Beginning of the Month Photos: June

Okay, so the pictures really aren't looking much better. Also, sorry the photos are all kinda of weird. My fiancé cropped them and now they aren't the same size. I tried to make them comperable in size (so that I look the same size). Here's the deal: May's photo is on the left, June's is on the right. Check out the terrible sunburn I'm still recovering from (a week ago!).

Overall, I'm disappointed there isn't a more apparent change. My back boobs seem to have gone down half a cup size, which is great. And on the back and front pictures I think my hips are less lumpy. I think next month will be better now that I've figured out what's helping me lose weight. Trial and error!

First Signs of Progress!

I've been feeling a little better about myself recently (the 10 pound loss is really helping), but I still don't really feel like I'm getting thinner. I was looking at pictures on my phone and found one from about 2 months ago (right before I started paleo).

Left is two months ago, right is yesterday

I can't believe how much better my skin is! I've had awful skin since I was 11. I've has 10 years of acne. It's almost gone! People are even saying my face is thinning out.

The End of the Egg Fast

At least for the moment, the egg fast has ended. I barfed. Only a little bit, but it was like throwing up acid. Anyway, after doing some research it may be because I'm not quite yet fat adapted. I will try it in a couple weeks.

Pros of the egg fast:
1. I always knew what I was eating. There was no urge to cheat.
2. I lost weight. Fast. I went from 199 to 195 in two days. Even if I gain half of it back, two pounds in two days is a lot.
3. It was not all water weight. My pants are looser.
4. It is very convenient. Meal prep takes 10 minutes, clean up is a breeze, and I can prepare my lunch (hard boiled eggs) for the whole week in half an hour. Super easy.
5. I learned lots of ways to eat eggs: hard boiled, shirred, soft boiled, fried, scrambled with cheese, omelettes, egg salad, deviled, etc.
6. It was rewarding. Instant gratification.

Cons:
1. I barfed.
2. Acid reflux
3. Constipation and stomach cramps (just once but it really hurt)
4. It was boring, especially lunch. I figured out 3 ways to eat it for lunch. That was going to get old fast, especially if I had lasted as long as I initially planned.

All in all, I did really enjoy it-or at least I enjoyed the results enough to subject myself to it again. I'm going to give it two or three weeks before trying again, but I will definitely be doing this again. I think it's a good tool so long as I keep the weight off once returning to my Keto diet.

Egg Fast Day Two: Grouchy

In my last post, I know I sounded pretty optimistic, but now I'm just grouchy. I saw a recipe for  almond flour brownies and a new low carb pizza recipe and I just want them. I don't want eggs. Although I'm starving, I don't want to eat. I can't face more eggs.

Egg Fast Day Two

Exciting news: I'm down two pounds since yesterday!
Less exciting news: Although I had two more eggs after posting yesterday, I woke up starving and with bad stomach cramps. The cramps passed without any need for intervention, and I blame it fully on constipation. I think it is time for a multi-vitamin and maybe a fiber supplement.
Yesterday I ate ten eggs. When I write down the number, it seems like a lot, but I was just so hungry. I put in my macros and found that It all added up to 1732 calories (not that I'm really counting), 157 g of fat, 13g of carbs, and 60.6 g of protein. This is an acceptable set of macros for a keto diet, and 1700 calories is plenty for a person my size to sustain on, so I don't know why I was starving.
Today I had three eggs at breakfast, and four eggs at lunch and I'm not feeling ravenous today, but still hungry for sure. I'm not quite sick of eggs yet, but I'm getting there.

My Confession

I don't want to be fat anymore. I'm just freaking tired of it.

I'm so fed up with it. In light of the above image, I've made a decision to do an egg fast. What is an egg fast? Basically you eat eggs. Lots of eggs. I'm following a plan I found on Facebook, so I'm not able to provide the link, sorry guys.

