Monday-itis and lack of progress

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 11:44 AM

  Hi ladies

  I hope everyone had a lovely weekend (all things considered at the moment!) 

  I'm struggling today (partly as I haven't done today's workout yet as had meetings!) but I did take my photos and measurements, and I'm feeling pretty disheartened at the lack of progress. I've been doing around 9 of the classes a week and giving them my all (and yes I am single with no kids and back living with my parents, can you tell?!?!), walking over 25kms a week (usally around 4km a day and then once a week do one longer walk) and running a 5km once a week, as well as yoga twice a week. Have cut back on my drinking and snacks, and my meals are in general pretty good. I know I could probably do more there but life is tough enough at the moment haha (and I guess I have to accept that this is partly behind the lack of progress). 

  I would never ever begrudge anyone their wonderful progress, and I am the biggest cheerleader for anyone who shares it and do be genuinly thrilled, but sometimes it can be so so hard not to compare and to feel so disappointed in myself, especially with the level of effort I am putting in!

  Anyways, I know will move on past it- will just get on with it as I do the workouts for strength, fitness and endorphins, I walk as it's the only way to spend time with my sisters and I love the fresh air and outdoors, and I love my weekly 5km with my sister, so it won't be putting me off my activities. And as I advocate- it's about the journey not the end result, and I am (mostly!) loving the journey 

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  Niamh Byrne

  2/8/21, 12:07 PM

  @Sharon Scully Honestly Sharon I think I've been much the same and for a few weeks there I just felt stuck I guess? It's so hard to describe because I know I'm getting stronger, I can do advanced and intermediate level moves for somplete workouts but I am honestly the same in that I feel like I haven't made any progress in terms of measurements, pictures or the scales. I LOVE seeing everyone's progress on here and I feel like I really just want to be part of that but I think I'm in the same boat as you. 

  I feel though like you just said it's a journey and I feel like we maybe won't see progress for a while but then hopefully we'll start seeing it again soon 🤞 I absolutely ADORE the workouts and the chats and I feel like QDQ is so much more than changing how our bodies look ❤️ I feel like I go through phases of loving and hating my body but honestly before QDQ I didn't want to look myself in the mirror at all and now in a week I might have 5 good days where feel super confident and maybe have 2 flat days in between that but for me that is progress and I can feel my confidence growing. Even though our bodies might not be changing as quickly as we might like them to queen we are getting stronger and I don't know about you but I am so much more confident and happier within myself now that I was this time last year and I feel like that is some of the best progress to make ❤️❤️

  Keep going queen, you're doing so so well and try not to be disappointed in yourself Sharon ❤️ Sending you so much love and I really hope you start feeling better soon queen 👑 I'm only ever a message away if you need anything queen. Keep at it, you will see progress I promise 💛💛💛

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  Ciara Crowne

  2/8/21, 2:03 PM

  I am the exact same, back living at home, doing every workout nearly just for something to do because I work in hospitality so out of work at the moment😭 getting 10-18k steps in a day with this other challenge I’m doing and I feel like I’m not seeing visible results!?

  But I’m so so much stronger, I am WELL able for almost all of the advanced moves, abs & plank included, just wish I could SEEEE the difference in my body yanno! But shur look, we’re giving it all we can so just because we can’t see a huge diff in progress pics doesn’t mean we’re not fitter & healthier 💚 

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  Carmel Mulvany

  2/8/21, 3:16 PM

  @Sharon Scully awww Sharon I know how you feel!!!! Some weeks I see some difference and others not a thing! I don't weigh myself anymore cuz with all the weights and strength workouts I think I'm gaining a lot muscle.

  Everyone's bodies are different Queen and changes to body can be very visible on some people and not on others! Remember ur toning all the time and feeling stronger and fitter every day. 

  Don't be disheartened,  keep ur spirits up and enjoy the ride!! Dont put pressure on urself to see results...... they will hopefully come with time!!!!!! 

  Carmel mulvany

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  Lissy Dickinson

  2/8/21, 3:24 PM

  @Sharon Scully just think how amazing what you are doing now is!! All the exercise and wellness you are bringing yourself during this crappy time. Major queening!!👸👸
  
  

  Sometimes visual changes can take a while, but you will get there. Please don't be disheartened because it sounds like you're doing amazing. Maybe you feel stronger, fitter, you're able to run or walk further, you do the more advanced moves, you've stuck to your workouts.... etc these are all immensely positive changes!! 

