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Summer Fitness Goals

Goals are supremely important when it comes to fitness. Unfortunately, Hungry and I aren’t always great at having them. However, this summer (a little late), I’ve decided to change that! And by summer, I mean until late September. Goals help you fight harder toward something and give you purpose as you are working out. Goals can have a HUGE range: someone can have a goal of lowering their body fat percentage while another want to increase their splits by another inch. It can really be anything fitness, sport or health related. Just set something.

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Do Pre-Workouts Actually Work?

Well, I’ll tell you one thing, they won’t do anything if you don’t! Performance enhancing drugs enhance… performance but they don’t magically give people biceps bursting out their sleeves and eight packs. Now, it’s up to you if you want to spend a part of your hard-earned paycheck on some powders with artificial flavors and food dye to make them actually look like “fruit punch.” Obviously, just like any other consumer good, there are better and worse products based on the principles and practices of the companies that create them. Without naming any names, I’ll say that companies that constantly talk about the science behind their products and are more transparent are safer bets. If a company relies on using sex, popular people, flashy labels, and other marketing tricks to sell their sub-par products, save your money. And, if you have any specific questions, feel free to send me an email!

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Our December Goals

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… and the end of the year! 2015 is right around the corner and even though you might be working on those New Year Resolutions, we all need to realize we have three more weeks of quality time that shouldn’t be wasted! So let’s brainstorm… think of five REALISTIC goals for December. These will help keep you focused during the frenzy of the holiday season. They will also get the ball rolling so you have some momentum moving into January. It’s hard to go full throttle the first of the year, so build some steam in December by creating and achieving these reasonable goals. 

Hungry’s Goals

1. Train every day! For what? Life! I don’t have any fitness related goals right now but after skipping the last six days of November, I’ve trained every day of December. Let’s keep it going since consistency is key for progress. 

2. Perfect work attendance! Since starting at my new Y in October, I haven’t missed a shift. I want to stay healthy, or tough, enough to keep those paychecks flowing and build other’s trust in my abilities at my new workplace.

3. Bring all meals to work! Every time I forget to pack lunch or go grocery shopping, I end up spending an average of $10 on a meal. I can eat healthier and save crucial money by preparing simple meals once a week.

4. Continuing Education Rush! I did a TRX GSTC on Sunday and have loads of YMCA training courses lined up for December. Still, let’s push the envelope and finish one more I didn’t plan to do! I have some ideas so stay posted.

5. Celebrate Christmas! I love Christmas. I love presents. I love the holidays, the decorations, the music, the meals with the family. And if I’ve done 1-4, you better believe I’ll be celebrating such a great month and year. 

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Fit’s Goals

1. Train six days a week. This means either lifting, cardio, yoga, OR all three! There’s always room for something. I’m letting myself have one day off, but I’ll always be doing with my walks with Noke at the very least. 

2. Bake once a week. This was my jam every week back in Boulder, where everything was simpler and easier. I’ve baked only a few times since living here in LA, whether due to lack of time, lack of ingredients, or just laziness or tiredness. No more! Getting back on that baking…plus it’s great therapy. 

3. Cook legit meals at least three times a week. This doesn’t mean I’m eating out the other times, but Hungry and I have what we call “lazy meals” which we’ve been thriving on lately. This means quick microwaving, or fridge food. I want to get creative and into cooking more and come up and try out new recipes! My work provides my lunch so I just have to cover breakfast and dinner! 

4. Meditate every day. Oh this horse I have fallen so far off of! Yesterday, I was thinking how badly I need to get into meditation. It creates such a healthy impact on my life and I crave it especially during these stressful times.

5. Go through my emails every day. Boring one? Most certainly, but for me–necessary. I used to be good at keeping up, categorizing, etc with every single email, but during these hectic times, I just throw my hands up. Every day, I want to have my inbox organized by the end of the day. This doesn’t mean every email is taken care of, but at least it’s starred or in the proper folder. Even though it’s slightly more work, it will alleviate stress in the long-term.

