Day 26 of Challenge #1 – Drink Up

The first thing on your mind the morning after an evening workout sesh and/or a night of drinking should be water. If you’re extra capable in the morning, perhaps a jazzed up version with lemon or diluted apple cider vinegar. More often than not, though, coffee is the first thing I gulp down. The caffeine in a cup (or three) of joe is just the stimulant I need to jolt myself awake when I have that foggy, half-conscious feeling that makes me want to go back to bed. While coffee has its benefits, hydration isn’t one of them.

Other inconspicuous causes of dehydration include, but are not limited to: the weather, cutting out carbs, stress, and breathing(!). I would like to think I’m drinking enough H2O to counteract all the stressors, but I fall drastically short when comparing myself against either the 8×8 rule or water intake based on weight. Tbh, it’s a miracle I’m hydrated at all.

Not surprisingly, our newish regimen calls for even more water to remain hydrated. The graphic below breaks down just how much water we need to ingest for a workout and when. For 30 minutes of exercise, it’s recommended I drink anywhere between 54 and 66 ounces of H2O. Theoretically, since women require less water than men for the same intensity and duration of an exercise, I’d be on the lower end of that recommended range, while Hubby would be on the higher end. In reality, I think Hubby drinks even less water than I do.

Yet, the benefits of hydration make us wonder why we’re not doing better to meet our daily goal. Not only does it prevent hangovers, but it also increases physical performance, satiety, metabolic rate, energy levels, and brain function—and for next to nothing. Sign me up, please!

Infographic: Water intake when exercising

Day 25 of Challenge #1 – Bad Decisions

Some people have the ability to plan weeks or months in advance. Hubby is one of those people, so thankfully he makes up for my errant ways. I’m more of a day-to-day/hour-to-hour gal. I’ll put in events/appointments/meetings in my iCalendar, but otherwise I fly by the seat of my pants and see where the day takes me. This of course has its disadvantages. Take Thursday for example.

I knew I had an event that evening that I was dragging Hubby to and I also knew that I had to workout. Knowing these two things, though, did not make me get up at 6 AM to workout. I could have seized the day and reaped all the benefits of working out early in the AM—not the least of which is better mood and greater energy. But no, instead I did the very opposite: I worked out after I imbibed.

Yes, you read that terrible decision right. Hubby and I both had a couple of beers at the event and about an hour later, dragged ourselves to the gym. Under any other circumstance, we would have skipped the gym and made our way to bed, but we were relentless being so close to the finish line with this challenge.

It turns out that going from happy hour to the gym is a more common occurrence than I had originally thought. Yet, the risks that alcohol poses can be quite serious: impaired coordination, judgement, and balance, dehydration, and greater likelihood of injury to oneself and others. We should have called it a day after the drinks, but we did eat a lot of food that buffered the effects. Luckily, we were only doing weight machines that day and made out okay. Still, learn from our mistake folks!

To be clear, Hubby only did four (4) upper-body weight machines and then used the stair stepper.
I did six (6) upper-body weight machines and passed on the stair stepper.

Day 24 of Challenge # 1 – Avoid Overeating

One downside I’ve found to working out in the evening is that I’m twice as hungry come dinnertime. It doesn’t help that most days I’m lollygagging between getting home and going to the gym, so much so that by the time I finally hit the machines it’s close to 7 PM. While working out does make it slightly easier for me to steer clear of junk food (see Combat Cravings), it doesn’t necessarily encourage me stick to those pesky portion sizes. The last thing I want to do, however, is pack on more pounds by overcompensating for the calories I burned.

Here are two culprits as to why I might be so hungry after working out: dehydration and improper fueling before exercise. I admit, I’m guilty of both. I certainly don’t drink enough water before, during, or after a workout. Theoretically this would be an easy fix because I have access to drinkable water both at home and at work. Each day, though, I only manage to refill my 16 oz water bottle 3-4 times, even with working out. I’m trying to become more conscious of water intake and on the fence about whether this type of water bottle would help. Another thing I need to work on is remembering to eat lunch at a decent time. Often times, I forget to eat lunch and instead, load up on snacks that don’t provide enough nourishment. Tsk, tsk.

