Resets, bulks, eat more, oh my!

Resets, bulks, eat more, oh my!

 

Are you having difficulty dealing with family and friends who don’t understand, or aren’t supportive of you doing a metabolism reset or a bulk?  They may respond: “You said you wanted to lose weight, so why are you eating so much??”  Or you tell your mate you’re going to gain muscle by doing a bulk. “WHAT? Gain weight on purpose? Are you crazy? Others may say more cruel, and even hurtful words.  Before throwing your hands up, try to understand their perspective. Then you’re able to work on how you can help them understand yours.

Metabolism Reset – Support from family

Think back to when YOU first heard about Eat More 2 Weigh Less, or when someone recommended that YOU do a metabolism reset? Or try to remember when you were lifting like crazy — eating at a deficit — yet trying to build muscle.  One day a fellow lifter finally told you that in order to gain muscle you’d have to eat over your maintenance calories and lift even heavier?  What were you thinking?  How were you feeling at that moment? The moment you realized that everything you were doing to lose weight wasn’t working.  That you now needed to do the total opposite of everything you thought you knew about building muscle.

Now imagine that times 10.  That’s how your loved ones are probably feeling.

Just as you remember all the fad diets and the weight yo-yoing up and down, your family and friends remember also. Your husband remembers your reaction when you could fit that little black dress on one occasion and the next occasion it wouldn’t fit! They know how emotional you got when those “new diet” ideas became bad ideas fast!! They are just trying to protect you from another failure, from what they think is another fad diet.

resets, bulks, eat more oh my!We want those who love us to support us even when it really makes no sense to them, but that can be difficult.   So for those in your inner circle, you may need to explain exactly what this is and that this will be part of your life. The fact that you’ll be eating normal foods and not be restricting calories should give them some relief. And also knowing that you’ll be building a body that is based on healthy standards and not based on a number on the scale should have them doing back flips!

Having loved ones who are concerned for your well being and your happiness is a plus and should be embraced.   Most of them do not understand the philosophy behind EM2WL let alone what a bulk or reset is. Do they deserve an explanation? Maybe they do or maybe they don’t. But your journey will go a little smoother with the support of the people around you who understand what you are trying to do.

How long to see results from lifting?

How long to see results from lifting?

If you’re newer to lifting, or perhaps just newer to lifting heavy – at some point you’ll wanna know just how long to see results from lifting.

Back in the day, it was easier to avoid the message that “lifting heavy changes your body, ” but lately it seems that most fit pros and enthusiasts have finally hopped on board.  Whether you’ve decided to test the waters with Crossfit, finally hired a trainer, or simply do some workouts that you find on the internet: you’re lifting heavy, you’re loving it…and you’re not seeing these “miraculous” changes that everyone seems to be promoting.  What.is.the.deal?

Here’s eight reasons why you may not be seeing results yet:

You still aren’t lifting heavy enough

I’m sure this is insulting to most people reading this.  I mean, of course you’re lifting heavy enough.  It’s a heavy weight, and you feel the burn when you lift it.  Every body part requires a different weight.  So if you’re using only one or two weight sizes, for your entire body – then it’s not possibly heavy enough for every area.  A dumbbell of 10-12 pounds may be excruciatingly heavy for your smaller muscle groups like rear delts, but most ladies can lift much more than that for a back, chest, or leg movement.  If you’re able to go beyond 12 reps on most exercises, it’s probably time to increase your weight.

Don’t think that you hard-core-iron-heads are exempt from this one.  Sometimes, vets, we can be just as likely to get comfy with a certain weight.  Are you’re cranking out 25lb dumbbell rows,  just because it seems heavy enough for your 10-12 rep range? Or because it’s the highest weight available? Could you possibly go up to 30 or 35? Who cares if you can only make it to six to eight reps before you fail? Accept the challenge — if you can do it with good form — and work your way back up to 10 reps.  If you can’t make such a huge jump, add some weighted gloves and increase by only two to four pounds at a time rather than the entire five.  Either way, find your max for that number of reps, and then push past it.  The only way to continue to see changes is to continually challenge yourself.

