I've been struggling lately. This month I've ran more and have done more workouts then I have in ages. I felt strong for most of the month, but over the last two weeks I've been feeling off. I don't know exactly how to explain it other then "off." I feel swollen. My jeans don't fit right in the calf area (possible muscle growth from added running and sand runs??). I feel a little nausea when I'm hungry. My stomach has been rumbling at bedtime (perhaps the two are related and deal with not eating enough with all the added workouts). I've had some headaches (caffeine withdrawal maybe?).
I joined that six week challenge with my bootcamp and I don't feel motivated to do it; does that sound familiar or what! Every challenge I sign up for this seems to happen. I start off motivated then I fizzle. I read through the recipes and it just doesn't sound good to me, but honestly, I haven't tried any of them. Paleo doesn't seem much different then clean eating except it cuts out a lot of my favorite foods (oatmeal, rice, tortillas); which is why I think I'm struggling with some of the recipes. They use a lot of ingredients that I'm not interested in or have tried before and don't like (coconut flour?! almond meal?? coconut milk! No thanks). There are 70+ people in the challenge and it's all point based. To get points you have to post stuff in the group which only about 10 people do, so I'm thinking that I'm not alone in not being motivated by this challenge.
Coffee creamer was starting to leave a bitter taste in my mouth. I've drank coffee with creamer in it for ages, so I decided to take a break from the creamer. Almost an entire week without it now. I've had one latte instead of 3-4 cups full of coffee and creamer; and I haven't had latte's every day (I'd go broke and Chris would kill me!). I haven't really noticed a difference other then slight headaches (most likely from caffeine withdrawal). If I find myself wanting coffee I just have a cup of hot tea. It's more the warmth I've been wanting.
With the end of January camp and start of February camp comes measurements. I do weekly weigh-ins on my own so I know my weight has been really funny lately, so I wasn't too shocked to see it sitting at 163. What annoyed me was the body fat and BMI numbers going up. I was venting to my workout buddies and they said it's probably muscle since some of my measurements went down. I'm not fully convinced about it being muscle. A pound is a pound. Doesn't matter if it's fat or muscle, it will still weigh the same. The only difference muscle has less volume so it takes up less space making your body look different. Well, my body is definitely looking different these days - nothing. fits. I'm living in yoga pants. I feel so swollen. I just don't get it.
It has to be what I'm eating. I think that I'm overestimating how much I'm burning during my workouts, and I'm probably eating those calories. I took a short break from logging my calories to regroup. I started back today and I'm going to focus on a few things:
1) Staying in the 1800-2000 calorie range. I know if I go lower then 1500 I get cranky. Seeing as how I workout every day and some days twice a day, I think it's unsafe to go any lower.
2) Drink more water. I believe this will help with the headaches.
3) Add more protein. If I am building more muscle I need to fuel it. I've been having chocolate milk after workouts and I don't like it. I need better fuel, so back to protein powder I go.
4) Less carbs. Not no carb, just less...I need my sweet potatoes!
5) Stay POSITIVE! I know I just need to make some adjustments and things will get better. My good friend Jenn told me, "Remember...numbers don't define you. You are what you make yourself."
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