If you’ve read this blog lately, you’ll know that on September 1st I started Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide. This week marks 16 weeks of my venture and I have no plan on ever stopping! I’ve learned a few things along the way, such as proper form for lunges and step-ups. However, some of the things I’ve learned were completely unexpected and unrelated to exercise..
5 Surprising Experiences from Exercise
My skin started to clear up
I’ve struggled with acne since I was 11 years old. I hope one day I won’t have to endure this torture, but until then I’ll continue making sure I wash + tone + hydrate. However, something I started noticing was that my skin did start to clear up on its own. In the beginning of my BBG pre-training, where I was the most out of shape, I sweated. I sweated A LOT. Even on my face which is rare for me. I guess sweating does actually expel toxins from your pores, because I found myself with less breakouts
An easier TOM
Something I haven’t shared with my readers is that I was recently diagnosed with uterine fibroids. Earlier this year I was experiencing excruciatingly painful monthly cramps. I was also getting painful bloating that made me look five months pregnant. These bloating episodes would come out of nowhere and without warning.
Only two months after starting BBG, I no longer have debilitating cramps. Also, since my waistbands are no longer digging into my midsection, I am not experiencing sporadic cramps. The bloating is now almost nonexistent, save a few times I slip up in properly hydrating.
Each step I take takes less effort
This is obviously going to be a given, seeing as I have lost weight, but I didn’t realize just how much those pounds weighed on my 5’2″ frame. Sometimes I would be out of breath going to our second floor. That was shameful…and scary! My family tends to develop type-2 diabetes, so I am really afraid of allowing my health to spiral out of control.
I can now safely zoom upstairs without shortness of breath.
In case you’re wondering, my scale can’t seem to make up its mind about how many pounds I’ve lost. If I don’t drink enough water one day, the next day the scale swings up about 5lbs but it will go down a few days later. I hit the 14.5lbs mark in my weight-loss only to see it go back up again, so I’m not focused too much on that number.
My motivation to never falter
Even when hurricane Matthew was creeping closer to us in Jacksonville, I went out for my LISS…in the rain. We have lost power for 12 hours, so going to the gym wasn’t even an option (but the beauty of BBG is that you don’t NEED a gym!).
The old Lisette would have used the power outage as an excuse to skip my workout. It is usually far too easy for me to make up excuses as to why I don’t want to work out…but a surprising force within me was determined to not let me fail. Maybe it was all of the fitness accounts on Instagram that I’ve used to ingrain motivation? I’m not sure, but the BBG community on IG is what has helped me keep on keeping on.
Even when I was sick as a dog the week of Halloween, I tried not allowing excuses take over. As luck would have it, I came down with a fever. As stubborn as I am I knew that a fever was my body telling me that I needed rest. This was during BBG Week 5, so I am repeated week five in order to continue building on my fitness.
I was a little disappointed because I was hoping to finish my first 12-week round of BBG on Christmas Eve. Now I will finish New Year’s eve. But at least this way I don’t have to sheepishly hold myself to a New Year’s resolution to lose weight because I have already been working for it even before the new year.
The Mirror is No Longer My Enemy
My entire life, I’ve been the chubby kid. Upper body strength was a joke where I was concerned. I remember fitness tests in middle school requiring us to complete one pull up/chin up. HA!
Before starting BBG, I would avoid mirrors or reflections like the plague. They say photos are all about angles, but if you asked me, there isn’t any angle that flatters you when you’re overweight–just some that are worse than others.
Now I am actually excited to stand in front of full-length mirrors. It’s like a surprise. Do I look more toned? Can I see abs? Can I see stronger quads? Do I have biceps?
Does that mean I am taking selfies? Absolutely not. Awkward creature that I am I struggle even taking progress photos for myself.
Stay tuned for an update on my goals for the New Year. I’m not setting a resolution (because I NEVER do well with them) but I am setting fitness goals!
What have you been up to lately?