MakeYourSelf : Challenge Update

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Challenge Update

Honestly, I've been avoiding this post for a couple weeks.

I'm embarrassed to say... I screwed up.

And it wasn't anything crazy like binging or not getting in my exercises, I just made some rookie mistakes in my routine that caused me to plateau and stall out my progress.

First mistake was adding bread to my high carb days. Even though I stuck to only whole wheat and low calorie bread, I was eating it way too often and my body didn't like it.

Second was when I switched around some of my supplements and didn't realize that I wasn't getting some of the nutrients that I needed and was used to.

Third was getting off my usual schedule. I was getting my exercises in, though I wasn't doing them first thing and just trying to fit something in wherever, many times minimizing my cardio sessions and not being able to push as hard in strength training.

Fourth was sticking to my usual routine. I stayed on the same workout routine for too long and my body reached a plateau.

All this on top of the crazy stress I've had lately had left a nice layer of 'fluff' around my midsection.

So, all that said I managed to completely screw up the first half of the challenge.

However, I managed to figure out all of the stuff that was holding me back and I've been working on correcting everything for the past week or so and finally starting to see results. I've changed up my workout routine, got in some new supplements, and am sticking to more complex carbs on high carb days.

I will also admit that I entered into this challenge unsure if I was going to be able to finish it. I was hoping to have the opportunity to do something towards the end of March/ beginning of April that would have limited my training for the last few weeks of the challenge, and honestly I wasn't being too strenuous about it. However, my opportunity has been pushed back, therefore allowing me to train hard for the duration of the challenge and really push forward with determination.

I hate that I screwed up so bad the first half, but you live and learn. I'm not a professional, don't claim to know it all and a lot of this is trial and error. But I'm ready to see how far I can push myself with the last stretch. Hope everyone else is doing awesome and continuing to MAKE YOURSELF!!