You’re basing your “results” judgement on a scale number

We’ll often hear from ladies who are lifting and aiming for fat loss say things like “I must be doing something wrong…I should have lost ‘X’ pounds/dress sizes by now”

scale picUmmm…Says who??? ;)  How do we determine how many sizes we should be up or down within a year?  I pray not by the same industry standards that tell us to “eat-less-than-you-need-to-support-your-body-in-a-comatose-state” for weight loss?

Sure…there will always be tweaks that you’ll want to make, but if your butt looks freakin amazing – take a moment to accept that, rather than be overly concerned about the number on the scale OR inside of your jeans.

Too many of us are still being held captive by our scale weight…or some other tracking method that doesn’t take into account the type of changes that are happening.  Case in point: my pant size can vary from a size two to TEN in about 60 seconds (yet look just as lean in either size).  How is this possible?  My butt has seriously gotten so high that it ranges from one extreme to the other, based on the rise (and brand) of the jeans.  If your body shape is changing, maybe it’s time to switch brand manufacturers.  It sucks, but sometimes must be done.  Trust me, you will see how great you look in clothes that fit.  Every fashion book/expert on the market (that’s worth a darn) will tell you to stop giving two hoots about sizes.  This is because no matter how small you are, sizes will vary — per person — in fit.  FIT is everything.

Reasons why you are not seeing results yet (part 1)_ (3)Confession time: The other day, I went out in frustration over all my older, lower rise jeans that weren’t fitting.  Taking my own redundant advice — I bit the bullet and bought the exact same jeans in LARGER sizes to make sure they fit over my butt. Listen…the size was WAY larger…would you know I had FIVE people tell me I need to STOP losing weight when I was wearing those jeans?!  I have gained over 10 lbs (apparently all in the bootay)!! But wearing jeans that FIT ME (note…did not say jeans that “I fit” into to) FIT, baby. Get clothes that fit, forget the rest. By the time you can squeeze into jeans from over a year ago, they’re probably outdated anyway :P

You’re retaining water

Yeah, yeah…we’re all tired of this excuse.  But let’s face it.  If you’re lifting, you’re retaining water.  Sometimes LOTS of water.  The more you lift, the more water you’ll retain.  If you’re doing tons of HIIT, then consider it the cherry on top of your water-retention-sundae.  Until your body gets familiar with the workout, when you start retaining a bit less.  But then you change it again.  And retain more water.  It’s an ugly cycle.  But not really.  It is what it is.  Ladies, we really have to get over this whole “water weight” thing.  The more muscle mass you build, the more water you’ll begin to retain at all times.  This really isn’t such a bad thing, but rather a sign that things are going well…as you’ll see here.  But this does mean that you’ll have to give those scale dreams a rest, and focus on all the goodness and shifting that’s happening with your body.  When it comes to lifting, things will occasionally appear to get worse before they get better.  I just consider it the “labor pains” of muscle delivery — a tad “painful” when it’s happening, but most of us wouldn’t trade that muscle baby for the world once it arrives. ;)

Side note: If you’re totally convinced/upset/depressed that your pants are getting tighter, perhaps you need to cut down on low rep squatting for a while?  Work your lower rep squatting in in phases, so that you still get the muscle building benefits, but aren’t constantly retaining water.  But, if you adore your 5×5 deadlifts or what have you, just accept that you may be retaining some serious water…and invest in jeggings. 

Reasons why you are not seeing results yet (part 2)You’re not doing compound movements

If you’re not seeing major body changes, it could be for lack of major body movements.  If you’re hitting the gym and only concentrating on biceps, triceps, and abs, you’re putting a major ceiling on your results.  Compound movements are the basis of most effective routines for a reason.  They work in the actual way that your body works, strengthening your joints and tendons (in addition to your muscles), working multiple muscle groups at once, and burning more calories overall than an isolated move hitting the same muscle group would.  Obviously, there’s a time and place for everything, including isolated moves, but generally the newer you are, the more compound moves should be in your routine for best results.

