Even More About Me (Updated)

You may or may not have read this post I've published earlier that year (and if you don't , rest reassured there's a recap') but I felt like I needed to update it.

20th June 2015
What you may need to know about me is that I haven't always been healthy and fit. I was a pretty active child and I used to do a lot of sports (walking, horse riding, volley-ball) During my high school years I slowly began to eat more and move less, this paired with some hard times on the personal level (change of surroundings, etc…) led to some extra weight. First, I didn't really care. I was okay with my body and my mind. But then university came and I wanted to make a change. I wanted to eat better to lose a bit of weight. It all started nice and simple, I just decreased the portion size and slowly, but surely, lost weight. 

Then came summer 2011. The worst summer of my life. Personal issues took over, paired with a frustration as I couldn't lose any more weight. So I decided to begin to train. I totally hooked on HIIT and began doing small, short sessions I designed myself based on what I have found on internet. Since that time, my method had barely changed.

But it all went out of control when I began to only eat 600 Kcal a day while training 15-30 min 6 days a week. I already had began binge eating during summer (and looking back I realise that I was kind of a binge eater long before I wanted to lose weight) and with the drop in calorie intake, my crisis increased. I used to blame myself for the crisis and punish me with extra workouts and even less food.

Thankfully, on Christmas 2011, my Mum (the most amazing woman in this world, period) kicked me out of it. She began counting calories just to make me realise how little I ate and the truth is, I honestly had no idea I was eating so little! Hunger had become an old friend of mine and was welcoming it, so happy to feel it in my stomach (other ED warriors will relate I think). Winter 2012 was a living hell for me. I had come to the point I didn't really care of how I look, as long as I could control what I ate and still feel that hunger (and that the number on the scale decreased every day). Honestly I didn't really care of how I looked, I didn't compare myself to others or looked for a particular weight or a particular body, I just wanted to be in control and that the number on the scale keep dropping. I went through rough times with serious binge eating crisis but slowly the situation settled as I increased my calorie intake (note that I didn't change anything to my fitness routine because this had become a part of my therapy). It was a slow process and my Mum helped me a lot with it. I stopped looking at the scale (my Mum looked at it to make sure I wasn't losing anymore weight) and I ate more. And more. And more. I had ups and downs during this phase with crisis when I relapsed and I realise that counting calories is also a form of control but it keeps the binge eating away (which is the most dreadful thing I've ever lived, I may talk about in another post). During this period I learned a lot about myself, my body and my mind and I'm still learning.

It took me three years. Today I haven't fully recovered because I'm still counting calories and I still have phases when I feel terrible about my body. Calorie counting is a really bad thing but it helps me to neither eat to less nor fall into binge eating. I'm not eager to share this personal experience because this is not what I want to promote and my aim with this blog is to help girls and women to feel the joy of being fit without having to fall into the extremes I have lived. This is way I started this blog. This is why I wrote this post. I want to be honest and share my experience with you, hoping that maybe you won't make the same mistakes. I hope I'll be able to provide you knowledge on how to live a balanced, healthy and fit life. I know I'm not a perfect exemple and I wil certainly preach for things I am not yet able to apply to myself (like not counting calories) but I will try to grow through that blog. Just like I hope this will help you grow and thrive. 

If you have any other personal questions, feel free to ask them in a comment below! 

With that I hope you'll enjoy your journey to fit and that I will help you either avoid or overcome the struggles I went through!

Joyfully yours,

Maylee <3

UPDATE - 27.07.15
It's amazing how things can change in a little more than a month. First I've discovered brand new Instagram accounts that have changed my vision and that have made ME want to change. So I've dug out my Intuitive Eating books, bought new ones and kept digging and digging the paths of recovery. So I've stumbled on a few amazing bloggers (and though I don't agree 100% with them, they're still amazing) - mainly Matt Stone and Maddy Moon - who made me change my vision of health and nutrition.
My last post was a cry from my heart and it made me realise that my story needed to be updated because I feel like I'm taking a brand new way here. I don't want to be a health and fitness blogger anymore. Or rather, yes, I still do, but not in the way I first envisioned it. What I want is still to help girls getting fit and healthy and be joyful and build a happy life. But not in the way I can witness on internet every day. Not in the way, I am currently living it. This is a hard confession because I feel a fraud wanting to help people taking a path I cannot even fathom to take myself, but I know I'm on the recovery track and I know I can make through and I know this blog will help me. And I know that helping other girls will help me too. I really want to make a change. I really do.
Thank you for reading. It means the world to me.
Joyfully yours
<3 Maylee

