6 Week Update and Measurements

First, what's going on with Blogger?  The blogs I follow are here some days, and others they completely disappear.  It's soooo frustrating.  Anyway, I've trying to drop weight for 6 weeks now.  Here are my results...

I'm not ready to post comparison pics yet, but I do have them.  Basically, I lost 12.6 lbs and over an inch from the largest part of my stomach.  I'm really happy about that.  Here's a look at how I motivate myself to do things like workout and eat right...

I USE STICKERS!!!!!

You can see that I wasn't doing ANYTHING, before 6 weeks ago.  Seriously, I love stickers!  Some days the thought of getting a sticker would stop me from making poor food choices.  I have stickers for cardio (a heart), eating well (fruit), jogging (flower), strength training (silver star), and meeting goals (smiley face).  I'm thinking about changing out the star for strength training, because I can't see it as well as I can the others.  Here's a summary of my month:

Goals: I did not work on any goals, and pretty much forgot about them, so no goals met.

Jogging: I didn't jog any either.  I went walking quite a bit, but never actually jogged.

Strength Training: 6 days of real strength training.  I do challenges with my mom and sister, so just about everyday I did squats or push-ups, but I only give myself a sticker if I do a series of exercises.

Eating Well: 14 days.  Eating well is really a struggle for me.

Cardio: 18 days.  This was zumba, walking, or the elliptical...mostly zumba though.

Those numbers show me how I wasn't extremely dedicated over the last 6 weeks, but I definitely put in more effort than I had previously.  I know I could have had better results if I had taken things more seriously, but I am pleased with the progress that I did make.  You have to start somewhere, and the fact that I am blogging results after 6 weeks is progress for me.

For the next 6 weeks I would really like to work on eating better and strength training.  I actually love lifting weights (waaayyyy more than cardio), but I get intimidated in the weight room.  Therefore, I avoid it.  I'm just going to have to get over that.  I started today...

Leg Press (135 lbs each side)

Sundays are leg days for me.  So, here's my workout for today.  I did 3 sets of 12 for each strength training exercise...

Elliptical- 20 minutes

Leg Press- 270 lbs

Squat Machine- 105 lbs

Squat Jumps- body weight

Leg Extension- 40 lbs

Leg Curl- 50 lbs

Walking Lunges- body weight

Calf Raises- body weight

Walk/Jog- 1 mile in 14 minutes

I felt great afterwards.  My legs probably will not feel so great tomorrow lol!  The most difficult thing I did was probably the squat machine.  There were quite a few super fit guys in the weight room this morning, so I am proud of myself for going in there and getting things done.  Go Me!!!!

I have posted this several times, but it's my favorite song to workout to.  Have a great Sunday ladies and gents!

Janet Jackson- Make Me

Results of Eating Better

A little over 3 weeks ago I decided that I wanted to try eating better and see what it would get me. I know how I love food and how I'm used to eating, so I did not want to commit to this for too long. Spring Break was coming up, so I decided I would do it until Spring Break started. The hope was that I would get decent results in 3 weeks and it would be enough to motivate me to continue to make better choices. Surely I could do this for 3 weeks right???

Well, kinda lol! For the most part I did extremely well (I think so anyway). I probably had 2-3 bad meals a week, compared to every meal being a bad meal. Let me say I was not trying to eat clean. I tried eating clean one day, and it was just too hard for me to go from eating junk all day to eating clean. So, I just aimed to eat better. I went to the grocery store and I only shopped the exterior of the store (except for my Fiber One cereal and whole grain spaghetti and spaghetti sauce). I pretty much grilled/baked chicken and fish and shrimp. I ate tons of veggies and fruit, and I only drank water. I cooked at home a lot! Frozen veggies was a life saver for me, because I'm normally really short on time. I also decided I did not want to do any microwave meals because of the sodium.

I'm not the best at picking healthy foods when I eat out. So, when I got off track it was usually because I went out to eat with friends and family. I know I know...look at the menu ahead of time and decide what you're going to have. The problem is that when I get there everything looks so good! Oh gosh, let's not even talk about rolls at some of these places geesh! Anyway, I didn't do too bad. I also continued working out with Sam twice a week and on my own at least twice a week.

