So this year I’m all gung ho at figuring out things like Macros and tweaking my calorie count.  It was easier when I followed some program and didn’t care about the why behind my program.  I just followed it and that was that.  This year I want to understand how to eat instead of just knowing what to eat and where carbs come in.  I want a full understanding of carbs and calories that are right for me and my body and my workout program.  This is a big experiment and over the last week I’ve learned a bunch.  I’ve learned things like 1,372 calories really is not enough for me whereas 1700 and change better suits me.  with the lesser calories I’m going to bed hungry and getting up hungry.  I’m still waiting for the hungry to go away which hopefully it does.  I’m trying to see if it’s an eating habit that needs to be broken like a stallion or if I actually need more calories on a regular basis.   Now I guess being hungry and living on fewer calories (which by the way I go over all the time by 100-200) might be what they call a calorie deficit which is what you want but I believe I want it on cardio days I think.  We’ll see what the scale says in a couple of weeks.  I’ve also adjusted carb days to coincide with cardio days which is how you should plan it out.  So as I read I make changes one month at a time so I can notice if those changes are actually happening.

I’m also keeping track of my measurements.  After a month I did my first measurement and to my surprise I actually lost a few tics on the measuring tape.  It doesn’t really show much when I look in the mirror but the tape don’t lie.  So there’s that. I’m kind of excited to see what the March tape dictates.  I’ve put together a good workout routine with cardio days and strength days and even a rest day and I follow it faithfully.  I am goal driven with specific body goals and weight goals that motivate me as I head to the big one in May.  No one but me cares what a has been looks like at 50 but I just want to get up that day and feel like HECK YA I FEEL AMAZING!

I try to read as much as I can so I’m not winging it like so many do.  I find that now vs when I was 40 I am physically tired when I sit down after working out which is weird because I don’t ever work so hard as to drip sweat everywhere.  A little on cardio days for sure and I get a little slick when I use weights at the gym but I don’t look like the crazies on the internet who are literally dripping and flinging sweat everywhere.  Strength training for me is about consistency and reps and the right exercises over time.

My Goals this year, specifically by June are:  #1 goal- great abs.  #2 goal – a nice ass.  And #3 goal – get rid of as much fat, love handles and rear end / leg cellulite as possible.  At that point I’ll decide if I feel like running a full Marathon…jury is out o that at the moment and I won’t be sad if I decide not to. I’ve just been thinking about it for a while.  All of this is for me and I’m enjoying learning about how to feed my machine.  Learning about food as fuel and what exercises work best for me to get the results I want.  Who knew it would be so much work to stay fit at 50!