The Rules:
1. Must eat at least six eggs per day.
2. Must eat every three to five hours (even if it's just one egg)
3. Must eat within 30 minutes of waking.
4. Must have 1 tbl of butter per egg.
5. Up to 4oz of cheese is allowed per egg
6. Drink lots of water
7. Quit eating 3 hours before bed

Now, those rules were written by and for a 289 pound man. I'm not that big. I have modified my rules in that I do not need to eat an egg within 30 minutes of waking. I do want to have either BPC or eggs within 30 minutes of waking. Instead of one tablespoon of butter per egg, I will be cooking the eggs in butter, but if it isn't a full tablespoon, I'm not gonna stress because of the extra fat in my BPC. I'm also going to allow cream cheese and mayo (for the extra fat) and any low carb condiments (such as mustard for egg salad). I will also set a minimum of 5 eggs (though I doubt that that will be an issue). I also will be able to eat as late as I want. My fiancé doesn't get home until 8:30 and I really enjoyeating dinner with him.

I know this all sounds crazy. I know I said that I'm losing weight and getting healthy for the rest of my life, and I obviously won't be eating eggs for the next 80 years. I don't care.

Timeline? Until I fit into a freaking size 14 comfortably. Or until I get down to 180 pounds, which is where I was last time I thought I was fat. Or until I hate eggs.

Update: I found the website that the facebook post I saw referenced: Check it out

Abdomin Update

I got my CT scan results yesterday. I am officially hernia free. This means I have an abdominal tear. The downside is that I don't really know how long it'll take to heal. I have a follow up in a month and I hope it brings good news, but until then no running, crunches, squats, planks, or climbing up and down ladders fixing my roof (doc already scolded me for that one). No more yoga either. Not for a month. How is my downward dog going? Stagnant. How is learning to touch my toes going? Pitiful.

Doubts and a Fat Fast Update

First the good news: the fat fast is over! Bulletproof coffee is going to be replacing my breakfast from here on out. I love the taste, it's filling, and I feel like I'm treating myself to something. I'm a big fan of treats.
In other good news, I dropped almost two pounds over the last few days and I'm really motivated to stay on my Keto diet. We'll see if the weight stays off. Either way it isn't a big deal to me. The fat fast wasn't about immediate fat loss (though that is a definite bonus), but about getting me back into ketosis and motivated to stay on my diet.

In shittier news: my fiancé was giving me a hard time about my diet this evening. He thinks that someone, whether it be the American Heart Association or the manufacturer of a cholesterol pill, has created this diet to earn money. Even though I've lost 10 pounds in three weeks, what he said bothered me. I'm not having doubts, that's not it. I just want his support. If the food is good, I feel good, and I'm losing weight, who cares? Hopefully he was just kidding. He'll be eating his words soon.

Measurement Monday: May 26th, 2014 and a Fat Fast Update Day 2

Well, this wasn't a great week. Somehow I managed to fall off the wagon three out of the last seven days. Not a good average, not a good week, and the numbers show it:
Abdomen: 44.5 (0)
Waist: 34.5 (0)
Bust: 42 (0)
Chest: 37.5 (.5)
Hip: 46 (0)
Left Arm: 13.75 (-.25)
Left Forearm: 10.75 (0)
Left Calf: 16 (0)
Left Thigh: 27.25 (-.25)
Right Arm: 13.75 (0)
Right Forearm: 10.75 (0)
Right Calf: 16 (0)
Right Thigh: 27.75 (0)
Neck: 14.5 (-.25)
Current Weight: 199 pounds (0)
Inches lost: -.75
Running total: -5.790, +3 pounds


Look at all those zeros! At least I went in the right direction. Hopefully it'll be going better this upcoming week. I want to lose three inches, and two pounds by next Monday. This Sunday is the first of the month! I'm hoping the picture show a change. So far I'm down almost six inches over all. I don't feel like that's enough to be noticeable. Hopefully this will be a good week and I'll lose a lot like I did two weeks ago (3.6 inches!). That'd bring me close to 10 inches. I think that'd be noticeable.

Last night didn't go well. Remember, I was going to make myself some dinner? Well my wonderful fiance surprised me and took me out to Applebee's. Applebee's has Perfect Margaritas. They're my favorite margaritas in the whole world. Applebee's also has great french fries. Needless to say, I think we're basically starting over today. I'm going to do some research on intermittent fasting using BPC and report back. Maybe that's more my style?