You’re not hitting the entire body enough times per week

As with compound moves, newbies should be doing more routines that involve the entire body, rather than just hitting one to two body-parts per week.  The traditional splits that are seen in the bodybuilding community work extremely effectively…for veteran bodybuilders.  If you are still in your first year or two of strength training, you would benefit from mainly full body splits.  Not only do these types of workouts get the heart rate up higher, they also produce faster results.  Generally speaking, the less amount of time you’ve been lifting, the more often you can work that body-part per week.  A typical newbie routine could consist of up to 3 total body workouts per week, or 2 upper, 2 lower (alternating).  The opposite often holds true for vet lifters who need more rest per part — hitting the body part hard, with higher volume, 1-2xs/week, max is optimal and prevent over-training.

reasons why you are not seeing resultsYou’re comparing your results to someone else’s

Try not to compare yourself to anyone else.  If you feel the need to look around for an ideal body goal to shoot for, make sure that it aligns with YOUR genetics, time, interest, and drive.  Most importantly, note their starting point.  There’s no point in shooting to look like a pro figure competitor, when you don’t have the inclination or desire to put in the time that they do.  There’s also no use comparing yourself to someone who has taken over a decade to attain their body, and bashing yourself for not accomplishing similar results in your first year of lifting.  Hint: most women you see in fitness magazines, Instagram, or the internet — with any amount of muscle “tone” — have put in years of serious training and eating (and/or have been photoshopped…but I digress).  Keep it real, and be the best that you can be.  If you have a hard time discerning your best one year progress from someone else’s five year progress – then you may need to get up close and personal with your “unfollow” or “unsubscribe” button.  Don’t keep images, magazines, or Facebook “friends” around that make you feel that you’re accomplishing nothing.   Surround yourself with pictures of yourself, and compare new pictures of yourself to the ones from the beginning of this journey.  (But please don’t compare pics of your 40 year old self to pics of your 15 year old self…that’s just plain freaky)

You’re not being consistent

Love it or hate it, without consistency, none of this will ever come together.  If someone lifts, gets frustrated because the results aren’t coming fast enough, and then goes back to cardio madness, they will be convinced that nothing is working.  Repeatedly lowering cals in a muscle building phase, or under-cutting rest periods in a strength phase, or only sticking to a workout for a couple of weeks before switching “back” is a recipe for disaster.  Trust the process.  As mentioned previously, most lifters with ultra defined musculature took years, upon years, upon Y.E.A.R.S. to develop.  Getting frustrated because you don’t look like a person on a magazine/DVD cover, your personal trainer, or (fill-in-the-blank) WFBB Pro, after completing a 4-12 week program will not make the process go any faster.  In fact, it makes take wayyyy longer.  Think of your journey as a college degree, every time you “change your major” you tack on time to your journey.  If you plan on seeing some impressive results, you’ve gotta buckle down, make the decision, and stick.with.it.  Constantly doubting, and thinking that things aren’t working — creates the exact environment you’re expecting.

You’re not being realistic or patient…enough

It’s really hard to put your lifting progress on a timetable.  Especially in the first year or so of lifting when you’re getting the most coveted results of any lifter:  newbie gains. losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time.  It will never again happen in your lifetime of lifting, but it can’t be measured by typical dieting methods of measurement.  You may sit still with your weight or go through “clothes getting tighter” phases for the entire first year, but let me tell you…the progress that is happening is UNreal, and will blow.your.mind.  It’s just sad that so many of us come from a dieting standpoint and expect things to be so perfectly linear, that we never see results of all the hard work we put in come to fruition.  We get scared, run back to “old” methods, and then when those methods “appear” to be working – we assume that it’s because we went back to the old stuff (cardio/circuits/super restrictive eating/starving), not actually understanding that it’s results of lifting that were there all along.  So then we keep doing the old stuff, thinking that it will only get better, only eventually undo the results, and put ourselves back at square one.

 

 

Vets: how long did/has it taken you to see results? Any tips for a newbie or frustrated lifter that’s just not seeing the results they want?

WIN Detergent Review

WIN Detergent Review

 

WIN High Performance Detergent ReviewI recently came back from another extended vacation to the West Coast and — after picking up all of my accumulated mail from the time away (and crying over a few expired coupons/offers) — I was excited to see that my WIN Detergent samples had arrived while I was away!

As a Fitfluential ambassador, EM2WL occasionally gets some goodies to review – and this one came right on time for me.  Granted I didn’t get bombarded in Reebok apparel and romp through the parks of NYC like Trish, but hey EVERYone has to do laundry at some point right? And we are talking to pretty decent sized bottles here, that are made for getting sporty smells out of workout clothes.

