making the cut

lately i've been really grumpy.  i've been slowly gaining tiny amounts of weight despite eating well and exercising consistently.  i know why too.  i'm not dumb.  it's simple really, i eat too many calories and i eat too much sugar. 

for the last couple of months i've been all sorts of pouty because of this.  i *feel* like shouldn't have to be so restrictive in "maintenance" as compared when i'm in a "to lose" mindset.  the problem is that how i *feel* doesn't match the reality of the situation.  if i want to be healthy, strong and lean, i need to be more conscious and focused.  running a gazillion miles is great but, when it comes to being balanced physically, i need to have more variety in my workouts.

bottom line: i do not want to be fat.  

yes, i want to be healthy.  yes, i want to be fit and yes, i want to feel good physically, emotionally and mentally but mostly, i do not want to be fat.  i don't want to be fat because i want to be healthy.  i don't want to be fat because i want to be fit.  i don't want to be fat because i want to feel good physically, emotionally and mentally.  

at my current weight and body fat %, i'm considered "healthy."  jillian's book making the cut was written for those people who have "vanity" pounds to lose.  10-20 pounds.  in the beginning of the book she has a variety of tests to determine your level of physical fitness, your current BMR and what kind of diet you should follow based on your metabolic type (for me: balanced oxidizer). 

for me, this means a diet consisting of  ~ 1500 calories day with carb/protein/fat ratios of 40/30/30.  this means that 40% of my calories should come from carbohydrates (think whole grains, brown rice etc), 30% from protein (lean cuts of red meat, chicken and pork -- i won't eat fish) and 30% from healthy fats (nut butters, healthy oils and low fat cheeses).  

she has 5 workouts per week listed in the book.  i will complete these in addition to my running schedule so i'll have to increase my caloric intake a smidgin to stay within a healthy range.  i'm still working on this number.

her workouts are similar to circuit training.  i love circuit training but it will require i make more frequent visits to the gym and unfortunately, i'll have to deal with the fact that the weight/cardio set up at our rec- center really sucks balls.

i'll be posting here frequently.  maybe she'll have a decent recipe or two that i can share over the next 30 days.  

my friend amanda is working through the book just the same.  it's nice to have someone on the same page goal wise and i happen to like her on a personal level too so, i feel lucky! 

me: day one

{yes, this is how my hair looks 99% of the time.  it's cool}