I Accidentally Lost 22 lbs in 25 days
Run down, overtraining, burning the candle at both ends, too much coffee, not enough sleep, spinning my wheels, chronic neck pain, career uncertainty, cloudy brain, significant mobility issues, working harder/not smarter, trying to do too much.…it was time for a change!
It had to start with a change in mindset and re-establishing my priorities. It's easy to get caught up being busy and being stubborn. Sometimes being stubborn can work for you and other times it will knock you on your ass. I was too stubborn to say "no" and step back to reflect on my situation. I just figured I would work harder and push through.
Here's a brief overview of my schedule:
- Olympic Weightlifting 4x/week
- Additional strength training 2x/week
- Hockey 2x/week
- Additional Tough Mudder Training 2x/week
- Sleep at midnight, up at 4am
- Work: 50+ hours a week
For the record, I'm not complaining. These are things I love to do but when my training performance started to suffer, neck pain dramatically increased and generally I was in an agitated mood with little patience I knew it was time to re-prioritize. Once my hockey ended and I completed the Tough Mudder I was ready to make some drastic changes.
SOLUTION:
- 30 day "Hot Yoga" challenge
- 16/8 "Lean Gains" Intermittent Fasting Protocol
- Bulletproof Coffee
GOALS:
- Rejuvenate my body
- Improve mobility
- Boost my cognitive function
30 DAY HOT YOGA CHALLENGE
I decided to buy an unlimited 1 month membership at "yogalife" for $29 on a Tuesday and just started. No need to wait for a fresh week it was just time to get after it. For me there's something really liberating about setting a simple specific goal that's outside my comfort zone. Although it was challenging I knew that all I had to do was show up.
I can't say enough good things about my experience at "yogalife". The environment is warm and welcoming and the instructors are all unique and excellent. I set one rule for myself which was to setup shop in the front two rows of the class. I knew this would keep me more accountable to push through the discomfort. The first couple hot flow classes my body was angry, shaking like a leaf and my breath was choppy. Each day I settled in with more confidence and my mobility and breath improved. Namaste all damn day!
Check out yogalife...CLICK HERE
INTERMITTENT FASTING (16/8 Method)
I've never been a diet person... But, I had been reading a lot about the benefits intermittent fasting which include: Cellular and HGH changes, weight loss, insulin resistance, heart health and potential cancer fighting benefits. But the 3 additional benefits that were of significant interest to me are: reduced inflammation, brain health and anti-aging. After doing some research I decided on the 16/8 method which basically means that you fast for 16 hours a day and you have a feeding window of 8 hours.
I found this protocol very easy to follow. My feeding window was noon-8pm and I would say I followed it about 80% of the time. I tried to consume around 2000 calories but I'm not a calorie counter. Occasionally if I did 6am Yoga I would have a small snack before going.
To learn more about Intermittent Fasting CLICK HERE.
BULLETPROOF COFFEE
I love coffee so I had to give this a try. Basically Bulletproof coffee utilizes a low toxin coffee bean that is mixed with MCT Oil and natural grass-fed unsalted butter. The idea behind this is that toxin free coffee along with the healthy fats provide steady energy, increased metal clarity and focus.
I found a nice little shop in town "Pure Health" that sells the Bulletproof brand and I wanted to support local rather than order online. First off the coffee tastes fantastic but it isn't cheap. A small bag of the coffee beans is about $30, a small container of MCT Oil was close to $40 and a small stick of the grass-fed butter was around $15. I made the coffee first thing in the morning and I had a mug that kept the coffee hot for 5 hours. I found myself just sipping it periodically throughout the day and rarely needed a second cup.
Purchase Bulletproof Coffee...CLICK HERE
RESULTS:
- Within a few days: mental cognition, mood, clarity and energy levels were excellent
- Appetite was suppressed and I never craved food; I found myself forcing food down
- Massive improvement in my mobility through hot yoga
- Significant decrease in neck pain
- WEIGHT LOSS: In the first 25 days of doing this I lost 22 lbs. I was never concerned with my weight one way or another. I wanted to do this for the reasons I described above. Most people that know me would say that I didn't have 22 lbs to lose but the weight was just melting off me.
LESSONS
- Be curious; experiment
- Take action -- "Action always beats intention"
- Set a goals that will get you out of your comfort zone
- EVERYONE should try a 30 day Hot Yoga Challenge
If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me directly or comment below.
Written by:
Derek Kearns
www.itrackfitness.com
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