It's a Process: Week 3 Weekly Weigh-In!

WEEK 3: 

JULY 21, 2014:
WEIGH-IN:

• 52.1 kg (115 lbs)
• Body Fat: 27.7%
• BMI: 22.3
• Visceral Fat Lv: 3
• Waist: 68cm (26.8in)
• Hips: 96cm (37.8 in)
• Thighs: 58cm (22.8in)

PHYSICAL CONDITION NOTES:
Progress more than likely due to my recent diet changes.
Calories way up, salt WAY up, starch/carb/sugar levels way down, increase in healthy fats.
(I'm pretty much living on a meat diet and LOVING it!! Weight loss by BACON!!)

It's still summer in Japan, so I am still severely limited by the heat and try to spend as much time indoors. But for the most part increasing my salt level to 6g per day and at least 3L of water has kept my body functioning. Headaches still occur frequently but are easier to control now by controlling my salt/fluid intake.

I don't care about weight or calories. My focus now is to get back down to 20% BF and Lv 1 or 2 internal fat, as I was before I came to Japan, and gradually re-increase my weight by rebuilding the 10 pounds or so of muscle I lost, and especially rebuilding the muscle walls of my heart.
Goal Weight: Back up to 120 - 125 lbs

HOW TO BECOME AN EXPERT IN ANY INDUSTRY

Very informational video. A bit long, but worth the watch. I love Chalene!

30-Day Push Challenge: Day 5 - ACCOUNTABILITY

30-Day Push Challenge: Day 5

"Today is all about accountability. You've considered your priorities, constructed ten goals and have determined your push goal – the goal that's going to activate the others. Now, you're going to turn that push goal into a promise!...Make a promise to several important people that you WILL achieve your PUSH goal in the next 12 months!"

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Well, as someone who usually goes solo, I can't really think of anyone but my mother to whom a promise from me would really carry any weight... guess I need a little more time to think about this one.

Anyway, I have determined the other day that my PUSH goal, the goal that will make achieving all my other goals much more easier AND possible is

"7. I have many real, genuine friends"

If I have many people in my network that support me, care about me, and have a genuine interest in my life, it would be so much easier to do other people-involving things.

As someone who tends to keep to themselves most of the time, I find this particularly challenging. But, I will take the time and effort to attend more events with the friends I do have, and go to more events around the area where I can meet new people.

Beachbody Talent Auditions in the US.... and I'm still here in Japan...

I am so bummed today, because I just found out that, back in the good ol' USA, my favourite fitness brand/company that I had been coaching for for a while now, has launched auditions for their Talent Team...

TALENT TEAM... Whooooooaaaaahhh....

Do you even know what that MEANS?!?!

That means the possibility of becoming the face of their products, the name of the team... working out and then hanging out with all your favourite trainers after a nice long intense workout, filmed to be put on DVD... oh the possibilities!! Not to mention a huge BOOM in my business back in the states..


(And here I am, stuck under the scorching summer sun of Japan, where I have another whole year to go until my current contract is fulfilled, struggling with illness and temporary physical disabilities...)


I actually have auditioned for them in the past when they were still filming the "Insanity: Asylum" DVD. I never did get in however, as I was still in school at the time and didn't have the flexibility to commit to their contract terms...
Sigh. (-_-)
(But a couple of my friends did make it, and I must give a big kudos to them for that!!)


Oh how I wish Team Beachbody would hurry up and make the move to Japan...
I mean, their base is in California, it's not that far!!!
(And if translating is the difficulty, hey, I'm a translator too, I so got them covered in that department!!)


I mean, I'm already a coach, a personal trainer, I've placed 5th in a regional fitness bikini competition, and I'm certified in TurboKick, PiYo AND P90X!! (And working on INSANITY! :P )
I could TOTALLY audition for this and WIN!!


Well... Hopefully they will hold the auditions again after I've gone back... and hopefully I'll be fully recovered and back in shape when that happens!! :P

Hey... Maybe I can't do it now, but YOU can!!
If you got what it takes, go ahead and audition for me!

....And tell them I'll see them NEXT year!!

Beachbody Talent Auditions


THIS IS MY DREAM!!!

Day 2: Setting Priorities

30 Day Push Challenge: Day 2:
SETTING PRIORITIES

My Intrinsic Priority is: Health and Fitness

My Key Priority is: Career/Purpose/Calling

#1: I have chosen this area of my life as my Key Priority because:
- I have come very far, done so many things, and love so many of them, I end up overwhelming myself trying to do them all. I haven't figured out which one is THE one just yet, because I thought it was where I am right now, but I still find myself wanting more sometimes, and recently I am questioning that as I am being pulled in multiple other directions.

#2: I will honor my Key Priority by vowing to do my best to always:
Pick ONE to focus on, yet be open to other opportunities. If I can't be satisfied with that one, or find myself being stingily pulled in another direction, then chances are that one things ISN'T my true calling, and it might be time to give one of the other ones a shot.

#3: The following action(s) would be inconsistent with my commitment to my Key Priority:
Continuing as I am now, until I drag myself further and further down an overwhelming pit of stress, always pining after the other opportunities for other things I feel a stronger pull.

#4: To honor my Key Priority, I will limit:
limiting myself to this one position forever. My life is not over and decided. I can change my life and try something else. If I am not happy, I can move somewhere else. So I will stop limiting myself to being stuck in this one place thinking that it's too late to change now and that I have to stay here forever.

