Nikina70's Journal, 08 Jan 24

This morning I did:
Kaleigh Cohen Strength - 30-min Upper Body Strength Training with Dumbbells | Build Muscle at Home!
Followed by her: Upper Body Post-Workout Stretch

Only used 5kg and 2.5kg dumbbells and alternated and modified quite a bit. I'll aim for 3 x 30mins a week. Let's see if I can keep it going for the next 10 weeks. My flights are booked to spend 17 days with family in Cape Town over Easter, which will be amazing!

I've already ordered a beautiful Apricot summer dress on Vinted and I would love to have some killer upper arms by then and get rid of the pesky muffin top too. This was the holiday that got cancelled in 2020 and it's been 4 years before we are finally trying again. So much has happened since then so I'm trying not to build up too much expectation, but will just try to go with the flow of it all.

I would love to get below 1800 average daily calories, but last week it was 1900 on the dot. Will try to improve this week and see if I can take it down to 1750 using IF 14:10 to help. I'll try to keep my water intake up and at least 30g of fibre a day too. I think protein is hovering just below 70g a day right now and I guess I'm fine with that. Not going OTT on the strength training just now, but I might try to up my efforts once spring and summer arrive.

For the next 10 weeks, I'd just like to build some arm strength, reduce/remove the muffin top and get my weight below goal so I can feel comfortable. I feel like I've said this before and never really reached my goal, but I guess it's just a constant thing - and for me it's about lifestyle choices and not a "diet". Getting back to calorie counting is what works for me and that's just the way it is.

I see so many people on YouTube trying to lose weight and they end up not being consistent with their calories and don't track accurately or at all for days on end. Getting it to be a smooth, easy process is what will get them to the finish line. Oh, and they often all set their deficits way too high - I don't believe that any grown adult can exist on 1200 calories a day (unless they weigh something like 50kg). It's not sustainable and just a waste of time in my opinion. I think every person has to find their own sweet spot. Stick to it consistently for about 4, 6 or 8 weeks and then take a break of a day/weekend or even a week before getting back to it again. Once you get into a rhythm it's so much easier. And small adjustments along the way are easier to make stick - rather than huge drastic measures or changes that are hard or impossible to keep up.

I don't feel too unhealthy or unfit right now. I'm averaging just over 6k steps a day and my evening job is still keeping me quite active. I haven't maintained perfectly, but I feel closer to my goal again than I have been for some years, so I feel like this will be the year for getting back to maintenance solidly and then on to more strength.

Hope you all have a wonderful week 2! Let's crush it!
xxx

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1967 kcal

Fat: 84.89g | Prot: 64.87g | Carbs: 229.65g.   Breakfast: Grape Tree Pea Protein Powder, Bananas, Acti Leaf Blueberry Soya Pot, Harvest Morn Bran Flakes, Grape Tree Omega Seed Mix. Lunch: Warburtons Cinnamon & Raisin Bagel, By Sainsbury's Olive Spread, Sainsbury's Smooth Peanut Butter, Sainsbury's Strawberry Jam. Dinner: Aldi Unsweetened Soya Milk, Zizzi Vegan Rainbow Lasagne, Lidl Garlic Baguette, Kale. Snacks/Other: Nescafe Instant Coffee. more...

1839 kcal

Exercise: Stretching (yoga) - 5 minutes, Weight Training (moderate) - 30 minutes, Resting - 15 hours and 25 minutes, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...