Countdown to Confident Beach Body

Well, we're wrapping up February, and it's time to shed the winter coverups, the "safe" clothes, the layers.  It's now CRUNCH TIME for going for the scantier styles, the shorts, the sleevless tops, bikinis, and other body-conscious fashions.

I'm SO over winter, even though we've had a relatively mild one.  Seasonal depression has taken a toll on me, far more than in years past, and has periodically stimulated mindless "comfort" eating.  Enuf of this recklessness.

Knowing the time was drawing near, and just as I was about to get down to business with a sharper focus on planned menus and more disciplined, structured workouts, I seemed to have injured my hip at some point and it ended up setting me back for about a week as I allowed my body time to rest and recover, along with regular doses of Ibuprofen.  I'm pretty sure it was lifting too heavy on the single-leg leg press machine, trying to target outer quads.  That angle seemed to have irritated and inflammed my hip flexors and the surrounding connective tissue, and once the inflammation had set in from the over-exertion, rather than stretching and allowing a proper recovery, I ignored the signs and worked through it until my body finally began to rebel in protest and said: Enough.  No more.  And that's when I began feeling PAIN as opposed to routine soreness.

Well, I made it through the rest time, and thankfully my hip is much better, almost entirely back to normal.  I made it to the gym for the first time this past Monday, working mainly upper body, but experimented with a few sets of body weight walking lunges -- testing the waters.  No issues.  SWEET.  Then again on Thursday, this time testing step-ups, first with body weight, then with very light dumbbells.  This actually felt good.  I also experimented with foam rollers at the end of the workout to release the tension in my muscles.  Felt wonderful. 

I made it to the gym again this morning, and I felt almost no residual discomfort in my hip at all.  I worked mostly back, but did body weight speed squats, step-ups with DB's, and speed squats with a 20# barbell.  No issues.  None.  REALLY SWEET.  Great workout.  How I'd missed the euphoria that comes with hard-at-it training.  My fix.  My escape from stress-induced insanity.

My diet has been on track all week, and today I even confiscated a used half-gallon milk jug to track my water intake, aiming for a minimum of one gallon, not counting what I drank at breakfast and during/after my workout.  (Only 1/4 gallon to go!)  I prepared chicken, sauteed in a tiny bit of coconut oil, lots of yummy seasoning, and had that along with a bit of avocado for dinner.   Today is a low day in my carb rotations (50 or under).  I'll be back to around 100-125 grams tomorrow. 

I'm leaving winter behind, literally and figuratively.  The clock is ticking, and I plan to earn my badges and wear my summer fashions with confidence.  I've been down this road.  I know what it takes.  And I've started the engines...the fire is lit, and the HEAT IS ON.

Countdown to my best body for summer...

building it

dreaming it

planning it

DOING it--full steam ahead.