A tough day for me and body fat today!!!!!!

Today is one of those not so good days that I could choose not to share but I want to share the good, the bad and the ugly, with you all.
I had my body fat measured this morning and it was 17.  Mind you last week it was 13.9.
Well I had one cheat day, which I normally just have a cheat meal  and I went to Dallas on Wed. Went to happy hour, had 3 margaritas , chips, dip, dinner and had a couple of glasses of wine that night.
Who would have thought that  these two little cheat days would have such a drastic effect on my body fat.  My trainer and I had a very long talk about it.
I also worked out yesterday, weight training and cycling.
For starters he asked what time did I wake up on Thursday after that great day of Mexican food, margaritas, chips and dip and whatever else. 
My answer was: I slept in. I did not wake up until I knew I would have just enough time to shower and check out of the hotel. So my 1st meal, a protein shake was at 1pm. He asked what is my schedule generally like by 1pm.  Well I am usually up have eaten at least twice and have worked out at least once.  Well I threw my body way off track with all of that non healthy food and alcohol and to put further damage in I missed meals, and then I tried to go exercise in a dehydrated state. He asked how many meals did I have yesterday. Well I had about half of what I generally take in.  He told me the best thing I could have done was work on getting my meals back on track/schedule, eating every 3 hrs, and of course getting my water. I could have skipped the workout all together.  I thought by working out I was making up for some of the damage I did on Wed. I learned to day that was not a good decision.
Today was a great learning experience day for me.  Without trail and error there would be no growth!!!!  I did not want  to have my body fat, measured today. but I am so glad I did.  (Greatest areas of body fat increase, lower back, love handles and abdomen).
Was the cheat day worth it?  Not really.  I feel as though I have taken three steps back wards. I am a little frustrated also at this point because I am working so hard ,happy I wear a size 8-10 now, but unhappy about my problem areas.  Well like my trainer told me today.  I have to look at where "I" came from. I am almost 100 pounds away from when I was at my heaviest. He says it's the price that's paid for being overweight for so long (I can take that from him).  But I will tell you I was in tears in that little office.  I am so frustrated. It is not easy trying to live, eat, breath the correct way.  The healthiest way.
So I have revamped  things.  Set up some time to re evaluated my self, my goals, give myself a good pep talk.  Like I said I don't have a goal weight I am working toward rather a goal body fat. My goal body fat is 9, and after hitting that Target, my goal will be maintaining a 9-10 body fat range. 
It's a struggle, it is not easy. People think we have taken the "EASY" way out with weight loss surgery.  We go through the same struggles.  We just have a tool now to assist. There is no magic tool to make us go to the gym , to make us eat right and to make our minds "undo" all of the bad habits we have been taught or we have picked up on our own. I live this struggle each and every day.
So I start a new again. Like Mike talked to me about today.  Starting a new, fresh day each and every day. Kinda like that move " 50 First Dates."
I want to be an example of what "healthy" looks like.  I have been the picture of "unhealthy" and "overweight" for way too many years................

I love this post.

All the best to you.

Thanks Cookie,
   That means alot to me. 
I knew posting it I would not get many responses.  But If it helps just one person it was worth sharing. 
   Thanks again.
Barbara

I'm so glad you shared this. 

I started my accountability mission because I've found myself eating later and later in the day every day and being irratic about meals.  Then working out harder to tip the scales towards good.  I guess I've been doing a version of the same mistake. 

My long term goal is less than 18% body fat.  I think its a great approach but damn it is so hard.  Its amazing how one lax day has such a hard impact.

No one knows our struggle but us and those like us.  There will always be an idiot talking about the easy way out.  They are generally obeses and staying put or never had more than thirty extra pounds to worry about.  Each are totally unqualified to judge.

You know what went wrong and you're back on track.  Thanks for the insight. 

You are welcome.
It is so important to feed our bodies consistently throughout the day.  My trainer harps on this. Every three hours you are awake he tells me something should be going into my mouth.  Well like a low fat protein. I work long hours and sometimes overnight so I have to plan those days out.
I am glad my post helped.  Like I told Cookie above I knew not many would respond but if my post just helped on person then it's worth it.  That is why I post and I blog.  To help encourage and support others in my situation.
Good Luck my Sistah!!!!
Barbara

Thanks for sharing your story it has inspired me to keep going.  Please ask your trainer does he know anyone in Houston whom can help me?  I only hope to get someone like him because he seems to generally care about your well being. I wish all the luck to you. 

I will ask him. And yes I do feel like he cares about me, as a person. We have a great relationship.  I trust him. He would never ask me to try something that may hurt me.  I have worked out with a couple of different trainers in the past and no one compares to him. I work a 2nd job on the weekend just to be able to afford him. He is worth every penny. He knows I blog here also. He told me to make sure I blog my recent body fat experience.  I told him don't worry I will.
I have family in Houston as well. 
Barbara

Wow! I had no idea that one's body fat % could change so much with a couple cheat days. It sounds like you have a great trainer who keeps you accountable and is someone you can trust which is awesome! I truly appreciate this post and how you point out that there is no magic tool to make us to go to the gym or eat right... that is so true. I battle having to "undo" 30 years of bad habits on a daily basis. Thanks for the encouraging post!

 Well My trainer told me that my body fat measurements will be close to back to what they were last week, if I regroup my diet. I was devastated, I thought all my hard work was wasted.  It's how the body reacts to abuse, basically. The over eating the liquor, the working out dehydrated.  I learned alot and will post my body fat results on Sat when I have them remeasured.
You are doing a great job.  You look fabulous!!!  Keep up the good work.
Barbara

Here are my body fat numbers if you care to evaluate

                                               July 24                            July 31                 August 08

Chest                                       4                                        4                               4

Triceps                                    5                                        5                               5

Subscapular                          9                                         9                              9
   under shoulder blade

Bicep                                        5                                        4                               4

Abdomen                                24                                    21                              29

Suprailiac                               15                                    12                              18
   side love handle area

Lower back                            32                                    28                             35
     kidney area

Thigh                                         7                                        5                              5

Calf                                            6                                        6                              6


Body Fat                                15.8                                 13.9                          17.0

Body fat percentage is a useful tool, but you have to take it with a grain of salt and follow trends.  Just like the scale can fluctuate up or down a little bit, so can body fat percentage.  There are also several variables that can introduce error into the measurements. 

If you didn't follow your program get back on track, but don't beat yourself up over it.