Here are two additional suggestions to help mitigate hunger pangs: meal timing and meal composition. The sweet spot of eating a meal is some time between 30 to 60 minutes after I complete my workout. Meanwhile, nutritional experts have reinforced the notion that dinner should be the smallest meal of the day. Dinner is usually my biggest meal, sigh. In terms of what to eat post-workout, it’s recommended to have a certain ratio of carbs to protein depending on the intensity of the workout. For high-intensity, you should aim for 4:1 or 3:1 ratio, while low-intensity (ahem, me) only requires a 2:1 or 1:1 ratio of carbs to protein.

After working out on Wednesday, Hubby and I were mindful not to overeat. We showered quickly and ate within the hour—a meal consisting of some veggies with quinoa and chicken. I wish I could say all of our meals are as timely, healthy and well-balanced, but alas that’s far from the truth.

Day 23 of Challenge #1 – Micro-Progressions

Variety is the spice of life, so they say. Three weeks into the challenge and unlike Hubby, I hadn’t really ventured out of my comfort zone. I’ve stuck to the good ole elliptical and the same weight machines thus far. Hubby, in the meanwhile, has played racquetball (a sport he only picked up this month), switched up weight machines each leg, arm, and core day, used the stair stepper, and even decided to forgo the elevator altogether to climb up 20 flights of stairs from the gym to our apartment. I’m not the athletic sort, so climbing stairs has the same appeal to me as running a marathon. Let’s be real, I’d be a goner after the 3rd flight of stairs.

Realizing this, I had to wonder, though, whether my lack of variety was hindering my progress. Yes, a body gets used to repetitive exercises, but what at point should I switch up my workout? Enter the F.I.T.T. principle, which stands for frequency, intensity, time, and type. It’s recommended to change at least two of those four elements every four to six weeks. Gladly, I hadn’t reached the four-week mark just yet.

In between changing exercise routines, however, there is a benefit to making small changes to get better results. Micro-progressions are minor alterations in exercise technique that maintain the same pattern of movement, but challenge the body so as to avoid a training plateau. This could be as simple as switching up your stance or hand position. With all this in mind, I skipped the rowing machine and opted to try out two new upper-body weight machines—the shoulder press and the chest press. I also upped the weights on the Pulldown machine to 50 lbs because pulling down 40 lbs became a little too easy. Overall, it was a great workout!

Proof – except Hubby did do the Rowing machine, while I chose to use the shoulder and chest press
New Machines!

Day 22 of Challenge #1 – Combat Cravings

I ate like complete trash the previous week, so it wasn’t entirely surprising to see my lack of weight loss on Sunday. One cheat meal of pizza and sweets led to days of bad eating and spiraled into consuming mostly junk food on the weekend. On Monday, I decided it was time to reset. Coming off a sugar bend, though, is never easy for me. While science isn’t 100% certain about sugar addiction being a thing, I do feel like I experience withdrawal symptoms.

Of course, when I’m conscious of the need to avoid sweets, it becomes about the only thing I think of. Fear is one tactic I use in an attempt to keep processed foods at bay. I have to constantly remind myself that one taste of sugar will escalate to me wanting more—hi, I lack self-control. And if I really want to scare myself, I think of the adage “a moment on the lips, forever on the hips.” Let’s just hope that one’s not true.

Turns out exercise is a healthier strategy to curb cravings, particularly after a difficult day at work. Mental exhaustion can cause an increase in caloric intake because the brain/body needs to replenish its energy levels. Enter exercise! Aside from physical activity increasing the available energy in the body’s bloodstream and promoting satiety, it can also provide cognitive stimulation to avoid thinking of foods you want to eat. With that said, after I worked out on Monday, I didn’t have as strong of an urge to binge on sweets. After all, they do say “the struggle makes success taste sweeter.”