Wellness Industry (Or the Very Reason Why I Blog)

So I just stumbled on that post and everything the author writes in it sounds so right to me. I highly encourage you to read it because it is mind blowing and eyes opening. But it's true it's pretty long and I wouldn't be a real blogger if I'd throw you the link and be done with it. So here's my two cents.

I discovered the marvelous world of Instagram three years ago via tumblr (gosh, my tumblr years were so much better, but that's another topic). It was a whole new world of inspiration opening to me. I created an account just to follow my idols but never posted anything. As time passed by, I slowly became more and more driven to this virtual world and as I was really enjoying my fitness journey I felt the desire to share my experience with the amazing fit community.

At the beginning of this year, I started to post on my account. It was daunting but super exciting. I had the opportunity to get in touch with amazing girls from all over the world (you'll recognize yourself if you read this ;)) but I also discovered a darkest, much less fun side of Instagram.

See, I had this naive belief, that Instagram was about sharing, supporting each other. I'm not a complete fool, I already knew about haters and really, I don't really care about the. No, what bothers me more is this kind of selfishness going on. I feel like it's all about promoting oneself. I always see the same comments all over and over saying how beautiful and amazing someone is but I feel those praises are empty. Because it's all about promoting oneself. Call me jealous if you like, I don't care.

I'm also really, really concerned by the dimension it took. Like we're all perusing at our plates, counting calories and macros (I know I'm guilty of that too but I'm trying hard to recover from it) and I feel like we're slipping toward a generations of disordered eaters. And its scary. And I wish I could do something but I feel like a fraud because I'm not able to stop it for myself. I will try in the future to share more of my thoughts on this blog about this. Lately I've been reading g more and more on the subject from various authors I can't get enough of them (I'll talk about them in another post) and I'm still struggling to find a way to express what I feel and what I've learned so far.

Workout of the Day - Saturday July 25th

I decided to shorten my workouts in order to recover. So here's my (quick) 20 min workout for today!

Part A - 10/50 16 rounds
- Side Lunge Jumps
- Jump Lunge + One Leg Jump
- V Plank Jumps
- Curtsy Lunge + Jump

Part B - 5/259 rounds
- Pushback Push Ups
- Plank Knee to Elbow
- Walk Out Push Up

Exercise Glossary

Side Lunge Jumps

Picture via health.com

Stand upright. Jump your leg left lightly on the side and bend your right to come touch the ground with your left hand. Jump back into starting position. This is one rep. Repeat on the other side.

Jump Lunge + One Leg Jump
Start in a lunge position, right leg bent in front of you, jump and switch your legs in the air to land with your left leg bent in from of you. Jump on your left leg and bring your right knee as close to your chest as you can while your left foot is in the air

V Plank Jump
Start in a plank position (on your hands) feet together. Jump your feet near the outside of your hands then jump back into starting position. This is one rep.

Curtsy Lunge + Jump

 Picture via oxygenmag.com

Stand upright, kneel into a lunge position but as you bring your left leg behind, swing it toward the right. Go back into starting position and jump in place. This is one rep. Repeat on the other side.

Pushback Push Ups

Picture via bodybuilding.com

Stand with your feet wider than hip width apart in a Downward Dog position but with your knees slightly bend. Lower yourself to the ground aiming to bring your chest between your arms keeping your knees bent (more bent than on the picture sorry I couldn't find a better one…). Push back into starting position. This is one rep.

Plank Knee to Elbow
Bring your left knee to your left elbow. Try to touch them. Go back into starting position. This is one rep. Repeat on the other side.

