Aside from my weight, things haven’t slowed down in the last couple of weeks. It’s just been go, go, go! In the two weeks since the release of the last Fit for Wedding video and blog, Dave and I traveled to Michigan for my bridal shower, packed and moved into our new house in 24 hours, and then I flew to New Orleans for my bachelorette party. Phew!
On one of the only days I was home between trips, Holly took me to CrossFit Synapse to try a new style of exercise to keep things fun and push me past my plateau around 151 pounds. I had never done CrossFit before, so it was nerve wracking!
Jimmy, the owner and instructor, was great! He walked us through the warm up and gymnastic skills (I did a handstand—albeit assisted and against a wall—for the very first time ever and it felt amazing!)
Then we did the WOD (workout of the day), starting with learning how to do a barbell clean and push press. Then came a conditioning routine with each exercise lasting for one minute. We repeated the circuit two times (sled pushes, kettlebell swings, wall balls) with one minute rest between. The session ended with about eight minutes of stretching and foam rolling. 
Although CrossFit was one of the hardest, most intense workouts I have ever done, I really enjoyed it. I hadn’t had a proper workout in a couple of weeks, so I thought I would die, but I must say, it felt really great to be back in the game. I would definitely do it again, and I’d take some friends. There’s nothing like working out with your friends to make it more enjoyable. Also, it brings out a competitive streak that pushes you to another level. I had such a blast doing this and having Holly there doing it with me.
Tips for Avoiding Weight Gain While Traveling
Before my trips, Holly gave me some advice for managing my weight while traveling, which included the following:
- Workout in the morning before the day gets busy, even if it’s just 20 minutes in the hotel room using resistance bands and doing burpees, jumping jacks, and mountain climbers.
- Carry compact, healthy snacks to hold off hunger like nuts, fruit, and protein bars.
- Keep alcohol at a minimum and stick to low-calorie drinks like Gin & tonic or Jack & diet cola.
- Look for menu items that aren’t fried (hard to do in New Orleans!) Stick with grilled chicken or fish, vegetables, brown rice, and plain baked/sweet potatoes.
- Split meals with a friend – good for the budget and the waist line.
- Only eat one treat per day, rather than “free for all vacation mode” all day long (i.e. If we know we’re going out for a big dinner, keep breakfast and lunch small and healthy. Or, if we go to Café Du Monde for beignets, no more sweets for the day!)
New Orleans was a blast! I loved spending time with my girls in such an amazing city. I even managed to stay away from fried foods, and at Café Du Monde I only had 1 bite of a beignet! Can you believe that? I am so proud. 
I shared all of my meals with a girlfriend so I was eating smaller portions every day at almost every meal. The working out in the hotel room was a bit tricky. Our hotel did not have a gym, so I had to workout with resistance bands in the room. I wish I could say that I worked out every day that I was there, but that would be a lie. I worked out once and wrangled some of the girls to do it with me. It was only a 10-minute set, however, so this could have used much improvement.
I believe that my saving grace on this trip was the amount of walking we did. When I came back from the trip, I had gained 2 pounds, but it was all water weight because in a couple of days, I was back down to 149 lbs.
With the madness that is my life right now, Holly and I had to make some adjustments to our training schedule, so I’ve been very diligent in watching what I put in my body. Holly also lowered my calorie and macronutrient intake (1,600 calories at 30% carbohydrates, 35% fat, and 35% protein). I’ve been doing my best to lower my carbohydrates by sticking to mostly lean proteins and lots of vegetables.
The dust has settled a bit now and life is returning to a normal pace. Dave and I are in our new home so my time has been spent nesting, which has been great! I’ve also been going for a run a couple times a week at a bike path in my new neighborhood.
I’ve been feeling like my old self again and it’s wonderful!
Current Stats
Weight: 149
Body Fat: 26.5%