Strong Medicine Mom: September 2014

Weigh In Wednesday September 24

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Hello everybody! Welcome to Weigh-In Wednesday!

Please go check out my sweet co-hosts!

Ash @ A Step in the Right Direction
Erin @ She's A Big Star

Sorry I've been MIA this past week - had an OSCE yesterday, an exam tomorrow, exam Friday, and a practical and exam next week. Things are a little crazy but I will do my best to update this weekend! Just need to get my priorities straight.

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last Week: 198.4

This week: 198.4

Change: 0.0

Total Loss: -37.8

No change this week. I think it's funny when I weigh in the EXACT SAME, like there isn't a deviation of even 0.1? Hoping to maintain or lose during this string of exams! Exam time is usually when I start seeing a lot of IG and Snapchats of pizza and other treats from my friends so I will be resisting temptation and plugging away at a bag of carrots to keep myself busy.

Workouts have been pretty good. I think I've missed 3 total workouts in September out of 24 days - some days I just need a rest day (but really I should still go for a walk or run, just not lift or go hard). Here's a great one I did the other day - feel free to add rounds or modify for more of a challenge!

That's my quick update - hope to be back later this week

Are you enjoying the first days of Fall? It's my very favorite time of year...and not because of pumpkin spice! (I'm an apple kind of girl).

Playing doctor!

Weigh In Wednesday: September 17

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Hello everybody! Welcome to Weigh-In Wednesday!

Please go check out my sweet co-hosts!

Ash @ A Step in the Right Direction
Erin @ She's A Big Star

Not a big loss today, but a loss none-the-less! I'm so happy I may have broken the 200 lb curse and a 2+ month plateau.

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last Week: 199.2

This week: 198.4

Change: 0.8

Total Loss: -37.8

I really want to hit -40 lbs lost now - that's the new goal! 2.2 lbs is totally doable by next week. In all honestly, I probably could've hit that this week but I haven't been paying attention to my diet again as much. Too many treats and not enough of the basics. For instance, the Indiana Osteopathic Association was kind enough to provide pre-exam donuts for first and second years. Our first years had their first set of exams and we had our first EENT (eyes, ears, nose, throat) exam all on Monday.

*Sigh* I indulged. Which isn't a problem but I think it led me to a few other bad decisions - like forgetting to pack my lunch and grabbing Subway (I'm not convinced that Subway meat is real) or eating pizza for dinner at the OB-Gyn Medical Resident Talk last night.

Still though, I am consistently hitting the gym. Showing up but not with the same zest I had in the past. I feel like I'm hitting a rut - I miss having people to workout with but I also don't want to spend the extra money to join a gym with group classes. Nick has been going to the gym with me more lately but we both do our own thing so it's not like I have someone to "compete" with or push.

What I really want to do is join a Crossfit gym - but they are SO expensive. Anywhere from $100-150/MONTH for one person. I think we could afford it (because we don't have a lot of expenses right now beyond rent/food/utilities) but that's money we can't save up for a honeymoon or an emergency fund. Just need to keep pushing myself, I guess!

I started doing Pipehitter at the beginning of the month but I decided to save that program for this winter. I've started backing off lifting as much (25% of the workout instead of 75%) and started throwing in more running and cardio into my routine. You can't really build muscle and lose fat at the same time - building and breaking down are two opposing processes - so I want to focus on losing more fat before adding muscle mass. The goal for now is just to maintain my muscle mass (which I'm pleased with) and get to a desirable body fat %. After all, whats the point of building muscle if you can't see it under all the fat?

I try not to make a habit of taking study material to the gym with me - I think it's important to maintain a boundary between gym and school and you can't workout hard with notes in your face but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Instead of skipping the gym on Sunday, I hopped on the elliptical for 45 minutes and attempted to review my notes.

Leaving with a little transformation pic. I found the picture on the left while flipping through old Facebook pictures - that was my senior year of college. It makes me so sad to look back at those pictures - I look just so unhealthy and unhappy (despite smiling). Sometimes I look in the mirror and I still can't see past those images. I guess when your weight loss is slow and less dramatic, you stop noticing the changes. Other people stop noticing the changes, too. The picture on the right reminds me that it's happening.

How do you switch up your workout routine when you get bored/complacent?

Weigh In Wednesday: September 10

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Hello everybody! Welcome to Weigh-In Wednesday!

Please go check out my sweet co-hosts!

Ash @ A Step in the Right Direction
Erin @ She's A Big Star

Well...don't call it a comeback.

