It's been 9 months since I last posted (no, I did not have a baby) and my mindset has improved, dramatically. I am slowly converting the "knowing" that fat loss is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise, to the "doing". The longer I trick myself into eating one last slice of chocolate cake and starting over "tomorrow", the longer my body will stay the way it is - strong, but covered in fat. This is not "wrong", but it's not what I want.
Let me rephrase that, especially regarding the chocolate cake. Prior to this mindset improvement, my default setting was all or nothing. No cakes, no ice-cream, no treats, nothing except lean grilled fish and chicken and broccoli and water (yay!). When I inevitably failed and inhaled an entire cheesecake, rather than pick myself up and keep going, I would "excuse myself" for the day and eat everything else in sight. No wonder I never made any real long term progress. I was always making up for those mishaps.
Now, I eat treats sometimes daily and always weekly. A few pieces of chocolate. An orange creamsicle (like today). A date cookie. Ordering Thai food/Indian food/Mediterranean Street food. The few 100-300 calories of 'non-diet" food keep me sane. They prevent me from craving things all week long and then having an existential crisis at Dominos (virtually though, it's a pandemic, motherfucker). My new bottom line has to do with, in order of priority, my total calories, my protein macro, whether the food is as nutritious as possible and my other macros. So that even on a "cheat day" when I order one of those delectable cuisines I mentioned, I still try to meet my calorie target for the day.
This mindset has worked wonders in my remaining consistent. I almost never binge. I almost never lose control. And I feel great about it. It's made "dieting" way less stressful. More manageable.
Basically, I am learning moderation. A word I thought I always knew, but didn't.
But still though, when can I see those abs? Patience...that's another word I need to learn.
What's for food today? MegaFit meals, that's what. They are delicious, portion controlled and keep me within my calories/macros. 1595 calories, 175 g protein, 145 g carbs, 35 g fat.
What's for workout today? Day 4 of 4 of my full body workout plan from Bret Contreras, the glute guy:
4x8 glute thrusts
3x20 band quadruped hip extension
3x8 barbell bench press
3xAMRAP inverted row
3x15 ankle weight glute kickback
3x8 ankle weight gip abduction
What're my measurements? As of 1/23/21 (next update is 2/6/21). I'm 5"7 and ___ lbs.
Shoulders: 44 inches
Chest: 34.5 inches
Waist: 30 inches
Abdomen/FUPA 37.5 inches
Hips/butt: 49.5 inches
Right thigh: 28.5 inches
Left thigh: 28.5 inches
Onward and upward!
