..Or “I still hate doing this shit, but slowly but surely it is working”

Today marks the end of the first calendar month I have been working on my fitness regiment.

I really have, for the most part, stuck with it.  I will admit that I had a couple of small lapses…like a weekend trip to LA (but I threw up the whole time I was hungover, so really how many calories could that have been?) and a few many very, very lazy days.     

So far, the results have been slow going, but over the last week and a half/two weeks I have seen things start to happen.  I am now down 5 pounds and 2 inches in the waist.  

It is not the results I would see if I were on one of the crash diets that I am so good at.   My health-conscious friends assure me that is good.  It is sustainable.  It is steady.  I am on par.

I do, however, feel exponentially better.  I feel toner and leaner and really just in an overall better mood.  Turns out people weren’t just lying about this fitness crap.

I am still eating the 6 small meals a day.  The first couple of weeks I documented everything I ate to make sure I was eating the exact amount of calories and protein I needed.  It didn’t take long to train myself to know automatically, and now the documentation isn’t necessary. 

I have been doing a variety of different workouts, including intervals on the eliptical, circuits on the machines, the Jillian Michael’s 30 day shred video, and jogging on the hills in my neighborhood.  Yesterday I did yoga for the first time ever.  I slept two hours last night because I hurt so bad after (hurt in a good way, I suppose…like I had just gone to the chiropractor for the first time after a long time).

From what I hear, in the next month, my results should come even quicker.  I can’t wait. 

Also..when am I done? :)

While my brother, the fitness guru was here, he worked with me on developing a fairly regimented fitness and nutrition plan in order to get me in shape.

I will admit, when it comes to working out, I have never really put much into it.  There is a lot that I don’t know, but am fascinated by.

The first thing that my brother did was to calculate my BMR, or basal metabolic rate. This is basically your metabolism, or how many calories your body naturallyuses while at rest during the day.  I have always been in the strict *eat less!* club while working out, but as it turns out, all that mumbo-jumbo about needing to eat a certain amount so that your body doesn’t start to starve itself?  Well, it is not only true, but also there is an actual amount. 

In order to build muscle I have to eat at least 1539 calories a day.  Now, if I only eat 1539 calories a day (split over 6 small meals for optimal results) then above and beyond that, for ever 3500 calories I burn (not as hard as it sounds when you consider how many you burn doing everyday things) I will lose a pound. 

As far as eating goes, I am not on a diet, just a dietary plan.  There is nothing (aside from what I don’t eat as a vegetarian) that is off limits.  I just have to stay within my caloric goal.  I also am shooting to eat the same grams of protein as the my weight.  Which is challenging, especially if you do not eat meat. 

I can make sure that I am toning with 40 minutes of exercise, three times a week.   20 of that needs to be intervals either running or on the elliptical.  Within 30 minutes of exercising, and I am told this is key, I need protein.  I have bought a soy protein powder already for this.

So, there’s a little more to it, but essentially, that is the plan. 

I will admit, and I am ashamed to do so, that this is the first time in my life I have ever set out to get in shape in a completely healthy mannar.  No crazy work out binges, no starving myself or purging my food.   I gained weight because I quit smoking, but I have to remember that I quit smoking in order to get healthy.  So that is what I am going to do.

I will keep you updated!  Wish me luck!

PS. If you want to figure out your BMR click here

that when I have a bright idea like “hey, I’ll snack on carrot sticks at work, because while I do hate them, they’re so healthy, and since I just went jogging on my lunch I don’t really want to ruin that” I sign on to tumblr and my dashboard is full…top to bottom…of amazing looking food.

Its fine.  My carrot sticks are super…uh…crunchy? 

And there is not much doubt that I am.  But, one of my guy friends came over last night, and told me that when he first saw me he thought how “healthy” I looked.  He said it as a compliment.  I took it as “wow, you look like a rhino.”

That’s it. The 8 pounds post-smoking weight has got to go.  Stat.

Where you take picture of like super fit models and athletes and what-not who you totally idolize and you cut out pictures of them and you put them on your fridge to make you remember that no, you don’t really need the chocolate-syrup covered ice cream (soy or not), and that you really should get off your ass and do some crunches?  You know, the one that seems ridiculous at best, and more likely just totally psychotic?  That thing?  No?
Doing it.