getting lean and defined

I wanted to say that I have trouble sleeping some nights too.

It usually happens when I have calorie restricted my day.

And what I mean with my no sleep, is that I basically pass out at the beginning, then wake up 3 hours later (around 2 AM) with the feeling that I want to go run outside and do something.

I will go to the bathroom (even if I don't have to go, just to let that energetic feeling go into some action),

then I will settle down in the bed and do some yoga deep breathing to slow the heart rate down,

then do everything to get myself comfortable,

and then I will get back to sleep.

I also noticed that I have lost a pound or two the next day.

My theory is that for some reason the body has switched to the stored fat to utilize for basal metabolism (basal or more - because the body is trying to repair the damage I have done during my workouts) as I sleep. And the body can't regulate it, so it is utilizing all this fat at once, and that is why I feel like I do when I wake up.

With this theory in my head, I smile when I wake up instead of getting all worried about not enough sleep. This helps as I try to go back to sleep at night because thinking about not getting enough sleep AGAIN produces anxiety, which has a way of spiking your cortisol levels instantaneously.

Cortisol is not good for leaning out because the body now has to decide whether to utilize the fat and keep it up at that rate (albeit unregulated correctly) , or go into shut down mode because it is forecasting calorie restriction for the next couple of days, aka starvation mode).

Sometimes I will have a shot glass of juice (watered down, but enough so the taste buds can taste the sugar) to help the body not go into shut down mode, and it also seems to calm my body down - maybe it switches from the fat utilization for a little while to carb/sugar utilization from the little bit of sugar I just gave my body?

This is just from my own experience. I also have high anxiety, but when I wake up at night from anxiety, it is usually because of stupid dreams/nightmares, and then I have to walk around and recover (definitely getting my adrenaline and cortisol levels down to normal) with my true reality of what is (my family sleeping soundly, the coldness of the weather, and what needs to be cleaned up tomorrow/chores).

Thanks, good advice.

So far, nobody else sick. Keeping my fingers crossed. We ususally have church on Wednesday night. This is the first time church has been cancelled on account of sickness. This stomach bug went around like crazy. 30 people from our church had it yesterday, that we know of. There could have been more. Glad it seems to be a one day thing. Still praying nobody else gets it in my family.

I diffused a lot of On Guard oil yesterday.

Workout: bacl/bicpep HIIt

1. pullovers- 3x15 reps( 20,25,25 lbs.)

2. chin ups 4x AMRAP( I was only able to do 4 at a time)

3. seated close grip row- 4x6-8 reps( 80,90,100,100 lbs.)

superset with stab. ball back extensions 4x20 reps

4. pulldowns in chin up position- 3x6 ( 90,100,100 lbs.)

5. preacher curl machine- 4x10- slow decline-8 counts( 30 lbs.)

6. alt. db bicep curl- 4x 6-10 reps( 20,20,25,25 lbs.)

7.bicep curls with db-one set amrap( 20 lbs. was able to do 11 reps)

8. rope straight arm pulldowns- 4x6-8 reps( 80,80,90,90 lbs.)

20 min. intervals on treadmill( 1 min. fast walk, 2 min. incline walk, 2 min. incline walking lunge)

Food:

B: 1 c. cooked oatmeal with 1 c. raspberries, 1 scoop protein powder

L: leftover minestrone soup, 2 rice cakes with almond butter

S: green smoothie

D: cauliflower soup, roasted chickpeas

S: 1 c. cooked oatmeal with 2 tbsp. hemp seeds and pumpkin

I am getting excited to work with my trainer. Hopefully I will start next week.

Workout: 1 hr. Body combat class

Food :

B: 1 c. oatmeal with raspberries and protein powder

L: roasted caulflower, 2 slices of gluten free toast, protein shake

S: green smoothie

D: going out to eat for my daughter's birthday

S: pumpkin oatmeal

I am having a rough day today. I am feeling achy and really tired. I know it is from Hashimotos. I have felt this way before. My eating has been off and I ate gluten free bread yesterday and the day before which seems to bother me. I need to get back on track with my eating. I was really feeling good and having good energy when I was eating good and sticking with the Six Weeks to Sexy Abs.

