sblandrus’s BodyBlog

Well, I completed my first day back at the gym, lifting weights.  It felt GOOD!!! I loved it.  My goal while I was there was to complete every set to failure, which I was about 75%.  It takes being a little familiar with your body to know your point of failure…I forgot what it feels like. But improvements will be subsequently made.
Yesterday I was supposed to go running, but I got busy and my muscles were really sore, so, I decided to take my day off yesterday, and move my 3rd running day to sunday (instead of tues, thurs, sat, it’ll be thurs, sat, sun).  My muscles are even more sore today, but that’s to be expected. Today I am doing legs, I think. Monday was back and bis, so I think today is legs. YAY! I do love legs, but I don’t like the smith machine, so I wish I had a spotter. Maybe I should get my boyfriend to come with me….hmmm….
Well, as far as eating goes I’ve been doing OK.  I can tell you exactly what I ate that I shouldn’t have….yesterday and the day before, Monday I ate some extra chips, they’re called flat earth chips, they’re not terrible for you, but they are off my eating clean plan.  Then, yesterday I had an extra bowl of tomato soup(made with water) with parmesan cheese, and some sourdough bread…ughh!! I’m a sucker!! Not altogether terrible, but again, going to slow me down from achieving my goals.  In other news, I bought a skin fold caliper, and I used it on my mom this morning…I think I am doing it pretty accurately, I have had it done to myself a few times, learned how to do it in my health class, have a manual, and read an article on it on this website.  So, I think my measurements are fairly accurate.  I had my at 24% body fat, which she’s a fairly thin person, so I think that’s about right.  I am going to have her do it for me tomorrow…I will post the results.
I think I have found a way to really be successful at my diet.  In the past it’s always been one or the other- diet or exercise. I’m either doing really well at exercising, and my diet is falling behind or vice-versa, and there have been few times where I have been able to corral both.
This is the game plan:
Eat clean (very clean) 6/7 days/week.  On the 7th day I will eat what I want. But, eventually when I start hitting a wall, and that 7th day is keeping me from improving further, then I will either minimize it, or eliminate it.
I will plan my meals, grocery shop, and prepare my meals every sunday.
I will also make a schedule for my workouts and meals for when I return back to school, and start practicing that schedule starting next week (going to bed at ______ time, waking up at _______ time, working out at _______ time, etc.)

Wow. Sounds like I got my work cut out for me!!! But I can’t wait to start posting those progress pics!!! And my body really responds to exercise…it’s gonna be AWESOME!!!

So here I come weight room…ready or not!

It feels funny saying "day one" when I’ve done this whole thing before, but it is day one of a renewed commitment, renewed focus, and a new course of action taking into consideration the changes in my life.
This morning I woke up, and my first thought was "I don’t feel like going to the gym…ughhh…" but then, when I really thought through it, and remembered back to when I have lifted in the past, 90% of the time I loved it.  I love the feeling of having a set of lifts to conquer, and the feeling of fatigue in my muscles, and pushing myself for that "last rep", and then the sore the next day, but a GOOD sore, the kind that keeps me coming back for more….then, before long, I’m addicted to the gym, and all I can think about is when I can fit in my next work out.
So, by now, I’m pretty excited.  I have this WHOLE week off work and off school, and I really don’t have anything that I need to do, except get myself in a new routine before I go back to school and hit the ground running (English, History, and Chemistry… =| )
So, this is my week to do it. And I will, I’ll do a set of progress pics next sunday. My advances will be small at first, but I know over a few weeks, change will be evident.
WOOOHOOO!!! Can’t wait.

Thank you to everyone for your support and encouraging words, I know that is going to play a big role in my success! So thank you, thank you, thank you. And thanks for the encouraging photo comments too! Y’all are great!

….here we go ….. (!)

Well, I figured I would give a little background on my goals and where I am at, and what got me here.  I started running in may of this last year.  I had bought an iPod with the nike shoes that keep track of your pace, calories burned, etc.  I was single, and was working full time, and riding my bike to and from work everyday. In my spare time I would go on runs.  I got to the point where I was running consistently 20-25 miles/week for 3 months, and my longest run was 10 miles straight, 8 minute miles. Not only that, I was eating healthy consistently.  Then I made a big move back to my hometown, met my boyfriend, started a new job and started taking 15 credits at community college.  In my attempt to keep my life balanced, my eating and exercise suffered.  I did gain some weight, but not too much.  Overall, in the last year I lost about 10 lbs, and I probably have only put a few of that back on. But mostly what has happened is that my muscle tone has reduced, and I gained some fat back on my thighs and backside.
So, this is my new attempt to regain my focus and stop making excuses for myself.
My brother and I are going to start running together, and I am going to start lifting again 3 times a week.  My diet is going to be most crucial, because you are what you eat!! (that saying never really made total sense to me) I know that diet is such a large majority of weight loss/gain.  My idol is ChickenTuna, she never fails to provide a higher standard for fitness and discipline.  I AM going to eat clean consistently.  It’s not always going to be fun, but it is imperative to my success. I’ve done it before I can do it again.
I am glad that I put the pictures up to give myself a reality check and also to give me something to measure my success by.

I can do this!! I’m giving myself to 12 weeks to see results, that is March 10th, 2008. And with a mesomorph type body, seeing results shouldn’t present a problem. But the extent of these results will solely be determined by my dedication.

I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me!!!

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