Fat Fast Update: Day 1

This was a terrible idea. I like bulletproof coffee (BPC). Today I've had it hot, and I've had it iced - about 4 cups worth so far. I am not a happy person. I don't typically drink very much caffeine. I am fidgety and I'm having some anxiety. I can't sit still, but I'm really not focused enough to accomplish anything.

I'm also starving.

Sometimes, when things aren't going well, and all I want to do is bake myself enough chocolate lava cake that I could eat the lava and live inside the remaining cake shell, I pose naked in front of the mirror. Occasionally it makes me realize that I've made progress and I'm looking better every day! Usually it makes me realize that soon I'm going to have to shop exclusively in the plus size section or resort to shopping in the women's section (not appealing to a 21 year old). Today, at this very moment, I'm so worked up that I want to grab my scale and smash it against my bathroom mirror.
Which would only result in this:

New plan: I get to eat food. I'm eating dinner tonight. Fuck it.

Fat Fast

I generally don't like the idea of fasting as a weight loss tool. Nevertheless, I'm going to give this a shot. Now, I try to so my best to reference and cite the website(s) that I find information on when trying something new. Dear readers, I've failed you. For the life of me, I cannot find where I read about this particular fat fast.

Anyway, the theory is to eat nothing, and only drink bulletproof coffee (BPC) and water. Bulletproof coffee is basically coffee that has a high fat content. I make mine with 2 tbls butter and 2 tbls heavy whipping cream. I use a stick blender to make it frothy and creamy and it tastes like a latte. I also add some Trivia, because I like sweet coffee, but most people don't seem to do so.

Here's the plan:
Day 1 - BPC (as much as im hungry for) and lots of decaf green tea  (water in our area tastes gross)
Day 2 - BPC (until 2pm), lots more green tea and a low carb, high fat dinner
Day 3 - BPC for breakfast, and a low carb, high fat lunch and dinner

The theory is that this will get me back into ketosis. I ate whatever I wanted yesterday (oops) and kicked myself out of ketosis. This should get me back into ketosis in a shorter amount of time than what it typically takes.

I'll report back on how I'm feeling soon.

The End of Hunger

I've always been hungry. Even as a kid,  I could always eat. After starting at the hospital it went from being a little hungry all the time to starving constantly. After doing Keto for about a week, I'm no longer hungry.  Yesterday I skipped lunch. I'm not sure if that's ever happened before.
The other benefit? I'm actually under on "recommended" calories. To be under in calories and not hungry is just awesome. I'm not really counting calories, but it was nice to see. 

Exercise Fail

As much as I love exercise, it hasn't been happening much recently. My hernia/abdominal tear is improving, but the muscle I pulled in my back hurts from below my shoulder blade, down my back, and all the way to my leg. I just don't want to exercise when I'm already hurting.
On top of that, a big motivating factor for exercising is the more you exercise, the more muscle you build, and therefore the more calories you burn sleeping.
I love to sleep.
Since I've been losing weight and inches on Keto and I'm hurting; I just can't get myself to do it. I can't make myself do much of anything.
Does moping burn calories?

Measurement Monday: May 19th, 2014

A slight change has been made to my measurements. I'm no longer measuring my shoulders. I measure anywhere between 41 inches and 46 inches. I can't get a consistent measurement.
Abdomen: 44.5 (.375)
Waist: 34.5 (-.5)
Bust: 42 (-1.25)
Chest: 37 (-.5)
Hip: 46 (-.5)
Left Arm: 14 (-.75)
Left Forearm: 10.75 (-.25)
Left Calf: 16 (-.25)
Left Thigh: 27.5 (0)
Right Arm: 13.75 (-.25)
Right Forearm: 10.75 (0)
Right Calf: 16 (0)
Right Thigh: 27.75 (.25)
Neck: 14.75 (0)
Current Weight: 199 pounds (-2)
Inches lost: -3.595
Running total: -5.715, +3 pounds

This was a very exciting week for me! I can't believe how many inches I've lost! I lost twice as many inches this week as I did last week. I'm so excited. I also met my goal last week of losing more than 2 inches. I think this shows keto is really working for me. This is a substantial change. I'm a little disappointed that I haven't lost more from around my abdomen, but that's okay. I lost a lot of inches this week. This is a big deal for me, and it's definitely going to help motivate me this upcoming week.

