Before the Health Goth article series really kicks off, I want to share my goals with you.
Get back to a size 4 pant. The first time I ever dropped size, I managed to get myself comfortably into a size 4 jean. Things happen right? I just got myself into a size 8 jean, so I'm on my way there. I'm actually happy with any pant size that fits me. I just want to get rid of the body fat.
Become ready for a bodybuilding competition. If you are not familiar with bodybuilding competitions, then you're probably imagining some sort of ultra-muscle lady with almost no breast tissue left and a weird spray tan in a tiny bikini. There are actually 4 levels: bikini, figure, physique, and bodybuilding. I'm aiming for figure because I know how I put on muscle. I'm kind of a short and stout gal with some substantial muscle underneath the bit of fat. Coming up in April and again in June, in my state, are the two competitions that I know of.
Become a certified personal trainer. I am working towards becoming certified as a personal trainer. I've always had a strong interest in exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Do I want to be a personal trainer? Still up in the air on that. I have thought strongly about opening up a gym.
Be comfortable with myself. When it comes down to it, all I want is to be comfortable and happy with myself. I want to be able to look good in a pair of black pvc pants and a fishnet shirt. Not thin, but healthy-muscular. I don't want to question if you can see that fatty area. I'm so tired of that.
I can tell you, from a long battle with myself, that you can't lose the size if you don't have a solid goal. Never do it for anyone else. Always have your own personal reasons.
How Do I Eat?
In the way of diet, I am on a restricted paleo diet*. I am prone to hypothyroidism and adrenal issues, so I control it with diet and exercise - because I won't even consider taking fucking pills for the rest of my life. It's easier and healthier to just eat healthier and go to the gym.
* "Diet" simply refers to the way you normally eat. I'm not talking about any fads here. You need to examine your own diet and ask if it's how you really should be eating.
My "restricted paleo" diet consists of meat (preferably lean meats), vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, and limited dairy. No sugar, no grains, no potatoes (incl. sweet potato), no starchy tubers, no legumes. The typical paleo diet does allow for sweet potato and some starchy tubers, but after not eating these things for a long time my body refuses to process them properly.
I tend to watch my macros like a hawk. Macros, if you're new to healthy diets, are your nutritional information - Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat. I use MyFitnessPal to log my stuff. It's free, it syncs with facebook, and it's online and an app.
My typical daily diet looks like this:
Breakfast
2 Eggs - scrambled or fried
2 scoop Protein Powder + 12 oz water
Lunch
16oz Green Smoothie - 1/2 apple, spinach, 1 scoop supergreen powder, 1/2 scoop protein powder, 4oz almond milk, 4oz water, 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt, 1 tsp raw honey
28g Jerky - Beef, salmon, or turkey (1 packaged stick)
Dinner
4-5oz Lean Meat (usually chicken or shrimp or tuna)
1.5-2 cups Broccoli or Cauliflower
1-2 TBSP of any sauce
All Day
About 120oz Water
A couple cups of coffee in the morning and at work
It comes out to about 1000 calories a day - which I don't even really care about. If you start eating veggies all the time, you get super full without all the calories. I also don't let myself get frustrated over sauce, except for stuff with soy. I have a soy allergy and on top of that soy is a legume, which is a big NO.
Holidays can be hard on the diet, but I find it pretty easy to say "No thanks"...unless there's pie. That is a hard one to walk away from. Or maybe French pastries that aren't super sweet. I just love the creams and choux.
Here are some more health goth "look" photos.