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For December, there be our goals. I’m excited for us to start this tradition every month. It’s always good to set goals. It keeps you motivated, it keeps you focused, it keeps you grounded while you dream. Remember to make them (or at least most of them) realistic so that you can reach it! It’s good to set standards high, but you want them completable so that you can feel good about yourself at the end of the month. Encourage yourself and those around you to create at least 3 monthly goals. It should help keep you in line ;). Make goals to stay hungry and fit!

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Shortcuts Are for LOSERS

(Note: Apologies, loyal readers, for our absence yesterday. It was supposed to be a food post day and we failed to provide so here’s an extra special and meaningful article brought to you by Hungry, King of Rants… and Motivation.)

Have you ever seen all of those get ripped quick programs? Lose 10 lbs in 10 days? Drink this magic juice that arms your blood cells with swords and shields to destroy all of your fat cells while you sit on the couch? How about machines that burn more calories in 10 minutes than an hour in the gym? You know, the ones that you stand on and they just vibrate!

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Well, I’m not here to discredit or review any of those products. Those posts are due to come at a later time. I am here for something far more important, a lesson that someone like myself has learned personally and seen others learn over time. I am here to tell you that you don’t actually care about your results in your fitness journey.

Does that sound crazy or what? Of course you care! You’ve wanted that six-pack for ten years. You’ve wanted to fit in those size 4 jeans ever since you graduated high school. Your trainer or coach told you to set a goal, so you set a goal. And now that you’ve reached the goal, how do you feel? Great, of course!

But something is missing. It’s missing because all you’re doing is looking at your new body in the mirror and telling that body you love it! Still, you know that there’s a bigger player in this game. Emerson said “life is a journey, not a destination.” You’ve probably heard some version of that phrase, right?

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Now relate it to that body in the mirror. What does having the six-pack really mean to you now that you have it? It shouldn’t be the most important thing in the room. That six-pack can come and go in a matter of months, even weeks. Slip from your training regiment and start eating poorly and it’s nothing more than a photo of what used to be, but there’s something you never lose.

You NEVER lose that journey. (Unless you actually lose your memory) You NEVER forget what you went through to get to that point. You don’t forget the sweat. There might have even been some blood and tears… some scars to remind you. And once you’ve been through that journey, it’s not so bad to go back. You’re a seasoned veteran. You know your limits and you want to crush them!

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So please, before you sign up for any get ripped quick programs or try to take any shortcuts, think about what really matters. Think about what really lasts. Think about YOU! Oh, and stay HUNGRY AND FIT!

BONUS KITTY PIC

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Healthy Broccoli and Onion Quiche Recipe

As you know, we’re travelling to California and New Zealand in less than a week. This means we need to get rid of perishables ASAP! What is a good way to use lots of eggs in a yummy way? Oh yeah, quiche. Now, I’ve never made a quiche of my own, but I’ve always always been a fan. My parents both make wonderful quiches in such different ways and I was excited to try it. And I am amazed how easy it is to make it! Quiches are going to happen a lot more often in this household! I was planning to have it for breakfast or lunch tomorrow, but unfortunately…none of it survived (thanks, Chris). This recipe was adapted from Whole Foods. 

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  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Macronutrients

  • Serves: 8 (well, I cut it into 8 pieces…obviously just served us 2, serve yourself more if this isn’t enough and you don’t have to feel guilty about it!)
  • Calories: 98
  • Fat: 4.4g
  • Carbs: 7.4g
  • Protein: 6.8g

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 small broccoli (roughly 1.5 cups)
  • 1 white onion 
  • 1 cup milk 
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • black pepper to taste
  • paprika to taste
  • 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

Directions

  • First, grease up a square or circle baking dish and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Dice up the onion (don’t forget your goggles so you don’t cry!) and chop up the broccoli into small little pieces

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  • Heat up a pan with oil and cook the onions until tender. Then throw the broccoli in for 5 minutes or so.

