First of all, from working out 100% to 0% was not easy after I got diagnosed with a double hernia in my lower spine.
For the first 2 months my bad mood and worries were high! It took me a while to adapt and see the positive points in it too. I stopped meditation and the believe in it I had. I was smashed from pain and that me, Mel Motion was out of order. 20 years of being injury free and strong had spoiled me. Family and Friends suffered with me and I hated it, because it was all about me, and my condition. I pushed people away and wanted to disappear, and I did in a way.
Of course I got better and I am now in a very positive state of mind and a much better state with my body & soul.
The problems started on the 2nd day after arriving in Germany. I advice not do to strong body workout short after a long flight as there is still a lot of fluid in our body, like in our spine area, so the pressure is strong. And try to avoid gardening, because that was the ultimate cause of my injury.
After I found out about my condition, I was mostly fearing to lose muscle and was only just thinking about this. Being in my forties, I know that it’s not so easy anymore to regain shape. Pain was always there and extreme, but definitely I was mostly worried about my toned butt and overall shape of my body.
Looking daily 10times in the mirror checking, squeezing the gluts looking for lines etc… is my butt still up. GOSH!
Before I left Bali for Germany, 5 month ago, I was in the best shape of my life, and totally focused on my tasks and not worrying much. Lucky me I saw myself year by year and really thought wow so cool in any age I am strong, good and totally in shape… I was not fanatic, but wanted to be the role model, in MOTION, in Bali and outside of Bali. Eating good and healthy food but always having treats as well and overall being positive in life.
Keep energy in Motion is me 100% and not just a slogan.
My mum (68) and granny (88) are still full on and I admire their energy. In my last week in Motion Fitness I have filmed 2 great videos and were absolutely happy with all of it. Motion Team were different but complete again.
But I want to tell you about how I stayed in shape for that past 5 month with almost no workout at all, and managed not to loose to much muscle. From cortisone injections and painkillers I had a lot of water retention and I actually looked like a blowed up fish sometimes.
After that I lost 3kg weight in my first 4 weeks of low motion condition. Water and muscle! The butt dropped and I saw even skin flappy over my knees! Yes, I discovered this daily with the pro eye I (unfortunately) developed over the years. It’s clear that after working out daily it’s impossible not to lose muscle if you suddenly stop, and especially people working out, also have more muscle to lose.
So I was on alert and wanted to recover as fast as possible because I thought I will teach fitness classes latest in November again. I knew most important is to keep eating and getting back into the happy mode.
My breakfast got bigger and I started to bake breads and cakes daily.
At Motion Café I had created lots of amazing snacks, cakes, and, of course WAFFLES.
So in that new condition I understood I need more of fiber and whole foods and I needed more comfort, but I was in Europe and there is no Motion Café around. OMG!
My next mission was on and in the meantime I have designed new 3 amazing breads, which are rich in nutrition but low in carbohydrates.
- I kept up eating lots of protein (40%) healthy fats (20-30%) and fiber (20-30%) for all my meals. It is working out very well! Yeay! Important is to keep up fueling the body well and not to low. Eating the right foods will not store fat even if you burn less of calories because no work out. Often I combine plant with animal protein as fish and peas. I am drinking not much protein shakes but when I am in a rush I definitely go for it or when I feel low in afternoons.
- I don’t need any protein shakes as a late night treat and recovery as I am not working out. Usually I loved my night protein ice-cream shake.
- I like to switch between eating one-day vegan and next day “normal”. Giving my best here to balance it, but I must confess that I just love diary products as yogurt and cheese too much, and not to forget eggs!
- In the mornings I have a big mug of coffee with milk or bonsoy milk, or have 2, one of each.
- I always drink lots of water and love ginger and lemon tea.
- Having an omelet/poached egg with avocado and spinach (always), with a slice of my newly created bread or coconut yogurt with nuts and seeds is the perfect breaky for me.
- In between meals I drink lots of water and love to have our green elixir or slim. I feel my legs getting heavy when I have not enough water and that happen toooo often, especially when in working mode.
- I have lunch often in the office…we have near to daily food tasting btw, the pastry and meal plan kitchen is below the office and yes I am lucky! The food is clean and lean but tasty. And most of employees are addicted to our food, feeling energized after eating to move on. I love my team so much.
YES I skip the rice even its brown, I’m just not used to it BUT have all the others 100%. Fish/Chicken/Vegan patties and vegetables, salad to the roof.
We have our soup production below our office too and often we all sitting together and having magic soup or we do some food testing… like yesterday improving the Keto Chia Seed Pudding. Btw the smell is catching us often, especially Nadja.
- My easiest and fast lunch is a bowl with yogurt and seeds and nuts…I eat daily nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews etc. I know health wise its not recommended to eat a high amount (over 60g), not because of the fat but the chemicals that build up in our body to digest them, which is not supportive in the absorption of all the minerals as magnesium. But I can’t help myself, I love them and it’s often the last I eat before sleep.
- In the afternoons I have one of Motion’s healthy drinks bottles and especially the Lean Green Tea is a great energy kick.
- I am not much into snacking but if I feel like it, I grab some cashews or seeds. I am not a big fruit eater. I am a savory person, and I would always fall for a savory salty snack than a sweet one. Fructose is okay and has just a negative effect on your metabolic rate if eaten in a high amount. If I have more than 1-2 full fruits, just fresh, not peeled or out of an plastic container, it feels just wrong to me eating already cut fruits and the nutrition content is very low. Plus I fear to get an allergy through the packaging…but this is just my personal paranoia and not proved. J
- I have dinner mostly at 7.30pm, consisting of a lot of mixed vegetables with a protein source. I eat just from Motion Café and as I am often alone and than I don’t cook at all. Motion Fitness Food is like home cooked and that even under my (remote) supervision. Yesterday I had our Zoodles with Chimichurri sauce, pumpkin seeds and large chicken stripes. It’s a big portion and often I eat it over a long period of time or leave something for later. My secret or let’s say the Motion office secret is to chew Fisherman’s.
After near to 5 month of having no fitness workout at all (I just do my daily walks and physio exercise for my back), I was look now at me and must say I am happy with what I see and feel good in my skin.
This proves that my believes that the quality of our food intake is much more important than the quantity of our workouts. That if you work out like hell and you not change your nutrition for a healthier and wholesome version as well, you will definitely not have the results you are looking for.
I saw it in 18years in my profession and I have plenty of testimonials and myself as an example.
Because of my sportive history I am lucky and how I eat, might not be right for everybody, because we are all different. Bit in general, keep a good balance of nutrition, eating carbohydrates as long as they are the good ones, combine it with protein and healthy fat, have a glass of wine (maybe not everyday) and you already have won half the battle.
Let’s us be more conscious of ourself and our needs, while not watching others too much.
Listen to yourself and give yourself a hug daily 🥰.
Where focus goes energy flows.
Love,
Mel
