#i havent changed my diet do i need to get on more protein?? | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

aboynamedsally · 5 years ago

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I've already hit a plateau. I havent lost any weight in 2 days. It might have something to do with my period ending hopefully? The exact day correlates with no weight loss and also extreme fatigue (which for me is the normal level of fatigue). But my tracker app says I'm supposed to suddenly have a lot of energy now? No???? I had crazy energy during my period and now I feel like sludge.

I really hope my body isnt already in starvation mode. I've been eating between 200 and 800 calories for over a week and tbh it hasn't been difficult at all. I genuinely havent been all that hungry. Like yeah I think to myself "I should eat" but not enough to where I can prepare myself food. Theres no snacks in the house, everything has to be prepared, but I just dont have the energy for it. The only nutrition I've gotten today is 1 scoop of protein powder in a glass of milk just because I knew I needed *something.*

I've never had the energy to cook for myself in the past; I just always had rly quick microwaveable things and snacks, even when I was "skinny". Plus eating zaps all my energy so fast. Eating just makes me wanna sleep.

It's rly hard having so many roommates. There's nowhere for all of us to put food. We have no pantry and our fridge is only adequate for one or two people, let alone four. I want to organize the cabinets but they're so small basic it's just impossible. And my partner supports both himself and me, so he can't buy separate food for both of us. So I just...chose to barely eat. It's easier that way.

Idk if I should be blaming medications for gaining so much weight in the first place but I mean, that was literally the only "dietary" change I'd had at that time. I also went through a huge amount of stress but...I'm used to stress? At that point I'd already been forced to suddenly move house several times, I'd had noisy neighbors before, I'd had pets before, I'd struggled in school and dropped out before. None of what was happening in my life was new to me. The only new thing was Zoloft. I wasnt eating any more or less. Hell the meds didnt even DO ANYTHING until I was on an insanely high dose (like 175mg or something) and then I was just 100% apathetic to everything all the time. Plus when coming off it I got discontinuation syndrome HARD. Tapering without a doctor was a nightmare. I actually cant take any SSRIs anymore without getting sick now. Not that it matters since they dont do anything for me.

But even after I stopped taking them the weight never came off. I havent even lost 15lbs and that's still with exercise and modified diet. Plus I think I lost most of it just because I live in an apartment with stairs now. I was also eating A LOT after I moved in. I didn't realize it but I was eating like 3000-4000 calories a day, which seemed to be maintaining my high weight but not gaining more.

I didn't mean for this post to get so long...it's been hours since I started it so I'm just gonna go ahead and publish....yeah...like if u read I guess?

#ana thoughts #disorganized eating #mine #someday I'll make a post about why i think my relationship with food is the way it is

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wanyabuggaboo-blog · 6 years ago

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The science of concieving!

Ok! So if youve got a uterus and some ovaries and a regular shark week with no major health issues and no contraceptives... you should be able to conceive within a year. Its actually an 85% chance!

Before you decide to concieve be sure (at least 3 months prior to doing so) to get off any pills that dont work with babies. Contraceptives being most important there, but also talk to your doctor about the meds you currently take. They can usually find something to change it with so le fetus shall be safe (not all the time though, so talk to the doc).

Once you got all that out of the way, check your diet and exercise! Keep Moving or start moving for at least 30 mins a day. Try to learn some stress/anxiety coping skills (Because man will you need them right before, and during your period if you want demon spawn as much as i do). Yoga is great for both! And have you ever seen a chubby or ugly yoga instructor? I havent! So theres that too. Just saying i do yoga makes me feel good lol! But i digress. Start eating lots of good foods with folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin c, protein etc. Tip: eating saltier foods will cause water retention. So drink more water eat processed sugars and salt less. These vitamins and ingredients not only will help you feel better and be healthier for when you do start trying it can also prevent major issues with your parasite like spinebifeda and other defects. Pro Tip: its not just up to you! Make sure your man is getting zinc and eating his veggies! Their sperm need to be halthy too! On that note over heating of his genitalia can cause bad sperm so dont let him hottub it for too long before intercourse! It takes two to tango! The last thing is start tracking your ovulation! That is probably the most important thing to do.

Ok once youve done all of THAT for three months or so too then you should start trying. But thats just the ideal way to start! NEVER FEAR for if thou hast decided for to simply begin your unbridled and sensual rituals to concieve without doing all that stuff... its cool. Just start doing that stuff now.

THE REAL SCIENCE BEHIND PREGNANCY is pretty simple. Every month a ladys got a chance to get it done. Because before that horrid week of blood... you have an adorable teeny tiny egg dot come out of your ovary, down a slide into the uterus. If that little thing doesnt mature your SOL this month BUT if it does its job you have successfully ovulated and just need the sperm dude to get it fertilized! Sperm dudes live for 3 days and are fast and sperm dudettes live for 5 days but are slower. You get thousands of sperm but only about 100 will make it to the egg. So do it as often as you can before, during and after ovulation in your fertile window. They work as a team to break down the protective wall surrounding the egg and then its basically the first one in wins. Best positions to get the soldiers in optimal placement are doggy, missionary, and girl on top HOWEVER with the lady on top the little wormy spermy guys are battling gravity! Tip:keep your legs up after sex for 15 mins. It help gravity work with you :)

Then the little zygote (fertilized egg) it has to successfully implant into your uterine wall...

Then, the deed is done. You wont know it for a few more weeks. But congrats! You pregnant genius you!

I dont know everything. But im pregnant now after using these methods. 2 and a half months. I might just be lucky. I dont know. But when it comes down to the science, if youre doing all this stuff and there are no contraceptives diseases or other large issues im confident youll get it in 6 months or less. In my next blerp ill discuss the 2 week wait... (the dreaded time of the unknown "am i pregnant or not?") And the best methods to keep yourself sane and as stress free as you can be!

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acidwaste · 6 years ago

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hey so it seems i’ve forgot to do a l o t of tag memes, and i’m lucky i drafted a big bunch of them! lots of questions overlapped so i did my best to answer in different ways, sorry for the lateness! also @ the people that tagged me here, i wouldn't hesitate to kill for you

@natcaptor / @gayspaced

name: leon or lionel!

nicknames: literally the only nickname I’ve been referred to is “big gay” and like. word!

gender: im pretty sure im a guy, i have been kinda 🤔🤔🤔 abt my gender identity since around november-ish though

star sign: sagittarius!

height: 6’1! i’m told that I’m tall but my uncle is 6’7 so...

time: 3:36pm rn! ive been watching video essays and binging music all afternoon

birthday: december 9th!