#5: To live my life according to my Key Priority, I need to make the following changes:
Be open and willing to extend to the other areas that are calling for my attention - one of them just might be my real calling.
Stop confining myself to this one set place as if I were stuck here forever.
Find some time to do things I really love, and see which one ends up being more fulfilling/rewarding/productive etc.

Starting Chalene Johnson's 30 Day Push Challenge!!

I'm taking advantage of summer break and the down time my condition has given me to do a little personal development.
I joined a 30 day challenge and will be posting up my progress in regards to that as well.


(FYI for anyone interested its called the 30 Day Push Challenge by Chalene Johnson; its free, pretty much they send you personal development emails every day.)
http://www.30daypush.com/

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Day 1:

Your first assignment is to take a look at these 10 areas of your life and rate each area on a scale of 1-10. 10 being very satisfied, and 1 being dissatisfied. Jot down each of these areas, give them a score, and hold on to this list because it will help you determine where you need to focus.

#1: Physical Health - 5 (Must recover my health)
#2: Emotional Health - 5 (Stressed and homesick)
#3: Environment - 3 (Too hot, too different, too homesick, its ruining my health)
#4: Financial - 7 (I can survive, but I could use a little more)
#5: Leisure/Fun - 4 (I don't really go out and do fun things)
#6: Friends/Family - 3 (I miss my family; I don't go out much with friends here)
#7: Significant other - 9 (I *love* my boyfriend; he is the BEST in this world!! But the -1 point is because I sometimes lack confidence in myself as a good girlfriend. I want to do more to become a better person for him, and US!)
#8: Purpose/Career - 2 (I don't know what I'm meant to do anymore!)
#9: Personal Growth - 2 (I don't do much for myself as a person.. usually only for other people, aka work and stuff)
#10: Spiritual Growth - 2 (I could be more of a positive and spiritual person, and have more faith..)

BTW, I'm on My Fitness Pal!!

Follow me!! :)

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

Tracking My Progress: The Road to Recovery

JULY 15, 2014:

• Diagnosed with POTS
• Started new health regimen

PHYSICAL STATS:

• Weight: 54.8 kg (121lbs)
• Height: 5'1"
• Body Fat: 30.2%
• BMI: 23.4

PHYSICAL CONDITION:

• Severe lightheadedness, especially upon waking
• Heat/humidity cause lightheadedness or fainting
• Daily headaches
• Difficulty walking (especially up and down stairs)
• Need to sit down to take a shower
• Cannot work out for more than 20 min
• Feel sick after workout
• Can't stand up for more than 10 min without feeling dizzy
• Difficulty eating; nauseous after meals

PLAN OF ATTACK:

• Drink 3L water DAILY
• 5000mg sodium DAILY
• LIGHT exercise 20 min 5x week (no longer than 30min!)
• NO BATHS, NO EXPOSURE TO HUMIDITY
• Diet with more meat (for iron & protein), less processed foods/carbs, and NO SWEETS
• Start medicines for blood circulation

JULY 21, 2014:(After 1 week following above regimen)

WEIGH-IN:

• 54.2 kg (119.5 lbs)
• Body Fat: 29.4%
• BMI: 23.2
• Waist: 70cm (27.8in)
• Hips: 1m (39.3in)
• Thighs: 58cm (22.8in)

PHYSICAL CONDITION:

• Lightheadedness, still difficult upon waking
• Heat/humidity cause lightheadedness (no fainting so far)
• Headache intensity reduced
• Difficulty walking up and down stairs
• Work out increased to 30 min (any longer I get ill)
• Eating habits returning to normal

*Workouts consist of easy, no-impact, no-weight, gradual strength building moves, mostly floor exercises, and exercises to rebuild strength in my legs and core to improve ability to walk and stand. Nothing that causes sweating or too high of a temperature increase, as it can cause fainting.

Back in Action!!

I started this page back up to document my journey to recovery after developing a condition called POTS (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), which severely limits me from doing anything too strenuous, including working out.

After being diagnosed with this condition, I went through a brief period of depression. It was difficult for me to walk to the store to buy milk. I could barely get through a day of work, and often found myself calling in sick, leaving work early sick, or just having to skip a few of my scheduled classes and exchange teaching for sitting in the office doing paperwork, since standing was too difficult.

I couldn't eat or sleep. I was nauseous and lightheaded all the time, and my life was one long constant headache, with the occasional migraine.
I could barely get out of bed in the morning, let alone work out.
I went to the doctor, and asked what I could do.

POTS is a catch-22 syndrome - those who have it as severely as me cannot exercise, and often pass out when placed under pressure or exposed to heat. However, the only thing that really helps improve symptoms, is rebuilding the muscles and hearth through... exercise!
We cannot workout for more than 20-30 min at a time. We can't run or jump, lift heavy weights, or do things like yoga that have us occasionally upside down. But that doesn't mean nothing can be done.

I have decided to make changes by myself.
Through healthy eating habits, plenty of sleep, water, and salt,
and through daily exercises at no more than 30 min each, all in the comfort of my own home. I will beat POTS!

I have experienced symptoms since May 2014.
I was finally diagnosed in July 2014, after symptoms got increasingly worse, despite doing things to try to change it.

Though POTS cannot be cured, it can be effectively managed, and a high percentage of patients often grow out of it in their middle-age years.
It also takes several months to reverse symptoms back to normal to the point where they can be effectively managed.

So now, from August, I will begin my journey to recovery.
In a few months, my goal is to be as close to my old normal self as possible.

Here are my current stats as of July 17, 2014:

Height: 5'1"
Weight: 121 lbs (54.8 kg)
BF%: 30.2