I will say that our household certainly gave WIN a run for it’s money, lol.  As a personal trainer and avid exerciser I definitely contribute my share of smellies to the laundry pile.  Did I mention that I workout at home — in a converted garage — with an AC that only works if I remember to turn it on 30-60 minutes in advance? :P

But my own sweatfests aside, my guys also use the home gym in the evenings…long after I’ve turned the AC off again.  And if I can barely remember to turn the AC on in advance, you can only imagine the sweatbox that they workout in. Ick.  Hubs also works in construction.  Technically he owns the company, but apparently that doesn’t stop him from wearing construction adhesive, sawdust, dirt, and sweat like the latest fad.

WIN Detergent And oh yeah, there’s the kid.  He’s 17.  Plays basketball all.the.time, bathes/showers/get dressed “as needed” – especially in the summer. Double Ick. Did I mention he’s 17? Yeah…so laundry gets done like…the day after never.   BUT, the kid pays top dollar for all of his athletic apparel, and LIVES in it.  Seriously.  Eats, sleeps, and even swims in basketball shorts.  Apparently, mesh (or whatever those shorts are) are the new denim?

Anyway…with all that said, I was pretty interested to see how WIN would hold up to the test (especially of the basketball stuff that gets washed who-knows-when?).

My usual detergent is ALL Free & Clear, and though we have the occasional sample of GAIN (my MIL is addicted and always trying to convert us), that’s the basis of my comparison.

So first things first: smell.  WIN (regular) had a great light/fresh scent, while the green version had no smell (as expected).  The scented version was not so perfume-y that it would merely cover up the “funk,” and it really left a pleasant after-smell once the clothes finished washing.  Considering how bad a monthly – if that – washed laundry pile in a teen boys room can smell, this is no small feat.

WIN Detergent capThe smell of the laundry before did not disappoint (for testing purposes) and the smell after was actually rather pleasant for the scented version.  The after wash smell of the scent-free version was simply a “clean” smelling pile of clothes, pretty much comparable to what we’re used to with ALL.  They didn’t stink, but they weren’t a bed of roses, lol.  Although his every day apparel is basketball clothes — and he does plenty of activity in them —  I’m thinking that this would be an even better trial run next month when basketball season starts back.

Of course the next question would be: did they actually come clean?  Well, we weren’t dealing with any really tough stains or anything, so I can’t vouch for any special “stain fighting properties”– though I don’t know if that’s even a WIN claim.  No dramatic brightening or whitening, but I was also washing mostly darker clothing (reds and blacks are the kids staples).  No colors were faded, which is a huge plus because our household is big on that (I also don’t put certain items in the dryer, which helps of course).  But I can say that I didn’t notice anything really go in dirty, and come out looking as if it had never been washed.  It cleaned pretty comparable to what we’re used to with ALL.

Packaging.  I’m assuming that the newer bottles that I was sent are an accurate representation of what would be on the market.  I thought the shape/design of the bottle and labeling were pretty cool.  The bottles were easy to maneuver and pour for someone with smaller hands like myself.  I love that you can pretty much look at the label and understand that it’s a sports detergent.  Also the allergen-free bottle being called and colored “green” makes it obvious for marketing to specific population needs.  My only issue with the bottle design, was the the multi-layer cap.  As with most detergent bottles, the cap is the measuring cup.  Only in this case, there’s a cap under the cap — so one screw-on cap, and one that sits atop that one.  The measuring cap only fits with the screw-on in place, or it would simply come right off without it.  When I’m in my laundry zone, I just wanna uncap, pour, recap, and go.  Not uncap, unscrew, pour, rescrew, recap, and go…

IMG_6980The other issue with the cap (and this is true of other detergents as well), is that the recommended amount of detergent to use exceeds the amount that the cap will hold.  With the recommended minimum being 1.5 oz (see label pic above), you need to use one and a half cups per load.   Not a deal breaker, of course, but I just don’t get why manufacturers do this.