favourite bands: animal collective, beach house, camp cope, car seat headrest, death grips, fleet foxes, florence + the machine, gang of youths, glass animals, gorillaz, hop along, iceage, idles, kero kero bonito, mgmt, miike snow, modest mouse, run the jewels, superorganism, the avalanches, the cat empire, the go! team, the mountain goats, the wombats, xiu xiu

favourite solo artists: alex lahey, anderson .paak, ariana grande, billie eilish, bjork, cashmere cat, charli xcx, courtney barnett, cupcakke, d.r.a.m, eric taxxon, frank ocean, gfoty, hatchie, janelle monae, jeff rosenstock, joanna newsom, jorja smith, jpegmafia, kacey musgraves, kali uchis, kendrick lamar, khalid, kimbra, lorde, mac demarco, madeon, mick jenkins, mitski, oneohtrix point never, perfume genius, ravyn lenae, rina sawayama, serpentwithfeet, sophie, st. vincent, sza, vince staples

song stuck in my head: caramelo duro | miguel // kali uchis! its a bop, miguel is one of the few singers that can convincingly make sex jams

last movie i watched: deadpool 2! it was even better than the first, which is a feat in itself ngl

when did i create my blog: december 2016??? i only started using it properly in february last year tho

last thing i googled: “im in my mums car broom broom.” dont @ me

do i have any other blogs: yeah, plenty actually!! i have blogs for aesthetic (@moltenstar), general inspo (@wverns), flight rising (@szarising, kinda inactive?), and overwatch (@blackhardts) tbh the vast majority of my ‘sideblogs’ are just saved urls H

do i get asks: when i say stupid shit like “rung has the ass of a dilf but the dick of a cockroach”

why i chose my url: that one panel where kobd have a vacation at the acid wastes because fuck its finally canon babey!

following: 1,767, which is kinda horrifying!!

followers: 890?? somehow??? thats almost One Whole Thousand and i don't even make content

average hours of sleep: around 6 or 7!! n e v e r more though

lucky number: 43 and 64!!

instruments: i'm too poor to afford music lessons or instruments jsbddsjknfs

what am i wearing: a grey shirt and nothing on my bottom half so my [redacted] is hanging tf out, i should put on some damn clothes

dream job: oooo uhhh, i’m studying to get an education degree rn because i’d love to teach children (around grade 3-4s preferably because i'm too jittery to handle anyone younger and older kids probs won't listen to me as much as i lack plenty of assertiveness), but!! i’d honestly love to be a musician, one of those underground ones that get lots of critical acclaim

dream trip: one day i wanna gather up some friends and just go on a road trip! idm where we go to, as long as we just have fun and just! adventure!

favourite foods: rare steak, mashed potatoes, eggs, and energy shakes made with like. fruit / cheese / yoghurt / oats / chia seeds ! protein is a large part of my diet

nationality: new zealand, but living in australia

favourite song right now: best part | daniel caesar // h.e.r - gosh i need to re-listen to daniel’s album again, i don’t remember this beautiful song being there and that’s a crime

@damndesi / @novarebel / @luciform-philogynist

APPEARANCE - I am 5'7 or taller - I wear glasses - I have at least one tattoo (but I am getting a tā moko in December, I believe) - I have at least one piercing (planning to get a nose ring, like a bull!) - I have blonde hair - I have brown eyes - I have short hair - My abs are at least somewhat defined (b a r e l y) - I have or had braces

PERSONALITY - I love meeting new people - People tell me I am funny - Helping others with their problems is a big priority of mine - I enjoy physical challenges - I enjoy mental challenges - I am playfully rude to people I know - I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it - There is something I would change about my personality

ABILITY - I can sing well - I can play an instrument - I can do over 30 pushups without stopping (barely) - I am a fast runner - I can draw well - I have a good memory - I am good at doing math in my head - I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute - I have beaten at least 2 people arm wrestling - I can make at least 3 recipes from scratch - I know how to throw a proper punch

HOBBIES - I enjoy sports - I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else - I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else - I have learned a new song in the past week - I exercise at least once a week - I have gone for runs at least once a week in warmer months - I have drawn something in the past month - I enjoy writing - Fandoms are my #1 priority - I do some form of Martial arts

EXPERIENCES - I have had my first kiss - I have had alcohol (tastes like shit) - I have scored a winning point in a sport - I have watched an entire TV series in one sitting - I have been at an overnight event - I have been in a taxi - I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year - I have beaten a video game in one day - I have visited another country - I have been to one of my favorite bands concerts

MY LIFE - I have one person that I consider to be my Best Friend - I live relatively close to my school/work - My parents are still together - I have at least one sibling - I live in the United States - There is snow where I live right now - I have hung out with a friend in the past month - I have a smart phone - I own at least 15 CDs - I share my room with someone

RELATIONSHIPS - I am in a Relationship - I have a crush on a celebrity - I have a crush on someone I know - I’ve been in at least 3 relationships - I have never been in a Relationship - I have admitted my feelings to a crush - I get crushes easily - I have had a crush for over a year - I have been in a relationship for over a year - I have had feelings for a friend

RANDOM - I have break-danced - I know a person named Jamie - I have had a teacher that has a name that is hard to pronounce - I have dyed my hair - I’m listening to a song on repeat right now - I have punched someone in the past week - I know someone who has gone to jail - I have broken a bone (do fractures count?) - I have eaten a waffle today - I know what I want to do in life - I speak at least two languages (not fluently) - I have made a new friend in the past year

@smstransformers

age: 16

birthplace: auckland, nz

current time: 4:19 pm rn!!!

drink you last had: i just skulled half a liter of water whoops

favourite song: jesus etc. | wilco if we're talking abt an all-time favourite

grossest memory: accidentally swallowing a bee when i was seven years old (somehow nothing bad happened?)

horror, yes or no: not unless it’s an incredibly tame horror t b h, my threshold for scariness is very low

in love: i believe so!

jealous of people: lots of times, over really dumb things

love by first sight or should I walk by again: i believe that infatuation can exist at first sight but true love not so much. wish that could happen tho :C

middle name: shane!

siblings: my sister is eight years old, and my brother is seven!

one wish: EZ, make my anxiety disappear, i’d have a much more productive life

song i last sang: jupiter | haiku hands

time i woke up: 7:13, woke up immediately because i usually like to wake at 6:30

underwear colour: blue + purble

vacation destination: auckland / kingston / sydney!

worst habit: not remembering to make my goddamn bed, it looks like garbage

favourite food: mashed potatoes….

zodiac sign: sagittarius !!!

@alyonian

relationship status:

at the moment i’m single! and while being in a relationship sounds brilliant, the last two relationships i was involved in? didn’t work out to say the least, lucky i’m still young

favourite colour:

it’s been emerald green for the longest time but orange seems to be dethroning it at a steady pace

lipstick or chapstick:

i haven’t used chapstick since i was six but i probably should use it again, water is my substitute rn fdghdgh - and i haven’t ever used lipstick in any capacity? so i’d have to go with the former

last song i listened to:

the space traveller’s lullaby | kamasi washington - i’m trying to get through his second album rn (i left off on the second disk yesterday) and while everything he makes is undeniably amazing, it’s? a three hour album? i don’t have the attention span for his spiritual jazz, as great as it is

last movie:

monsters inc is playing on the television right now, i’ll go with that! the animation aged kinda badly but it’s still such a fun movie! sidenote: james p. sullivan? a childhood crush, so this gives me memories

top 3 tv shows/podcasts/comics:

i rarely, if ever, venture into these forms of media but! if i had to answer, i’d say;

unbreakable kimmy schmidt / parks & recreation / luke cage

taz / mbmbam (i havent like. watched a full episode of either but they seem cool,)

tf idw / …………. yeah that’s it, i’ve never read anything else. probably should!

