I haven't blogged since November! Probably felt too guilty. I did indulge over the holidays, more than I wished I had. That is now the past and it is a brand new year. The perfect place to pick up and get back on the saddle. Winter in Wisconsin is rough for me, I think I am absolutely effected by the low light, lack of Vitamin D and cold temperatures. So I'm trying to make lemonade.
I've been back to it hardcore for about a week now, and it has been good so far. I really cannot express how valuable exercise is to my mental and emotional state. That being said, I think it is ridiculous that I let myself slack off and fall off the wagon sometimes, only to feel sluggish, depressed, and just not good. But it is not what I often though of as a complete lack of willpower that causes me to get off track. After years of research and recent medical testing, I have discovered that I have been struggling through, and am finally seeking help for a slight hormonal imbalance called estrogen dominance. TMI? Maybe, yes I supposed this is personal but I am just pleased as pie to have discovered something that explains why I have had the trouble I have had. Some of the side effects of estrogen dominance include east fat gain, sluggish metabolism, thyroid disfunction, mood swings, and depression. That means it is twice as hard for me to burn fat when I am trying (busting my ass), and because of the mood-swings, I can be knocked of my healthy lifestyle wagon quite easily sometimes. So I am excited to see what happens.
Since November I have done more than my share of eating, drinking and being merry. So much that I got up to....200 lbs. Yes, 200 lbs. I knew my clothes were getting a little tight, but when I stepped on the scale, holy cow. That was enough to kick my ass back into the gym and out of the "I'll start eating clean tomorrow" mentality. It is now day 6 of being back on my fitness plan, and I have already lost 8 lbs. This is mostly water weight, I am sure, but I much prefer seeing 192 on the scale rather than 200. It is quite upsetting to even be 192, Because I have to backtrack to get down to what used to be my starting point. Oh well! Lessons learned, life goes on, that is what happens when I eat a typical american diet and socialize at the bars the way a lot of Wisconsinites my age do. I can only do that stuff very moderately.
So I plan to update this more regularly now that I am back to feeling motivated. I am scared of falling off the plan again, but that fear is one of the factors keeping me on. I need to remember my love for myself and the love of how good it feels to really feel healthy. Fo sho. The main keys are consistancy and dedication.
