Transformation Tuesday

My carefree days; circa 2010.

One year ago, I looked at down at both my scale and my body, and realized that life, as it always does, had gotten in the way of me being my best self.

I weighed in at over 128lbs. A small-framed 5"1, this was nothing close to the lean, toned and fit me that you see before you today. I refused to step foot in front of a camera, explaining the lack of comparison photos for 2011, end of 2012 and today.

While fitness has always been a very important part of my life, there have been moments where life, itself, has got in the way. 2012 was a prime example of this. While I had still achieved my goal of running my first half marathon sub-2hrs, my body post-race season went into a downward spiral; craving the carbohydrates that it had come to rely on as fuel during the racing season. What my body couldn't process was that it no longer had a need for the excessive carbs. And so training continued….

When I jumped back into the swing of things 1 January, of this year, I told myself that regardless of how busy my life got, I would still take time out of my day for myself.

My racing days, 102lbs light speed racing
in honor of 1LT Del Castillo, KIA June 2011

The gym for me, is exactly that; time for myself. Each day I walk into the gym everyday, it is not just about losing fat, or gaining lean muscle, its a whole body experience from the inside, out. My experiences in the gym have transformed me, yes physically, but also mentally. I've deemed my time in the gym as a way of mastering my body and mind. It's a powerful experience; to learn how your body adapts not only from week to week, but from day to day when you alter your perspective of whats important, and really take the time to truly listen to what your body needs, instead of what it wants.

This year I learned a lot. I learned that clean eating isn't as hard as everyone makes it seem. In December of 2012, I was eating chili every sunday, pizza every wednesday and anything else that landed in front of my plate. While I never 'over indulged' with my portion sizes, the kinds of food I was eating were not only making me put on weight, but I soon started to experience a mess load of symptoms, like severe migraines, stomach issues and an overall feeling of lethargy.

In honor of "Transformation Tuesdays" here are my "then and now" photos from when the start of my fitfam obsession through to today.

Merry Christmas Eve Y'all!

xoxo,

-Katrina

Holiday Indulgences

With the holidays just around the corner, I thought I would be nice to pass along some advice for all those holiday parties you'll probably be attending.

Living a healthy lifestyle, I am commonly sought out for advice about how/what to eat. Here are some of my tips for you guys. While I don't eat junk food, I do like to indulge, so here are the guidelines I live by.

1. Just because the food is there doesn't mean you have to eat it.

2. Choose your foods wisely. 

• If you wind up at an unexpected event keep in mind what you've eaten for the day, and eat accordingly. If you you've already eaten a lot for before getting to the party, scale back and be conservative about what you eat.
• If you have an event planned ahead of time and you know there will be some great eats and perhaps a few adult beverages, plan your daily meals accordingly so you can indulge a little bit. 

3. Criteria for indulging: Measurements on the fly

• A full meal by definition should consist of three portions, no larger than your fist (when closed). This meal should include one of each of the following: protein (usually double fist-size), vegetables, complex carbohydrates/starches.
• Side note: Protein will keep you satisfied for longer, and you won't need to seek out as many unhealthy options.
• If you are going for the sweets eat in moderation. You don't need a full "serving" of Grandma's trifle. A simple bite or two (thumb if using chart below)  of 2-3 items served will do just fine.
• Don't forget your liquid calories: beer, wine, spiked eggnog and other mixed beverages can really add up quickly. So don't forget to take these into consideration when you are thinking about "budgeting" for your "indulgences."

Below is a great little reference sheet to keep in mind this holiday season.