I love watching that show " My diet is better than Yours". I think it is way more realistic than Biggest Loser. I sometimes think about wanting to train again. I am a personal trainer, but after I gained weight and had adrenal fatigue( hashimotos related), I knew I needed to stop and try and lose weight and get my body healthy again. I miss doing something that I enjoy. I guess I also lost confindence that I could really help anyone, since I really can't seem to lose my weight that I have gained.

I am tired of this Hashimotos stuff. I want my health back and I want this extra weight gone. I am really hoping this trainer will be able to get me there.

Workout: chest/tricep/abs

1. bench press- 4x6-8 reps ( 15,20,25,25 lbs.on each side)

2. incline db bench press- 4x6-8 reps( 20,25,30,30 lb.s)

3. pushups on toes- 4x10 reps

4. skull crushers with ez bar- 4x10 reps( 50 lbs.)

5. seated tricep dips-4x8 reps( 100 lbs.)

6. one arm tricep press down( reverse grip) with handle- 4x10 each arm( 30-40 lbs.)

7. rope tricep extension- 4x8 reps( 60,70,70,70 lb.s)

8. roman chair abs- 5x20

9. 3 way crunches- 5x10 each way

food: ( note to self- have food prepared)

B: 1 c. cooked oatmeal with 1 c. raspberries, 1 scoop protein powder

L: leftover cauliflower, 2 rice cakes with almond butter and half a banana, protein shake

S: 1/2 c. edamme, rice cake with almond butter

D: don't know yet

S: going to make those protein blondies( Jacked on the Beanstalk recipe)

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday. It was a crazy day. Yesterday I did shoulders, abs and cardio.

Today was legs/glutes, calves. My daughter did the workout with me last week and her calves were sore for 3 days. She had trouble walking. The calf one is tough.

1. seated hamstring curl-4x10

superset with bb weighted lunges- 4x10 each side( 50 lbs.)

2. lying hamstring curl- 4x8 reps( 70 lbs. each set)

3. cable glute kickbacks- 3x20 reps( 50 lbs.)

4. calf raises on the leg press machine- 20 forward, 20 toes in, 20 toes out, 20 forward( 100 lbs.)

5. leg extensions- 4x10 reps( 115,130,145,145 lbs.)

6. bulgarian split squat- 4x12 each side( 10 lbs.)

7. step ups- 4x15 each leg

I started my meal plan with my trainer and this is the second day. I like the meals and feel like it is something I can stick with. I start with the workouts tomorrow.

So from now on for a while I will just be posting updates. I don't want to post about her meal plans or workouts. I am excited to see some progress.

I have done great the first two days of my meal plan. I love that she works around the foods that I like and adds them in. I really haven't felt deprived. I did have 2 extra rice cake yesterday, but overall not too bad.

I started the first day of my workouts from my trainer. It was shoulders and a short cardio. It didn't look too bad on paper, but another thing doing the workout. It was good because it was working strength, but also kept my heart rate up. I know I am weird, but I really enjoyed the workout. I love something new, that kicks my butt.

Ready for tomorrows workout.

Some of the best progress I ever made was when I was working with a trainer. If you get the right person, you'll never want for motivation or variety. I think the variety in exercises alone is worth the cost. Congrats on keeping with the diet!

Thanks, esqinchi. Yesterday was a little tough. I thought it would be easier since it was a higher carb day for me. But I was super full for breakfast and ended up hungry at night. I have to say I had a couple of rice cakes extra and then I woke up at 3 am and was hungry and had a banana. But overall I feel pretty good about the day.

Todays workout was a tough one, It was hamstrings and back. I have a feeling I will be sore tomorrow. My son came because for his online school he had to run a mile and time it and also see how many pushups and situps he could do in one minute. So he did my workout with me and then I timed him on his pushups and situps and then I jogged a mile with him on the treadmill. I think it is great that they have to do those things in school.

My boys like their video games and I hate for them not to excercise. It is good that they are in basketball and that they like practicing a lot. Now I just need to get my youngest daughter working out more.

I guess I haven't really posted since Thursday of last week. The meal plan has been going ok. I have had cravings for other things and some days it is struggle. I think part of it is the past 3 days I have had trouble sleeping. I am hoping to get into a regular sleep pattern. I know that helps a lot. I think I will use my magnesium again tonight to help me sleep better.