All in all, I would say that in my brief trial (about 2-3 loads with each detergent), WIN is definitely a win.   The ability of the detergent to high perform as promised, more than outweighs the awkward cap issues.  Currently going for about $10/bottle on Amazon, you’d probably look to use WIN to supplement your usual laundry stand-by, allowing each laundry to do what it does best.  I still have an econo-sized container of ALL left,  so I’ll be using it up for our regular scheduled laundry.  But I’ll be breaking out the rest of my WIN samples next month when my son’s basketball seasons is back in all it’s full (smelly) glory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Periodization: Key for Preventing Plateaus

Periodization: Key for Preventing Plateaus

When someone first begins working out, pretty much anything they do can and likely will bring results.  That’s why it’s not uncommon for newbies, or those who spend most of their time training them, to have a wide variety of go-to strategies that “work.” Though most any strategy can obtain perceived results short term, in order to maintain results, you’d have to be consistently working out, even after you’ve gotten the desired results. To the untrained eye, it would seem that doing more of the exact thing that first brought the results would be the key to maintaining them. But this is where our newbie gains tend to lead us astray.

After the first year or so of doing the same workouts, your body starts to adapt, and you hit the inevitable plateau. Unless you train with some form of periodization.

CLX

Chalean Extreme is great for Endurance and Hypertrophy phases

Periodization takes plateaus into account beforehand, and plans accordingly to prevent them. This means that instead of doing the same workout plan/DVD/class day in and out, you are switching “phases” (endurance, hypertrophy, strength/power) every 4-6 weeks or so (depending on your training goals).

Endurance: as the name implies, builds endurance of the muscles. This allows you to lift heavier weight for longer periods of time. You typically know you need to work on endurance when you go to perform a heavy lift (say, a barbell row), but your smaller muscles won’t allow you to go as heavy as you know you could (forearms or grip strength give out). If you or someone you love were falling off of a building or cliff, you’d better pray that one of you has enough endurance to hold on. This is also the phase that enables you to carry all your grocery bags, by the handles, in one shot (for the less dramatic). The endurance phase is pretty much anything over 12 reps, with less than 30 seconds rest between exercises.  Most workout DVDs fall into this category (more on that here).

Hypertrophy: This phase is where you add size to the muscle. This phase gives the “pump” that lets you actually see the muscles (the fave phase of bodybuilders). The hypertrophy phase can be anywhere from 7-12 reps, with 30-60 seconds rest between sets.

Strength: As it’s name implies is meant to build your strength. This is the phase that helps you to actually function in life. Being able to stand from a sitting position, push yourself out of bed, pick up your child, help a friend push their car, or pack a moving truck. This phase just may save your life (after all, in the cliffhanger above — the endurance may help you hold on, but strength will PULL the person up!) This phase may typically require a bit more food, as strength is derived from how you fuel your body.  It’s incredibly hard to gain true strength while eating in a deficit once you leave the newbie gain period. (All you have to do is eat a bit more during ONE strength phase to truly understand that statement.) The Strength phase is typically anything in the 1-7 rep range.

As you can see, all phases (even the ones you despise) are beneficial, and serve a purpose at the time.  Funny that even the two at opposite ends of the spectrum, “complete” one another.  This is why many of the 90-day systems like P90X, Chalean Extreme, and STS are so popular.  They typically include some form of built in periodization that, when repeated consistently, tend to give better results than what a person may come up with on their own.  (Side note: Cathe’s STS program is the only one of the above mentioned that include all three of the above phases, which is why its so highly praised by EM2WL.)

STS

Rather than simply treating each workout as a punishment for your body not looking a certain way, try periodization to prevent plateaus.  Having a periodized focus gives you purpose in your workouts, multiple short-term (ie “monthly”) fitness goals to strive for, and a bonus: a confidence boost from actually achieving them!

What you’ll typically find is that because of your new attitude and willingness to workout with purpose, you’ll continue to see more benefits and improvements (mentally and physically). The mental aspect of getting stronger and doing things you couldn’t physically do before is addicting.  And when you’re focused on those things – even more physique improvements tend to happen as a byproduct. Which makes it even more addicting.  Fitness goals for the win!

Do you plan your workouts in phases? Or do you prefer to go with the flow/stick with your fave workouts?

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WEIGHT Loss vs FAT Loss

WEIGHT Loss vs FAT Loss

weight loss vs. fat lossWeight Loss vs Fat Loss

Do you often feel like you’re totally on point with your exercise and eating, then step on the scale and lose all hope and encouragement? Yeah…I’m talking to you…you, who may have just thought — 5 minutes before weighing — “dang I look pretty darn good! Then a number on the scale rocked your world, ruined your day, and you suddenly noticed how “fat” you were. This is the difference in weight loss vs fat loss.