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last Week: 204.4

This week: 199.2

Change: -5.2

Total Loss: -37

Say what??? Ah I feel so much better now after getting off track for two weeks. I worked my BOOTAY off this week. It's been a long time since I've had such a successful week - I stuck to my macros, no binging or going crazy, and I made time for sometime of movement daily.

That said thanks to IIFYM and approaching the week with positivity and balance in mind, I didn't FEEL deprived or miserable this week. I felt pretty great. I still managed to fit in some delicious Talenti Mint Chocolate Gelato a few night this week (just 1/2 cup), I still have some of the homemade chex mix and chicken noodle soup my mother-in-law sent as a treat, etc. Aside from these types of treats, I kept it pretty basic and clean - trying to get more vegetables by sneaking them in - spaghetti squash and zucchini as noodles and throwing veggies in my eggs or stirfrys. I'm trying to limit my dairy to one or two servings a day (dairy tends to be pro-inflammatory) with the ultimate goal of weaning back to just special occasions.

I think the biggest change this week was adopting a kinder mindset about myself. I know I kind of wrote my weight gain off last week as purposeful and to some degree it was but I was still a little bummed about it. Instead of using the setback as a reason to engage in negative self-talk, I used it as motivation. I AM capable of more. I CAN run another mile. I AM worth working hard because the results will pay off in the end.

As for today, I woke my butt up early and got my miles in this morning. Today is a long day and I won't be home from school until dinner time. I know that after dinner I'll need to study today's lectures because I have another exam coming up on Monday - this time it's EENT - Eyes, Ears, Nose, & Throat. Speaking of...did I mention I had a lovely URI all last week? Yeah it was awesome not being able to breath - scratchy throat, sneezing, post-nasal drip that progressed to coughing and really messed with my sleep. Thankfully I usually only get sick once a year so hopefully that was it. Poor Nick got sick immediately after me - welcome to marriage! We share everything!

This is another reminder to go enter my AMRAP nutrition bar give away - two posts below this one! I will be choosing THREE winners - each winner gets 8 bars in a flavor of your choice! Share with friends and family - these bars are delicious!!!

If you're anything like me, you get super bored doing the same workout over and over again. I love when people post what they do or give ideas of ways to mix things up. Here is a workout similar to what I did last night - I'll probably give it a try this weekend!

How is your Sweatember going?

Would you like to see more of my workouts posted? What do you like to do?

September Goals

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Hello there! Remember me? I want to get in the habit of "announcing" my personal goals each month and then reflecting on how I did - ideally at the very beginning of the month. I need the accountability and it's something I can use to measure progress in all areas of my life. So here we go!

Goals for September 2014:
- Get 30 minutes (or more) of activity in EVERY day in September - doing the #september30for30 challenge that Haley & Adie from Four Fit Sisters are hosting. Also joining in with Ash at A Step in the Right Direction for her Get Your Sh*T Together September Challenge. Lots of challenges but the goal is the same! Get it together and make activity a daily part of my routine. (So far, so good! I'm on Day 9)

- Start running three times a week. I'm aiming for the Thanksgiving Day Race in Cincinnati this year - it's a 10K which I did last year, too. The half marathon I wanted to do falls at a horrible time during my exam schedule so I'm just going to stay trained up until January when my mini training starts for spring.

- Clear out my to-do list: finish the last of the wedding thank yous (because it's embarrasing that it's taken me so long), clean out my closet and donate clothes, & organize our closets when our new dresser arrives on Saturday!

Our spare bedroom during an exam week...yikes. It isn't quite this bad right now but we NEED our dresser

- Blog three times a week. Probably Mon/Wed/Fri

- Get down to 195 or lower by the end of the month.

- Keep my eating simple, close to the earth. No binging or excessive treats - treats should be purposeful and fit within my macros.

What are your goals for September?

AMRAP Nutrition Bars Review & Giveaway!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

**Disclaimer - This post is a review for AMRAP Nutrition Bars. I was given the opportuntity to review this product by being a Sweat Pink Ambassador and was provided with a variety of flavors of AMRAP Nutrition Bars to try for this purpose. I received no other compensations for this review and as always, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% my honest, unbiased opinion.**

Hello, all! I was lucky enough to get to try out a new brand of nutrition bars during the past few weeks. As I've said before, I'm not a person that depends on bars or shakes but I definitely love being able to grab a quick snack between classes or prior to a workout. Med life is busy and as much as I try to plan ahead with meal planning, it's always good to have a Plan B - especially when I'm working hard during September 30 for 30!

I'm pretty picky when it comes to bars - they are expensive and a typically full of undesirable ingredients and loaded with sugar and cheap ingredients. I want to know that I'm spending my money on nutrient-dense, quality foods - even for on-the-go snacks.

