IIFYM: starting a cut.

Deciding to diet down is a commitment.  

"Cutting" or controlling your macros in order to lose fat is a commitment.

Its a total life overhaul. 

I'm not saying it's not worth it, I'm just saying, its hard. 

Weighing, counting, and measuring your foo is a commitment. 

I decided to start a cut about a month and a half ago.  I had been weight lifting for almost 2 years without ever restricting my calories.  I'd gained a lot of muscle and about 10 lbs.  I was never unhappy with my body and actually really enjoyed all my muscle gains and strength.  But I finally decided to lose some fat and let those muscles show.

I figured I needed to lose about 15 lbs and I gave myself a time line of 6 months. 

To start, you have to figure out your TDEE or total daily energy expenditure. 

Its pretty easy, just look up any TDEE calculator online.  That will give you the number of calories that your body naturally burns in a day before exercise.  Mine is about 2100.  I then adjust my calorie goals to facilitate the weight loss and figure out my macros.  (I can write a whole separate post on that).  

I love flexible dieting.  

It gives you the ability to eat lots of different types of foods.  If I know I am 

going to have pasta 

for dinner, I eat less carbs earlier in the day.  

If I want fries, I work it in.  I never have to restrict, just redirect. 

HOWEVER, life does change in a big way.  

Remember those beers you used to go out for with your friends on Saturdays or weekly pizza night. Those all of a sudden become a lot less fun.  Cause now your working with a certain number.  You can blow your carbs on beer and margaritas and pizza, 

but then your working with little else for the rest of the day.  

And when you eat a VEGAN DIET (ahhhh, scary, run away) that means you gotta work even harder to hit everything.  

So here I sit on my couch, writing this blog post and binge watching Gilmore Girls, while my eat whatever he wants and still has a six pack boyfriend goes out to the bar for $2 Tuesday.  

But that's okay, cause I have priorities. I know what its going to feel like when I lean 

down and finally see those abs that I know are in there!

My new yoga routine.

Recently, my body has been feeling really tight.  My muscles and joints have been feeling so stiff that I've been uncomfortable.  I knew I needed to do something more than just light stretching to fix the problem.
My hamstrings are the worst right now.  They have been so tight, I couldn't even touch my toes. I think it was from a very uncomfortable leg curl machine....

Having tight muscles can really interfere with not just exercise, but a lot of everyday movements.  I notice it when I walk my dogs, when I bend down to switch the laundry and when I drive my car.
I've never had to worry about it much before, but now
I've begun to notice it all the time.

I decided to try yoga to loosen things up a bit.  I've done yoga before, a few times, and I really like it.  But this time I decided to really commit. Do it daily, well as daily as possible, and do it with intention.
You can find literally any type of yoga online, beginner to advanced, long and short.
Plus, yoga is something you can do with almost no equipment. I mean, they make tons of different yoga mats and blocks and socks and stuff.  But you don't NEED them.

After a few days of yoga, I can feel my muscles getting back to normal.
I think stretching and yoga is the most overlooked form of physical activity.  They aid in basic motion and mobility. Many people worry about their muscles and doing cardio, but they don't take the time to relax and sooth the muscles.

I am definitely guilty of this, but I hope overtime I can get my body to a better place now.