  I have a quote on my wall that says "life is a journey, not a destination" and it's true. You are doing amazing queen. Always around if you need a message or anything. That's the great this about this community we support each other. 💕

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  Amy Johnston

  2/8/21, 4:45 PM

  @Sharon Scully Thanks for opening up and being so honest about this Sharon. I know how you feel. 

  QDQ is about so much more than seeing a physical difference which is why we've stuck it out. If we weren't getting so much more out of the journey from the progress with our fitness, the fun and the forum we definitely would quit. 

  I also don't think I see a change and on days when you're maybe feeling low already it can be a bit disheartening. My boyfriend has said he notices a difference and I think my arms are a bit more toned but apart from that no change (he's probably just being nice). I don't weigh or measure myself because my weight fluctuates throughout the month and I would just end up obsessing. I think I've just accepted that my progress will be different to everyone elses as our bodies are all unique. 

  I do feel more confident and proud of my body since joining though. I've become stronger and fitter, can do most of the advanced and intermediate moves and last longer each week which feels amazing. It's good to focus on accepting and appreciating how amazing our bodies are rather than how we think they look. xx

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  Maeve Madden Staff member

  2/8/21, 5:03 PM

  Amazing amazing support here queens you are all so fabulous... @Sharon Scully oh noooo whats wrong.. Tell me in full I am here to help you... 

  Right first things first, you are aboslutley smashing these workouts, you should be so proud, that in itself is a huge win.. 9 workouts a week, all those steps I mean wow queen wear that crown with pride..

  So you are not seeing results like you thought you might .. 

  A few common reasons why this may be.

  1. Hormones, I always say this but its true, for about 2 weeks of the month ill be seeing results and then its like oh hold up, where did that go.  I get very swollen hold a lot of water when ovulating and then when I have a period .

  2. Are you sleeping well?? Good sleep is one of the most important factors for your physical and mental health, as well as your weight.

  3.Are you eating enough protein?? Protein is a super important nutrient when it comes to weight loss, I like to get protien in at every meal. It can also drastically reduce cravings and desire for snacking.

  4.Are you drinking your calories?? From fruit juices, to many cups of tea coffee with milk, fizzy drinks or vitamin waters.  Avoiding all sugary beverages is an excellent weight loss strategy. They often make up a significant portion of people’s calorie intake

  5. Are you expecting too much too soon??? Weight loss is generally a slow process. Many people lose patience before reaching their end goal.  We actually can really loose much more than around 1-2lbs of fat a week.. 

  Like we have said at QDQ we try to focus on your feeling.  Getting stronger, fitter and feeling happier and more confident in yourself, doesnt matter what the scale says, or the tape or the photos, feck it all.. How do you feel, your healthy weight is when you feel happy and confident within yourself.  It would be 10lbs lighter or 10lbs heavier.  

  Our bodies fluctuate all the time, with dehydrations, hormones, bowel movements etc etc 

  1 last tip:  if you can write a wee mood diary, every day at the top of my normal diary in the morning I write a wee note like, oh feeling great today, or feeling tired, feeling moody, what ever the mood is thats a great way to track.

   

  I hope this helps xx

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  Katy Evans

  2/8/21, 5:16 PM

  @Sharon Scully You are amazing doing all of these workouts and working so hard wow!!! You should be so proud Queen. Maybe it's just one of those weeks, sometimes I feel no different for ages then wham I notice it!! I think you're smashing it out the park I could never do that many!! Woweeee xxx

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  Leonie Mcnulty

  2/8/21, 8:49 PM

  @Sharon Scully you are the biggest cheer leader you really helped me last week when I felt very much the same as this post. I took a rest day Sunday (just had a small walk) and I would swear it made all the difference I took my measurements, photos ect Monday morning and I could finally see a difference!! I had been going flat out same as you, I didn't want to take a break in fairness but it did me the world of good! Go easy on yourself whatever you do and hope you feel better about it soon! 😘😘😘

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  Adri Murphy

  2/8/21, 8:58 PM

  Sharon, well done! That's amazing.. as they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. Keep going and even if it's 3 more weeks from now you start to notice a change.. it's a change!!

   

  Are you measuring yoursf first thing in the am? It's so disheartening and if I'm honest I'm in the same boat. But I shall keep going despite all my own personal set backs.

