Merry Winter, everyone! LOL. Christmas has passed, but there's no reason not to carry the merriment into the rest of the season :-) Along with many others, I definitely enjoyed a feast day...err, um to the tune of about 4500 cals worth. I don't have a pic of the food baby, but I was far too incapacitated to hold a phone much less take a pic! LOL
A little confession here...
I love to watch food competitors on youtube. Their skill and ability just fascinates the heck out of me. Some of these pro-eaters can take down 8-10 lbs. of food at a time. They also have to train for it. Many of them will drink a gallon or two of water the night before a challenge to stretch their stomach capacity. And, some have learned the art of opening up their throats so they can just swallow large amounts of food quickly. It's definitely not a hobby for the faint of heart.
And, no it's not my hobby either. LOL. Although, I have learned some good speed eating tips and tricks from them. Especially, if I'm in a rush to get my breakfast down so that I'm ready for work or ready when the para-transit comes. But, other than that - I do not foresee 10 lb food challenges in this girl's immediate or not so immediate future.
If anything there is something about watching them eat all that food that actually dampens my appetite and makes me genuinely appreciate eating in moderation. It all looks really good in the beginning, but it never fails that at least 5 lbs. into their meal - flavor fatigue has settled in and then it's everything they can do just to swallow a bite.
Being a 4500 surplus cal gal myself - I cannot on all that is holy imagine pushing this stomach past that, but oh my it was delicious! One of the best Holiday feast meals, yet! And, I was genuinely ready to enjoy all the flavors.
Ham
Swiss Chard sautéed with bacon
Brussel Sprouts marinated and sautéed with balsamic vinegar
Popovers with Jam
Butternut squash with a maple syrup glaze
5 Bean Casserole with Gouda Cheese
A nice red Syrah wine
...and for dessert
Chocolate Truffle Balls and a sticky toffee pumpkin cake with creme fresh on top!
And, that was just dinner. Breakfast was just as amazing, but definitely not as calorie dense.
I had seconds of pretty much everything. And, of course with all that fiber rich food - this stomach was definitely feeling the bulk. I made sure to wait an hour before I started to drink water and was pleasantly surprised the next morning when the weigh-in stood at 116.6. Only 3.2 lbs. up from the last low. I've definitely had bigger food babies.
But, this time around I noted the thermogenic effect was off the flippin' charts. I expected to feel hot throughout the night. I even set out a pair of cool breathable jammies before I had dinner just to prepare. However, my heart rate hit about 110 bpm several times and I ended the evening with a 2200 cal burn on a day I usually only hit 1900 cals on.
And, my metabolism didn't stop thrumming, either. Yesterday, I had my typical 23 minute bike ride and 1.5 hour of weights with a met-con tossed in. Again, I usually hit a 1900 cal burn on these days, but ended the evening with another 2200 plus cal burn.
The most I can figure is a lot of the foods I ate were fibrous and nutrient dense, albeit rich. They take a lot of energy to break down. Not to mention, this metabolism was ripe and ready to have a nice big log thrown at it! LOL
Either way, this year's feast day definitely helped to fuel a wonderful beast day in the gym. And, it was wonderful to take all that delicious energy and manifest it through some equally blissful movement.
Which, is kind of the way I've come to see the whole process these days. This mind's perception has definitely shifted. It's not just cals in/cals out. It's truly a beautiful cycle of energy in/energy out.
The energy I take in provides me an amazing opportunity to manifest something creative and beautiful through physical movement, which brings me bliss and that blissful energy is released right back into the universe.
It's such a beautiful process, it makes me understand why there needs to be a balance. Nothing good comes from hoarding energy. It's meant to be shared, used, manifested in a way that brings joy.
To that end, I'm down a lb. from yesterday's weigh in, but all inches remain the same. 25 inches around the waist and 31 around the hips. I have another hearty workout scheduled today so I don't expect too much of a drop until next weekend due to typical post workout inflammation and post feast water retention.
I hope everyone genuinely had an opportunity to enjoy the abundance and blessings of the day. I leave you with 2 favorite pics from the Holiday. The first is me after finishing 3X20 push-ups with 16lbs in the back pack and no split sets. This from a girl who started doing push ups against a wall 3 years ago :-)
And, the second pic is welcoming mid-life in my own special way.
2020 is the year this 47 year old lady decided to say,
"Screw it!" And, celebrate mid-life with a brand new pair of Faux-leather leggings!!! Merry Christmas to me ❤ And, yes I love them Santa - I love them very much! 🥰 Oh, and yes I do intend to rock them with a stylish cane, because why the hell not! 😊
Have a wonderful rest of the weekend, everyone! I'll catch you all in the New Year!
