desk job at Crunch. I hope I get it. As I write my e-diary I get a ring. It is my delivery of the books I had ordered this weekend: Making The Cut ("to keep motivated") by Jillian and The Eat-Clean Diet Companion ("to jolt down stuff") by Tosca. This is falling all into place. Now if I can just afford a gym membership that would be perfect!

I have read countless articles on supplements but I would like to know what everyone’s take is on it. Anyone out there suggest any good fat burners or fitness supplements that will help me with energy and fat burning? I need one that doesn’t make me feel my pulse while sleep and make me jittery like Hydroxycut did. I didn’t like how it made me feel even though it helped with my water weight and gave me insane amounts of energy. I need something that isn’t hard on my kidneys (kidney disease is genetic in my fam and don’t want to do anything to go through what my mama and grandmother have gone through) Any suggestions would be great? Thanks a lot.

So as you know I am starting from square one again. With all the stress (the job and all was just too much) that came with this summer and moving a few months ago I found comfort in food some how. It is the only thing that makes sense looking back with all the working out and I got worse. So I am blaming it on my carb and sugar (love chocolate and cookies) habits and being cheap to save up for the move and then making the move and getting settled in (all my stuff is still in storage and still no gym membership ). I am currently staying with a friend and using their limited cardio and weight equipment doing the best I can. Now my weight and BF% is up and I have to try to get back to where I was. I just want to crawl under a bed and cry. I came to NYC to go after my dreams only to destroy my progress in the mean time. Now I have to work hard so I can do what I want to do. Why is it so darn hard now?! I used to be so determined and able to accomplish anything I set my mind to. Now all I can think is that I am so tired and that pasta with turkey meatballs and lots of cheese can’t be that bad. And unfortunately the carbs and my ipod are giving me the energy to get through the day. So I am going to try carb cycling that is being featured in this month’s Oxygen mag during my 12-week transformation. Wish me good luck!