So, enough blabbering...here's what you all really want to see...results:


I lost 8.2 lbs and 4.5 inches in 3 weeks and a couple of days! I'm super excited about that!!!!! Go me!!! In the past it has taken me 6-9 weeks to do that! To me this proves what everyone has always said...your diet/nutrition is sooooo important.

On another note, I want to talk about a killer workout Sam made me do last Thursday. I had to workout with a deck of cards. The four exercises were squats, push ups, v-ups, and burpees. They each corresponded to a certain suit. Face cards counted as 10, aces were 20, and a joker would double whatever the next card was. By the end I had done 104 push ups, 104 v ups, 106 burpees, and 113 squats. It was so hard, but I felt like super woman when I was done!

Also my co-worker has gone out of the country for 3 weeks and he let me borrow his Insanity dvds. He didn't give me the schedule, so I just picked one to do yesterday. I chose the dvd that says Pure Cardio. Oh my gosh! Since when did a warm-up become so much work? lol! I made it through the dvd and only took 3 breaks, so I was proud of myself.

So, in summary my little experiment worked and I am definitely motivated enough to continue to make better food choices.

Measurements, Comparisons, and Goals for the New Year

Happy New Year everyone!

Technically it has not been a full 6 weeks since my last measurements, but I like to do this at the beginning of every year and compare.  So...here you go.

I gained weight for the first time since June.  I could have waited another 8 days and had a real "6 Week" measurement.  If I had done that I would have worked out hard and eaten perfectly to get the weight down.  I really would have just been playing mind games with myself though.  Measuring today shows exactly what I've been doing since 11/28/11...not much of anything.  If I'm being honest, I am shocked that I only gained close to 4 lbs.  I feel like I should have gained 10.  I worked out here and there and paid no attention to what I ate.  I'm also shocked that overall I lost 0.5 inches.  The number I pay the most attention to is the measurement around my belly button, and I gained there.  Overall, I definitely could have done better, but looking at this is a good reminder that if I slack off it will show.

Weight and Inches Since 2009

Starting Weight-------02/??/09-249.0

First 2010 Weigh In--01/04/10-228.4
First 2011 Weigh In--01/01/11-243.6
First 2012 Weigh In--01/01/12-227.8

Starting Total Inches----02/??/09-285.00
First 2010 Total Inches-03/02/10-274.25
First 2011 Total Inches-01/01/11-282.25
First 2012 Total Inches-01/01/12-269.0

Looking at these numbers make me happy.  Strictly looking at these numbers I have not started off a new year better.  I've lost a good bit of weight and a nice number of inches.  Here's hoping that Jan 2013 will look even better than this.

Fitness/Health Goals for 2012:

-run a 5k under 35 minutes

-jog a half marathon

-wear a swimsuit...in public without a coverup over that covers the entire suit lol!

-try 1 new healthy food a month

-try 1 new exercise or aerobic class a month

-navel measurement under 33 inches

-weigh under 180

-have more fun and laugh more

-find something I enjoy as a celebration that does not revolve around food or drinking

Goals for next 6 Weeks:

-5 total inches lost

-5 lbs lost

-consistent with Couch to 5k

-consistent with strength training

-up the fiber, lower the salt

-drink more water

-take my own luch to work more often

Suggestions to help with my goals are ALWAYS welcome.  I'll probably be reading your blogs for ideas about new foods and exercises anyway!  

 

I did Zumba on Wii again today for about 30 minutes. 

Pitbull - Pause (the Keenan Cahill version)

I thought this was cute lol!  One of the zumba trainers from the videos and game is in the background doing the routine you would see on the game.

New Measurements

First, are you all getting little ads at the bottom of the screen when you log on to Blogger now?  I am and it is sooooo annoying.  I am really not a fan of this.  Ugh!

I have taken new measurements and here they go:

I did not expect very much with my measurements this time, because I know I have not been as dedicated.