I do struggle with eating Beyond Meat products. They are not my favorite. I don't know if I just don't know how to cook them right or what. I struggle with eating it. The rest of the meal plan I really like.

The workout today was all legs and glutes. I had 3 sets of everything and at first I really struggled because I looked at the workout and thought I should do 4 sets, because that is what I am used to, but as I started the workout, I quickly realized that I did not want to do 4 sets and stuck to the 3 my trainer put on there. It was a tough leg workout and my legs were shaky afterwards. I loved it.

I officially started my weight loss challenge through a group on facebook. The weight loss challenge is through the end of

April. I am really hoping to make some big changes by then.

My starting weight was 164.5 lbs. according to my scale this morning and my measurement around my stomach was 38 1/2 inches( which is where I want to lose my weight from).

I did good sticking to my meal plan last night. I didn't sleep good again last night, so I did have a glass of almond milk in the middle of the night. But other than that I did good with it. Today is my high carb day. I look forward to these days.

The workout was good to. It was shoulder and cardio. The only issue I had, was that I am pretty tired from not getting enough sleep and a little cranky. I am really hoping to get some good sleep tonight and hopefully start seeing some changes in my body. I think a lot has to do with lack of sleep.

It has been a while since I have posted. I have been sick with Bronchitis. It has been a full 7 days since I have done anything. I am hoping to get back on track next week. I may try walking on the treadmill today and see how I do. I haven't been doing my meal plan. I pretty much have eaten oatmeal, soups, gluten free bread and green smoothies. I am hoping to get back on track next week with my meal plan as well.

Get well soon Kathy, youll be back at it in no time:)

Thanks. I am still feeling tired and have a slight cough that was bugging me last night, but I hit the gym yesterday and did leg and glute day. I kept the weight fairly light and took longer breaks in between. It felt good to be back at the gym. Then I went grocery shopping and was wiped out the rest of the night.

I did go the gym again today and did shoulders and a 12 min. HIIT workout( althought the cardio was pretty easy going). It was a good workout and I kept it lighter again today to let my body ease back into it.

My eating has not been that great with the sickness. I just haven't been hungry and I have been sleeping in late( mostly because I stay up late with coughing and waiting for the medicine to kick in). So most times I am eating breakfast at 11 am. So my eating is thrown off. Last week it was pretty much soup, gluten free bread, smoothies and a few green juices. On some nights I just felt like eating waffles, so I had gluten free waffles.

I stepped on the scale yesterday and I lost 2 1/2 lbs. since being sick. I have to recheck, but I think I lost 1 1/2 inches on my waist. I will recheck again tomorrow. Last night was the first time I have been hungry( could be from working out and actually moving off the rocking chair.)

Food today:

B: oatmeal with berries and protein powder

L: protein shake, 1/2 c. edamme, spring mix salad with raspberry vinegrette, handful of lentil chips

S: 2 rice cakes with almond butter

D: cauliflower fetticine alfredo sauce over mung beand and edamme pasta, peas

S: green smoothie

Good ta hear your back in action:)

Now I know what I want to cheat on, gluten free waffles and maple syrup:))

That is the best cheat is gluten free waffles with maple syrup. so yummy!

Slept horrible again last night. I decided to try and take my thyroid medicine at night, because some people said it helps them sleep better. I slept worse, plus still have this cough. Despite not getting to bed until after 4:30 am, I still had a good workout today. I did hamstrings and back. I felt almost normal with my workout, so that was good.

Now if I can just sleep.

Food has been better today, but hard to get all the food I need to eat since I ate breakfast at 11 am.

Nice relaxing afternoon though. Sat and watched The Flash and the new X-Files. I am not sure what to think of the new episodes. I am a big fan, but these new episodes are not quite the same, although they are funny.

I slept a little better last night. I still tossed and turned a lot though. What I wouldn't give for a full 8 hrs. sleep. I am going to see if I can set up an apt. with a Naturopath and see if she can help me with this sleep issue and retest my thyroid.

Our weather is so weird today. It went from being 50 and windy at 10:30 am to snow at noon. I want spring so bad.

