Boy, am I glad I took pictures of myself in skimpy shorts and sports bras!
Said me never. Until now.
As you may remember, I began Metabolic Prime about 4 weeks ago. Before I started, I took some pictures in my super cool space pants. Remember? Then I took some pictures after a week of using Metabolic Prime’s nutrition and exercise guidelines.
I’ve been taking pictures every week since. I’m so glad I did this. Why?
Well, in addition to pictures, I’ve been weighing myself once a week and taking my measurements. I’ve lost weight (still only about 4 pounds), but the inches haven’t moved. At. All.
But the pictures (at the end of the post) are showing some change. So something’s happening.
I admit that it is annoying the inches haven’t moved, but since I want this to be a lasting change, it isn’t all about just eating certain things so that I can get my body to change (and then go right back to what I was doing and have my body go back to what it was). I want to learn what my body responds to. What kinds of foods help me stay full more longer? What foods make me feel drowsy or just plain yucky? What foods will help me keep my energy up?
This past couple of weeks have been eye-opening for me nutritionally. In order to be a nutrition detective, I’ve been tracking my food in MyFitnessPal so I can keep tabs on my nutrients, especially. I noticed two weeks ago that my fat intake was high and that was probably one reason why my weight loss had stalled a little and my inches weren’t moving. I began making adjustments last week, but it wasn’t enough. Also last week I had my period, we had a death close to the family, I wasn’t getting enough sleep, etc.
This week I adjusted again. I am committed to getting enough sleep so I can get up early and get the things I want to get done for the day accomplished before anyone else gets up.
Yesterday, Monday, was the first day that I felt really good and I didn’t need a whole lot of fat to get me through the day. I went back to square one and started with protein and fiber…and added just a little more fiber, without adding any fat (other than what’s in my protein powder), and that was a huge help keeping me satiated between breakfast and lunch.
Lunch was a different story. I didn’t have the extra fiber and I was hungry two hours later. Luckily, I had a decent protein bar in my car for my commute, so I didn’t eat everything in my pantry when I got home.
That lasted me until dinner, but we had to eat early to get to soccer practice on time. I am the assistant coach on my son’s team, so I actually jog around a little and try to herd cat…I mean, kids. (They are all 8 or younger.)
I was a little hungry around 8:30–3 hours after dinner–and knew that if I didn’t have something small that I would be unraveling right at bedtime, so I made myself a half-size smoothie. It was like having dessert!
I’m so pleased with my day today. Getting my nutrition in order really helped set me up for success in everything else, especially my energy levels and mood. Since I went to bed on time Sunday night, I was able to get up early, write and then exercise before work so I had time when I came home to take my pictures, walk on the treadmill, then make dinner and clean up the kitchen all before soccer practice. That meant I wasn’t running around before bed.
Progress at the end of Week 2 of the 12-Week Metabolic Prime Challenge
So…technically, I have been following Metabolic Prime guidelines since February 22 or so, but the actual 12-week Challenge didn’t start until March 7. Sunday was the end of Week 2 of the Challenge, but it was the end of Week 4 since I started MP back on Feb. 22.
Here are my pictures taken before Metabolic Prime on February 22:
Here are my pictures taken after my first week following Metabolic Prime on February 29, 2016:
Here are my BEFORE pictures for the 12-Week Challenge:
Here are my pictures taken after Week 1 of the 12-Week Challenge:
Here are my pictures after Week 2 of the 12-Week Challenge taken yesterday (March 21, 2016):
No inches really lost, only down 4 pounds since the space pants pictures, yet there is still a noticeable body change. Probably has to do with water, inflammation and that sort of thing. Yet, I would never have realized it if I hadn’t taken these pictures. The pics really give me an appreciation for how different food affects my body.
I’m so glad I took them!