As for goals this week, I'd like to lose another 3.5 inches and another 2 pounds. I can do this!

My Down Dog Progress

tle of this post is misleading. I am not making very much progress, but I learned that it's actually a fairly difficult pose to master.
PopSugar has a guide that I'm following. Apparently it's better to bend your knees than bend your back.
I also found a handy picture that shows I was doing pretty much everything wrong:

Picture from Yoga by Candace at her website.

Maybe by the time I figure out down dog I'll be able to touch my toes?

First Week of Keto

I must say, after doing (and sucking at) Paleo for barely a month, the Keto diet is liberating, to say the least. It's also sent my digestive system through one hell of a loop. I've gone from constipated to exploding in the course of a few hours. Sometimes I have more energy than ever before, sometimes the simplest actions leave me exhausted. Its been rough. There's such a thing as the Keto Flu - which is a horrible sneaky bastard. Anyway, the worst of it has passed. I've actually lost quite a bit of weight - more than I ever did with paleo, or with just exercise and counting calories. Plus this way of eating is liberating: sour cream, cheese, heavy whipping cream, oh my! This feeling if being liberated, instead of feeling restricted; it feels sustainable. That all brings me to this point:

I can't wait to get back to the gym! I've got my diet under control and in check. I'm losing weight, while exercising less than ever before. My previous job required pushing 300-900 pounds, lifting up to 80 pounds regularly throughout my shift, and walking up to 25 miles in a day (while pushing the weight). Needless to say, it was physical, but I didn't really lose weight. I put on about 10 pounds over the course of six months. It wasn't all muscle, unfortunately.
The point is, I can't believe I'm losing weight being unemployed and relatively sedentary drinking whipping cream as a snack. Although I've been weighing myself, I'm not really counting it until tomorrow. Tentatively, I've lost up to 6 pounds. Probably water weight, but I'm curious to see the measurements tomorrow!
Tuesday I will be getting a CT scan to check out my hernia. I could be cleared to go to the gym as early as July...or I could end up needing surgery and then who knows when I'll be able to get back.

Ketogenic Diet: Day 1 of 21

Science says it takes 21 days to make something a habit. I tried Paleo for 30 days (okay, no, I failed at Paleo for 28 days. The first two days went well though), and decided it wasn't for me. I've been playing around with Keto for about a week now, but the thing about Keto is it isn't something you can do for a day, then not do for a day. The great thing behind the Keto diet is that it trains your body to want to use fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. There's even science behind it. Although the article I cited didn't say there was substantial evidence toward weight loss, many people have experienced positive results and cyclical Keto dieting (CKD) is used by many body builders during their cutting period.

As someone who loves research, I dove in head first. The dietary goal is to have at least 70% of your calories come from fat, and no more than 5% of your calories come from carbs.  My goal is 143g of fat (72%), 100g of protein (23%), and 20g of carbohydrates (5%). This is just a rough goal. The important thing is to limit carbohydrates (no more than 20g until ketosis is achieved), keep protein moderate, and have at least 143g of fat. We'll see how it goes!

The Competition has Begun!

If my fiancé has a fault, it's that he's very competitive. He needs to lose some weight...and by some I mean he could easily lose 45 pounds and not look underweight. I too could stand to lose 55 pounds. We're both in about the same boat. Now in light of his competitive nature, we (I) decided to start a competition: whoever loses 19% of their weight by November 18th, my birthday, wins! I won't go into what they win, but trust me when I say he's very motivated.

Now, I'm not competitive. Not even a little. On the other hand, I exercise more and eat far healthier than my fiancé and I hope that I'll lose a little faster and motivate him.

So what are the terms? He'll have to lose 47 pounds and I'll have to lose 39. It seems like a lot, but it puts him at less than 2 pounds a week. Nice and healthy pace.

Anyway, so this is my current medium goal- though it does seem like almost 40 pounds should be a big goal. Anyway, I'll be doing updates on the 18th of every month.