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  • Put the cooked veggies into your baking dish

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  • Alrighty, let’s move onto our egg mixture. Grab a large bowl and put the eggs, milk, Parmesan, salt, oregano, and pepper. Whisk whisk whisk! Then slowly mix in the flour. 

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  • Now pour the egg mixture into the baking dish evenly.

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  • And that’s it. Now we just put it in the oven for 35 minutes. After it’s ready, let it cool before you dig in!

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This recipe was so easy and so delicious. Like I said, we ended up finishing the whole tin in one meal. We are hungry and fit after all. This dish is great with some ketchup, too. I am so excited to play with this recipe and throw different veggies, spices, and meats (for Chris) into it and see what happens. To top it all off, this recipe is ridiculously healthy which helps me stay true to my goals. Just look at those macros above! Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

Way too small of a piece

Way too small of a piece

Love the broccoli bites

Love the broccoli bites

  • Question of the Day: What’s your favorite quiche ingredients?

BONUS KITTY PIC

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Kitties in da bathroom

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How to Survive a Holiday Party

Tis the season of holiday parties full of cookies, brownies, fried foods, and tons of booze. Yikes. Double yikes if you’re trying to get through the holidays without packing on a tire belly. So I’ve created a rough holiday party survival guide. I need it too as I’m working hard to get ready for New Zealand!

1. Eat before you go. This is one of the best ways to avoid pitfalling from a grumbling tummy into a plate of sugar cookies. Eat something with plenty of protein. This will keep a fuller belly for a longer time. Then you can think clearly about the choices you are about to make at the festive party. Even if you have little time between blow-drying your hair and deciding which shoes to wear, slam back a healthy bowl of cereal at least!

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2. Stick to one glass. An easy easy way to overeat or just overindulge in general is to throw down too much alcohol. When you drink too much, your awareness of hunger and fullness fades and whatever looks good, you are going to eat. I’ve seen this countless times. Also, sticking to one glass helps you make smart decisions even beyond food. You get a taste, but you stay classy!

Found this atop a gym locker...not classy

Found this atop a gym locker…not classy

3. Go for greens. Have you ever snacked on a ton of raw green beans? It actually gives you a sense of fullness. Anyways, at parties, there is usually some type of greenery, even if it does look lonely in the corner. This is the thing you wanna overdo, the thing you wanna go crazy on. Stuff your face with those sliced cucumbers and dunk it in hummus too!

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4. Moderation. There are going to be treats that, even if you ate before you left and only had one glass of wine, you are going to want to try. That friend who has a wicked baking thumb? Yeah you want to try her decadent cookies. One of the most important things with eating–and life–is moderation. Have a bite of that cookie, taste a little bit of that cheesy dish. Just play it smart, don’t overdo.

So when you want to eat the whole cookie pan...just have a little

So when you want to eat the whole cookie pan…just have a little

5. Use smaller plates. This happened to me recently at a holiday party. There were only small plates. At first it was frustrating, but then I realized it kept my ravenous stomach at bay. Like I suggest at any big family gathering, stick to the small plates. Fill it up with greens and some of the other stuff and sit down and eat it. If you really want to wait in line and get more food, sure. But this way, there’s not a huge plate of food eyeing you, waiting for you to finish it even though you’re full.

6. Be a butterfly! Social butterfly, I mean. Who has time to gobble up fudge when you’re engrossed in wonderful conversation? Go around, talk to different people, catch up! Honestly, when you’re busy talking, you’re not going to think of food. Try it.

