Slow success

I never see progress photos that look like my body/at the same rate I’m losing and I know there’s a lot of women out there who need some encouragement so I’m gonna give it a shot.

I gained 20lbs since the start of the pandemic 3 years ago. I’m super active but life happened and I stopped going to the gym and then last year my did was killed by coyotes. I had to cope in other ways, and that resulted in some weight gain — which I have stressed very little about all in all because it’s just life and I knew I’d find a way back.

At the same time, as a woman it can be hard to accept that the smallest you’ve been might not always be the goal. We’re surrounded with media and subliminal messaging about our size and what a change of that says about us. “Oh she got married and let herself go” or “I just don’t have the willpower I used to” and while I accepted where I was at I also did have some nights of wondering how I’ll find the balance.

It’s changed a lot in recent years but in general fitness content doesn’t always celebrate the unique factors of being a woman. Having a cycle that changes our chemistry 4x a month is a superpower if you know how to use it. I’ve spent the last 6 months looking HARD for people who will help me build sustainable and quality habits for MY body.

I decided I wanted to start tracking my macros and prioritizing protein over everything in an effort to balance my hormones AND do some body recomp at the beginning of the year. I’ve always been strong and build muscle easily. At my strongest I weighed 142. March 2020 I was 135, but hadn’t been in the gym for a couple of years. My goal is to get back to 142ish and see how I feel — I’m currently 151, down from 159 at the start of the year. My first photos in the collages are about 156.

MF has helped me see what I eat and get my metabolism up - my TDEE has gone up 250cals in the last month and I am STOKED. I had tried to lose weight last year but my deficit was putting my body into starvation mode. I went from about 1800 calories to 1500 and was STARVING all the time. my TDEE now is 2200 and I eat about 1900 daily and losing fat simultaneously. I’m not often hungry and if I am, I eat. No stressing about it.

I’ve been strength training 3-5 days a week during my follicular/ovulation/and early part of my luteal phase. I tend to rest during my period and just walk the dog. I feel better than I ever have. I’ve “only” lost a few pounds but everything about my body feels different.

I have habits that actually help me show up to life better. The gym isn’t about burning calories it’s about moving my body and being strong. I want to become a mom in the next year and the work I’m doing now I know will translate to pregnancy, labor and delivery. And the best part is these habits are sustainable.

I’m not looking for my flattest tummy or smallest thighs. I’ve finally found dome balance with my perspective, expectations and goals.

So if you’re a woman and your progress is slow…it’s OK. In fact, the lessons and habits you’re building will be stronger for it.

Posting these photos isn’t to show you how massive of a change there’s been on the outside. It’s to show you that a subtle change can accompany big mindset shifts and that is still, very much progress. And it’s ok if it’s slow. I’m sure I could have done lots to speed this up….but I’m so glad I haven’t.