Walk Out Push Up

Picture via fitnessass.com

Stand upright, bend to touch the ground with your hands and walk your hand in front of you to end in a plank position. Do a push up then walk your hands back. You can either stand or walk forward again. This is one rep.

Workout of the Day - Friday July 24th

Initially planned for Thursday but as I decided to take an extra rest day yesterday, I moved it to today, here's the breakdown

Part A - 10/20 - 36 rounds - 18 min
- Double Cross Jumping Jacks + 180 Squat Jumps (weighted)
- Double Cross Jumping Jacks + 180 Squat Jumps (weighted)
- Side Plank Swings Right (weighted)
- Side Plank Swings Left (weighted)
- Standing Switch Kicks
- Standing Switch Kicks
- Plank Front Kick Through Right
- Plank Front Kick Through Left
- Forward Backward Jumps with Plyo Star
- Forward Backward Jumps with Plyo Star
- Plank Punches (weighted)
- Plank Punches (weighted)

Part B - 10/50 - 3 rounds - 3 min
- Weighted Bench Tucks
- Decline Plank Knee Tucks
- Crunches

Exercise glossary
Double Cross Jumping Jacks + 180 Squat Jumps
Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart. Take some weights (or not) raise your arms straight in front of you). Jump and cross your legs bringing the right foot before the left foot. While doing this cross your right arm over your left arm keeping them straight. Land lightly on the ball of your feet, jump and return in the starting position. This is one rep. Repeat alternating left and right over.

Side Plank Swings Right/Left
Stand in a side plank position, body nice and thigh, core engaged. Take a weight in your free hand. Swing your arm toward your opposite armpit and rotate slightly your torso at the end of the move. Go back into starting position. This is one rep. Repeat on the same side

Standing Switch Kicks
Stand upright, kick your left foot vigorously in the air as high as you can. Slightly jump to bring the other leg up while you bring the left leg down. This is a very dynamic move akin to High Knee but instead of bringing your knee up, you kick your leg in front of you as if you were shooting into a ball.

Plank Front Kick Through
Stand in regular plank position (on your hands). Bring your left foot close to the outside of your left foot. Kick your right leg beneath your body and grab your toe with your left hand kicking in front of you as far as you can (still holding your feet with your hand). Return into starting position. This is one rep. Repeat on the same side.

Forward Backward Jumps with Plyo Star
Stand with your feet at hip width, jump forward immediately jump backward. Bend to touch your toe then in an explosive motion, jump into the air while stretching arms up and your legs on the side, land into starting position (bending and touching your toe). Repeat.

Plank Punches
Into plank position (on your hands) simply punch in front of you holding a dumbbell. Keep your body in a straight line, don't let your hips sink into one side or another and keep your core engaged.

May's Diary #5 (6th-12th July)

Monday

Fitness
Part A - 10/20 24 rounds
2x Plyo Star
2x 2 Lunge Jump + 2 Heel Kicks
2x Sumo Push Ups
2x Weighted Low Jacks

Part B 10/50 15 rounds
RLC Squats
2 Triceps Push Ups + Tuck Jump
Forward Jump + Clean & Squat & Press + 2 Backward Jump
Strict Climber
Good Mornings

Food


Life



Tuesday

Fitness
Part A - 10/50 16 rounds
Prisoner Squat Jump + Kick Up
Cross Climbers
2 Lunge Forward + Tuck Jump
Push Up + Kick Through

Part B - 2 rounds (9min20)
15x Broad Jumps 180°
2x10x Knee Up
15x Squat Jumps
2x10x Knee Up
15 Lunge Jumps
2x10x Knee Up

Food


Life


Wednesday

Fitness
BBG Week 24 Arms

Food
Usual
Chinese marinated turkey, rice, stir fried veggies


Life


Thursday

Fitness
Part A - 10/50 16 rounds
Frog Jumps
Jump Lunge + Knee Up with Calf Raise
Skaters
3 Points Plank Jumps + V Plank Jumps

Part B - 5/25 21 rounds
Crossleg Crunch R
Crossleg Crunch L
Reverse Curl + Leg Drop
V Toe Touch
Sitting Lift Splits
Heel Touches

Food
Usual
Zucchini-tomatoes curry, chicken, lentils

Life
Bough myself a pair of Nike Air Max (opus) and a jar of PB.