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Those are just a few ways to survive those deadly holiday parties. Meditate on moderation before you go! Serve yourself a delicious dinner so those jugs of eggnog don’t tempt you. Stay strong, remember your goals, and remember that this is just one night. And even if you botch it, it’s not the end of the world. Use this steps to stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Nymeria's favorite hangout spot

Nymeria’s favorite hangout spot

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My Future Plans (Being Organized, Be Ambitious)

This might not be so inspiring for some people. This definitely won’t be so interesting for most. However, I want you to NOT take this as me talking about myself. I hope that readers get something more out of this post. It will be a quick one that lacks depth and details (about me) so don’t worry about it being painful to read. What I am trying to do is motivate others to keep going, keep pushing and continue to grow. No one is perfect and no one can be perfect. However, there is always an opportunity to increase your abilities and learn more. I could say I am the best swim teacher in the world. I can say that my body is an ancient Grecian sculpture. But that isn’t true and the most important thing (what a great word, right?) is that I know that. ME!

Rawr from H&F

Rawr from H&F

Once upon a time in the great land of fire, Uchiha Itachi told Yakushi Kabuto that “those who can’t acknowledge their real selves are bound to fail.” (My translation. And, yes, I am quoting the manga, Naruto. Uchiha Itachi is my hero! All rights to Kishimoto.) It is important that we know who we are, what we are capable of and that of which we are incapable. Once we can honestly assess this, it is our responsibility to decide whether we want to improve, regress or maintain ourselves. I personally have an obsession with continuing education. I am not a perfectionist, it is too lofty to be called ambitious, I believe. Nevertheless, I strive to improve. For example, I do not “do CrossFit” nor do I have much interest in doing CrossFit. However, as a professional and passionate member of the “fitness community” I want to become a Level 1 CrossFit Coach so I can give a better recommendation, or lack there of, of the program. That’s just an example.

Alana as Lara Croft from Tomb Raider for Halloween...always trying to improve for strength and agility!

Alana as Lara Croft from Tomb Raider for Halloween…always trying to improve for strength and agility!

With that being said, I am going to do myself a favor and outline my future plans. I will be focusing on remainder of 2013 and 2014, without releasing any confidential information. (There may be a lot of… secrets.) I hope that this will urge to do the same. Evaluate where you are and where you want to be. Highlight your strengths and weaknesses, then use those to make plans for yourself! This is an awesome way of staying honest, organized and motivated. So here we go… try to do something like this!

I want to focus on two areas… physical goals and educational goals. I have my college degree and plenty of certifications but I want to be capable of doing more and helping more people. I have a body that I am content with in many ways but I get bored if I don’t push myself. Those are my two categories and I will break those down. (I am very happy with my “family” and I have no desire to change it aside from the addition of another four-legged friend a few months into 2014.)

But ummm look how cute I am

But ummm look how cute I am

Physically, I want to push my body despite a significant labral tear in my left shoulder. I want to actually try counting macronutrients and prepping meals, even if it is only for a few weeks or months. I want to increase strength in my legs and back. I want to hold my human flags for longer and perform muscle ups without using any momentum. I want to exercise my core more and start to improve my cardiovascular system by swimming and biking more. I want to return to the rock gym and really improve my grip strength and relative strength. I also want to increase the size of my upper and lower arms, and my chest. Last but not least, I want to maintain stability and prevent injuries (further injuries) in my shoulders. I’ll experiment with different exercise splits and regiments to achieve these goals. I want to also become a more active ISAFIT coach for iSatori and help Hungry & Fit grow so that it reaches more people.

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For educational goals, I want to continue my education in scuba diving, swim instruction, and personal training. I hope to become a Level II ASCA Coach. I aim to become a Swim Schools International Teacher Trainer as soon as possible. I want to start diving more and eventually, maybe even in 2014, become a Scuba Schools International Dive Instructor. (I need more specialties and to… dive MORE!) I also am interested in becoming a CPR/First Aid/AED instructor! I love teaching. I know they say those who cannot do, teach. I disagree. And that’s the end of that. Those who can do and want others to do well also… teach. Finally I want to expand on my personal training skills and become a USA Weightlifting Coach, at the very least. I know it is a lot on my plate for 2013/2014 but if I focus and allocate my time and money properly, it is possible. I also want to get my motorcycle license; my permit is covered in dust. That might happen as early as next month.