App Recommendation: BHF Tracker

It dawned on me that some of you might not be inclined to measure for the same reason I initially put it off: I kept losing my damn paper. Where did I measure? Am I making progress? It was pretty bad.
Then I found the BHF (body, health and fitness?) Tracker. It's great. Tracks weight in kilograms, stones, or pounds, body fat percentage, as well as measurements. There are also cool charts and a BMI calculator (if you're interested in that). Anyway, its a great free app that's easy to use and it even allows for multiple users.
Here's a sample image of 3 month weight change of a user:

Measurement Monday: May 11th, 2014

Alright, so this week's Measurement Monday is actually on a Sunday because I don't know if I'll have time to do it tomorrow. I doubt there'd be a huge difference between today or tomorrow.
Here's this week's progress:
Abdomen: 44.125 (-.125)
Waist: 35 (0)
Bust: 43.25 (-.25)
Chest: 37.5 (.25)
Hip: 46.5 (.25)
Left Arm: 14.75 (.5)
Left Forearm: 11 (0)
Left Calf: 16.25 (0)
Left Thigh: 27.5 (0)
Right Arm: 14 (-.25)
Right Forearm: 10.75 (-.25)
Right Calf: 16 (0)
Right Thigh: 27.5 (-.25)
Shoulders: 43 (-1)
Neck: 14.75 (-.25)
Current Weight: 201 pounds (3)
Inches lost: -1.37
Running total: -2.12, + 5 pounds
 Although I've put on more weight this week than last week (bummer), I'm down 1.37 inches, where last week I only had a change of -.75 inches, this week I lost almost an inch and a half. Yay!
I have to say, this weekly analysis of my inches lost really is helpful. I don't feel disappointed that I've gained 5 pounds in two weeks (seriously? Ugh.), I'm more excited that I've lost more than two inches total. This is real progress. It's not much, but it's progress.
My goal for this upcoming week? Commit to trying a Ketogenic diet for a full week, and I still would like to try to lose two inches next week. I'm hoping a keto diet will help with that. This week was a good start, but the extra .63" would mean a lot (mentally, at least). Besides, two inches off my entire body isn't a lot. I measure 15 places for a total of  357.75 inches currently. Two inches is .6% of my current inches. I can manage a .6% loss.
Anyway, I highly recommend measuring weekly. For those of you not doing it, start! It really is motivating, and it only takes 10 minutes (and the first four minutes are spent trying to find the tape measure). So, get measuring and share your progress in the comments!

Why Paleo Didn't Work for Me

A lot of people that are big into weight lifting and fitness swear by paleo. For those who don't know, paleo is a way of eating that emphasizes, more or less, the way our ancestors ate during the Paleolithic era. I know it sounds crazy, but the more you read into it the more logic you can see behind it. To summarize, no grain, no beans or legumes, no dairy. Everything else is fair game. I can live without peanut butter, bread, noodles and even beans. You know what I can't live without?

I tried paleo. I really gave it a go. I missed cheese way too much. Oh, and butter. Vegetables sautéed in olive oil do not compare to those sautéed in butter. I did lose weight and it eliminated my intestinal issues, but it wasn't a lifestyle I could see myself committing to.
For those of you stronger willed than me, I do highly recommend checking out paleo! Want to learn more? Nerd Fitness has a wonderful explanation as well as an awesome free eBook. Check out the whole website while you're at it. Its full of fantastic resources and great motivation.

The Pros and Cons of a Workout Partner

I think it's wonderful to have a gym buddy, but it only works if you and your partner workout the same way. When I left the machines for free weights, I ended up leaving my partner too. It was just too hard to workout together when she did two free weight exercises and I did only two machine exercises. It was frustrating and I was sad to see us part ways.
My fiancé is slowly coming around to the idea of working out with me. Very slowly.
Speaking of workout couples, has anyone seen this video?

Someday I'll be in that kind of shape, and hopefully my fiance will be right there beside me.

Maybe I'll Become a Yogi?