It is a good day to stay at home a relax the rest of the day.

I did a cardio workout today. I kind of mixed it up a little. Stepper, treadmill and elliptical. - 40 min. with 5 min. warmup and 5 min. cooldown.

Food:

B: oatmeal with berries and protein

postworkout: protein shake

L: kale/carrot apple salad, tofu

S: rice cakes with almond butter

D: leftover mung bean and edamme fetticine with 1 c. peas

S: green smoothie

I'm getting really sick and tired of not sleeping. I was up until 6:30 am and slept until almost 12. I have to stop that, it is really affecting my life and the life of my family. Luckily my kids do online school, so they can get started working on their school. I have tried everything. I have used lavendar, extra sleepytime tea, melatonin and magnesium spray. I don't like taking over the counter sleeping aids, sometimes they don't work and when they finally do, I feel horrible the next day. Last night I did resort to sleeping aids and extra sleepy time tea. Now I feel like a walking zombie.

I did go workout today although not as heavy as I normally lift. I did chest, arms and abs.

Food:

B:( at noon)- oatmeal with berries, and protein powder

postworkout: protein shake

L:( at 4pm) tofu and leftover kale,carrot,apple and craisin salad

D: don't know yet, maybe leftover fettincine pasta and peas

S: I read somwhere where eating a complex carb can help you sleep- so I am goin to try 1/2 c. cooked oatmeal with a banana or I might make my protein blondies and have a banana with it.

Lack of sleep is making me crave sugar. I ended up eating some dairy free chocolate chips last night.

Last night was the first night I slept all the way through the night for a while. I could have slept a lot longer, but I watched my grandsons this morning. I am still tired, but I think my body just needs to catch up on sleep.

I did enjoy watching them for a while though. They are so much fun. One of the boys is 2 1/2 and is very talkative and says the funniest things. The other one will be one on Saturday. He is always full of smile and really cuddly. I really enjoy seeing them.

I did legs/glutes today

Food:

B: oatmeal with berries and protein powder

S: protein shake, 2 rice cakes with almond butter

L: leftover split peas soup, spring mix salad with homemade strawberry dressing

D: beyond meat burger crumbles in brown rice tortilla with peppers and onions, salsa and guacamole

S: green smoothie

I slept another whole night. Glad of that, although I slept until 10 am so that kind of through off my eating today. I have been thinking of cutting out soy and seeing if my body feels better without it, but at the same time I want to make sure that I am getting in enough protein to see results in my body. I am thinking about it. I know I have lost at least 1 1/2 inches around my stomach area, which is where I want to lose from.

Had a good shoulder workout today along with a 12 min. HIIT cardio

Food:

B: oamteal with berries and protein powder

S: 2 rice cakes

S: protein shake

L: homemade hummus on brown rice tortilla, a couple of slices of tofu, leftover carrot pineapple salad

S: if hungry coconut yogurt

D: trying a new recipe from Six Weeks to Sexy Abs- chikpea fritters, brown rice, steamed spinach

Long day today. My daughter had a her doctor's apt. for her juvinelle arthritis. They think she is outgrowing it. She saw them last year and seemed to be in remission. It looks that way still. I am very happy about this. I know diet did a lot to help her with her arthritis although none of the doctors like to think that.

Then I went to visit my daughter and grandsons who are an hour away. It was nice to spend some time with them

I did get up early and got my workout in today before all the craziness started. I did hamstrings and back.

Food:

preworkout: got up early- banana

B: oatmeal with berries and protein powder

S: protein shake( glad I had this driving around today)

L: costa vida salad

S; 2 rice cakes with almond butter

D: beyond chikn strips,1/2 baked potato, veggies

S: green smoothie

Glad to see you are back in action! It is stunning to me how little most doctors know about nutrition. However, they are quick to diagnose things like diabetes, heart disease, various cancers, etc. as a symptom of or being caused by poor diet, and yet totally ignore the inverse; a good diet bringing about accordingly good health. Lots of people blame the system for the knee-jerk reaction of prescribe meds and continue testing (a/k/a keep billing insurance). It's really their own greed that drives the system. Sure, they have high student loans, but if repayment were the driving force, they could get forgiveness through public service. But instead they enter private practice and end up making millions annually while developing a god-complex. I guess the karma is that many of them (most, really) have no idea how to handle their own personal finances. If they just wanted to make money, they should have been bankers. Less education, way easier to make a ton. Anyhow, sorry for hijacking your wall. Happy you are feeling better!

