21 day fix, round 2

I ended the first round down 3.6 pounds...sorta. During my 3 day break I ate "normally" and my digestive system pretty much shut down. My body was so used to getting 7 or 8 cups of fruits and vegetables that it protested when it didn't.  By Monday when I started round 2, I had regained 1.6 lbs.

I'm 4 days into round 2, and I have lost 0.8lbs if you're counting my lowest weight from the last round. I've lost 2.4lbs if you count the weight I regained. The last 2 days I've been sick and unable to eat the proper 21 day fix amounts. Hopefully tomorrow my tummy will be able to tolerate food again. I definitely feel better when I'm trying to follow the meal plan. My digestive system works better too.

Superman told me that several people mentioned to him that they think I look slimmer. That's definitely a positive thing! After he told me that, I took a few quick pictures, and I think I see changes. The left is a few days before I started, the right is the day after I started round 2.

I made my client cry...

I have one client that I have been training weekly for the last 4 months. She's in her 60s, and has used a wheelchair for many years, although she can walk very short distances.

Because of how many years she has been in a chair, when I started working with her, her feet were rotated laterally to the point that her knees didn't even bend when she took steps. But she wanted to walk in the worst way. She told me that someday she wanted to walk on the track...so that's what we did! Her husband walked behind her with her chair, and I stood in front of her with her hands on my shoulders. That first time we walked, she stopped 6x in one lap around the track (about every 60 feet). The next week it would be 4x. Other gym members have noticed her progress, and either cheer her on as we're creeping along on the track, or stop and tell her how great she's doing while she's on the recumbent bike.

After watching me with Superman,  she expressed a desire to bench press. So I grabbed a body bar, and she bench presses that. Her form isn't fantastic,  but she does have shoulder mobility issues. She also sits on a bench, and puts her feet up on a BOSU ball, and touches her toes, which helps stretch her tight hamstrings.

I like to think of ways to adapt things that she sees other people do so she can do them. Ball slams work many different muscles. The arms, shoulders...and the abs. Last week I got the idea to stand her in front of her chair, near something she could grab if she needed to, and do ball slams. She was scared, but she did it! She doesn't realize that it was about so much more than slamming a ball--it was about confidence,  balance, and working her shoulders.

The other day she came in to work out on her own. She stopped to chat with me for a minute, and they both told me that what we do in the gym means so much to her. She said that her first time back in the gym, she didn't think there was much of anything she could do. Her husband said that after our first session, she was so happy that there was real stuff she could do, that she cried!

Day 20 of 21

So tomorrow is my last day of this round of 21 Day Fix. I've had a few stumbles and cheats, but for the most part it's been a decent plan.

My biggest struggle is trying to eat all my veggies and fruit. Eating 5 cups of veggies and 3 cups of fruit is HARD. Next round I might drop down to the next lower bracket since I consistently can't eat everything in my current bracket. So far I'm showing a loss of 2.8 pounds, and more may fall off over the weekend. On Monday , Superman is going to do my measurements so we can see if I lost inches too.

Right now, the plan is to start round 2 on Monday,  after giving myself 3 days to relax and enjoy things like Frappuccinos and not having to eat totally different things than my family eats.

In other news...I got official confirmation that I have tendinitis in my left elbow. It's been bothering me for about 2 months now. Tomorrow I start physical therapy in the hopes of healing it.

Day 8 of 21....

The first week is behind me, and I've done well. I have had a few oreos (like 2), but no other bad stuff. I'm averaging 4 cups of veggies and 3 cups of fruit a day.

The scale is down 1.6 pounds, but it's Friday  ( statistically my heaviest day) and I'm super sore. I'm optimistic that I can drop another pound this weekend as my soreness goes away.

21 day fix

So I've tried to do a cut several times, and failed. Superman, bless his heart, has given me guidance, but I needed a little more.

I've seen a lot on the Internet about a program called "21 day fix". Basically, you get these  colored containers...every day you eat a certain number of each --5 green (veggies ), 3 purple  (fruit), 5 red (protein ), etc. The foods you put into the containers should be minimally processed, so frozen dinners, granola bars, etc are discouraged.  Meal planning is encouraged.  I decided to try it. Today is day 2/21 and I think it's going well. My biggest issue is eating 5 cups of veggies and 3 cups of fruit a day. That's a lot of volume!! I've cut down to one slice of toast in the morning, and added a cup of fruit. Since its been in the 80s around here lately, it hasn't been hard to talk myself into a big salad once a day. That's 3 cups of veggies and 2 protein right there ☺

I do feel like maybe my softer physique is making it harder to get a trainer job. Hopefully I'm wrong. It will be interesting to see how my body changes in just 3 weeks. I'm hoping to lose some belly inches!

A year of progress

For the last few years, I have posted a new picture on Facebook the week after school gets out for the summer. It's my way of being accountable, and showing people that I am making progress even though the scale may not show it.

It has been a crazy year since my last beginning of summer pictures. Last year I had just been working with Superman for a few months. I was just starting to feel strong and powerful. This year, we have been working together for almost 15 months! I know I'm strong and powerful, and I couldn't pick a better person to have my back.

The scale hasn't changed much. As a matter of fact, I've gained and lost and regained about 10lbs this year, but the measuring tape has shown small losses. Yesterday I put together a quick comparison of pictures to see how I've changed. Truthfully, my belly doesn't look much different, and that makes me a little sad. I did see changes in my booty and thighs. My thighs look a little thicker, but in a good way. To my eye, I see quad definition where I didn't have it last year. My booty looks a little fuller, but I am ok with that too!

Last year at this time I was still working up my nerve to order my NASM materials.  This year I have been certified for 5 months, and now I'm working on continuing education.  I've interviewed for 2 trainer positions, and I think I have a good shot at the second one!

Promises kept

When I got my certification, I wanted to work at "my" gym. I've had my application in for about a year, maybe more. About 7 months ago I was interviewed for an attendant position, but the job went to someone with "more fitness experience ". I recently found out that this was not entirely true.

Several months ago, in conversations with JC and Superman, I set a deadline.  If I was not on staff at "my" gym in any capacity by June 1st, I would start applying at other gyms the next day. Last week, out of frustration with my current job, I filled out some applications on my day off. Much to my surprise, within 48 hours both places had contacted me! Tomorrow morning  I interview at one of them (LA). I have mixed feelings about this interview--the position is in Hilliard, which is a 40 minute drive. But both JC and Superman had or currently have similar commutes. I've been playing phone tag since Thursday  with the owner of the other gym (metro). Metro is 5 minutes from my house, so would be a more ideal commute.

Either way, I'm excited and scared. I'm finally going to get a chance to prove to myself that I can do this! But all my insecurities are coming to the surface too. Will people take me seriously?  Can I write a program that my client will enjoy and see results from?