Anthem

I know this post will get a big fat eye roll from a few of you.  {I saw that, Randi!}

But Britney has a song out that I absolutely LOVE.

Let's get serious.  I know this is a sassy club anthem for teens and wanna-be 21-year-olds (like myself).  HAVING SAID THAT, I think the message here is so incredibly true and so many people don't freaking get it.  I mean, it's not fancy.  She says it simply.

You wanna, you wanna

You want a hot body? You want a Bugatti?
You want a Maserati? You better work bitch
You want a Lamborghini? Sippin' martinis?
Look hot in a bikini? You better work bitch
You wanna live fancy? Live in a big mansion?
Party in France?
You better work bitch, you better work bitch
You better work bitch, you better work bitch
Now get to work bitch!
Now get to work bitch!

Bring it on, ring the alarm
Don't stop now, just be the champion
Work it hard, like it's your profession
Watch out now, cause here it comes
Here comes the smasher, here comes the master
Here comes the big beat, big beat disaster
No time to quit now, just time to get it now
Pick up what I'm putting down
Pick up what I'm putting down

You want a hot body? You want a Bugatti?
You want a Maserati? You better work bitch
You want a Lamborghini? Sippin' martinis?
Look hot in a bikini? You better work bitch
You wanna live fancy? Live in a big mansion?
Party in France?
You better work bitch, you better work bitch
You better work bitch, you better work bitch
Now get to work bitch!
Now get to work bitch!

Break it off, break it down
See me come and you can hear my sound
Tell somebody in your town
Spread the word, spread the word
Go call the police, go call the governor
I bring the treble, don't mean to trouble ya'
I make the governor, call me the governor
I am the bad bitch, the bitch that you'll never know

Hold your head high, fingers to the sky
They gonna try to try ya', but they can't deny ya'
Keep it moving higher, and higher
Keep it building higher, and higher
So hold your head high, fingers to the sky
Now they don't believe ya', but they gonna meet ya'
Keep it moving higher and higher
Keep it moving higher and higher and higher

Work, work, work, work
Work, work, work, work
Work, work, work, work
Work, work, work
Work it out, work it out, work it out, work it out
Work it out, work it out, work it out, work it out
Work it out, work it out, work it out, work it out
Work it out, work it out
You better work bitch
You better work bitch

You want a hot body? You better work, bitch.

If this song came on while at the gym, I would definitely kick it into 5th gear. It just fires me up!  It's New Years time and of course many of us are thinking about our body's shape and where we want to be.  This was me last year.  On Dec. 28 I signed up for FitOrbit.  I'm the cliche NY resolution.  But I am so damn proud that I am the real deal.  I can't express how satisfying it was to go to the gym today for Leg Day and bask in the victory of making it one year.  Last year I walked in feeling very fat and very out of shape.  This year I walked in feeling fabulous.  So, I will begin my New Year with this song in mind to remind me of the work that it takes.  Of course, if you people need an anthem, I encourage you to use mine.{!}

Back to Basics

How many of you just SQUEEd because I have a new blog post?!




One of you?





Jen?
Okay. Jen, this is for you!

Life got crazy in September.  This was the second-to-last time I blogged and the explanation can be found here.  I appreciate the patience.  I'm not sure what to write about any more.  I blogged because people wanted to know how I got fit.  However, recently, people keep asking me about my blog.  So, here's a treat for you.

To summarize in advance: Yes, I've maintained. (boom) Yes, I've gained. (whoops)  Yes, it's constant work.

I have been trying to maintain the weight that I reached in May 2012.  That number was 142.  Without going into the muscle vs. fat, how much does the scale matter debate, at 142, I was lean (enough) to wear a Size 4/Small without even trying anything on. I was comfortable in everything I wore. I felt toned.  I was perfectly happy with the bod.  Looking back, I can see that the last week of September was a turning point for me.  I developed some bad habits.

Me before I stuffed my face every day for 3 months.

Let me explain a little bit.

I lost the weight in May.  I spent all summer maintaining a "clean" lifestyle while having decadent meals on vacation, a cookie now and then, etc.  I also played with working out 3-4 times a week instead of 6.  I wanted to test the waters and see how relaxed I could be with the nutrition and/or fitness before my body started to change in any way.  Because really, who eats clean ALL THE TIME and works out SIX DAYS A WEEK?!?!  I mean, not me..... hopefully.  I love to work out, but I don't want it to be a chore.  Well, I ran my half marathon on October 6. And then I took a break from running.  I wanted to prance around the gym for about 30  minutes 3-4 times per week.  Some weeks it was 2-3 times per week. I wasn't necessarily burned out. I was just going through a lazy streak. I would come home really hungry sometimes. I would eat like 3 dinners.  Plus some grazing.  Granted, these were all "clean" dinners.  For example, a burrito followed by a Larabar followed by toast with Nuttzo and bananas.  I would graze and add on to my heart's desire.  Well, the pounds slowly crept onto the scale.  My skinny jeans became too snug for comfort.  I hit about 146 for a while.  (No biggie, right?)  The week after Christmas I hit 149.4.  AAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDDD we're putting the cookie DoWn.  Isn't it funny how everything is all fun and games until you see a certain number? I've always been like that. I think it's normal not to stress about every little pound, but at some point, the gains are significant.

I knew what I was doing.  I was testing it.  I'll be damned if I have to "start over" ever again.  I also knew that I was eating things that were borderline legit. For example, I'd eat crackers with flax seeds and Nuttzo. I lost track of portions (Nuttzo) and my snacks included some processing (crackers).  I needed to get back to the basics.  I would also have 5 meals in mind, but I was grazing too much.  As Jen said in May, "Maintenance is going to look a lot like dieting."  Again, that's so true.  It took a lot of work to get to 149.  I thoroughly relaxed about food for a solid 3 months.  I enjoyed a Thanksgiving and a Christmas.  I truly feel like this is a part of the life change process.  I needed to see how far I could go without consequences.  Now I know.

So, on Dec. 29 I cleaned it up.
1. Body Fat
My goal is to get back to the 142 range.  Clothes need to fit better.
2. Work Out Schedule
I need to work out at the 5AM shift or the 3:30PM (right after work) time slot.  I got so lazy that I would come home, eat a lot of food, take a nap, and then head to the gym around 8-8:30.  I don't like that pattern.  It messed with my sleep and my appetite.
3. Nutrition
I need to get back to clean food. Like squeaky clean. And less bread.  Anyway, I want to basically not worry about recipes and I want to mostly eat meals and snacks that are basic.  Meat, veg, carb. Protein, carb. etc.  So, I plan to always have the following foods. I know how to make simple meals & combinations with all of these:
oatmeal
spinach
berries
tuna/chicken/salmon
nut butter (Jen, stop giggling.)
eggs
apples
sweet potatoes
bananas
tomatoes
brown rice
nuts

Seriously. That's it.

Here is a picture of the body in August.  This is maintenance mode done RIGHT.  I love it.

For the record, I've been back to business for 3 days and I'm already seeing 146 on my scale.  Hopefully I can get down to 142 in a couple of weeks so that I can relax a little bit more (but not as much as I did the first time).