I still can't believe sometimes, just how far I have come with this new lifestyle change (and not just me, but my husband as well!). Part of me feels a bit of regret for not starting sooner -or- sticking with it the first few rounds of trying.
But oh well, no need in dwelling on the past, am I right!?
But for real. I have never felt this good in... I don't even know. I don't think I have ever felt this good. And it's not just the fact that I have lost weight and gained more confidence but it's also helped in so many other areas of my life as well.
My energy levels are way up. I no longer feel tired or run down or lazy. When the heat & humidity once used to kick my ass and wear me down within 30mins of being outside, I am now able to go out there and keep going. My husband and I even workout OUTside now!
I sleep so much better now. Less tossing and turning and more dreaming. My anxiety has gone way, way down and my depression is all but just a memory.
And most of all, my marriage is better than it has ever been. Not that it was bad before we started but it became stagnant. I think my husband and I fell into this really lazy rut where we just went with the motions and not really gave much effort or thought into anything else surrounding [US]. We talk more now, we open up to each other more, we laugh, we joke, we are just closer... And it's such an amazing feeling.
Since I have started, I have only posted a couple of times on social media (FB) just to keep friends & family in the loop. I have gotten a few questions about what programs I have been doing but to tell you the truth, I'm not doing any programs!
None, zilch, nada.
I am just doing what I know I need to be doing and keeping up with it.
Meal prepping has helped a lot. I meal prep every Sunday. I make breakfast & lunches for my husband and me for that week. This makes "eating" a whole lot easier because it just takes the guesswork out of it all. It's right there in the fridge. I can just grab my container and be done with it. My husband grabs his containers, puts them in his lunch box and he's all set for work.
We eat a lot more veggies now. Lot's and lots of green veggies (broccoli, zucchini, green beans, asparagus, etc). We grow some of our own and what we don't grow, we purchase. I also buy a lot of the steam bag frozen veggies because 1. they're inexpensive and 2. they're quick to cook and to add to our meal preps and/or dinner!
My main goal when it comes to eating is to keep it simple (not complicated). I use real ingredients and real food when I make our meals and snacks. We kicked the processed and boxed crap, out of the house as well as limiting our bread (white flour) and dairy intake. The reason being is because prior to starting this journey, I was suffering from some nasty (itchy) rashes. Mainly on my torso area. Almost like heat rash (sweat did aggravate it). After about 2 months of no bread and very limited dairy, the rashes were gone and haven't returned. So that leads me to believe I had some sort of sensitivity. So now? I just don't eat it.
Now with that said, I still eat some "not so healthy" food and drink alcohol and make sweets. But this is all in moderation. I used to do this all the time. It was a bad habit but at the same time, I knew I didn't have to completely remove it from my life.
Why?
Because this is a lifestyle change.
Coming into this, there was one thing for certain. For both my husband and me. That was NO DIETS. I know some people had mentioned Keto to us. But after looking into it, I was completely turned off. I mean, why would we restrict something only to eat it again later on (once we reached our goals)? That just seemed really counterproductive to me... I knew that when I started this journey that I would seriously limit my intake of things I used to eat almost daily but I would never, completely, remove something. Because I will keep doing this and the only way for me to succeed would be to learn moderation.
And so far, this whole moderation lifestyle? It's been working. I haven't had to cut carbs from my food in order to achieve progress. I eat carbs every single day!
If anything, we probably eat more carbs than what we ate before! My husband and I lift weights. It's part of our everyday workouts. Shoulders, back, triceps, biceps, chest, core, legs!... All of these muscles need carbs. So we eat our carbs in this household!
And it's been paying off.
I still have work to do and even when I feel as though I have reached my "goal" (which, to be honest, I still don't know what that is lol), I will keep going.
My husband and I workout together and do so as many days as we feel like it and we take rest days when we feel as though our body is telling us to rest. Every day is different. We don't follow any specific schedule or program. I make our workouts that morning so that when he gets home from work, we're ready to go. I do keep somewhat of a light journal. Mainly so that I know not to work the same muscle group(s) back to back.
We do HIIT (20-25mins) about 3-4 days a week.
We motivate each other and when the other one feels like giving up during a workout, the other one is right there telling us not to. We finish each day strong and on some days we even get the kids to workout with us!
We're a team and we have had so many changes since the start of 2018... It's almost a little emotional for me when I think about it. Just how far we have come and just how much we have changed and for the better!
Since March 1, I have lost 23 inches (I don't weigh myself).
There is absolutely no stopping me now!
All I know is that if you feel as though you need a change in your life. Whether it's to lose weight or take control of your anxiety or just do something good for you, then eat that good food. That real food and move those muscles. Just do it and don't think about the future or the past anymore.
Just get up and do something because something, anything.... is better than nothing!