{a year of challenges} March is for Health & Fitness: What I’ve Learned

Playing a bit of catch-up from my Holy Week break!

Last week, I finished up my March is for Health and Fitness challenge and I think it was a huge success. This month long bootcamp was just what I needed and I’m proud of what I accomplished. A few notes about what I’ve learned along the way:

Weight Loss Update
I am so excited to write that after a three month plateau, I lost five pounds and five and a half inches! To help figure out how many calories I should be eating to lose weight while nursing, I used this calculator. Based on that recommendation, I probably eat around 2000-2200 calories, give or take, depending on the day. I tracked my food for a few weeks to stay accountable, but I’m now confident enough to go without it.

Veggie Intake
One of my goals was to eat a salad or green vegetable every day and I’m happy to report that I did 29 out of 31 days. Eating a big, hearty salad for lunch became routine. I tried to incorporate more veggies in with dinner. I added spinach to my post-workout smoothies. I still have work to do, but I think I’ve made baby steps in the right direction.

Water Intake
Water is still a work in progress for me, but I’m improving! I’m learning that a huge part of running is hydration. I’ve started drinking a glass of water as my coffee brews in the morning. I’m also trying to chug and be done with my morning coffee instead of babying it (and microwaving and microwaving…) all morning long. I fill big glasses to have with my meals and even have one bedside. More baby steps.

Half Marathon Training
95% of my exercise has been training for my half marathon in May. By month’s end, I clocked in 58.5 miles! Every week gets a little harder, but is an opportunity to push myself a little further than before. It’s hard to describe what running has done for me…with every mile (no matter how slow), I feel a little bit more like the athlete I’ve always wanted to be.