   

  I started using my Fitness Pal two weeks ago, as it was recommended to me. Turns out I was severely undereating (not intentially) because I was burning a huge amount of calories exercising each day with the classes and runs/walks. You could try and track your nutritional intake and see if you're maybe lacking something like more carbs, water, protein etc which could help your body Xx

  Adri

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  Caitriona Lyons

  2/8/21, 9:10 PM

  @Sharon Scully hold up you're not giving yourself half the credit you should! 9 workouts plus walking plus running plus yoga? I'm struggling to do 3 workouts a week! What you're doing is incredible! 

  For what it's worth I'm in the same boat - have been home since July, away from my friends, my boyfriend and pretty much my normal life. QDQ has been my sanctity - you girls are good craic, makes me feel connected with people AND you work up a sweat. I haven't been seeing much progress weight or physicality wise which was frustrating me - I started doing a habit tracker for 2 weeks and it was very obvious why. My sleep was off, I was stressed, I was relying on caffeine (coffee and Coke zero) to get through the week, I wasn't giving myself time to decompress or take me time. 

  I've now started to try and right these wrong habits: turns out a muffin with ice cream most nights isn't conducive to weight loss...who knew 🙈🤣🙈 - so I've started making black bean brownies with yogurt. I've upped the water and trying to decrease coffee and eliminate fizzy drinks. Will it work, who knows but it's a journey.  

  Randomly though I have started seeing definition in my shoulders / upper arms which are areas I've never seen any change. I've always had weak upper body strength but now I can complete a sweaty 7s workout with 2kgs. May not be a huge achievement for most but for me it's monumental. And to top it off last week I accidentally did a push up without realising. I've NEVER been able to do one. EVER. Even when properly training in the gym! Keep going - if anything you're after inspiring me to do more and try harder 👸

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 9:45 PM

  Oh ladies, thank you all so so much for taking the time to reply!!!- I've welled up several times today with the messages, and still am!!! Truly appreciate it!!! I dusted myself down- did my Glutes & Gains, my lunchtime walk where I got to see my sister and two of my nieces, Spicy Circuits (cos I cannot resist it!) and just did some foam-rolling there. 

  One thing I would change about my message was saying I'm so disappointed in myself, cos actually I'm not- I know I am giving my all in the workouts, I know I can run the 5km and a steady pace, having the chats with my sister while not getting out of breath(!), I am mostly doing advanced moves, I am progressing with the level of weights (tonight I used the 5kg dumbbell for the dumbell swing for the three rounds -new level of spice right there!) etc etc . And even if I wasn't achieving anything even near that- I am still showing up every day, I am loving the workouts and they make me smile every single time! That is more than enough. 

  I also hoped by sharing how I felt that I might slightly help some others out there just to know they are not alone if the perceived physical changes aren't occuring as fast as we may like. It really doesn't change what we are actually achieving and what we are doing for ourselves, and it's important that we are reminded by our fellow queens of that! Female bodies are absolutely AMAZING, and while I may have "child-bearing hips" those hips get me from A to B, and they helped me stay mobile when it took me 26 months (long story!) to recover from cruciate ligament surgery a few years ago etc. I know the difficulty of being immobile and in pain, and I need to remind myself to be thankful and happy and grateful that currently I am so physically strong and fit. So I'm glad I posted the message as it's helped with my mindset. My clothes are fitting me, I really like chocolate, wine and prosecco, and I bloody love QDQ so it is not a chore for me to do these workouts, and losing weight or changes won't exactly change too much for me.

  In saying that if we all got a whoooooosssh of a change in photos and measurements in the next few weeks that would be a lovely bonus! A bonus - cos it is not the main goal. 

  Thanks @Maeve Madden also for taking the time to send such a detailed outline of areas to look into (and hopefully that will help others too). I'm mostly achieveing most of the list but gonna take a bit of time this week to look into it all in a bit more detail versus what I'm doing, like others suggest might go back to tracking just to be certain around protein etc. 

  We do not quit!! 

  (THANKS A MILLION AGAIN!)

