Counting calories: Their role in my journey

I'm on my trip right now but here's something interesting (I hope):

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a calorie counter.  With all the bad/crazy connotations that calorie counters are associated with, I'm proud to be one.

Why?  Because counting calories saved my life.

Lets look back almost 4 years ago, to the beginning of my journey (don't worry, this will be a very brief history).

September 2008.  This picture pissed me off so much, it started my journey:

 September 2008.

I knew right then and there, I needed to change my lifestyle, but I didn't know where to start.  I've tried Weight Watchers before and counting points just wasn't my thing.  Back then (2006ish), almost nothing had WW points listed on the box like today so figuring out the points was too much trouble.

So for me, calorie counting was my next try.

I found a site (My Food Diary) that offered a several-week trial offer so I signed up.  I promised to give my full 100% effort to this site till the end of the year (3 months away) and then reevaluate if counting calories was my way of losing weight.

Long story short, I lost over 20 pounds in 3 months and the rest is history.

April 2012

Yes, weight-loss comes down to calories in vs. calories out and I honestly believe that's why I've gotten to where I am today, but my calorie counting today is VERY different than what it was 3 years ago.

Today, I still like to keep my calories in a certain range (1300 - 1700), however the make-up of the calories I eat take precedent over how much I eat.  1700 calories of clean, whole foods will make a big difference in your body composition compared to the same amount of calories coming from processed food.

Do I plan on counting calories for the rest of my life?  No.  It's all about reevaluating where I am on this journey and finding something (new or old) that will work for me.

Motivational Monday: Lift HEAVY

I'm on my trip right now but here's something interesting (I hope):

This is so true!  Most women people think that lifting heavy weights will make you "bulky".  It's just not chemically/hormonally possible for women!

Lift heavy to get a lean, muscular body!

Vacation time!

I haven't mentioned it much here on the blog, but later today I'm leaving for a two-week vacation!  I'll be visiting Oregon, Nevada, and end up in California and I can't wait!!!

The last trip I went on was to Vegas a couple of years ago and I came back home with NO weight gain.  That's one of my goals for this trip too, but I'm actually hoping to lose weight.  I know, it's vacation.  But if I didn't gain any weight in Vegas, it's very possible to lose some on this trip.  Here's why:

• Vegas = buffets, beers, and sitting down gambling
• Oregon/Nevada/Cali = LOTS of walking around, access to gyms, much healthier food

I'm also bringing some things to give me a slight edge on weight-loss. 

Since Anthony won't be joining me on this trip, I'm bringing one of my other loves.

Yup, I've brought my Bodybugg out of retirement (read my reviews here and here).  Although I won't be tracking my calorie intake on my trip, I'm really curious to see my calorie burn and step count.  I'm hoping to see a burn of 2500+ and a step count of 20,000+.  On any given day (sitting at a desk for 8 hours + my workout), I burn about 2100 calories and get about 8500 steps, so my goal numbers are doable, right?

Another thing I made sure to pack:

My supplements, including protein powder, fish oil, multi-vitamin, creatine, and BCAA's.  I'm bringing ALL my supps because I've googled the closest gyms to my hotel and I've got my workouts planned into my schedule, so here's hoping that I'll be in a gym (or two) over the next couple of weeks.

I'll have very limited access to the outside world while I'm away (just how I like it!) so I'll be catching up with you guys in two weeks!  Hope you enjoy the scheduled posts coming up.

It's official...

... I am a certified personal trainer WITH A JOB!!!

I just got back from filing out and signing all the hiring documents at the gym!!!  As long as the background check clears (which it should, right?) my start date is July 1!

It's so surreal how this is all playing out.

I swear it was just last weekend that I came home from my personal trainer certification workshop... but now the hard part begins. 

Branding and selling myself. 
Finding my niche as a trainer.
Gaining (and holding on to) clients.
Studying for more certifications.
Learning a WHOLE lot more about the industry.

I'm scared nervous excited going in to this, but I plan to make it work!  This is my way of paying it forward and helping others who also struggle on this journey.

RFSC: Challenge wrap-up

CANNOT believe this 10-week challenge is over!  During this challenge, I:

- met a TON of great new people
- accomplished things I don't think I could have without the accountability of my fellow challenge-mates
- got healthier
- got fitter
- got stronger both physicality, mentally, and emotionally
- can't wait for the next challenge!

Listed below are my original goals on day-1 of the challenge, with my updates written in red.  I chose not to focus on a weight-loss goal because 1.) I'm so close to goal weight the weight-loss has really slowed down and 2.) I wanted to focus on the things that REALLY matter on this journey.  Exercise and nutrition... with NSV's thrown in for good measure.  =)

NSV Goal

• Success story.  The other week I was talking to Anthony and told him that one of my NSV goals is to be featured on the "Wall of Success" at our gym.  The catch is I don't wanna ask to be a feature, I wanna be asked... big difference.  WIN!!! Hit this goal the other week and you can read more about it here.  I haven't had a chance to get a picture next to my story on the wall because taking pictures at my gym is a big no-no (corporate rules suck), so I gotta be sneaky about it.  Once I get one, I'll be sure to post it.
• Donation time!  This weekend, I'm spending the time to try on ALL my clothes and sort them into piles of too big, too small, and just right.  By the end of the RFSC, I want to fit into the "too small" pile and have to donate the other piles of clothes.  WIN!!!  Hit this goal too... kind of.  I can't fit into all the clothes in my "too small" pile, but I'm getting rid of a lot of "too big" and "just right" clothes from 10 weeks ago!  

 
Exercise Goal

• Keep on going.  Continue my current 12-week exercise program, which will take me into the middle of May.  WIN!!!  On the last couple of days for the LiveFit program and gotta say I really liked it!  Won't get into details in this post, but maybe in a future post I'll do the pro's/con's and what my results were.
• Something new.  Based on where I am at the end of my current program, research and choose my next routine. WIN!!! I leave for a two week trip next weekend (!!!) and have put my newly-certified personal trainer skills to good use by developing a 3x/week workout program that I can do in my hotel room.  Once I get back from my trip, I already know what I want to do next!  Why this program?  It incorporates something I'm a huge fan of: powerlifting moves to build strength and muscle.

Nutrition Goal

• Clean, clean, clean!  My #1 priority for the next 10 weeks is to really focus on and dial in my nutrition.  Clean, whole foods to support my body and intense workouts.  WIN and FAIL!?!?! I definitely a lot more focused on clean eating during this challenge so I consider that a win.  I also consider this goal a fail because I could have done A LOT better on the actual eating part.  Nutrition is and always will be the hardest part of this journey for me.
• Increase healthy fats.  Definitely need to add more "smart fats" to my diet: salmon, avocado, nuts, olive oil, flaxseeds, coconut oil, etc.  WIN!!! I can't believe how much better I feel after eating so much healthy fat... and you know what?  I still lost weight.  Don't be afraid of fat in your diet.  Our bodies need the good kind to stay healthy so pile it on!  My new faves after doing this challenge:  avocado, coconut, egg yolks, and nut butters!
• New eats = happy tummy.  Making it a goal to try one new recipe a week.  Nutrition can get pretty boring if you eat the same things over and over, so finding 10 new (hopefully yummy) recipes to add to my rotation will do me good.  FAIL!!! Couldn't even do one recipe a week.  I did find a couple of winners that will stay in my rotation, but didn't even come close to making  this goal.  Does new juicing recipes count?