Day 21 of Challenge #1 – Mamba Mentality

On Sunday, January 26th, tragedy struck when the world lost one of its greatest all-time athletes—Kobe Bryant. Unlike Hubby, who is a die hard fan and has followed Bryant’s career throughout, I only knew of the man’s legacy on a superficial level. Not surprisingly then, when I started seeing the hashtag #mambaforever or an iteration thereof go viral, did I have to look it up to get the reference. I may not be a sports aficionado, but I am fascinated by the inner thoughts of a highly-esteemed athlete.

It’s said that Bryant created the ‘Black Mamba’ as an alter-ego to deal with one of the lowest points in his life, when he was charged with sexually-assaulting a 19-yr-old. What started out as a persona for Bryant to compartmentalize his professional life from his personal one transcended into a mindset for others to adopt. “Hard work outweighs talent — every time,” Bryant stated. “Mamba mentality is about 4 a.m. workouts, doing more than the next guy and then trusting in the work you’ve put in when it’s time to perform. Without studying, preparation and practice, you’re leaving the outcome to fate. I don’t do fate.”

Bryant’s ethics about hard work really helped me put this challenge into perspective. Losing weight and looking better are secondary goals to developing a mindset where working out becomes second-nature. Hubby and I are on track to do just that. We’re no longer relying on exercise being a part of our day when we have the time, but rather, making the time to make sure it happens. We certainly don’t want to rely on fate when it comes to our health and are willing to put in the hard work. Thanks Kobe for reinforcing the importance of dedication and consistency, among many, many other things!

Hubby’s killing it!

Day 20 of Challenge #1 – Baby Steps

As I’ve mentioned before, I am a weakling. This isn’t an understatement. One time I was holding a baby that couldn’t have been more than 12 lbs, and my arm started to go numb after what felt like forever (but it was really closer to 10 minutes, if that. It wasn’t just due to blood circulation, but also my arms tensing up and overcompensating for the lack of muscle. I had no choice but to manhandle the baby over to hubby and be in awe of the strength required for motherhood/fatherhood.

So here I am, trying to create/build up my muscles. During the first week of weights, I set all the machines to 30 lb. For the following two weeks, including this one, I upped the ante and set all the machines to 40 lb. I did the same amount of sets and reps (3 sets of 10 reps) all three weeks and let me tell you, I felt the burn throughout. I momentarily questioned whether I should increase the weights again or do another rep this, but my arms felt like jelly after the 3rd set and refused to pull or push even one more.

Much like most things related to body and health, there’s science behind muscle gains and weight lifting. For example, in the debate regarding more weight or more reps, it depends on the end goal. If the end goal is increasing muscle mass, then it’s recommended to complete a low number of reps with heavy weights. Conversely, if the end goal is increasing muscle endurance, it’s recommended to complete a high number of reps with light weights. Even better is a strategy alternating the two for long-term success.

Fitness experts also have suggestions when it’s best to up the weights. One such suggestion is the “2 for 2” rule: increase the weight when you’re able to complete 2 more reps with your current weight for 2 consecutive workouts. I can’t get past completing 1 more rep right now, let alone 2 reps, so I’m taking that as a sign to stay at 40 lb until I get a bit stronger. While I was grunting, hubby went on the elliptical because his racquetball partner cancelled. All in all, it was a good day.

Proof for 1/25/20 -Check out my ever-improving rowing skills and Hubby’s elliptical workout using the Apple Watch (which he swears is way more accurate)

Day 19 of Challenge #1 – Create A Deadline

It came to no one’s surprise that come Friday, I was ready for the work week to be over. The cold, snowy day mirrored my mood. I was very grateful, though, to have a lunch scheduled mid-day with some of my recent co-workers. They might not have showed up, but for the fact that it was the start of restaurant week. We were all looking forward to take advantage of the more affordable menu at a highly-rated restaurant. Let me tell you, it was a relief to see their smiling faces while enjoying food. I think food makes EVERYTHING better (hence why that’ll most likely be the focus of Challenge #2).

