Macros & Herbalife

I’m guilty of it. I hate that I’m guilty of it but I let the winter blues get to me. I was doing so well last year with my training, eating and weight loss. I knocked out a few races and OCRs and then it happened. I got promoted to a desk job and the holidays hit. Since the 1st of December, I had put on 8lbs. I feel terrible that I let myself get in my own way again but I’m not too far gone. With my 2014 OCR season looming in front of me (actually 3 days from now), I decided it was definitely time to get off my butt again and to start eating right, too. Starting on Sunday, tweaking what I’ve eaten and working out once, I’ve already dropped 2.5lbs. Probably water weight but it’s a start.

My real goal is to build my muscle faster and drop down to 19/20% Body Fat (I’m at 31%). I’d like to be 25lbs or so lighter than I am now, depending on the development of those muscles. I know it all comes down to eating the way my body needs. I know I have to get back in the weight room and lift, lift, lift.

I had K Mae Cags calculate my macros for me so I can help build my muscle and lean out. Here’s what she wrote to me:

Current Weight: 178 (when she quoted but now i’m 175.5)

Caloric Intake: 1886

Training Day Macros (in grams)

Protein: 150

Carbs: 160

Fat: 72

Macro Timing Breakdown

5 meals per day

30 grams of protein per meal

Training time: afternoon/early evening

Carb timing/distribution: consume most carbs around training time, carb heavy post workout

Fat timing/distribution: fat heavy breakfast, taper off fats as day goes on. Avoid fat post workout.

I’ve been testing it out this week. Trying to see how my body will adjust to it. It’s not too bad. I’m eating a lot of eggs and Quest Protein Bars (YUM!) and of course, using my love of HERBALIFE to nourish my body. I’m certainly feeling less bloated and more energetic since I’ve started doing the combination of macro and Herbalife. I’m back on my daily multivitamins, high water intake and 3 meals (snacking in between). I can already tell the difference in my body and I’m  looking forward to a successful year of training. I’ll have K Mae Cags redo my macros in a couple of months to adjust to my progress. It’s harder to eat according to my macros because of all of the math, but it’ll get easier as I remember how much protein, carbs and fat are in the things I like to eat. This just basically cuts out dining out because I won’t know what they put in anything. I think a cheat day each week is in order where I don’t have to calculate all day long but still stay mindful.

I’m a little obsessed with the new flavors of HERBALIFE that I’ve recently purchased and I thought I’d share.

10oz. of Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
2 Scoops of Formula 1 Dulce de Leche
1 Scoop of Vanilla Protein Drink Mix
1 HALF Scoop of Chocolate Rebuild Mix

DE-Licious! Tons of protein in that and fills me up. I might also add flax seed to it.

Can’t wait to do a follow up in 2 months to show you the progress in my body and how I’m feeling. If you don’t Herbalife, you should.

Welp! I’m doing the Survival Race and going to the Arnold Fitness Expo this weekend in Columbus. Shall be eventful and I’ll blog about it later! Have a good weekend!

YES, I’m a woman and I lift weights.

This post is springing from a very ignorant and kind of insulting comment someone said to me while I was working at my hotel. Where I work, a lot of my guests know me because they see me every week. They know I train for Spartan Race and other obstacle course races. They know I lift weights.

One night last week, a guest who so happens to be a man, overheard me catching up with a guest about my recent race. We talked about the course and what kinds of things I did to train for it (Miller Park). After our conversation was over and that guest left, this specific man who was listening in to our ever-intriguing conversation came over. He was interested to learn more about Spartan Race which I always welcome because, yes, I love to talk about it. All day. Every day. To anyone who will listen.

When the subject came up about how I train, he became rude. I told him about training with my trainer, lifting on my days without him and the running I’ve been picking up. Not only did he try to make me feel stupid because I’m still a slow 11 minute mile runner (I hate running so shut up!), but then he proceeded to say, “But you’re a woman. Why would you want to lift weights?”

Sigh. Seriously. That’s what this crazy person said to me. I waited for him to laugh because he was joking, right? Right? No. Not so much. He stared intently at me, waiting for me to answer his insulting question. God forbid a woman exercise where men go to get BIG! Yeah, this all coming from an overweight, older than middle aged man who has just has more than three glasses of wine and a bunch of fried food. All he lifts is his food to his MOUTH.

I’m not angry. Just kind of appalled that people still think like this. Women can’t lift weights. It’s weird. It’s unnecessary. It’s not womanly. They can’t handle it. They have no need for muscles. Hmmm …

Anyways – I wanted to say that I think all women should lift weights. Now that I have been doing it consistently for the last six months I can’t see myself at the gym without picking some up. Lifting weights helps build your muscles which helps increases the amount of calories you burn in a day. Even when you’re just resting. What woman doesn’t want that? And WHY, oh why would a woman not want to be strong? We live in a day and age where women are breaking out of the cookie cutter norms. Build some muscle, be active, lift heavy. Lifting those 5 pound weights will not do anything for you and lifting HEAVY will not make you bulky (it takes a whole LOT for that to happen). I’m tired of men AND women thinking it’s a strange sight to see a woman on a weight room floor. Get over it. We want to be fit, too! We want to be healthy. We want to be strong. Lifting weights is the way to do it.

I used to be awkward about being on the floor with the big boys but now, I feel untouchable when I go in there. I’m getting stronger and stronger every day. I’m lifting more at each fitness evaluation. I’m doing better in my OCRs. Next year, 2014, will be my year. I’ll be in the best shape of my life. I’ll complete two Spartan Race trifectas. I’ll be the strongest I’ve ever been. I’ll be up in the gym. A woman. Lifting.