In my last post, I mentioned that in lieu of running I was going to be taking up yoga instead. I originally thought it was going to be a pretty easy workout compared to heavy lifting.
I was so wrong.
Yesterday I did some research and decided to run through this beginners workout:

I held each pose for five deep breaths and ran through it twice. It wasn't too taxing, but I could tell how limited my core strength is (due in part to an injury that I'm recovering from), and how inflexible I am. It's pathetic. I have never been able to touch my toes.
Today I found a very informative article from PopSugar claiming that their yoga sequence that would get me my "best bikini body". While I don't believe that doing just that yoga sequence would get me a "bikini body", it seemed rigorous enough. I was two poses in when I realized I needed to stick with beginner poses.
I decides this sequence might be more my speed:

I've realized that not only can I not touch my toes, my down dog looks more like the London Bridge. New goal for this month: master down dog. How hard can it be?

Couch to 5k: Throwing in the Towel

Okay, I have to admit it, I'm a quitter.

I am officially giving up on Couch to 5k. Sorry, but it isnt for me. I've been struggling with running. Not only that, but I have been so dismayed that I've been neglecting my healthy eating. That's no good. Eating crap and barely running has made me feel depressed and I'm 90% sure I have gained weight and inches this week. Ugh. I'm normally not so defeatist. It's only Thursday and I think I've already failed. I need a change.

I know the quote is traditionally "Do what you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life", but the above image really got me thinking. When I was lifting free weights, I was psyched to go to the gym. Since hurting myself, I've been totally uninterested in exercising and eating healthy. Since my doctor won't clear me to lift yet, I'll be on the hunt for a new exercise that I love. Up next? Yoga!

Thinspo vs Fitspo: How I Found Motivation

I always thought it wasn't worth wasting my time sweatting it out at the gym and eating healthy because I was never going to be skinny like the girls in magazines.

I will never be that skinny. I'm just not built for it. To see images like this almost exclusively was always frustrating. My calf is likely larger than her thigh. Now, this may be a healthy weight for this girl, but it isn't for me. I've always known that short of an eating ddisorder I'd never be that thin (and with an eating disorder I'd never look that pretty!)
Not everyone is familiar with the concept of thinspo or thinspiration. It may motivate some women, but it can lead others down a dangerous path. In what seems like a case of rebellion, fitspo (fitsporation) has become increasingly popular.

This is something I can achieve - though I won't ever be so tan! It'll be a ton of work, but it's attainable. She has thick legs and broad shoulders and wide hips just like I do. Those are not things I'll ever be able to change about myself, so I'm pleased to find more and more pictures of women that motivate me to change my body realistically. I know the only way I'll ever have a flat stomach is if I pack on some serious muscle in the process.

Measurement Monday: May 5th, 2014

Today's Measurement Monday is going to be just like last time, only with the change (again, in inches) between this Monday and last Monday will be indicated in parenthesis e.g. (-1) or (1). A negative will indicate a loss, while a positive indicates a gain.
Here's this week's progress:
Abdomen: 44.25 (.75)
Waist: 35 (.5)
Bust: 43.5 (1)
Chest: 37.25 (-.25)
Hip: 46.25 (0)
Left Arm: 14.25 (0)
Left Forearm: 11 (.25)
Left Calf: 16.25 (-.25)
Left Thigh: 27.5 (-.75)
Right Arm: 14.25 (0)
Right Forearm: 11 (0)
Right Calf: 16.25 (-.25)
Right Thigh: 27.75 (-.25)
Shoulders: 44 (-1.5)
Neck: 15 (0)
Current Weight: 198 pounds (2)
Inches lost: .75
This wasn't a great week for me. My fiance has been very sick so I haven't been taking that much time to eat well and cook for myself. It's not a great excuse, but shit happens. On top of not eating great and missing out on one of my runs this week (I hate it so much), yesterday I had chicken nuggets (I regret nothing!) and a Thrist-buster of diet Pepsi. A Thirst-buster, for those who don't have access to a Circle K, is a 44 oz cup of whatever fountain drink you want.  I'm probably a little bloated from drinking so much soda which explains some of the abdominal increase.
You know what I'm thrilled about? My thighs! The phrase "thunder thighs" has been tossed around more than once. A full inch off between my two thigh is a big deal to me.
Last week I said I wanted to lose a pound. Fail. Gained two. Maybe it's bloating, maybe it's legit weight gain, either way, I'm not thrilled. My other goal was to lose a total of two inches. I lost .75 inches. Not great, but hey, at least I'm headed in the right direction.
I realize at some point Measurement Monday will hopefully make a change where I'll be excited to see a gain to my arms, calves, and shoulders - in the form of muscle. You've seen the pictures though, I'm not quite there yet!
Want to follow along? I'd love to hear about your progress. Feel free to post your measurements and changes below!