Meanwhile, Hubby was desperate to cheer me up and suggested going to see Bad Boys For Life that night. I’m all for an action movie and we don’t go out to the movie theater that often, so I happily agreed to date night. Hubby decided on a late-night showing and booked tickets to a 9 PM showing (yay for advanced seat selection!).

This meant that as soon as 5 PM hit, we had to hustle to get everything done before 9 PM. We had to get home, work out, shower, eat, and walk the pup, all before heading out. If we didn’t have evening plans, we would have dillydallied and took our time to complete our goals/tasks/what have you. Yet with a deadline, there is a sense of ease to getting things done because you don’t have time to re-think or hold off on doing something. There’s just more of a ‘go-go-go’ mentality attached to an imminent deadline and go-go-go we did. Check out our Friday workouts below!

I did the elliptical on Friday, Hubby did weights because he had a Racquetball session
scheduled for Saturday.

Day 18 of Challenge #1 – Distract Yourself

Still reeling from the events that took place at work on Wednesday, Thursday became a “gotta get thru this” kinda day. With Daniel Bedingfield coursing through my ear buds, I reluctantly accepted the challenge. I made a to-do list and focused on the task at hand, steadily knocking off each item. My work day was unarguably more productive, but my morale was upended. The noise and cheer emanating from the typical hubbub was sorely lacking. My day would normally be filled with bouts of conversation and laughter, but now the office was filled silence. Thankfully, my company allows us to use headphones during work, so it was easy to mask the silence with music and podcasts.

It was a reprieve to finally get home and work out. I’m a huge fan of Netflix and chill on the couch, but lately I’ve been watching Netflix while working out. On weight lifting days, however, I’ve become a fan of listening to podcasts. On this particular day, I tuned into an episode of The Morning Toast. The witty and hilariously fast-paced show was just the distraction I needed. I die for pop-culture, so it took little to no effort to clear my mind as I heard their top five stories of the day. Needless to say, weight day passed by in a flurry.

Hubby’s Apple Watch is going to have to serve as my proof too 🙂

Day 17 of Challenge #1 – Exercising After Eating

It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day at work on Wednesday. I moseyed into work only to find out that half the employees at my office were laid off. While this action had been expected for some time and I was lucky enough to still have my job, it didn’t make it any easier to stomach the fact that I had just lost some of my closest co-workers. The silver lining for them was that the severance package was extremely generous, but I’m sure it didn’t take away from the aftermath of being forced to decide their next steps. It was such a gut-wrenching feeling seeing all these sullen faces and realizing I may never see some of them again.

The only saving grace of my day was that I had dinner plans already scheduled with some non-co-worker friends (hubby excluded). Delicious food and catching up with hilarious folks served as a great diversion. I didn’t want this part of the day to come to an end, but I realized bedtime was slowly creeping up and I still hadn’t worked out. Hubby already had his 6 PM racquetball sesh, so it would have been so easy to give myself a pass. Still, I felt a strong urge to clear my head.

So what’s the rule of thumb for working out after eating? Most sources say it’s ideal to wait two to three hours after eating a meal to exercise. One source I found said waiting one to two hours was ok. One hour was also the waiting time recommended after eating a snack, under 200 calories. Why? Because working out sooner can affect digestion and performance.

I ended up waiting approximately an hour and a half before getting on the elliptical. I didn’t experience an upset stomach or any sluggishness. My final results on the elliptical, in fact, were on par with my performance from other days. And though I can’t say without a doubt that my digestion wasn’t affected, any issues that may have presented itself had to have been really mild. Regardless, I’m not making it a habit to exercise shortly after eating a meal.