additional favs:

my friends, writing (in theory), listening to video essays, learning music theory + instruments and understanding audio production software

top 3 bands / artists:

HHH okay if i had to limit my choices to just three artists, uh. lorde, the mountain goats, and sophie. i couldnt even fit janelle in i hate th is

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@alyonian

color(s): light colors are always nice and pleasant, though anything peachy and sandy are the best! orange (specially pastel orange) is like. the best thing

last band t-shirt i bought: usually merchandising is very expensive and i dont have the money to accommodate that, but like. i do recall having a wiggles shirt when i was five. i wore it all the time, shjdjgsksd im sure that counts

last band i saw live: i almost went to splendor in the grass last year with family, which wasn't only cool since i’ve never been out of the state since i immigrated - the festival was in queensland, which is around a two hour flight from victoria - but the lineup was pretty fuckin lit too! the xx, haim, peking duk, tash sultana, future islands, vallis alps, a.b original,, i was p excited! unfortunately my uncle fell ill and so they had to give the tickets to extended family :( otherwise, i haven't been to a single concert in my life

last song i listened to: street fighter mas | kamasi washington - up to this song on the album and i really fuckin dig this! also the video is hypnotizing

last movie i watched: monsters inc is about to finish and up next is monsters university! which like…. honestly, this is an extremely unpopular opinion but, i like it just as much as the original? my opinion might be skewed because i’m a monster [hugger], but i like everything abt the movie! except for the finale of the scare games and the last five minutes of the movie, both were just. dreadful.

last three tv shows i watched: if aggretsuko counts that’s the last series i watched of my own volition, which is a miracle in itself considering that’s legit only the second anime i’ve watched to completion (the first being shirokuma cafe, which i probably need to re-watch). otherwise, the last two shows i had beared witness to were thirteen reasons why and queer eye bc my cousin put them on! that first show i could completely do without but queer eye is iconique

last 3 characters i identified with: grimlock (legit. all of them), urdnot grunt (mass effect) and vector the crocodile (sth), i’m not sure what this says about me other than Big

book(s) i’m currently reading: i’m reading ‘maus’ by art spiegelman at the moment, for the third time i believe? i believe my classmates are supposed to be writing an essay on this next term and shit, this novel is heartbreaking, i haven't been this emotional when reading a book than… ever, really. it’s a recommendation of the highest caliber

@victorion

name: leon / lionel, i picked up the second name because i was in a server with an admin that was also a Leon™

nickname: besides ‘Big Gay’ i also have the nickname ‘lemon lion’ which is! nice!!

zodiac sign: archer man

height: Tall™

language(s) spoken: english / some maori + italian

fav fruit: watermelons (only when in season)

fav scent: the smell of a freezer tbh? it just smells Nice i don’t know how to properly explain it

fav season: spring! the breezes are welcoming without being overbearingly freezing

fav color: ornge,,,,

fav animal: SHARKS + CROCS + FERRETS

coffee, tea or hot chocolate: tea! with some milk tho

average hrs of sleep: too little

fav fictional character: One character?????? uhhhhhhh……. like. biggest cc right now is either idw skids or oz from monster prom

no. of blankets you sleep with: depending on my mood but i’d say the average is like, 3??

fav songs: i quickly whipped up some songs i listen to

fav artists: i came to the realization that i like acts that are considered ‘bad’ like maroon 5/drake/lil yachty etc in specific doses… i wouldn't call them good yet, but! i have no beef and thats good

fav books: remember ‘where the wild things are’??? that shit was like. literal childhood, man.. :happytears: i really need to look for a copy again

@thonany-klieme

name: leon / lionel, interchangeable really

gender: male, im probs an nb guy

star sign: sagittarius!

height: 6’1

sexuality: gay??? im not sure, im mostly attracted to other guys but i have had very brief crushes on girls + nb people? sexuality’s confusing so im gonna just latch to the gaybel (gay label) for now

lock screen image: its the album cover of 1992 deluxe by princess nokia, tho it was “T Hanos” a few days ago since i change it often - my home screen is venom but his torso says ‘fuck machine’

ever had a crush on a teacher: no??

where do you see yourself in ten years: ideally i’m teaching kids math n english, realistically i’m probably going down with the political climate

if you could go anywhere, where would you go: new zealand!! or the netherlands

what was your favorite halloween costume: halloween is not big at all where i live, the only time i tried trick or treating was when i was like 7?? i threw a bedsheet on myself and pretended to be a ghost, though since there were no eyeholes + the sheet was blue, it looked more like i was just a moving lump

last kiss: never had one

have you ever been to las vegas: nah and i dont plan to?? how do you handle regular days of 40C wtf

favorite pair of shoes: i have this pair of jandals that ive worn for a fair bit longer than my other pair of shoes, tho i only wear them in summer + very warm nights

favorite book: ngl its. ‘the very hungry caterpillar’ by eric carle. i just, love it alot and i cant explain w h y

#acid.txt #this took a while but :wahoo:

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smallblanketfort · 7 years ago

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what are your gym goals and can you make a beginners guide?

lol i still really feel like a beginner, but ye, i can share some things that have helped me!

i want to bulk up and get myself what puberty didn’t give me Lol. that is, a nice peach, bulking up my arms, keeping my abs defined. also using it to get a handle on mental health, managing anxiety and shifting chemical. so far so gooooood. i’m really happy.

first thing i did about a year ago when i started this was to watch many youtube videos. a lot. of videos. hours worth. it helped me feel like i knew what i was doing as soon as i walked into the gym for the first time. i knew what i was going to do, what to expect. wasn’t wandering around lost. so i suggest whitney simmons, jazmine garcia, nikki blackketter, grace fit uk, and heidi somers, if you’re looking for badass, genuinely lovely women to follow.

i follow their instagrams and youtube and screencap workouts i like. sometimes i do them, sometimes i just incorporate exercises i like into my workout. these are great for a couple reasons. you learn to use machines and you learn good form. i’ve also bought jaz’s flourish strong program and such, and they’re helpful. bodybuilding.com is also a good resource :)

if you hated it one day, it might not be that you hate working out. i discovered a couple weeks ago that working out at 7 am (or just 40 min after i wake up) is the worst possible thing i could do for my body. the time you workout also matters. the best time for me is mid afternoon or evening. depends on your energy levels!

eat a preworkout an hour-45 minutes beforehand. i like to have black tea for caffeine, and either a granola bar or a bit of fruit with peanut butter. even a piece of whole grain bread and peanut butter is good.

wear layers. dude it might be 98 degrees out, but i’m still going in there with leggings, a crop top, and a flannel. this is me and my anxiety and the need to feel covered lol. by the end, i have the flannel tied around my waist, but it’s like a security blanket. keeps me from feeling exposed.

your shoes matter. running shoes = cardio. think cushy, comfy nikes/adidas/whatever. flat soled shoes = weights. think converse, vans, i even end up wearing minnetonkas lol. lifting shoes = lifting. fat soles are 100% find, but some people find that the slightly elevated heal helps. i haven’t gone that far, but it might be an option for you.

