Happy New Year! New Year, STRONGER You!

Good evening everyone and Happy New Year! Ready to kick off 2020 with a bang! Today I started the Kaged Muscle 12-week Lean Muscle Challenge. I am super excited for it. I took pictures and measurements yesterday, which are down below. I am very excited for this challenge. My honey bunny and I are actually going to be doing this together, so I am super excited for that! Normally, we follow our own workout plans (especially while I was Marathon Training) and meal plans. This time around they will be more similar, but will still vary slightly for multiple reasons. I will be doing no added sugar a couple of weeks each month (he will not be) and he also gets to eat more. I always have a challenge with macros, so I am excited he will be able to help me out more.

Monday 12/30/19: Cardio

Elliptical

Tuesday 12/31/19: OrangeTheory

OrangeTheory

Wednesday 1/1/19: Cardio

Morning Run

I was able to run 7.5 miles without my knee hurting!

Afternoon Run

I did an easy three miles in the afternoon. My knee was hurting a little, but then it felt okay.

Thursday 1/2/19: Cardio

Elliptical

Friday 1/3/19: Cardio

Elliptical

I forgot my Fitbit, so I do not have any data for my workout. I worked out twice. 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon on the elliptical.

Saturday 1/4/19: OrangeTheory

OrangeTheory

Sunday 1/5/19: Rest

Acupuncture and Massage

This felt great. I was really tight and acupuncture and massage helped. It also helped my lower back.

Measurements for Lean Muscle Challenge:

Measurements taken 1/5/20:

Weight: 125.2lbs
Neck: 12in
Chest: 32.5in
Waist: 28.25in
Hip: 35in
Left Thigh: 21.5in
Right Thigh: 22in
Left Calf: 13in
Right Calf: 13in
Left Bicep: 10in
Right Bicep: 10.25in
Left Forearm: 9.25in
Right Forearm: 9.25in
Wrist: 6.125in

Body Fat w/tape measurements: 25.56%

Body Fat w/caliper: 22.50%

-Abs: 28mm

-Suprailiac: 26mm

-Tricep: 12mm

-Thigh: 11mm

Average Body Fat: 24.03%

Scale Body Fat: 25.04%

Average of the 3: 24.48%

Diet:

This week I made three things, a hummingbird cake, red velvet box cupcakes, and banana oatmeal raisin cookies not pictured).

Hummingbird Cake 

The hummingbird cake was made with coconut flour, dates, bananas, eggs, nonfat vanilla greek yogurt, pineapple, and walnuts.

Red Velvet 'Box' Cookies

The red velvet box cupcakes were made with red velvet cake box mix, butter, an egg, and white chocolate chips.

Alrighty peeps, it is time to start the lean muscle challenge! Woot! Woot! The macronutrients for training days for myself are 1806 calories: 173g Carbs (38%), 150g Protein (33%), and 58g Fats (29%). For rest days, they are 1576 calories: 115g Carbs (29%), 150g Protein (38%), and 58g Fats (33%).

I will still be doing a combo of MIND and pescetarian diets with some poultry/beef on occasion. I am not one to eliminate any food groups, but I will limit intake (limiting cheese, butter, beef, poultry...etc). I looked into the whole 30 since I had been seeing all of these things about resets; however, I decided not to partake in that because I do not want to eliminate any foods groups yet. I am also terrified about what I would and would not be able to reintroduce (especially concerning grains). I am definitely open to limiting dairy and even eliminating sugar for time frames and maybe I will eventually work up to a whole30. At this time, it is not for me, but eventually it could be. I am just not ready for it. This week, I was not good about my diet at all (which you can see from my measurements this week) 😅. I made bad food choices and indulged a little too much. I was constantly over my caloric needs. I let the holidays get the better of me, but I was also just so stressed with work and was feeling down for some reason this past month. I started to turn towards food again and just ate. Even if I did not exactly want something or was not hungry. These are things that I used to do all of the time. However, I am aware of it and acknowledge it. That is important towards making changes. I constantly struggle with snacking, but it was just overkill. I read this term "Food Freedom". I have not finished reading about it so I won't discuss it more until next week, but I want to work towards that. It also talks about resets and for me I think I will use intermittent fasting and no added sugar for that. I remember when I firdst got to 125lbs I gained about 10-15lbs. Then I dropped again, and gained 5-10lb then I got to it again and maintained there for awhile. I have not done this bad with my diet in quite some time, which I am proud of. I know I can get to and maintain at 115lb. I will get there again and pay more attention to nutrition and how I am feeling. This month, my sleep and energy have not been very good as well as my digestion, which is definitely in part from my diet. Good thing this new challenge is starting. I need to get back on that wagon! This challenge will be tough for me, but I am determined to do better about meeting macronutrient goals this time around. It will be a challenge meeting them not just with my diet but also when I add in the no added sugar. 

Resolutions

Better with Barre

I have not talked much about Barre classes lately. I want to do better on promoting it and social media with it. My older sister said she'd help me. We shall see how this goes

No Added Sugar

I want to do no added sugar once a month and eventually build up to doing a strict no added sugar for a full 4 weeks. My first no added sugar of the year will start next Sunday (1/12/20).

Less Processed Food

In general, I want to gear towards more whole food. Even with some healthier snacks, I want to aim to have more vegetable and fruits as my snacks instead of protein bars and other snacks like that. We shall see how that goes.

Better Person

I always have this one. I won't go into detail as to what this means for me this year, but it is more specific. I have things to work on.

Running

I want to do more running events from 5Ks to  half marathons (maybe even another marathon). I also want to do them with my family!

Reading

I was talking to one of my friends and hse gave me this idea. I have not been reading as much. So my resolution is going to be to rad a chapter a week starting this week!

"Exercise is king. Nutrition is queen. Put them together and you've got a kingdom."-Jack LaLanne

Instead of saying New Year New You, I am saying New Year Stronger You. Why do we say new us? Do we not like who we are? We should love who we are. Yes, we can change and evolve and that's okay, but it is not a new us, just different versions and at our core we are the same person. I think focusing on creating a stronger version of yourself invokes a more positive outlook. With this new year, let's go out and work towards stronger versions of ourselves whatever that means for you. Whether it be physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. Whether it pertains to work, social, or home life. Whatever that mean for you, decide what it means and work towards that. Love who you are now and what you aim to be. I almost have my nutrition down. Just a little more work and I am there!

Until next time,
💖Ari 💖