What's the hardest advice to take?

Your own.  Over the past week or so I have been telling everyone to stick to the plan.  Trust the plan.  The plan will work.  And it has, but just not as I have wanted.  So what is the definition of insanity?  Funny that as I say it to myself I am completely contradicting what I have been telling everyone else all week.  Well, yes and no.  The 1st week of tightening up my diet and adding HIIT, I lost 2 and 1/2 lbs.  This week after being 100% on both diet and exercise plan I gained 1/2 lb and my measurements slide up slightly.  So what am I going to do?  I have gone back to the drawing board, revamped the diet plan, revisited what workouts I feel are a must, and decided a new course of action for the next week.  The short and sweet of it is, I have added one more day of HIIT, and on average increased my carbs intake, while lowering my average protein and fat intake.  After looking at the new macros, I feel much better about this coming week.  The #'s will tell the tale though.
Just so you have an idea of what I am talking about, here are the last 2 weeks of daily average #s (keep in mind I am on a carb cycle, so each day varies and this is just the 7 day average:
Avg Protein:  265
Avg Carb:  81
Avg Fat 68

The averages per day this week will look more like this:
Avg Protein:  201
Avg Carb:  111
Avg Fat:  45

For my 5'9" 154ish lb frame the calories works out to be roughly 12X my body weight, which to cut is just about the right range.

So yes, I am sticking to the plan, but no, it will be a new design....

Week 1 CheckIn

Short and sweet.  Week oNe has been very productive.  On my way to 15% body fat and then to maintain year round.  I measured to start and remeasured yesterday at the week mark.  I am down 2 and 1/8 inches.  Yesterday I was supposed to weigh in at the gym as I still do not own a scale, but I completely forgot and I am very upset about that, but will weigh today bc I need a new baseline for Sunday's carb up.  All that means for those who are new to this lifestyle is that I carb cycle during the week.  Low, Mid, and High days of carbs.  Well Sunday is my High Carb day, about 290 grams of carbs, all clean, with only 40 gr of fats and of course my protein at about 245 gr.  So as you can see the fat content being so low, there is no room for ugly carbs.  :)  I take a baseline weight during the week, preferably in my case Thursday, then eat as planned through Monday.  I weight again on Monday because after eating a lot of carbs Sunday my body weight should be up or somewhere around my baseline, preferably somewhat less, meaning even after eating all those carbs my body turned that food into fuel vs. storing it as fat.  Last week my baseline was 156.5 on Thursday and I was at 156 on Monday.  So today when I weigh I should weigh less then 156 and therefore on Monday I will be looking for a # less than this week's baseline even after all the Sunday food.

Gosh, I hope that isn't clear as mud.  Also, no pics this week as I do not feel enough of a visual difference has taken place.  And of course I did not have my body fat measured again this week, because I don't think there would would be enough of a difference to report.  I think I will next week though.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!  Remember what the day truly stands for and be ever so thankful we have all the freedoms we have because of those who have sacrificed. 

Fat Be Gone

Guys, I LOVE the fitness part of my life.  Everyday brings a new challenge.  Through it I have maintained a healthy lifestyle.  I practice clean eating, I say practice because yes, each day begins a new chapter.  There are times I run out of particular foods- as I only grocery shop once a month- so I have to make do with what I have.  No, I don't compete, so I never feel that tug of an quickly looming deadline.  Yes, I have had many injuries to deal with and work through.  Still trying to "fix" the two bulging disks in my neck.  In fact, my chiro told me yesterday that he was about to have to cut me loose because my insurance will not pay anymore.  I had to fire my PT last week because of some disagreement.  So I have hired a new Chiro which I start with today for traction.  I am trying to remain positive, but after 18ish chiro apts, I am no better than when I started.  No closer to being able to do a back, chest, or shoulder workout any time soon. 

Blah, blah, blah.....on a much cooler note, I went to have my hearing checked last week-nothing seriously wrong THANK YOU JESUS!- they took my blood pressure and heart rate.  My blood pressure was like 100/50 and my heart rate was 56 BABY!!!!!!!  I told Harley and he said "You don't even do cardio".  Heehe  most of you guys know what that means.  Go momma!  Go momma! 

OK to the point, I have SET A GOAL!  I can not count the times I have changed my diet, changed my training methods, changed/or added cardio, etc....  with no Goal in mind.  Harley says I have workout ADD.  It's true!  I LOVE to do it all and do it all at the same time.  I get bored easily, so I am constantly changing something up.  Since I have not had a goal that is cool, I could do that, but now FINALLY I have set a goal(s). 

I want to get to 15% body fat and maintain it year round.  So, I had Harley measure my bf Tuesday, I thought I would measure about 23-25%.  Yea, NO!  I was a whopping 29%.  WTH!!!  On any given Sunday I have oblique definition.  Well once again, thank you genetics for the thick legs I posses because the majority of my fat is in my legs.  Whats that you say?  Yes, YOU GOT TO GO!  Operation Fat Be Gone is officially underway.  :)  Measurements were taken this morning, meal plan designed, HIIT added to my schedule, I am ready.  My thought is to post once a week my updates, such as weight, measurements, bf measurement, etc...along with an occasional pic to keep me accountable. 

Thank for motivating me to finally set a goal.  You guys are an inspiration to me more than you will ever know! 

 <3 ya!
Crystal

Sup'

Sup' hope I didn't offend too terribly bad with the language, but honestly I don't know how anyone could look at that and not smile.  It's awesome.  Yesterday in the gym, a guy caught me up in a conversation (I write because of how unusual this is for me, I never talk in the gym).  Although he is nice and I respect him and his work effort in the gym, I found myself at points only half listening.  Although, he was listening and offering advise about my neck situation, I couldn't help but feel a bit cheated in my workout.  He told me at one point (this was probably where he lost me) that I needed to lower my intensity level and maybe have more conversations and such.  OK I am going to try to say this as respectfully as I can.....WTH!!!  Really??? Never has it crossed my mind to lower my intensity in the gym.  I am there to get the job done, not to chit chat.  Now don't get me wrong, there have been times (rarely) it has crossed my mind to maybe introduce myself to those I feel like I already know because we work out near each other everyday and I feel like I know them already.  So a name to go with a face might be nice, but that is all I need to know about these guys.  (And since I haven't introduced myself up till now, I doubt I will start anytime soon)

Taken this morning

One thing mentioned in the gym conversation, that I have given much thought to is how my lack of sleep affects all aspects of my life.  (Esp. my body's physical appearance)  I KILL it in the gym, or so I think and apparently those working around me think, my diet- while not a competition diet- is good.  Why can I not seem to make the gains I want to make?  I do believe it is because of my lack of sleep stemming from all my shoulder/neck pain which wakes me up or keeps me up just about every hour on the hour EVERY night.  We all know what rest does for muscle repair.  Therefore with my body never getting deep sleep, I think it is taking me FOREVER to see the results I long to see. 

Taken this morning

It has been a little over a month of PT and Chiro work for me.  I tried last Friday to do a back workout (nothing crazy or heavy) just to see if it was even remotely repaired enough.  YEA.................NO!  I hurt Friday through yesterday as payment for it.  That means no back, chest, shoulders for at least another couple of weeks if not a month.  Then I will re-evaluate to see where I am and if it will be possible to add them back.  Trying to keep a positive attitude about therapy.  I want to believe it will "heal" me, therefore I am giving it my all.  Life without back, chest, or shoulders, well let's not go there.

Here's to looking forward to a wonderful weekend and wishing you one too!  :)

Are you the Lion or the Gazelle?