Friday

Fitness

Part - A 10/20 24 rounds
2x 180° Squat Jump + Heel Kicks
2x Push Up + Cross Tuck
Up-Down Jump R
Up-Down Jump L
2x 2 Climbers + Jump Lunge

Part B - 10/50 12 rounds
Sumo Squat to Upright Row to Press
Curtsy Lunge + 1/2 Burpee
Burpee + Squat & Press
Triangle Plank Jumps + Tuck Jump

Food
Usual
Grilled beef steak + salad + buckwheat

Saturday

Fitness
Part A - 10/30 24 rounds
2x Squat Jump
2x Star Burpee
2x Lumge Jump
2x One Leg Burpee
2x Squat Jump
2x Reptile Tuck 1/2 Burpee
2x Lunge Jump
2x Star Burpee
2x Lumge Jump
2x One Leg Burpee
2x Squat Jump
2x Reptile Tuck 1/2 Burpee

Part B - 10/50 12 rounds
Star Push Up + Leg Lifts
Dive Bomber + Plank Jump (Pike Position)
Weighted Bridge with In-Out Knees
Reverse Crunch Flutter/Scissors Kicks*

*Exercise found on @healthy.fit.proud instagram

Food
Usual + Rice cake with PB
Grilled chicken with tomato sauce and parmegiano and salad

Sunday

Sorry it's not complete but I waited too long before writing this...

Living the Now (and Learning Patience)

I am a "here-and-now" kind of girl. If I wish for, want or desire something, I HAVE to have it, RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW. I know. It's bad. It's wrong. And I'm acting like a spoiled child. To be honest, I'm a spoiled child. I am an only daughter of a divorced working mother who has done all she could to raise a child whilst she hasn't have that much money and was struggling everyday. So every time she could, she spoiled me. And it's in my character, I'm an impulsive person so yay, but no, patience isn't my thing.
I hate to wait. No I execrate it. Restaurant, shops, people, train, you name it, I hate it.
In fact, I'm so impatient that I somehow I forget to enjoy the present moment. Or I'm too anxious about my future or brooding over my past but that's another story. I've realised that this was really a burden, a weight on my shoulder I really, really, want to get rid of. Those last three months, I've set myself the goal to "be more present", "to be more mindful" and all that jazz. But I've miserably failed.
First because this goal is too vague so it's not measurable and second, because it's too large. Be more present. Yay. Sure. So today I've decided to focus on particular point, I'm gonna set myself moments during the day when I'll try to be more mindful. There will be
- The meals, because I really, really want to kick into Intuitive Eating and mindful eating is the first step.
- My stretching time because lately I've been checking Snapchat -_-'
- During the Legs Up the Wall I do before I go to sleep (I've been mostly reading during this one and I think it's okay but recently I've caught myself checking my phone too often…)
- At random time of the day (gonna set an alarm in my phone) when I'm just gonna sit back, shut off everything and appreciate my surroundings (and hoping I'm neither caught in traffic jam nor crammed in public transport at that moment!)
And every time I'll fail (because I will let's be honest) I will try again. Those moments of mindfulness will imply Deep Belly Breathing, because it's awesome.

And I hope this will help me on my way to cure my impatience!

Maylee <3

Another Day, Another Emergency

I had a hectic and stressful start of day as we had to drive my grandma to the ER (again) except today, she wasn't well at all. But, the positive note is that she hasn't a tumor in the colon (can't even fathom how relieved I am) but she's still so weak and we don't know what she has. So we're waiting… I'm sorry to share this here but I felt the need to do so and I want this blog to be a place where I can share that kind of stuff, to show that I am a real person with real struggles and that working out and posting on IG isn't everything. Sometimes I feel like there is so much pressure, that you have to post, like, comment and follow and you forget to live in your real life with your family. So please, be grateful for the presence of your loved ones around you and share every possible moment with them, because life is too short to be wasted in the virtual world.