Learning from a master triathlete swimmer!

Learning from a master triathlete swimmer!

In terms of work, I want to make the Swim School of Boulder the cornerstone of the greatest aquatic training center ever! I also want to help the Longmont YMCA grow into an even more necessary part of the community. Obviously, Hungry & Fit is a given. I want to create a Hungry & Fit team that can spread amazing knowledge and motivation to EVERYONE.

Like I said earlier, I will avoid major details and will not even think twice about what I forgot. I could just be content with what I do, but that’s not like me. Life is relatively short and everyone has their own path they want to follow but mine involves learning and spreading that knowledge… always. I will keep you updated on my goals and how I am doing in achieving them but I hope you do too! List some of your goals in the comment section. Let us know areas that you are good at but still want to improve. I respect that. No egos around here. Much love and stay hungry and fit!

Supplements/protein for us to get ready for beast mode

Supplements/protein for us to get ready for beast mode

Packing on the weight

Packing on the weight

Using Olympians as motivation for my own swimming

Using Olympians as motivation for my own swimming

BONUS KITTY PIC

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So You Overate…Get Over It!

I know I’m not alone when I find myself in a vicious cycle of overeating and then getting really angry at myself. It kind of burns a hole in the day. This is happens when I’m trying to follow a meal plan, eat cleanly, etc (otherwise I don’t much care). And then I fall off the wagon and divulge a little too much. It leaves you with guilt, anger, and disappointment. I’m sure many of you know these feelings and know what I mean. This cycle of self-loathing is useless and doesn’t get you any closer to your goals, so let’s learn how to just drop it.

Incoming...pics of food that are easy to eat too much of!

Incoming…pics of food that are easy to eat too much of!

You overate. You went too hard into that ice cream. You took too much of Grandma’s toffee. GET OVER IT! We all know that emotions can tie directly into eating more, so why do we let ourselves get so upset? Sure, we’re disappointed. We’re mad at ourselves for not having enough willpower and letting our cravings get the better of us. But why should we hold onto it? Why should we sit in a puddle of disgust?

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Take the first step and forgive yourself. You made a mistake. Put it in perspective. There’s not a chance you’re going to remember this in 5 or 10 years, what does it matter? Acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s okay. We make mistakes. You can’t be expected to follow something to a T 100% of the time. Don’t stray from what you did. Own it so that next time you can prevent it by understanding what you are feeling right now. Because what happens when we try to ignore or smother our emotions? We eat more!

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So we own what we did, but we don’t get in a hissy fit over it. We did the deed, we ate two more cookies than we meant to, but there’s nothing you can do it about now. So don’t get in a dark mood and hate yourself. Negative energy will always set you on a worse path for achieving goals. Tell yourself, “It’s okay. I did something I didn’t want to do, but I’m going to learn from this and try harder next time.” Use it as an advantage for you. You can always turn a negative into a positive. Remember how when you put the bowl of candy out, it was that much harder for you to resist. Put it in the cupboard where you can’t see it.

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Starting to get it? We own what we did, we understand why, and we put it in perspective. Take a big breath and let it out. It’s not the end of the world. Just get back on track now and let the overeating be a thing of the past. Don’t let it haunt you or give you feelings of self-hatred. Remember, that makes things worse. Forgive yourself and move on. It’s one small moment in your big life. Don’t let it ruin more than 5 minutes. Use this advice to stay hungry and fit!

