Hattie the Fattie

So, as I’ve already mentioned, I’ve been swimming like there’s no tomorrow. I am losing inches (though, shame on me for not taking my before measurements so I don’t know exactly how many I’ve lost), and gaining all kinds of muscle definition. It’s getting noticeable - especially in my arms.

However, my weight is the same. I haven’t actually lost any. 

Part of this is because I KNOW I’ve thrown “eating healthy” out the window (totally stupid on my part). I am watching how MUCH I’m eating, but I’ve pretty much decided that if I’m hungry and I want it, I’m gonna eat it.

Yes, I know it’s stupid. I totally, totally know and am making it a goal to change this over the course of the next month.

The other part, though, is that I don’t think I’m eating enough.

When I plug my workouts into the calorie burn calculators, even if I go all conservative with my swim intensity, I’m burning about 1000 calories a workout - and I’m averaging 4 swims/week. Even without watching what I’m eating, I know I’m not eating as often as I did.

Anyway, I’m guessing that it’s time to start logging what/how much I’m eating and when I’m eating. Back to food logging. Again, it’s stupid that I chucked it to the side, but it’s so, so, so important. 

The next two days I’m taking off and I’ll start up on Monday with the food and exercise logging. Hopefully, I’ll crack the weight-loss stall and finally start putting pounds lost in ADDITION to the inches lost and muscle gained.

I haven’t forgotten my goals for this blog. I haven’t forgotten my commitment to keeping it. And while it may LOOK like I have and that I have a lot to account for, what I haven’t even been doing is sitting here feeling guilty for not keeping this blog up.

You see, I’ve been busy DOING my goals… to the point where I haven’t been near a computer enough to keep up the blog.

Since January 2nd, I have spent every weekday at the gym swimming at least 20 laps each and every time I went (I’m usually swimming as hard as I can for 35-45 minutes each time). I’ve even gotten to the point where I’ve decided to add arm and leg resistance to my daily swim in order to burn more calories and tone up my muscles.

The Up Side: I am actually starting to see some definition and inches lost in almost every part of my body. And I feel healthier and more confident than ever.

The Down Side(s): I’m eating like crap and I’ve actually gained 2 pounds since starting this blog.

My clothes genuinely ARE getting looser. But I know I’m not paying attention to what I’m eating or how much I’m eating. I’ve stumbled into that horrible mindset of “well, I’m working out HARD every day, I NEED these calories or else I’ll go into starvation mode.”

And while that might be partially true, what’s NOT true is that working out hard for 35-45 minutes every day is a license to eat whatever I want. 

So, I’ve bought Sensa… Admittedly, that’s not going to get me eating BETTER, per se, but it should help me START eating less. And eating less at this point is a step in the right direction. 

There’s my new goals, I guess: Continue the awesome work out progress, eat less crap, eat better food.

…. but did I mention the muscles?! I have MUSCLES!!!!! Like, REAL ones! In my quads, delts, biceps and triceps!!! It’s pretty flippin’ awesome.