take music. also, wear a baseball hat if you really want to keep yourself from everyone else. if anyone watches you, they’re either assholes or they’re gathering inspiration (seriously).

begin with some bodyweight activation/warm up if you’re doing strength training. that is, leg swings to warm up your hips, rolling your wrists and ankles and shoulders. do a few squats, really squeezing your glutes. calf raises. activate your muscles. warm them up. also a good time to use a foam roller.

stretch afterwards! damn it! stretch! so important to avoid injury!

keep track of your workout with an app like myfitnesspal. it helps me keep track of my weights and sets so i know for sure whether or not i’m increasing. also gives you something to do between sets.

take it slow! don’t put too much stock in numbers! so many really strong people still use 5 lbs for some exercises, doesn’t mean anything. speaking of which,

define your goal and work accordingly. fewer reps (1-5), heavier weight = strength mid range reps (6-12), mid range weight = muscle buildingmore reps (15+), lighter weight = enduranceif you’re trying to lose weight, do not forgo strength training. muscles burn calories faster than fat, so you’re going to want to lose fat and gain muscle. since fat is lighter than muscle, you might notice that your weight doesn’t change as much, but that’s cool. likewise, if you’re trying to gain muscle, cardio is also good for building endurance. stairmaster is your boo that will Actually Murder you.when you’re working with weights, it’s a good idea to calculate your max rep. enter what you usually work with, for how many reps you usually work with, and this calculator will tell you your max rep (the max weight you can lift at one rep). why is this important? so i’m someone who doesn’t feel like they succeeded if they don’t go to burnout/have pain. knowing your max rep helps you manage your fatigue. that is, you choose a weight you can manage for 11 reps, but you only do 8, for example. so i like to do 3 sets of 12 reps, so i should be going at about 70-75% of my max one rm.this can help you if you decide to lift heavier and less, or lift lighter and more.you can also combine these concepts. if you want, you can create descending/ascending reps for altered weighted sets. that is, for example, you can increase your weight and decrease your reps with every set, or decrease your weight and increase reps with every set.ALSO. i’d be doing you a disservice if i didn’t mention diet!!! start eating cleaner and according to your goals. for example, if you’re bulking, you need to up your calorie intake, and your protein intake. no matter what your goal is, ffs, don’t use a ~diet~! no! my guy! diets are not sustainable, and we’re trying to build a happy lifestyle here. balance is everything. my coworkers have had success with going sugar free and/or vegetarian (i’m already vegetarian, almost vegan). but those are lifestyle shifts more than anything. they’re making good choices, rather than restricting and cutting out foods. i will say that once you get over the hump, you’ll crave less. gluten free made me cry once a week, but now i dont even crave bread or cake or pasta. this is coming from someone whose favorite foods were always those. same thing with cheese. regardless, get over the hump, build a lifestyle, and MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY. that’s the whole entire point.

end with a light, easy burnout on your focus area. your goal isn’t to make this hard, but just to exhaust the muscle group. so i tend to do bodyweight + 10 lbs on a small movement and just go until i can’t. makes me feel accomplished. THAT BEING SAID. do NOT burn out your body! im sooo sick of this “i vomited at the gym!” mentality. nuuh. don’t hurt your body. be gentle. you don’t need that. when i say burnout, i mean light, easy, and for one muscle, like your glutes. working out until you see stars or throw up isn’t good for you. at all. your body is doing its best. be nice.

workout in splits. this is why building routine is so important. currently, my workout schedule is a little sporadic, so i am there much longer doing a full body workout. however, if you can for sure get there more than twice times a week, make a workout split. the major muscle groups are as followed, with recommended pairings:back + bicepslegs + shoulderschest + tricepsabsthe logic is in the fact that when you work triceps, you’re probably also working your chest in the exercise, so fitting them together makes sense. creating splits helps you isolate the muscle group and really get them done.

rest 👏days👏are👏important👏 consider rest days a part of your split. as in, make. sure. you have rest days scheduled. do not workout every day. nope. your body needs time to rebuild iteself. give it that time.

experiment to keep interest. there are a lot of ways to work a specific muscle group. the easiest example i can give is that i have found i love doing abs on an exercise ball. that is, depending on the way i drape my spine over the sphere of the exercise ball, i can go beyond a full crunch, since my spine is arched, while also receiving support on my crappy spine.

take classes and/or get a trainer. i havent gotten a trainer bc im poor af and would be too anxious at this point Lol. however, i love yoga classes so much. i swear by them. integrating yoga with strength training is a serious aid in terms of mental health, physical stability, and flexibility, which are also important when you’re bulking. so it all cross pollinates and gets my interest hyped! :)

afterwards drink a cup of lukewarm water and eat a protein bar. makes all the difference when you feel like you just died, i promise. alternatively, make a protein shake, drink protein water, however you’re getting protein.

take progress photos every month or so. same place, same poses. i take them in snapchat and use the date filter, bc it’s easy. i suggest dumping them all in a specific folder- and not looking in that folder for quite a while. that way, when you need motivation later on after progress has surely been made, you’ll see the difference. it makes me weepy and i love it even if some months i know nothing has changed. (that’s okay.)

so ye. really all my advice comes from doing research and keeping myself comfy. take it slow! do you! everyone in there is present for the same reason, to better themselves. we all start out sometime, we all have different goals, and we are all making progress. so are you. it’s all good.

#lifting #work out #working out #idk how to tag this lmao #health #anon

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pommedeterre889-blog · 5 years ago

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Did you go potty for me?

So I have been staying with my mom and her boyfriend. This has been extremely difficult on its own. Not to mention I I lost my sweet angel baby xmas eve. I forget if I had brought that up. I’ll start crying everytime I think of her or hear her name, but the support I’ve gotten from old (and new) friends has been great.

I had an appointment with the liver and kidney doctors practitioner, she was very nice and knowledgeable. I had some labwork done and everything is looking good. Good news first: My bilirubin is way way down - that's what makes your skin look yellow with jaundice. I never really had it that bad except for a couple of days. ***queue to me looking for taco sauce and asking the lady stalking the isle where it was.... “ARE YOU SICK? DO YOU HAVE JAUNNDACE” me = triggered.... “and who are you?? who just asks someone that, i’m sick and just got out of the hospital. I don’t want your PRAYERS. Lady wont stop talking or apologize, my mom comes to my defense and the woman walks away with her tail between her legs.

As I was saying.... bilirubin is down but my kidney function went down also. (not a good thing in this case. The doctor suggested drinking a lot of water, keeping a low sodium diet ( less than 2000 MG a day..... psh easy. Keep in mind my pouch was restricted again when my scope was done. In an effort to not make this extremely wordy as I am oh so good at doing here are so gripes I have about dealing with my mother.

1. Can you go potty for me, please? you haven't peed since I got home - DON’T TALK TO ME LIKE I’M ONE OF YOUR DOGS. I WILL GO WHEN I HAVE TO. JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVENT WATCHED ME WALK TO THE BATHROOM DOESNT MEAN I HAVENT GONE

2. *me goes into the bathroom* less than 2 minuets later.... *knock knock* did you go pottty? I AM NOT ONE OF YOUR DOGS - I CANNOT LIVE UNDER YOUR MICROSOPE.