These bars are great for most dietary restrictions or meal plan - whether you're an avid Crossfitter/Paleo or not. Either way, these were an excellent source of fuel for workouts, plus a great recovery too because of the macro ratios!

The Bars

Almond/Honey

Ingredients:

Raw Almond Butter, Unsweetened Coconut, Egg-White Protein Powder, Raw Sesame Seeds, Raw Almond Chunks, Raw Honey, Ground Cinnamon, Sea Salt.

My favorite flavor! It tastes like a snickerdoodle cookie - especially after you warm it up in the microwave for 10 seconds or so. The texture has a little crunch to it yet it's soft and chewy.

Cashew/Vanilla

Ingredients:

Cashews, Honey, Cashew Butter, Unsweetened Coconut, Egg-White Protein, Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt.

My second favorite - it has a light vanilla flavor with a creamy texture from the cashew. I love how soft and chewy these bars are! I split mine in half and enjoyed it topped with a few strawberries. The other half I had the next day with an apple.

Fig/Cacao

Ingredients:

Dates, Egg-White Protein, Figs, Almond Butter, Almonds, Unsweetened Coconut, Cacao Nibs, Coconut Oil.

Not a huge chocolate fan in general but this was just as delicious as the others. Very much like a Larabar and lower in fat than the other options(for those who are counting macros). I think this could easily serve as a dessert topped with some raspberries!

By now you've looked at the nutrition information and are probably saying "OMG - too much fat!" No. No. No. Low-fat diets are so 90s -- if you see the words "low-fat" think, "loaded with sugar or other junk."

Fat is GOOD, that is, good fats are good - those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, natural oils. A higher fat content will keep you satiated longer while satisfying your nutritional needs. A new study published in the Annuls of Internal Medicine has further supported a diet higher in fat and lower in carbs (particularly the processed, nutrient depleted kind found in cookies, cakes, conventional meal replacements, etc.). Combined with a balanced diet featuring TONS of veggies, some fruit, & lean meats/proteins, AMRAP nutrition bars would be a great supplemental option.

I love these bars because they are GMO-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, preservative-free, & clear of artificial sweeteners. For you Paleo followers, they are 100% Paleo-approved, too!

Pros

Quality ingredients with a nutrition label I can pronounce

Convenient

Provides energy for workouts or between meals

Taste AWESOME

Cons

Pricier than grocery store bars
Higher macronutrients than similar bars --> cut it in half or fit it in!

**UPDATE**
Thanks to the good people of AMRAP Nutrition, we'd like to offer THREE winners the opportunity to win a box of (8) bars in the flavor of your choice (originally there was only going to be one winner - more fun for everyone!)

Just follow the Rafflecopter directions, SHARE with friends and family, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weigh In Wednesday: September 3

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Hello everybody! Welcome to Weigh-In Wednesday!

Please go check out my sweet co-hosts!

Ash @ A Step in the Right Direction
Erin @ She's A Big Star

Week four of 2nd year - can't believe I've been in school for almost a month! Last Friday I had my final exam for Immunology and then we had a very exciting 4-day weekend to RELAX. I got a much needed highlight and haircut Friday afternoon and then the Luke Bryan concert with a bunch of people from school on Friday night. (I'm trying to avoid posting photos of friends on the blog...sometimes they slip in occasionally though!).

Saturday we deep cleaned the apartment and had a date night at Bub's Burgers.

Sunday my friend and I started working on these wreaths until I ran out of burlap. Later that evening we went out to dinner/drinks with a few friends.

Bakersfield Margarita - been waiting for one since...forever!

On Monday, Nick and I went bedroom furniture shopping and FINALLY agreed on a dresser and night stand! Yay for Labor Day sales!

Can you see me?

Now for the bad news...5 lbs gained in two weeks. Do you like how I buried that beneath all the fun I had?

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Aug 20: 199.4

This week: 204.4

Change: +5.0

Total Loss: 31.8

Starting from last weekend (at home for the wedding) until yesterday, it's been a free for all. I haven't exerted much control. However, all of my choices were purposeful - I knew the scale was creeping up. I didn't go to the gym if I didn't feel like it and if I wanted a chicken quesadilla, I got it. I really don't feel too bad about it.

For once in my life, I don't feel like a complete failure after gaining some weight. Why? Because it doesn't define me. I made the conscious decision to not stick to my plan and I saw the consequences of that decision. Does that mean I'm a horrible, terrible failure? No.

It means it's time to buckle down and remind myself of my goals.

Nick and I are back at the gym & cleaning up our eating again. Setbacks happen but it's how you respond that matters!