Human beings (especially us, ladies!) tend to seek perfection in imperfect objects, so it’s easy to form an unhealthy relationship with the scale.  Whether we befriended our first scale as young girls or later in life, it’s no secret that it’s a love/hate relationship.  We get so caught up in pursuing perfect, linear progress from the little digital god, that we lose sight of the big picture.

For many of us, our journey may even take a nosedive due to a number that we didn’t like popping up on the screen of a scale. (We see the number, decide it’s not worth it, because nothing will “ever” work, and we quit – mentally or physically.)

Well, it’s time to relinquish the power this piece of equipment has harnessed on the “dieting” community (women AND men) for far too long.

By weighing ourselves, we tend to think we can gauge the progress we have made – true, to an extent.  Weight fluctuates on a very regular basis due to a variety of things: hormonal changes (menstrual cycles), a big meal, water retention, sodium intake, etc. Because of this, using a scale isn’t necessarily the truest way to define progress.  So what are some ways you can be sure you are moving in the right direction despite what your scale says?

Clothes Test: Have a favorite pair of pants or a dress that you just love but have to squeeze into? Try it on once a month and notice the difference in the fit! (Caution here: if the jeans are low rise and seem to fit worse, take note of whether it’s just because your bootay simply needs a higher rise for a similar look — see below)

Inches, Not Pounds: If you’re a numbers person and must have a measurement of some sort to track, start measuring inches (waist, chest, etc.).  Oftentimes we gain muscle and lose fat (aka inches) and as a result, the scale says “no” but the measuring tape says “yes!”  Take that lower measure on the tape with as much/more certainty as you would it’s digital (evil) cousin.

Cheri progress pic

Cheri knows that pics measure true progress. Check out her story!

Pictures:  You should be taking pics every 4-6 weeks anyway, and here’s when it matters.  If your fave pants suddenly seem harder to zip, or measurements seem askew, snap a few pics in your fitted yoga pants or workout capris.  Using a collage app, compare side-by-side shots both showing the tighter-clothes-fitting area. If the most recent shot proves that things have shifted (in the awesome way that they tend to with weight lifting), then you’re doing great! Go out and celebrate by buying yourself an amazing new pair of mid-rise jeans in your usual size  — don’t worry, they won’t be “mom jeans” because your higher butt will give them the same low-look.  Or, grab a pair of the exact same jeans in a size up — again, no worries, you’ll still LOOK smaller (rather than like a stuffed sausage – which only makes you look BIGGER).  Fit is everything!

Increased Strength: Are you able to do sets of leg extensions at a weight you never touched before? How about a higher weight for dumbbell bicep curls? Pushups on your toes?  Hello, this is great progress!!

There are obviously tons more NSVs (non-scale victories) that you could use to judge progress, and we highly recommend searching for and recognizing them as diligently as you do “weight” loss.   It’s important to understand why the scale sometimes goes up when in fact we are becoming healthier and losing body fat (progressing!).  Our bodies are composed of fat and muscle.  Chances are you’ve heard the saying that muscle weighs more than fat.  This is in fact not true.  Five pounds of muscle weighs as much as five pounds of fat, but it just takes up less space!  When you’re lifting weights and building muscle, you’ll notice your body becoming tight or “toned.” This is the result of increased muscle mass as part of your body composition.

The more muscle our bodies have, the more calories we burn at rest.  The more muscle mass, the tighter the physique (think lean and toned!). Take it from this 5’2, 140 lb woman who once thought the world would crumble at any weight over 112lbs! A 140 lb strong, weightlifting woman looks much different than a 140 lb woman who doesn’t lift at all! If you were to look at both of these women, throw out scales, and guess their weights, you would have no clue they weighed the same. This is a prime example of why the scale isn’t a be-all and end-all for progress!

Vtaper progress

I thought I’d die last year when I gained 10lbs! Click the pic to read my journal woes.

If you’re gaining muscle, the scale may say you’re gaining “weight.”  But appreciate that it’s good weight!  By recognizing the way your body changes as you exercise, strength train, and eat healthily and mindfully, you’ll slowly be able to break the chains the scale once bound you by!

(SN: If you know that you can’t mentally take seeing the various fluctuations, go on a scale fast!  Do what you need to do to save your sanity, and keep it moving)

How do you judge progress? What are some of the best NSVs you’ve experienced along this journey?

 

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