3.drink this, you’re supposed to have some protein before bed she said.- ok just pour a little into a glass and I will drink it, hands me a small glass, perfect amount.... (have you had ensure before? its THICK, DENSE AND HEAVY) **mom comes back into room after 2 minuets and two sips. “YOU NEED TO DRINK THAT!!!!” DUDEEEEEE I WILL DRINK IT, BUT I CANT CHUG IT” - “DRINK IT, ITS NOT ENOUGH ANYWAY” ------------I CANNOT CHUG IT!!!!!!!”

4. 5 mins earlier: We need to come up with a way that we can communicate and I don't feel like you are being too in control or putting me under a microscope. This is personal stuff ---mom, walks out of room and says I need to stop “pounding on me (she yells this by the way because her bf is in earshot and she wants to make me look bad.

5. I set one major boundary over here and that is my door with be shut and locked. after getting sick the 2nd time I agreed to keep my door unlocked as long as she KNOCKS first and I give her the ok like “come in” with in less than an hour that was broken, first by no knocking at all, 2nd by knocking and opening at the same time. I NEED PRIVACY

6. idk if anyone elsees mother is like this, but I doubt im not alone here.... *mom walks into room* things are where you put them, in a place where I can easily find them and then she comes in and moves shit around. the way my pillows are on my bed, where I put my shorts to wear under my nightgown to wear when i’m not sleeping.

7 im sure there are several more but I don't have the energy to put into this right now. ………...oh wait did you know my mother is a a libra? we were going to go run errands and she wouldn't let me wear my hair up, so I took it down.... she walks over to me with a brush and is just like “no” and styles my hair the way that she wants it to be done.

Im sure I could make another list of things her bf or her and her bf do that's extremely toxic but I think I've said enough tonight. I need to cleanse and get this negative energy out of my space. its a two way street though and I can’t do it alone, and only one of us is willing to try to change or work on the relationship.

I just have one last question.... will you go potty for me?

OK I have to put a quick #8 in because it just happened. she just came into my room to say goodnight and took my empty glass of ensure.guess who walks back in with MORE ensure because she thinks I need to drink all of it. and gets defensive when I get angry. she has also been bringing me unpeeled clementines which I love but #1 I am FULL and #2 they are very acidic I had two earlier and my stomach started to hurt. all she wants to do is bring me food and I DONT/CANT HAVE ANY OF IT. BRB proving a point and dumping out the ensure. Thanks for reading xoxox

#liver #kidney #sick #Cleveland clinic #chronic pain #potty time #smother #toxic relatiionship #toxic parent #rny

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weederfall18-blog · 5 years ago

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WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN BLOGGING LATELY & 2 RECIPES-- QUICK & EASY CHINESE VELVET CORN SOUP; AND VEGAN SUKIYAKI

I apologize heartily for having neglected this blog in the past few months, and for not writing a post for over a month! There's been a lot going on lately, on top of which, DH and I are just getting over a very long and uncomfortable cold (not the flu this time, but not fun!).

One thing that is taking up a lot of my time has been a diagnosis of pre-diabetes! I almost fell off my chair when my doctor told me this. It may be an inherited tendency-- we don't know. So, I've been working up my exercise regime, which I had not been keeping up as well as I should have (especially while sick), and spending much of my time poring over books, websites, and charts to do with the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load, and tailoring my already-pretty-good vegan diet to this advice:

From https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods

"The glycemic index is a value assigned to foods based on how slowly or how quickly those foods cause increases in blood glucose levels. Also known as "blood sugar," blood glucose levels above normal are toxic and can cause blindness, kidney failure, or increase cardiovascular risk. Foods low on the glycemic index (GI) scale tend to release glucose slowly and steadily. Foods high on the glycemic index release glucose rapidly. Low GI foods tend to foster weight loss, while foods high on the GI scale help with energy recovery after exercise, or to offset hypo- (or insufficient) glycemia. Long-distance runners would tend to favor foods high on the glycemic index, while people with pre- or full-blown diabetes would need to concentrate on low GI foods. Why? People with type 1 diabetes and even some with type 2 can't produce sufficient quantities of insulin—which helps process blood sugar—which means they are likely to have an excess of blood glucose. The slow and steady release of glucose in low-glycemic foods is helpful in keeping blood glucose under control.

But the glycemic index of foods tells only part of the story. What it doesn't tell you is how high your blood sugar could go when you actually eat the food, which is partly determined by how much carbohydrate is in an individual serving. To understand a food's complete effect on blood sugar, you need to know both how quickly the food makes glucose enter the bloodstream, and how much glucose it will deliver. A separate value called glycemic load does that. It gives a more accurate picture of a food's real-life impact on blood sugar. The glycemic load is determined by multiplying the grams of a carbohydrate in a serving by the glycemic index, then dividing by 100. A glycemic load of 10 or below is considered low; 20 or above is considered high. Watermelon, for example, has a high glycemic index (GI) (80). But a serving of watermelon has so little carbohydrate (6 grams) that its glycemic load (GL) is only 5."

So, I'm not making desserts these days, getting used to my morning latte without a teaspoon of brown sugar, using a few dates in my oatmeal instead of sugar on top (dates have alot of fiber, which counteracts the sugar in them), learning about resistant starch and low glycemic grains, and experimenting with making low GL bread with them (adding some bean flour, or okara [soy pulp] from my soy milk making, and/or some vital wheat gluten flour helps, too).

Who knew that converted/parboiled rice carries a lower glycemic load (GL) than brown rice and has? (The process creates resistant starch while protecting most of the nutrition of the whole grain rice.) We are loving parboiled basmati rice! (Here's a fairly simple explanation of resistant starch.) And my beloved semolina pasta is low GL, especially if cooked al dente and then refrigerated. The resistant starch remains when reheated. Ditto for potatoes. Buckwheat, oats, bulgur wheat, rye and quinoa are also good choices.

We already eat lots of vegetables and fruits and protein-rich legumes, soy products, and seitan, and a pretty low-fat diet, so I don't have to change much there. Anyway-- I have alot to learn, but I've lost 6 pounds without really trying to and we're eating well. I hope to have some good new recipes for you soon. In the meantime, here are some old favorites from two of my older cookbooks. Thanks for your patience! Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S QUICK AND EASY CHINESE VELVET CORN SOUP Servings: 4 (From my book, "Authentic Chinese Cuisine for the Contemporary Kitchen: All Vegan Recipes", Book Publishing Co., 2000) Corn is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you thick of Chinese cooking, but, when it was imported from the Americas, the Northern Chinese took to it readily. This soup, which often contains chicken or crab in its non-vegetarian incarnation, is extremely popular, even at formal banquets, but it's inexpensive, quick and simple to make. 6 ounces smoked tofu, cut into small dice (You can sauté the cubes in a bit of oil to brown, if you like, but that's optional.) 4 cup low-salt vegetarian "chicken-y" broth (such as Better Than Bouillon No-Chicken broth paste) 14-15 ounces canned creamed corn (this product contains no dairy ingredients) 1 cup frozen petit pois (baby peas) 1 Tbs low sodium soy sauce pepper to taste 1 Tbs cornstarch dissolved in 1 T. cold water 1 tsp roasted sesame oil OPTIONAL: 1 Tbs soy "bacon" bits OR 2 T. chopped vegetarian "ham" Mix the broth, creamed corn, peas and soy sauce (and the optional soy "bacon" or "ham" at this point, if you're using it) in a medium pot or saucepan. When it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook gently until the peas are barely tender. Add the smoked tofu, pepper to taste, and dissolved cornstarch, stirring. Simmer until the soup thickens, then drizzle the sesame oil on top and serve. Nutrition Facts Nutrition (per serving): 177 calories, 41 calories from fat, 4.7g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1249.5mg sodium, 240.5mg potassium, 28.9g carbohydrates, 3g fiber, 6.5g sugar, 10g protein, 5.3 points. *****************************************************************

