Wrapping up week one with a well-deserved rest day! I felt pretty sore when I woke up, but once I got up and moving, I became less stiff. I focused on getting enough calories and protein throughout the day.

After another double workout today (regular and strength training) I am definitely noticing the fatigue! I took a hot bath again after the workout, and refueled with carbs and extra protein. I’ve tried not to stay in one spot for long periods of time, since I’ve noticed that moving around makes me feel less stiff and sore. I actually participated in an impromptu family dance party!

I did a double workout today—regular and then strength training. It was a lot of work and loading weights to help trigger some muscle growth. I’m starting to feel sore, especially in my ankles (?) and booty. I focused on stretching well for recovery and took a hot bath when I got home. I’ve also been able to get 150 grams of protein from a combination of cottage cheese, a protein shake, shrimp, chicken, chickpeas, and beans!

I finally made it to the studio today! It was a 1-mile benchmark run (not a PR, but I ran the whole mile!) I haven’t run in over a year—my goal was to finish and to run the whole thing. It felt good to be back. I lifted heavier weights than I thought I could. I couldn’t quite hit the wattage on the rower or run as fast, but my current mantra is “more room for growth.”

It’s been a bit of a false start, but I’m still sticking to my intended routine, which means today was a built-in rest day. I focused on eating healthy foods and drinking enough water. I’m still working out my diet to make sure it’s nutritious and balanced. The research I’ve done on muscle-building diets seems to indicate eating about 0.8-1 gram of protein per 1 lb of weight, or 40% of my macro ratio. I’m not sure where that lands me, because 137 grams is pretty difficult to reach each day; I’ve been getting about 100 grams from high-protein foods, but 40% of my macro ratio estimates higher than 150 grams a day! Without supplementing with protein powders, I’m having trouble managing the carbs and fats in the meals I’ve put together, so they don’t take over. It’s been a puzzle, to say the least!

The Transformation Challenge is off to an unusual start! I had every intention of going to my first class back in several months, and the first class of my goal of four per week of the 8-week challenge, BUT we received an incomprehensible amount of snow, which closed the studio (and most of the city).

It all begins tomorrow—8 weeks of intentional and intensive training. I have the plan, the tracking apps, and the new workout gear I got on clearance at Target. I’ve got some pre-game jitters for sure. I’ve done the Transformation Challenge twice; I won the first time and failed to stick with the routine the second. I’m definitely in a different headspace than either of those times. I’ve been working on my mental health after recognizing that I was in severe AuDHD burnout. I have been steadily incorporating healthier choices in daily life. Physical and mental challenges have forced a steady routine of tracking my hormone levels, blood pressure, heart health markers, water intake, etc. Some of those data sets have been kept for over a year! For the TC, I’m going to add dietary tracking (calories and macros), which I’ve done before and am prepared for the time-consuming, tedious work it can be.