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5 Ways to Stay Focused on Your Goals

If you’re one of our followers, you know I’m going through contest prep right now. It’s been a 6-week contest of cutting fat and building lean muscle, trying to create a “transformation.” Since my willpower week, the clean eating has been a cinch. Well, except when I went to Iowa for family reunion and had ice cream on a daily basis. After that vacation, it was hard to get myself as motivated as I was beforehand. I still followed a good eating plan and exercise routine but I wasn’t as into it, so I’d fall into some bad habits–mostly, it’s picking at food I shouldn’t have. We all sometimes have trouble staying focused on our goals and here are some tips to stay on track

1. Set your phone background to something motivational. I know what I want and I know how I can get it. But there’s always the gap of emotion, laziness, and impulse. This is a way to bridge that gap. Take a photo that inspires you, could be a picture of a physique you want or a place you want to get to. Whatever your goal is. Email it to your phone and set it as your background so that every time you look at it (and we all know our phones are with us 24/7). I even went and added some text to mine to remind me of my bad habit and stop my hand from snatching a little piece of something.

HOPE solo inspiration

A great motivator for me

2. Go back to the first image, post, “thing” that started you on this path. We all become inspired to complete a goal, one way or another. For me, for this goal, I was inspired by the contest page. Chris showed me the contest and he thought I could do well, maybe even win. I never thought I could win (okay maybe before I saw all the rest of the people joining), but his confidence in me and my imagination of what I could  transform my body into. It was a chance to test my willpower, to see how hard I could work. I look at that page and I feel those same feelings and I become inspired again.

3. Imagine yourself at the end. This is a huge one for me. I can feel tired after a day’s work, I can feel lazy, and make up some excuse of why I shouldn’t go 100% that day. But all it takes for me is to imagine myself at my completion, imagine what I can become, and that inspiration pops right up again. If your goal is to save enough money for a vacation to Greece, imagine yourself on the beach. If your goal is to lose those x number of pounds, imagine what you will look like, what you will feel like. I always like to imagine how strong I will become, mind, body, and spirit.

Actually developing some abs

Actually developing some abs

4. Set a schedule on your calendar. Whether you have a smart phone or a hard calendar (we have both), plan the days of your week. I used to do this a lot during college when I set up training sessions with my friends. And for this last week of the contest, I am scheduling my workouts each day. You don’t have to schedule all the way down to what exercises you’re going to do, but a general plan. Maybe back and biceps with a little cardio on Monday, Yoga and HIIT training on Tuesday, and so forth. Put it into your calendar (it’d be great if you could do reminders and alerts with your smart phone if you have one) and put the times too. Make what you want a priority, and that means making solid time for yourself.

Set a date!

Set a date!

5. Track your results. Whether that means calculating body fat percentage or watching your savings account go up, TRACK IT. Maybe you don’t see a difference (though you probably will), keep reality-based checkpoints that you can measure with. I hadn’t measured for a while and I finally did, finding that I had lost 2% body fat. It’s a great re-motivator if you feel like you’re hitting a plateau or sliding away. Find some way to track your results and goal, no matter what it is.

Seeing progress

Seeing progress

Those are 5 simple things you can do anywhere, anyhow. If you feel yourself sliding, try one of these tricks. They are sure-fire to keep you hungry and fit! 

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BONUS KITTY PIC

Kitties from the other side of the window

Kitties from the other side of the window

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My Hell Week is Over

Disclaimer: I would never suggest this “diet” to anyone else. For me, it was just a willpower test I’ve wanted to try. I am highly against crash or fad diets.

Second Disclaimer: This is kind of a long post, but only because it means a lot to me.

I did it. I did it! I did it! If you’re wondering why I’m seemingly raving mad right now, direct yourself to this postIf you don’t feel like reading the whole thing (even though it’s short), I’ll give you a little summary. I did a crazy thing of subjecting myself to 7 days of 560 caloric hell. The actors from Spartacus did this to get lean and in slave-gladiator-like shape for their show. It was a prescribed four water protein shakes a day. That’s it. For an entire week. And that was while they were at “Gladiator Camp” doing 4 hours of combat work each day. I unfortunately had no such camp to attend, so every other day I completed the hellish Spartacus Circuit (3 times over). And on the other days, I did other cardio and strength exercises.