Printable Copy

BRYANNA'S VEGAN SUKIYAKI (CAN BE SOY-FREE) Serves 4

My Peruvian father, Alejandro Jaime Urbina, loved Japanese food, so he took us to Japanese restaurants fairly often when we were growing up in San Francisco. It was always such fun to watch the kimono-clad server quickly make the sukiyaki right in front of us. This is my vegan version. (From my book, 20 Minutes to Dinner, Book Publishing Co., 1997) All you need is a pot of steamed rice to go with this wonderful Japanese classic. If you have a large electric skillet, you can cook this at the table in true Japanese style. NOTE: If you do not have shirataki noodles (clear Japanese noodles made from the konjac yam), substitute Asian rice vermicelli, or bean thread noodles (also called "cellophane" noodles, made from mung beans), which have first been soaked for 15 minutes in warm water. If none of these is available, substitute 2 c. fresh bean sprouts.

**Have all of the ingredients arranged in piles on a platter when you begin to cook. Sauce: 1/4 c. Japanese soy sauce, or tamari (or soy-free alternate, see note below) 1/4 c. honey, sugar, or alternate 1/2 c. water 2 T. dry sherry or mirin (Japanese rice wine) NOTE: Soy-Free Soy Sauce or Tamari Replacement: Substitute this mixture tablespoon-for-tablespoon for the soy sauce called for if you have a soy allergy. **Mix 3/4 c. water, broth or mushroom soaking liquid mixed with 1 T. EACH yeast extract paste (such as Marmite), soy-free gravy browner (like Kitchen Bouquet), and salt. This replaces 15 T. (slightly less than 1 c.) of soy sauce. **To replace some of the complex qualities that a good fermented soy sauce or tamari supplies, use some dry sherry or Japanese mirin wine, and/or mushroom broth or concentrate as some of the 3/4 cup liquid in the recipe. Sukiyaki Ingredients: For a soy-free version, omit the tofu and either use 1 1/2 lbs. seitan, OR use the 8 oz. seitan called for and double the amount of mushrooms 1 lb. regular medium-firm tofu 8 oz. seitan, very thinly-sliced 8 large fresh shiitake mushrooms, cut in half (or you can use thick slices of portobello mushrooms, or whole criminis) 10 oz. cleaned spinach leaves, sliced 1" thick 1 (8 oz.) can sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained 1 bunch green onions, cut into 2" lengths OR 1 large white onion, sliced 2 to 4 cups fresh, cisp bean sprouts 1/4 lb. dried shirataki noodles, soaked in warm water 15 minutes (see Note above for substitutions) **(Put a pot of rice of your choice on to cook before starting the recipe. Short grain white rice is the Japanese choice, or you could use short grain brown rice, if you prefer.) Mix the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and set over low heat while you prepare the ingredients. Heat a large heavy skillet or large electric skillet (my choice). Cut the block of tofu in half horizontally and brown the halves on both sides in the hot pan. Remove from the pan and slice the pieces about 1/2" thick. Place the sliced tofu, seitan, mushrooms, spinach, and bamboo shoots (and the white onion, if you are using it instead of the green onions) in separate piles side-by-side in the hot pan and pour the sauce over it all. When the sauce is bubbling and the spinach begins to wilt, turn everything over carefully, not mixing it together. Make room for the green onions and soaked noodles (and/or bean sprouts), and cook for a few more minutes, until the spinach and mushrooms are cooked and everything is hot. Serve immediately with steamed rice, dividing the ingredients equally between bowls. Nutrition Facts (without rice) Nutrition (per serving): 434 calories, 63 calories from fat, 7.8g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1190.2mg sodium, 1330.1mg potassium, 66.9g carbohydrates, 7.7g fiber, 22.8g sugar, 31.2g protein, 12.9 points.

Enjoy!

Source: http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2018/03/why-i-havent-been-blogging-2-recipes.html

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mulattafury · 7 years ago

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30 Days of Keto Feels:

god, i’m AWAKE for the first time in years!!

when i read that keto diet helps with “mental clarity,” i just thought it was due to people attributing every positive post-keto development in their life to the diet. i’m aware that some people are pretty “culty” about the keto lifestyle, but if that kind of devotion helps keep them on a healthy path maybe it’s okay. can’t be mad if it dont hurt anyone

AND YET. I still sleep a lot, a lot more than I think is normal (like 10hrs a night if uninterrupted) but when I’m awake I feel driven and purposeful. i get a lot more done in a day than i ever have. the dragging fatigue that feels like sandbags tied to my limbs and to my neck is lighter every day. i feel NEW.

i don’t know if it’s because of the diet, or because of my personal change in outlook. i think the diet might be partly to blame -- keeping careful attention to make sure nutritional needs are met could surely reduce fatigue, and keeping my insulin from spiking/dropping by consuming carbs and sugar could surely help with focus.

i also take adderall to help with focus -- perhaps my more efficient metabolism is causing it to have a stronger effect?

who knows, i feel amazing.

weight loss has stalled, i’ve actually gained some back. i went on a camping trip last week with my family. stayed strictly in my carb/calorie limits for the whole trip, though I did have a little bit of alcohol. i did a lot of hiking and swimming and didn’t drink enough water -- i suspect i may have become dehydrated and started retaining water weight.

i can visually see that my body size is smaller, i can feel and see that my face is slimmer. clothes i bought very recently are fitting quite loose. still, it was very demoralizing to step on the scale, expecting a lower weight after a week of physical activity and a significant calorie deficit (i eat like, 1000-1300 kcal per day, and <20g net carbs) to see that I’d GAINED 5lbs.

but, i keep telling myself that alcohol + dehydration probably fucked me up and I should lose it quickly. (i do count the carbs/calories in alcohol, but i can get a little lazy tracking liquor bc neat whisky has no carbs. i don’t drink much, though, bc keto has murdered my already small tolerance)

i’m going to start lifting and hopefully that will lead to faster body re-composition. i still have a scale weight in mind but what’s more important to me is size. i miss the way my clothes used to fit, i miss being able to buy clothes at places other than plus-size stores.

the smoking has gotten bad. i always smoke a lot when i drink, or when i’m camping/outdoors. my parents both smoke and it’s hard to resist when i’m around them, addiction is hard. but now that i’m home i’m gonna quit again, haven’t bought cigarettes and don’t have any in the house. steadfast.

