Friday, June 1, 2012

My Next 100

My Next 100

Hi! This is Kendra Blatchford. I am inviting you to join me for an experiment, on myself. I have always struggled with being overweight and have had health issues that triggered greater weight gain. I reached my all time high about 5 years ago and it remains, to this day, one of the lowest points in my life. Not only was my weight and health completely out of control, but my family life was falling apart. Time passed and I learned to stand up for myself, more than I had in the past. I learned to establish healthy boundaries. And I learned to choose joy.  About three years ago I started to buckle down on nutrition and working out and I lost 100 lbs. No small feat, but still very far away from my final destination. I got distracted by falling in love and getting married. Quite a lovely distraction, as distractions go. Almost two years into marriage, I find myself understanding why they call it being “fat and happy.” It’s difficult to get used to living with someone else, learning their habits, and creating a life together, but it’s also fun. It’s fun to have a standing date for the rest of your life! And we’ve been to a lot of restaurants on those dates. A LOT of restaurants. So we found ourselves with the marriage freshman 15 or so…   Well clearly this has to stop. The being fat part, not the being happy part-that part can stay. So here I am writing it all down for God and everyone to see. I figure this will serve a couple of purposes. First, it will be accountability for me from whoever decides to read this blog. Secondly, I hope it provides support and motivation for anyone fighting the good fight, including me. Third, it may just bring a few laughs into the process because I am unbelievably silly and I like to laugh. So here’s what My Next 100 is all about.
100 Work Outs and 100 Days of Eating Clean
Now this is a challenge for myself, something I’ve devised while I was being forced to rest due to a terrible bout of acute bronchitis and ear infections just weeks from my BFF’s wedding.  I’ve questioned my sanity in going through with this challenge seeing as how it was born out of fever induced delirium, but then again what’s life without a little fun?  Most people who know me are familiar with the fact that I started CrossFit last fall, November I believe was my first full month. When I first started, I couldn’t do an air squat unassisted. I have found myself improving and my strength growing like crazy. But again, I find myself distracted. In April we went on vacation for two weeks, and I got sick on the airplane ride home. (Gross dude who didn’t cover his mouth while he sneezed and coughed across the aisle. Revolting.) After I recovered from that it was time for BFF’s wedding and that brings me to this week. June 1. I realized that I wasn’t getting the results that I wanted because I was playing around with my workouts and my eating. Truth be told, by the time the wedding ended I (someone with Celiac’s and Type 1 Diabetes) had been on a gluten bender for almost 2 months and I hadn’t been to CrossFit this whole time. So the idea came to me that I need to focus on my WOD’s and nutrition. But in order to break my addiction to non-nutritious food, and build better habits as well as see results that I want to see, I can’t just haphazardly approach this. I need a plan. I need goals that are concrete and measurable.  So starting this month here are my goals:
1.       100 Workouts from now to October 17th. That allows for 2 days of rest per week (typically falling on Thursday and Sunday). 3-4 of my workouts per week will be CrossFit WOD’s and the remaining will be a combination of at home WOD’s, yoga and swimming due to a need for increased flexibility and bad knees that can’t take 5 days of CF WOD’s.
2.       100 days of eating clean. This requires commitment. And a whole heck of a lot of work.  I will be posting what I’ve eaten for the day here. Honestly. This is defined by a Paleo way of eating, with little exception or tweaks. And the goal with the time frame here is actually to eat clean for all of the days, but if we have a date night here or a party there I will not sweat it if something isn’t strictly Paleo for those one-off occasions. I still use half and half in my coffee and Splenda in it. But, I’ve quit soda. The love affair between me and Coke Zero is deep and it’s real, so this has been hard. I’ve been drinking mineral water with a lemon wedge to curb the cravings for the fizz, it’s helping but I still miss my dear friend. I love you Coke Zero but we have to break up. It’s not you, it’s me.
3.       Making this measurable. I have resolved to put away my scale. I will weigh once tomorrow (June 2nd), and then again once per month. I am the kind of obsessive person who will weigh myself every day. This is not only inaccurate (ever retain water?) and borderline OCD, but it can be demoralizing when the scale doesn’t say what you think it will. Since the workouts are going to be more than just 45 minutes on a treadmill every day, I know that I will see body composition change. So I am going in for Hydrostatic testing next week and I will do it again at the end of my 100 Workouts. Based on these results I will make a body fat percentage loss goal. I will also measure and take pictures. I am not likely to post pictures yet, I’ll be really honest. The place where I am starting right now is not one that I am ready to put on the internet for now. Give me time.

