I lost weight without crazy tracking - how did I do it?
Recently, I made a few changes to my lifestyle that have helped me feel tighter/clothes feel better/energy is greater, etc. I wanted to take time to share those things with you in this blog post.
One thing I will say is I didn’t notice the bigger changes until this last week. Even my training clients noticed and asked me what I was doing. I told them, “Not much, really!” But the conversation sparked me to sit down and to really think about it, and then share it.
Here are the things I have been doing since July to help me with fat loss, specifically.
#1 - I have been focusing on sleep.
If you know me, you know I am terrible with sleep. I am a person that will go days on little sleep, but suddenly need a nap three days in a row on top of 8-9 hours of sleep each of those nights. I decided to make a better bedtime routine that works for me to help me fall asleep, and to stay asleep. I have a tendency to wake up in the middle of the night for a while, which tells me my stress levels are through the roof.
My bedtime routine is: Take a shower. Brush my teeth. Put on my PJ’s. Get water. Take a magnesium pill (I buy them at Target, lol). Double check my alarm is set for the morning. Read until I am sleepy. I am averaging 7-7.5 hours a night. I am working on getting to 8 hours, but right now my body is happy.
#2 - I have 35-40g of protein each meal and snack.
I eat three meals and one snack per day. Even on the weekends. I work my meals around my schedule. I have certain foods I enjoy for my meals. I like things to be simple and easy to cook or to reheat. I am lucky I have a monthly membership for my workouts and a meal plan, but some days I don’t have time for certain meals, so I choose 4 of those days per week to follow those plans.
BUT, on the days that I don’t, here are things I like to eat:
BREAKFAST: Oikos Greek Yogurt (20g P) with two eggs (12g P), oatmeal with cashew butter (4g P)
LUNCH: 6 oz (uncooked) ground beef; 7 oz (uncooked) chicken; Just Bare Chicken Nuggets, 2 servings. These things are often paired with rice and vegetables, potato and vegetables, a salad, etc.
SNACK: Leftover meat; protein shake (I use Owyn with 32g of protein, purchased at Target); yogurt and protein powder if I don’t eat yogurt at breakfast
DINNER: 6-8 oz rotisserie chicken from Costco; 6 oz chicken thighs; 6-8 oz steak; 6-8 oz ground beef/turkey/other ground meat. Often paired with salad or a plate of veggies and rice.
I know, it’s hella simple. I eat a lot of the same proteins, too. HOWEVER, I season the meats differently and use or make sauces that make it Asian, Mexican, Greek, Italian, etc. That’s how it isn’t boring to me.
#3 - I strength train 3-4 days per week.
I know, everyone says to strength train. Strength training is a wonderful tool for strength and ‘toning’, but it’s also important for everyday activities. Strength training has been proven in multiple studies to help with alleviating pain in certain ailments, increase bone density, perform daily tasks with more ease. I complete full body workouts 3-4 days per week, depending on the time I need to finish my workouts from my trainer. Some days, I don’t have time to finish it all, so I complete the last 15 minutes the following day. Lifting heavy weights is helping me lean out more. It feels good to be strong with a bonus of losing inches.
#4 - I run one or two times per week.
No, this does not have to be insanely difficult or strenuous. For over a year, I was teaching a youth conditioning class twice per week. I worked a lot on running mechanics, but I didn’t personally work on them during a time I was trying to gain muscle. So, when I added sprint intervals or 20-minute runs to my routine, I started to find ways to help these kids with their running mechanics to get faster, stronger, and to avoid injury. While I am keeping my heart healthy, I have been losing a little fat in areas I have a hard time losing fat, like my arms and my hips.
#5 - I cut down alcohol to zero to one time per week.
I like beer. If you know me, the only beer I drink is stouts lol. The darker the beer, the more calories. If I drink liquor, my preferred drink is with Tequila (I love palomas and spicy margaritas). If I drink wine, I like Chianti or Malbec. For a little while, my husband bought us alcohol and I was drinking it 3-4 days per week. This is actually very out of character for me, as I don’t often drink. But I am human and I have stress, too.
So, since we were on vacation, I have only had one drink, once per week. It’s on Sunday with my husband before I cook dinner. We enjoy a little time together (since he is currently working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week). If I don’t want to drink, but I want to be with him, then I drink my water or enjoy a sparkling water.
Holy Hannah, my mood is so much better. So is my energy. My face isn’t as puffy. I wake up easier everyday. I fall asleep faster and deeper every night. You name it, I experience the positive benefits of drinking little or nothing.
So, choosing to implement these things purposefully, but not worry about how much I am tracking (minus the protein) has been huge for me. I lost eight pounds and two inches off my waist, on top of losing inches in my breasts. My bras fit better, which is WONDERFUL.
If you aren’t sure where to start on your fitness journey, send me an email at daiglefitness@gmail.com and we will schedule a 15-minute consultation call to see if we are a good fit and set up a game plan for you.
— Ashley
9/15/24