i try to pretend that i don’t miss tasty foods but i do. it’s just, not as much as i thought i would, or i guess not in the ways i thought i would. my family will apologize for eating carby foods, or my mom will ask if i’ll be okay if she cooks potatoes with dinner or something. it doesn’t bother me usually.

but sometimes, i’ll see a box of poptarts sitting on the counter or something. and think, it would be so easy to just grab one and eat it. i want it. i would have thought nothing of it a month ago. it would be nice to bite into it, the filling would taste so sweet. honestly, a bite or two probably wouldn’t kick me out of ketosis.

but then what? a bite of poptart will just make me want the whole poptart, and then what do i get out of that? is the pleasure worth the disappointment? will the sugar make me sick?

i like the keto diet because it is easy but i also like it because it is absolute. there’s no cheating and making up for it tomorrow. it functions by chemistry, by triggering a metabolic state that will be completely reset if i say “fuck it” and eat a cookie or whatever. it really makes you consider how much you want that cookie, what you really get from it, what else you have in your life that will make you feel as good as eating sugary comfort food.

and that sounds really like a shitty, disordered way of eating/thinking about food, and maybe it is if you don’t eat enough. but as someone who had an unhealthy relationship with food it’s actually very empowering to break this addiction to it, and to mostly feel indifference.

there is so much delicious food i can still eat! i’m lucky that i have the ability to stock up on meats when they’re on sale, and the time/ability to cook for myself. i keep a freezer full of protein and a fridge/pantry full of staples like butter, truvia, and coconut flour, and spend very little per week on groceries.

i havent taken my NDRI since january, because it was turning me into a full-on asshole. i have a dr appt tomorrow and was gonna see about going on another antidepressant, but... fuck it? i’d rather keep that cash in my pocket and spend it on bacon

other cool stuff:

- teeth/gums: healthier, whiter, no plaque build-up like ever - skin: clearer, more even. got a lot of sun this week so it’s misbehaving a little but generally pretty pleased with it. - hemorrhoids (haha gross): gone. that’s all. - body image: through the fuckin’ roof. i don’t look that different but i just like looking at my body more now that i don’t feel like it’s a prison. - cooking skills: awesome. i’m too embarrassing to take to restaurants anymore.

this is a lot. i dont know. it’s hard to talk about it in real life, because when people talk about lifestyle changes like this it’s hard not to feel like they’re telling you that you should do it too or you’re stupid and wrong. but the truth is i’m just happy for ME right now. i mean, i’ll say if you’re considering trying this it’s worth it, but obviously only if it works for you.

but, it’s working for me, and i think it’s working very well.

#keto #ketogenic diet #diet cw///

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your-local-fatass · 6 years ago

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I need to introduce more protein into my diet. Meat is too expensive here and even if it wasn’t, I don’t have a single pan/pot/whatever here to actually cook something and eating out is pretty pricey for me too tbh. So chicken is not happening. Neither are eggs, which might change, because I honestly don’t think I can survive half-a-year without eggs. Might get me a tiny pan for eggs maybe. Goddammit, I don’t wanna buy pots and pans.

Gonna definitely do some tuna. Can’t believe I haven’t thought of it earlier.

#log #weight loss

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ketofirebooster-blog · 6 years ago

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Keto Fire - How Can I Lose Weight Safely

Keto Fire Nothing beats a good weight reduction plan like portion control, the right foods, and exercise. However, supplements to aid weight loss can give your dieting efforts a big boost. Most people who have weight to lose would rather just pop a pill and hope the weight will fall off. Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. Good nutrition is first and foremost. Then you can add supplements. So what kind of supplements to aid weight loss can you use?Then yesterday morning (the Commissioner), and what a pretty head over to the DDS cupcakes peanut butter cupcakes. I spent enough time . So, time for lunch before reading the book lying around to spend an hour or two. Fat Loss 4 idiots review.It is great to cool down for 5-10 minutes after a Fat Loss workout. A proper cool down is the same as a warmup Keto Fire (5-10 mins on a cardio machine). This helps your body to have an easier transition between hard exercise and rest.

Keep Cardio and Weight Training Separate Unless you're doing a metabolic conditioning workout where you incorporate cardio as part of the workout Fat Loss it's better to keep steady state cardio and heavy weight training separate.To fix the problem, you must give your body the food it needs. Only reduce your calorie by 500 a day maximum. This will prevent your body from thinking that you are starving. Eat small meals more frequently. It takes about 3 hours to digest a meal, so try to eat every 3 hours, which is about 6 meals a day. This will also stop your body from slowing down your metabolism in large gaps between meals.Going for walks is great for weight loss because you can customize it for your needs. Start off your program with simple walking. When you find yourself in better shape, increase the intensity. Attempt power walking when youre ready for more of a challenge. Depending on your fitness, it is possible to walk and lose weight at all levels.Fat loss for Keto Fire women can often be an illusive, frustrating thing. A lifetime of bad habits, stressful lifestyle, and powerlessness over cravings can make many a woman feel frustrated in her situation. You don't have time, you can't make time, you're not ready. Is it possible to cure?

It wasn't until I followed this credo Fat Loss that I managed to lose pounds and get in the best shape of my life. This was because I enjoyed my food, I didn't feel deprived, my willpower wasn't tested and my cravings were non existent.Walking is an excellent exercise because it is so basic and accessible. Anybody who could walk at all can start a walking program to shed pounds. In fact, if you havent been active in a long time, walking is the greatest activity to begin with to be able to increase energy and stamina for any other exercise. And yes, you can walk and lose fat.This Fat Loss and weight loss program necessitates that each day of the plan will include four meals, including one day which calls for two vegetable meals and one fruit meal. The program also employs a reward system wherein you are allowed three free meals within the 11-day period when you can eat practically anything you want.

Here are some of the best foods with the cheapest price tags to start blasting your fat. Your go to foods for weight loss consist of vegetables, lean protein, and fruits. To get the most bang for your weight loss buck, check out the following foods.Only weigh yourself at the end of a cycle - Some people lose lots of weight initially and some people lose weight near the end of the cycle. If you are following of the most reputable and popular diet Keto Fire plans on the market, Fat Loss 4 Idiots, then your calorie shifting cycle should be 11 days. Weighing yourself before the 11 days can discourage you. Save your celebration for day 11!So granted you've opted to shed weight, you could be wondering the place to start, obviously to reach your goals you should prepared, and also have a plan.

Take your time. Eating more slowly and allowing yourself to savor the food does two things. It allows your body to tell you more readily when you're full, and it helps you satisfy your appetite. After all, if you're eating quickly, the taste of the food may not register at all.If you stop the habit of eating late at night ofter 8 AM, then you will begin to notice a change in your energy levels the nest day and you will be more inclined to eat breakfast.Now, I'm pretty sure you're wondering why this diet worked so well. Well, the reason this program worked VERY well for me as well as thousands of other dieters is because it was based on getting 100% proper nutrition (eating more frequently and getting ALL types of nutrients in your diet), and skyrocketing the metabolism to the maximum peak using the single best thing the body responds well to... FOOD!

http://www.healthoffersreview.info/keto-fire-diet/

#KetoFireBooster

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foursprouthealth-blog · 7 years ago

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Haven’t Worked Out in Forever? Here’s How to Get Back Into It

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/health/havent-worked-out-in-forever-heres-how-to-get-back-into-it/

Haven’t Worked Out in Forever? Here’s How to Get Back Into It

The past year has been pretty hectic for me. I bought a house, moved from Los Angeles to Portland, got engaged, and planned a wedding. Saying “there’s been a lot going on” is an understatement.