Mocha Protein Treat

Like most 20-something women, I love iced coffee. While I know it's better to eat your calories instead of drink them, sometimes I just want iced coffee instead of cooking. The problem is that iced coffee is basically empty calories with no nutritional value. I've yet to find a company that makes mocha flavored protein powder (what a shame!) so instead I combine all the ingredients in a 1 quart mason jar:
Cold coffee (I use about 1.5 cups)
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (whey)
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (again, whey)
Chocolate syrup to taste
2 handfuls ice
Milk for the remainder
Throw a lid on, use the ice and shake vigorously.
50 grams of protein and I get my iced coffee fix. It makes a lot and stores fine overnight in the fridge if you feel like it's too much. Also, a great make ahead recipe, just grab and go in the morning.

Couch to 5k: First Impression

Periodically,  I'm going to be testing different fitness trends. First up is Couch to 5k. For those that haven't heard about it, it's supposed to be an easy introduction to running. Woth just nine weeks of training, a couch potato can run a 5k.

One thing you should know about me: I'm not a runner. I have short legs, I'm prone to side stitches, I throw up when I run a quarter mile straight, and I had pneumonia a few years back which scarred my lungs. I'm really not a runner.

Why the hell am I doing this? Well, I've never been any good at running, not even as a kid. I want to be able to say I can run. I want to prove to myself that I can do it. It's that simple.

 Yesterday I tried day one of Couch to 5k. The directions were simple enough. Five minute brisk warm up walk, then alternate between running 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds   for a total of 20 minutes followed by a five minute cool down walk. This sounded pretty reasonable...until I started doing it. The first minute was good, but the 90 seconds of walking wasn't enough to really catch my breath. Things went steadily down hill from there. I stopped running when I had two running intervals left. I felt like I was going to barf. Barfing with a hernia is a bad idea.

Not a great first run for a program that claims to ease beginners into running. Has anyone else tried Couch to 5k? What were your thoughts?

For those of you wanting to give this a try, the guide can be found here and I reviewed a Couch to 5k running app here.

App Recommendation: Couch25k

There are a lot of different Couch to 5k training apps. The one I like is by Zen Labs and it's free. Why do I like it? Just like Lift (which you can read my review on here) it's easy to use. It even has the warmup and cool down built right in.

You scroll from side to side to select what week and day you're on, then just press start. A woman's voice says "Begin warm up." When the warm up is over she once again speaks up, "Begin running." What I especially like is that it runs in the background and you can listen to a playlist or Pandora. It automatically turns down the volume of your music, givea you instructions, then turns the volume back up.

My favorite featurw though, as silly as it sounds, is that it tells you when you reach the half way point. As someone who runs down the road, its nice to not have to check the time to figure out when to turn around.

Want to check out the app for yourself? Here is the link to the official webpage and it can be found through the PlayStore.

End Goals, Big Goals, Baby Goals

When it comes to weight loss, so many people have huge goals: to drop 50 pounds, get into a size 3, or have a six pack. Its great to have goals, but a lot of people have lofty goals - attainable, but big. I feel like big goals require huge amounts of willpower and motivation.

I like to have multiple goals running at the same time. You'll notice that every Monday I'll set a goal. I like having little goals, weekly goals. Because I'm only setting up a goal for the week, I like it to be attainable. Eat a new vegetable, only have fast food once, lose an inch or two. Small goals that break up a big goal (like losing 50 pounds) and help work toward the big goal helps guarantee that motivation isn't lost.

In addition to big goals and little weekly goals, I'll be setting medium fitness goals. I've signed up for a color run 5k! It isn't until October or November. For those of you without a calendar nearby, that's 5-6 months out. That's a long time to train for a measly 5k. My goal is to be able to jog the entire thing without stopping.

As someone who vomits after a quarter mile, I'll need every week to train.