Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Tough It Out Tuesday - The NSV Edition

Can I just say, what a difference a week makes! I was fairly close to basket case status last week and my Tough It Out Tuesday post was not very positive, uplifting, or motivating, which basically reflected my current mood. But this week, holy cannoli! I'm back in business.

For all of you TIOT returners.. You might notice something a little different.


My pretty, pretty partner in crime, Allie gave her blog a little facelift and that included a new name and site domain! So I've created a new button.. Which is a temporary place holder until I create (another) new, much prettier button. I'm sorry. I know how annoying it is when a link-up switches their button a million times. Trust me, I know. Been there, complained about that.. BUT it is was it is and so apologies all over the place!

Nothing else has changed..
The "rules" are simple -
1. On Tuesdays write a post about anything fitness, weight loss, healthy living, etc. etc. and link up with Allie and I.
2. This isn't strict or heavily structured. Allie and I really just wanted a mutual place to motivate each other and everyone else who drops by!
3. The main, big, huge purpose of this link up is to motivate and encourage others. I would really love it if you'd take the time to click around the links listed below and give some words of encouragement to everyone else. Maybe even let them know that they aren't alone in their journey. Sometimes that's all someone needs.


So this week I wanted to talk about something I used to talk about a long, long time ago. Non-scale victories. I first learned about NSVs from Katie about a year ago. She actually hosts a Non-Scale Victories linkup every Thursday that you should check out. I've participated in it more than once. Anyway, the idea behind non-scale victories is that generally people only determine their success by the number on the scale. Making a healthy lifestyle change is so much more than that and the little challenges and successes add up to the big ones.

Here are my NSVs for this past week - 

>>  I can feel and I can tell that my endurance is getting better. I'm doing C25K, but this morning I decided to not turn that app on and to just walk/run at my own pace, just to see where I was without an app telling me when to walk/run. Turns out, I can run for a lot longer than I gave myself credit for! This was huge for me and I was basically floating on cloud 9 after I left the gym today.. Which is why this post might seem a little more peppy than usual!


>> A guy called me beautiful and he meant it. Sometimes it's just really nice to hear.

>> My eating has been pretty close to top notch! (yes, i did have ice cream on friday night and yes, it was delicious) My biggest victory with eating is that I've just stopped making it a big deal. I love food and I love trying new things, but sometimes I just need to keep it simple and remember that for right now, food is just fuel. It really clicked this past week and while I don't expect it to last forever, I'm pumped that it's here at all!

>> 64oz of water a day is EASY now. Easy. I can't believe I'm even saying that. I don't even think about it anymore, it just happens. It's awesome, awesome, awesome.


>> I'm noticing differences in my confidence. I don't know if it's my working out or my new "be brave" mentality, but I feel good about myself. Really good about myself.



All of those NSVs should be enough, right? But actually, this week I also had a mini scale victory. Sunday morning I stepped on the scale and saw a very pretty number that made me very happy. I may or may not have fist pumped into the air. I'm not just saying that to add pizazz into this blog post either.. I actually fist pumped the air, alone, in my apartment.

WOO HOO!!

Now, I've got some questions.
Bloglandia is full of people who know more about this than I do and gosh darnit, I want you to share your wisdom and experience with me!! Here are the questions I currently have..
  • I read 2 separate articles about lifting weights before cardio and how that's much better. If I'm doing weights that day, I tend to always do them after cardio. There's no reason I do this, I just do. What I'm wondering is if I should switch that up? Or if that doesn't really matter in the long run.
  • I live in Indiana, so I've been doing all of my running this winter on a treadmill. Obviously, I'll be a running a 5k outside. See the difference there? Last year I got horrible shin splints while I was running outside and I haven't noticed any while I've been on the dreadmill. I also have different shoes, but still.. Tips, tricks, helpful hints for moving from dreadmill to outdoor running?
  • I read another awful, horrible article about the damage ab exercises can do to your back and posture. Well hey, I need to work on my darn posture anyway. So this article recommended back exercises, specifically lower back exercises, but then it didn't give me any. So uh.. what the heck kind of exercises should I be doing? Or should I just stop reading articles I find on Pinterest?
Okay, on that note.. HELP ME!
Also, did anyone else have some non-scale victories this week?
Who else is obsessed with Allie's new blog facelift?
Who is mad at me for being a bad blogger? It's okay, I'm mad at me too.


The Best Of Intentions



12 comments:

  1. I always do cardio, weights, then more cardio. Not sure the order it should be in, but my trainer has never said anything about it so I'm not sure? Maybe I should ask him....

    Wait...you live in Indiana?!? Me too! Which area?

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  2. You look awesome! And that water looks yummy! Once the weather gets nicer I really want to start using my C25K app again!

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  3. --Planks (full or forearm) strengthen your core without creating roundness of the spine/shoulders. Use your hands/forearms to "push" the floor away from you, while lifting your belly button to your spine.
    --Bridge position is good for strengthening your low back (upper back and shoulders on floor, feet in line with knees, lift hips).
    --Superman is another good low back exercise (lay on your stomach, keep head in line w/spine, anchor yourself to the floor with abs and lift legs off the floor. Imagine someone pulling your legs back behind you making you long). In addition to working your back, superman helps to lengthen the front abdominal muscles, helping make things flatter :)
    **All of this is stuff I've learned in BarreAmped training/teaching so I promise I'm not just pulling it outta my butt! ;)
    Also, your pic looks great :)

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  4. Yes, love this idea of non-scale victories. There's so much more to the getting-a-new-lifestyle journey that doesn't involve that closely watched number and it takes a long time for people to notice that. My biggest non-scale victory is being able to confidently go sleeveless this Spring. Something I've haven't felt the confidence to do in y e a r s. Love the new button!

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  5. I tend to do weights first because I am less fatigued and so I am more able to lift heavier. If I do it after cardio I am more tired and notice I lift heavier and just want to go home.

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  6. You go, girl! Also, you should definitely lift weights BEFORE cardio! :)

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  7. from what i have heard doing weights first then cardio is the way to go! also, there are a lot of core exercises that do not involve being on your back! think of things like planks / push-up position. also things like squats with a dumbbell and then once you've stood up twist with the dumb, etc!

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  8. You're looking fabulous girl! I cannot wait to start having some more confidence in myself. And I'm still waiting for the day that drinking 64oz of water is easy for me. I'm always in a constant battle with myself to drink water rather than Mountain Dew.

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  9. I don't go to a gym right now, but I am doing the C25K as well! And right now I do the C25K on M,W,F followed by yoga on the WiiFit. Then some at home strength training using (mostly) my own body weight T, Th, Sat also followed by Yoga.

    I have had lower back pain for about 4 years now due to something I don't understand in my genetics on top of being overweight. Yoga has been the best thing for it. I feel better, and my back doesn't hurt as badly, nor as much as it used to.

    P.S. Hottie McHotterson in your pic lady!!

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  10. I did cardio before weights twice this week because my weightlifting routine is TOUGH and I didn't want to run out of gas. It's supposed to burn more fat that way, too. But if I'm at my gym, I do weights first because I sweat a lot and I'm embarrassed to walk around in my wet clothes while I lift weights.

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  11. Way to rock the running! I try to force myself to run until a song finishes. Needs to be a good song though!

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  12. Way to go! Seconding the commenter who mentioned planks above — they're tough but they WORK. Congrats on the awesome week!

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I love you people! Let's be friends.

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