Working hard during a Spartacus circuit

Working hard during a Spartacus circuit

So last Wednesday I forwent food, subsisting on only 4-5 protein shakes a day (water mixed with protein powder). If any of you know me, I am hungry most of the time. Why do you think we named this blog Hungry and Fit? I didn’t choose to do this to lose weight or lose inches (even though I am doing this contest), I did it for the sole sake of testing my willpower. And I did it. I didn’t touch any food for that entire week though I drooled and craved it constantly. I’m waiting for someone to send me my “Willpower Extraordinaire” plaque, but I guess it takes time to mail.

My only sustenance

I am very proud of myself and happy I pushed through. Water, gum, and ice are the three material things that really helped me get through it. Oh, and video games. Thanks, nerdy side of myself, for helping me get lost in that while I wasn’t working out or working. More than those, Chris and friends really supported me. Chris was there for me every step of the way and my friends would text me each morning say, “Alana, still staying strong?!” I appreciated it more than they know. Because I was definitely an infinitely more grumpy person during that week. You can especially ask Chris, but also my workmates like Daisy or Kim too.

How I felt

How I felt

Again, I would not suggest this to anyone. After only consuming 560 calories a day, working out every day, and continuing an active-paced job, I lost ten pounds (I know my mum is yelling at me right now back home). Ten pounds in a week is NOT GOOD. Listen to me, I’m a trainer. That’s what you call a bad crash diet. Again, I want to reiterate, I did it for the willpower test, because for me, I think at the end of the day, if you don’t have your willpower, you don’t have anything. It was extremely rough the first few days–who am I kidding, it was rough for the entirety, but I started getting used to not consuming food. However, by the end, my body was pretty mad at me, making me a little sick and weak. Again–DON’T do this. I’m just sharing my achievement. It ended up de-motivating me for my contest because I was so miserable without food and feeling weak.

"Before"

“Before”

"After"

“After”

I’m showing you pictures of how my body slightly transformed, not as motivation, but to document how this affected me.

You can imagine how blissfully amazing this day of rebirth into food has been (if you think I’m being dramatic, blame my dad, he’s an actor). I had my meals planned days in advance (because what do you do when you can’t eat? You think about food!). I was in such a better mood than I had been all week and I was just happy because I did it. I accomplished something I had wanted to for a long time now. I’m all for celebration, but I’m still on track for this contest. And although today is a “cheat” day (you’ll get descriptions and pictures after this of my meals today), I’m going right back to strict eating of lean proteins, veggies, fruits, and complex carbohydrates to get to my “extremely fit” goal with Chris at my back as a coach.

This wasn’t even close to my cheat day before the Spartacus Hell Week (in terms of bad food), but it was cheat enough for me because it was real, beautiful FOOD. Let’s look at the menu.

For Breakfast: Dot’s Diner

Small House Breakfast...that's fake meat

Small House Breakfast…that’s fake meat

photo (28)

I really tried slowly eating, but you can’t understand my excitement and happiness. I ate most of it, but not the whole biscuit. Stomach felt funky for a few hours, but it just needs to get used to solids again.

For Lunch: Snarf’s 

Tuna sandwich...mmmm

Tuna sandwich…mmmm

Face of bliss

Face of bliss

The mouth-watering in this situation happened to be ridiculous. Again, tried to take my time. 

For Dinner: Korea House

Korea House in its amazingness...we would eat here every night if we could afford it

Korea House in its amazingness…we would eat here every night if we could afford it

Happy last meal

Happy last meal

I wasn’t going to (or supposed to) have any thick dairy like milk or ice cream, but we were served it by our favorite Korean chef and we always put respect, honor, and morals before anything else.

All in all, I’m glad I did it. I’m proud of myself. But I will never do it again.  I only wish to inspire people to try to reach higher and higher, because you never know what you’re capable of. Wish me luck on the rest of my 5 weeks til the end of the contest! Going to be on an eating plan of tuna, beans, rice, vegetables, grapefruit, banana, fish and oatmeal! Use your willpower to stay hungry and fit!

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