Menchies TKO

1 day.  1 DAY and my sugar- free days counter has to be reset to 0.  Full disclosure-  chocolate vanilla swirl with coconut and hot fudge.  I can't even say I enjoyed it.  I felt so guilty eating it but I kept on going.  Menchies won this round but not the fight.

Some much needed words of encouragement and advice reposted from my friend Michelle.  Thanks!  I need this today.
Also,  going to the gym later for some serious metabolic strength training.

Break on Through to the Other Side

The restorative powers of a good work out are amazing.  Seriously, it just helps reframe your whole day and outlook when you take some time to work up a good sweat.

Day 1-  no sugar.   Slipped up and had a little bit of queso dip at Qdoba before I realized what I was doing.  Although there was probably some sugar in it, the primary ingredient isn't sugar and isn't sweet to taste.

Sweetie Pie

How many times a week do you eat dessert?
Daily? Weekly? Less than that?

I bet it adds up to more than you think it does.   I remember something that the inspirational  Tosca Reno talked about in one of her books.  Dessert adds up!  Think about if you had dessert once a week after dinner.   That's 52 desserts.  Now add in birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, parties, graduations, weddings, office parties and other celebrations.  And let's face it, the holidays start in October and run until January.  The chances that you'll be around cookie trays and other goodies is high!  So, do you eat the cookie(s) that your co-worker brought in and skip dessert the rest of the week or are you still eating one of the 52 that you'd normally have?
Looking at it this way is eye-opening, isn't it?   Can your body tolerate that much sugar?  Are you able to balance out these treats by clean eating and exercise?
(I have a hunch that if you are eating clean and working out, you are probably not indulging in this much dessert.)
Next time you wonder why weight loss has slowed down or why you're stuck in a rut, jot down all the times you had something sweet over the past few weeks.  You may be surprised at how much you're actually consuming.
I've written about how sugar is addictive and how well my body responds when I eliminate it from my diet.  It's also so freaking hard to stop eating. 
I am going to start posting how many sugar-free days I've had, sort of like those work safety signs- "49 days accident free".   If I break the streak, I'll post what I ate and how much of it. 

Trick or Trick

Oh Halloween,  the most sugary of holidays.  Why must I love candy so much?   I remember, it's the SUGAR!  Eeeeevil sugary sugar.  No treats here- just a massive headache waiting to happen.

Luckily I am stronger than a tootsie roll and have not given in to temptation despite 2 bags of candy on the counter.  I don't want to be the person who hands out toothbrushes on trick or treat night but I did buy candy that I most likely won't eat as a way around it.

Didn't eat candy at work either.   Major triumph!

Before and After- awesome inspiration

The amazing Erin Stern.  Seriously, I'd be happy looking like her 'before' picture!

And, the new Ms Olympia Figure,  Nicole Wilkins.  This was 9 years in the making!

Proof that even the pro's had to start somewhere and that it takes years of hard work and dedication to look this good.  It doesn't happen overnight!

In the wee small hours of the morning...

Last March I took a job that required me to work overnights, as in 9.30 pm until 6 in the morning.  Besides getting used to a completely new schedule I had to figure out how to eat and workout.  Try eating at 3 am.  It's quite an adjustment!
Luckily, we have a gym on site at work and it's open all night.  Bonus is that it's almost always empty and I can listen to whatever music I want to!
I have to say that I was very worried about gaining weight.  Many people who work overnight rely on massive amounts of coffee and snacks to stay awake all night long and the vending machines are always a super convenient way to pack on the pounds.

Well, I started out doing a pretty good job but recently have had more and more trouble planning and preparing for a long night of work.  It doesn't take much to throw my schedule off balance and even on my days off I keep the same hours.  Being sick or having a day time training class and it all goes out the window.

Here's the plan so far:

3pm-3:30 -wake up and take meds

4pm  -  eat  “breakfast”   carb/protein/healthy fat OR  quick protein

7pm  -  meal 2  - most likely dinner with the family -  keep it a lighter portion and save ½ for eating later on

10pm – snack/small meal

12 am- workout

1 am-  post work out protein/snack

4 am  snack/small meal

6.30am-7am protein snack ( if needed) post workout

7.30am-8am bedtime!

4 of these meals should be eaten at work which means that I have to prep and take my food every day.  I wish it was easier and sometimes I really wish I had someone who would just make all this stuff for me but no one ever said it would be easy and in the grand scheme of things, if this is the most difficult thing I have to overcome, I'm doing pretty good!

WWDLBD?

I got the chance to meet Dana Linn Bailey at the Lakewood Civic. She is tiny and massive at the same time. Seriously, she has the biggest shoulders I've ever seen but it works.
It was exciting to see her up close. You can tell she works her butt off everyday to look like that.  And she seems genuinely sweet and enjoys her fans.  
I got a signed photo that's hanging in my cube at work.  Whenever I feel blah I look at her pic and say 'what would DLB do?'  That usually gets me going!

Imitation was rampant at the Lakewood show- lots of girls were rocking her haircut!