   

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 9:53 PM

  @Ciara Crowne Oh I'm so sorry to hear about the job, it is such a difficult time, and so important we do what we can to cope, while be gentle and kind too ourselves cos things are crappy enough without us heaping on! Hope you are doing ok, and I'm always here if you need to chat, feel free to send me a private message on here or the like. The improvement in strength, fitness and the definite benefit to our health cannot and shouldn't be discounted (even if we have our off moments where you just want to see movement on the scale or in the tape or photo!) You should be so proud of yourself, you are keeping your head well above water when it would be so easy to dip xxxx 

   

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 10:04 PM

  @Caitriona Lyons A muffin with ice-cream every night- love it!!! But haha yeah not exactly conducive. I was similar in November & December , fully ate and drank myself through all of the emotions, so even though I was still doing all the workouts the walking and the running I knew not to expect any physical changes to be seen (even though it meant I still kept a good level of fitness and strength so didn't have to start Jan totally from scratch, but it probably meant now when I've made some changes to diet I was expecting too much too soon). Y'know what sometimes thats what we have to do, then we take stock and move on from that to black bean brownies (I don't know if I'm curious to hear more about this delicacy or not haha!). Life is too short to not treat ourselves (especially in the last year!) but then sometimes we reach the stage where we can have it in a bit more of a balanced manner! 

  Woohoo- amazing about the sexy shoulders popping through! 2kgs is brilliant progression if it's an area you have felt weaker in, you definitely should be so so proud! Oh the push-up comment made me laugh so much!!! Actually can't stop giggling at that!!

  We will always look back at this time and be so grateful for QDQ- it is a sanctity, it is great craic and so supportive, and a side-benefit of exercise haha! 

   

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 10:08 PM

  @Adrianna Murphy I had convinced myself I might be under-eating a bit with the level of activity, but rather than maybe doing it in a tracked form I just justified the odd bit of extra chocolate above what I had cut down to! So great advice to actually look at it properly with My Fitness Pal. 

  Not that I'm any way happy you feel you're in the same boat, but there also is some comfort in not being alone, and hopefully me sharing helped you slightly with that too! I really hope you are keeping safe and well at the moment, it is such a difficult time and like that we keep on keeping on. Am always here if you do need to reach out! 

  Week 6- we can do it!!

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 10:12 PM

  @Leonie Mcnulty so glad to hear some of my waffling on helped you!!! My eldest niece and nephew think I'm the most positive person in the world (to the point where sometimes they don't want to be listening to me!) but while I can be that person for everyone else I have the battle with the negative nelly in my head, and sometimes she gets through! 

  So glad you had the rest day and felt the benefit! That's the thing- sometimes it's something so small that actually can make such a difference and reset you or give you the push on. DEEEEEEELIGHTED you saw a difference today, amazing stuff!!!! Be so so proud of yourself! Woohoooo I'm beaming smiling here for you! 

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 10:16 PM

  @Katy Evans Haha thanks- like I say I've a lot of time on my hands! I also get FOMO if I even consider not doing one of my favourites!!! In one way I have more motivation because I feel the benefit mentally from keeping active (bloodly love endorphins!), and also I injured my knee during the summer and it stiffens up if I don't keep up regular exercise. So a slightly annoying motivator, but it again reinforces how proud I should be of myself that I recognise I need to do it, and don't just sit around aching and complaining. Mindset=set to positive again! 

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 10:18 PM

  @Lissy Dickinson Thank you so much- you are so so kind! And like your message is pretty much exactly what I would have said to others who posted this type of message (and likely have in the past!). The intrinsic benefits are worth so much more to me when I take stock, and honestly losing an inch off my stomach isn't exactly going to set my world alight at the end of the day, whereas being fit, strong and healthy will stand to me long-term! 

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 10:22 PM

  @Carmel Mulvany Thank you so much, you are so lovely (as always!) You're right - pressure is for tyres 😊 😂  I loved the two workouts today, and if I hadn't let numbers take on too much meaning (when really they only count for a small percent) I probably could have had a really nice day instead of moping. But I'm reset for now and ready to go again! 

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  Sharon Scully

  2/8/21, 10:26 PM

  @Amy Johnston A lovely and wise message Amy, thank you so much. And I'm thrilled to hear you are feeling confident and good about yourself- it really is all that matters isn't it. You are absolutely smashing it with the progression in moves and the stamina to last longer each week! That acceptance on our journeys all being different is so key, and while I may not be shrinking in size (I shouldn't joke about that- I'm only 5 feet and can't afford to have any downward shrinkage haha) I'm growing in strength in both body and mind (if that isn't too cheesy!)

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