But one area of my life that hasn’t had a lot going on in this year?

Fitness.

It pains me to admit, but I have officially fallen off the workout wagon. My once-regular fitness routine has dwindled to hiking on the weekends, the occasional run (where I huff and puff my way across a mile or two), and a few half-hearted attempts at forcing myself into the gym.

We’ve all been there, in some way or another. Maybe you’re recovering from an injury or maybe you’re just getting back from a beach vacation where your only activity was walking from an oceanside cabana to the bar for a daiquiri. Hell, maybe life just got in the way! Whatever the case, sliding back into a solid fitness routine after a break can be tough.

EDITOR’S PICK

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Tough… but certainly not impossible. After a year of spending much more time on my couch than on the treadmill, I’m ready to make working out a regular part of my life again. To help make that happen, I’ve asked experts for their best advice.

Here are five tips for getting back in the fitness game after a short (or, if you’re me, very long) break:

1. Define your “why.”

When I first decided I wanted to get back in the gym, I’ll be honest—it’s because I noticed my favorite jeans were getting a little on the tight side. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that a too-tight pair of jeans might be enough to get me back in the gym, but it’s not going to be enough to keep me there.

It was time to bring in the big guns. I started with Amanda McVey, general manager of Bulletproof Labs in Santa Monica, CA, which uses science-backed technologies to boost brain and body performance.

“Most of the people who walk through our doors say ‘I want to be thinner,’ or ‘I want to have bigger muscles.’ This is about the ‘what’ of the body—how they can fix an imperfection,” McVey says. “What we try to do instead is connect people back with the superhuman that lies within them, and part of that is really connecting with your ‘why’.”

And that “why” has to be about more than losing a few pounds. It has to be something that truly motivates and inspires you to keep pushing through your workouts—even when it’s hard, even when you’re tired, even when you’d rather stay in bed.

“Ask yourself: Why is making a change now so important?” McVey says. “That ‘why’ is what will make getting out of bed at five in the morning when nobody else is getting out of bed so worth it… because it’s about more than five pounds, right?”

If you’re not sure why you want to get back in the fitness game, it’s important to dig a little deeper and find your motivation. Why do you want to make fitness a more regular part of your life again? Is it so you can have more energy to play with your kids? So you can finally cross “run a half-marathon” off your bucket list? Whatever it may be, your “why” is what’s going to push you forward, even when it (inevitably) gets hard.

2. Feed your body the right fuel.

I’m not proud to admit this, but for me, taking a break from fitness typically also means taking a break from a healthy diet. I know that if I want to get serious about my body again, I’m going to need to feed it more than animal crackers, popcorn, and diet soda.

“My favorite thing that Bulletproof founder Dave Asprey says is, ‘There are foods that you eat that make you feel bad. There are foods that you eat that make you feel nothing. And there are foods that you eat that make you feel great. Eat more of the food that makes you feel great,” McVey says.

This strategy might be simple, but it’s also brilliant. If you want to make working out a regular part of your routine again, you’ve got to give your body the foods it needs to make that happen. For me, the foods that make me feel great are a mix of protein, vegetables, and healthy fat (my favorite pre-workout snack is a smoothie with kale, banana, vegan protein powder, and a scoop of peanut butter). Experiment and find out what foods make your body feel great and give you the energy you need to get a real workout in.

3. Enlist the help of an “accountabilibuddy.”

I find getting up for a 6 a.m. solo run nearly impossible—I’ll come up with any excuse to hit the snooze button. But when I know a friend is waiting for me to hit the pavement, it’s much easier to roll out of bed, lace up my shoes, and go.

“There’s nothing like accountability to make you follow through on a commitment,” says Vivian Eisenstadt, physical therapist and CEO of Vivie Therapy. “When you exercise solely for yourself, you can find any excuse not to do it. When you have to answer to someone else who is counting on you, it’s a whole other ballgame.”

Eisenstadt suggests finding a friend who works out on the regular, asking if you can join them for a few workouts, and then putting it on the calendar. “Set aside time in your schedule like an important appointment,” she says. “Then it’s not something to do ‘if you have time’—it’s a necessity.”

Knowing your friend is counting on you—and seeing that time blocked off on your calendar like any other important commitment—will help you follow through and show up for workouts until you’re back in the swing of things.

4. Incentivize yourself with new workout gear.

Some people are intrinsically motivated and work out just because they know it’s good for them. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people—which is why adding incentives to my workout routine is super helpful. When I know there’s something in the deal for me, I’m much more likely to get my booty to the gym.

“Incentives are great for people who are competitive and motivated/driven by environmental factors,” says Jonathan Maxim, CEO of Vea Fitness, a workout-tracking app that gives users incentives like discounts, prizes, and cold, hard cash as a reward for working out.

When I know there’s something in the deal for me, I’m much more likely to get my booty to the gym.

Technically speaking, you can reward yourself any way you like. But if you want your incentives to have added, fitness-boosting perks, try gifting yourself some new workout gear.

“If you upgrade your look—say, with a new pair of stylish workout pants—it really encourages you to go put them to work,” Maxim says. “New running shoes can help you want to at least go try them out, just like stylish yoga pants can inspire you to go sport them in class.”

The point is, it’s easier to get moving if you know there’s a reward waiting for you. And if that reward is a new pair running shoes? Even better.

5. Listen to your body.

I’m lucky that my fitness hiatus was self-imposed and not a result of an injury. But if the reason you’ve been out of the fitness game for a while is injury-related, the most important thing you need to keep in mind is that you should listen to your body.

“One of the biggest signs that you might not be ready to return to working out is if you’re experiencing a lot of pain—unrelated to regular muscle soreness,” says Michael Perry, M.D., co-founder and chief medical director of the Laser Spine Institute. “If a certain action or activity hurts, stop doing it immediately,” Perry says. “The pain is your body’s way of telling you ‘not yet.'”

Do yourself a favor—if you’re dealing with post-injury pain, pay attention. If you push too hard when getting back in the gym, you put yourself at serious risk of re-injuring yourself—which might keep you on the bench even longer the second time around.

I’m not going to lie—initially, the thought of getting back in the fitness game after a year on the sidelines was a bit intimidating. But as I’ve learned, it doesn’t have to be. With a little inspiration, a complementary diet, a dash of accountability, and a couple rewards along the way, I know I can do it. At this point, it’s just about putting one foot in front of the other.

Which I’m going to do now—on a run.

Deanna deBara is a freelance writer and accidental marathon runner living in Portland, OR. Keep up with her running adventures on Instagram @deannadebara.

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