I'm glad to see someone else believes in the same stuff I do. I am planning on making an apt. with a naturopath soon, for my thyroid. I just want to have someone who is willing to try some of the natural stuff, but does do some medicines if needed. I have looked her up and messaged her and I like a lot of her philosophies. I guess I have always been that way, willing to to try nutrition and natural approaches to try and heal things.

I did a cardio today for my workout- work on the treadmill and the ellitpical. It is so nice outside today and is supposed to be even nicer tomorrow. I am thinking I want to go for a walk tomorrow. All this nice weather makes me want spring, but where we live you never know. It could be spring one day and snowing the next.

Food:

B: oatmeal with berries and protein powder

S: protein shake

L: edamme, homemade kale chips

S: green smoothie

D: homemade quesadillas with brown rice tortilla, beyond meat burger crumbles, peppers, refried beans, salsa and guacamole, salad

S: rice cakes with almond butter and 1/2 banana

Slept crappy again last night. I am tired of this insomnia. Hopefully I can get in soon to that naturopath and she can figure out what is going on.

The workout felt really tough today. Chest, arms, and abs.

Food: because of waking up late, my food is off today

B: oatmeal with berries and protein powder

S: protein shake

L: green smoothie and rice crackers with homemade bean dip

D: veggie dog on gluten free bread, roasted cauliflower

S: either protein blondies or oatmeal

I would probably feel like a new woman if I slept the whole night through. Hopefully tonight.

I finished my month with my trainer. I lost 1 1/2 inches around my waist. Not a lot, but I think it would have been more if I was sleeping through the night. I wanted to do another month with her, because I love the meal plans and workouts, but for now I need to go to my naturopath apt. and figure out what is going on that I am not sleeping and get my body healing.

I wrote my own workouts for the next few weeks.

Back/ bicep

1. reverse grip pullups- 4x AMRAP( I did 3-4 reps)

2. single arm seated row- 4x8 ( 40 lbs,)

3. straight arm pull downs- 4x10 ( 70-80 lbs.)

superset with plank rows- 4x10

4. rope cable bicep curl- 4x8-10 ( 60 lb.s)

5. 21's - 4 sets ( 30 lbs.)

6. drag curls- 4x 10 ( 40 lbs.)

finished off with 2000 meter row

Food:

B: 1 c. cooked oatmeal with raspberries and protein powder

S: 2 rice cakes with almond butter and protein shake

L: gluten free bread and green juice( I was running around)

D: thai bean and curry soup( got at health food resteraunt), brown rice, salad

S: green smoothie or oatmeal with protein powder

I finally resorted to over the counter sleeping pills last night about 4 am. I getting tired of this not sleeping junk. I know I have been whining a lot about it. Can't wait until I see that naturopath. I know a lot of this stems from Hashimotos and I am hoping she can help me with this. Sometimes I feel like my family doesn't understand what it is like .

Leg day:

1. squats on smith machine-4x15 ( 15-30 lbs. each side)\

superset with assisted pistol squat- 4x10 each leg

2. leg press- 4x12 reps( 45-90lbs. each side)

superset with calf raises on the leg press 4x20( same weight)

3. walking lunges with 40 lb. bar-4x20

superset with stiff leg deadlift- 4x10 ( 40 lbs.)

4. single leg lying hamstring curl- 4x10-12 ( 25 lbs.)

superset with single leg deadlift( no weight) 10 reps each side

superset with reverse lunge( no weight) 10 reps

5. inner/outer thigh machine- 4x 10 each( 70-85 lbs.)

Food:( food was not great last night. I ended up doing some snacking on gluten free toast and raw brownies)

B: 1 c. cooked oats with strawberries and protein powder

S: protein shake

L: refried beans and homemade cheeze sauce over beanitos chips, salad

D: chickpea fritters, brown rice or roasted potatoes, steamed spinach

S: green smoothie or something else( don't know yet)