So that is the idea, 100 workouts, commitment to nutrition, and no looking back. Except to before and after pictures, eventually. That’s my basic plan. If you want to follow along for the ride, please subscribe to this blog. I don’t know what the end result will be, but I promise to be honest with you about it along the way. Also, I will try to be way more funny than this most days. And as a final note: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, personal trainer or anything of the sort. This blog is not intended as advice, its purpose is to document my journey. Before you being an exercise regimen or make dietary changes, please talk to your doctor. The only thing I am an expert on is living in my own skin, so that’s why I’m ok with making these changes. Also, bear in mind that I am making myself a public guinea pig; this is nothing more than an experiment. Starting to question my sanity again….
WOD
I took it a little light since it was my first day back in two months, and it was good for me to take it easy. I’m sure my strength will come back faster than it did originally, but man was I wiped out.
10 minutes running time:
5 reps deadlifts @ 85# at the top of each minute
5 push-ups at the half minute.
I finished 6 and-a-half rounds before I stopped, mostly because I was scared of puking.
Nutrition
Breakfast:  Lean ham 3 slices, 1 roma tomato, 1 avocado. Coffee with half and half and Splenda.
Lunch: Thai red curry: super lean pork tenderloin with red curry paste and coconut milk. There was one yam for a giant crockpot full so there was less than ¼ of a cup in my serving. Approx 6 oz of protein. 1 bottle of Perrier with a lemon wedge. Usually I try to get more veggies in my lunch, but I was in a hurry so I grabbed the prepped container I had in the freezer.
Snack: Protein shake, low carb shakes from Premier Nutrition. I know that most people don’t consider this Paleo, and it’s not. But it’s convenient and it frees me up a tiny bit more from my kitchen.
Dinner: Grilled chicken in a chimichurri type marinade that I made myself so it’s super clean (1 bunch fresh cilantro, 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, minced garlic, small quartered onion, olive oil, and lemon juice. All in the blender, and liquefy. DONE!)  . Over a bed of organic baby spinach. Maybe I’ll wilt the spinach instead of having salad. Yeah, that sounds tasty.  I’m writing this before I go to lunch and it’s making me a little crazy.
Ok, now that I’ve regained my composure and had lunch, it’s time to wrap this up. I leave you with a question…What goal(s) are you working on this summer?  They don’t have to be fitness/health/weight-loss related. Leave me a note in the comments, and let’s enjoy this crazy ride together!
xo
Kendra

8 comments:

  1. Kudos to you for startng a blog about your journey--it's so much more fun when we can journey together! I know you are going to do amazingly well and I can't wait to read your stories. I looove your writing style!
    Can't wait to read more!!! Congrats on taking this HUGE step!! :)
    My summer goal is to fine-tune FanTABulous Women so that I can benefit AND help all of the women in my circle to benefit as well. It's going to be fun!
    -Tab

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  2. You make my heart happy Kendra! You are an inspiration. And you are challenging me to stop screwing around and get serious with my workouts and nutrition too.

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  3. Hi Kendra!
    Ok, I read your blog, so I've got to comment! My goal is to learn to teach spin this summer...I took a class on how-to, but now it's the doing it that I've just gotta get moving on. Way to go on these 100 days!! You can do it :)

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  4. My goals - follow your journey, and be inspired to mirror you (I'm going to the gym after I write this, as I have time before I HAVE to pack for camping)! I shall root for you through the blog and and at work! You'll do great!

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  5. You are inspiring to me and I am going to try the 100 workouts as well! I don't know about a Paleo diet, but I'm going to try to eat better. More like I did when I was prego with Tommie (low carb, VERY low sugar), but I won't give up all my bread... I won't I won't I won't! (LOL) OK, maybe a little.... Love you Princess!!

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    1. Carrie Manis you are my first victim, I mean co-guinea pig! Yay for co-guinea pigs!!! So a Paleo (pronounced PAY-leo) way of eating is lower in carbs, no sugar, no dairy, no grains or legumes. And remember that peanuts are legumes. For a great description in a nutshell and what you eat on a Paleo diet check out www.robbwolf.com he's written a few books on the subject and they are entertaining as well as informative. Also he has downloadable shopping lists you can print off the website. So the bread would be out of the question...but that's entirely up to you. :-) thanks for joining me!

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  6. Found it!!! Haven't read it yet, im at the office! But I definitely will during my TV time later!! Congrats again!

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    1. Yay Michaelline! Feel free to read at your leisure. Hope you are having a wonderful week!

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