Positives:

-still lost around my belly

-lost an inch total

-lost 3 lbs

-have lost 15.25 inches overall

-have lost 23 lbs since this summer (began the summer at 247)

I don't see that much of a difference in the month to month photos, but I definitely see a difference when I put the heaviest photo and my most recent photo side by side.  Yay me!  lol!

This next 5 weeks or so I am going to make a commitment to do better than ever.  I have become complacent and I know I can do better, so I am going to do better.  I have jogging and a really good strength training routine from Oxygen Magazine.  I really have everything I need.  I just have to get dedicated again.  I'm expecting great results next time!

Goals for next time:

-lose 5 inches total

-lose 5 lbs

-workout at least 4 days every week

-stay on track with my jogging

Ester Dean - Drop It Low

18 Week Measurements

I took my 18 week (really 19 weeks) measurement.  Here you go:

If I look at my progress over the last 3 weeks I am pleased.  As you can see, on 9/9/11 I weighed 231.  Well, 3 or 4 weeks ago I weighed close to 235.  So, to now be at 227.2 I’ve done a good job over the past few weeks.  With that being said, I also think about where I would be now if I had not gained and had to lose that.  There’s nothing I can do about that now, but I did want to mention it. 

Negatives (Yes, there are negatives, because I always feel I can do better):

I gained during the 6 weeks and had to lose that.

I stopped working out for 2 weeks during this 6 weeks.

Gameday Saturdays: I’m normally eating poorly and drinking mixed drinks while watching the game.  I think we all know wings or nachos and margaritas are not calorie friendly.

Positives:

I’m 0.2 lbs away from 20 lbs lost since I got serious this summer.  Also, since my heaviest (249) I have lost over 20 lbs!  That’s so exciting.

I’ve gone from a tight size 18/ comfortable 20 to a size 16 that fits.  I use the word fit because I’m used to wearing oversized clothing and to me they (a pair of jeans) seem a little tight, but every single person I know says they fit the way they are supposed to.  I guess the bottom line is I don’t have to suck in to button them, I can sit with no problem, and without a belt the waist would slide down.

I lost an inch around my belly (the navel measurement) and I finally lost something (0.25 inches) around my arm.  I pay the most attention to my navel and arm measurements.  I think everyone wants a smaller tummy and I’m really not a fan of my huge arms, so I’ve been waiting and waiting for that number to go down.

I have not had fast food in awhile, so I’m cooking at home more and I’m making better choices.  I’m also better at fighting cravings or at least finding substitutes that are nutritionally better for me.

I have pretty much been drinking water only.  I would say I’m drinking water 99% of the time.  I don’t drink sodas at all anymore, but I think I’ve had the Lipton green tea once or twice.

Overall, I lost 2.5 inches and 3.8 lbs.  That’s 2.5 inches and 3.8 lbs gone over 6 weeks that I never want to see again.  So yay!  Losing anything at all is always a success to me!

Chris Brown - Beautiful People

3 Month Results and Lessons

First, I completed my homework for the week from Sam.  It was hard, but not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.  I completed the circuit on Wednesday and it only took me 22:01.  I thought it would take me close to an hour, so I was excited.  The for the cardio I used an elliptical machine.  I would use it at an okay pace for 2 min and then really turn it up for the next 2 min, and so on.

So, I've consistently worked out at least 3 days a week for the past 3 months now. Some weeks I work out 5 days a week, but I know I've done at least 3 days every single week.

Results:

I'm feeling alright about these results. As usual, I know I could have done a lot better. Just because you have a trainer doesn't mean the weight will fall off. I still have to do the work when I'm not with him, and I don't always do the work.

What I've Learned in the Past 3 Months:
1-I'm much stronger than I thought
2-Yes, soup can have 600 calories and 48g of fat
3-Yes, a salad can be more unhealthy than a cheeseburger
4-When your mind says "You can't possibly do this." Try it anyway...you'll surprise yourself
5-Water really does make your skin look better
6-I thought I hated walking lunges...burpees are worse
This is a burpee www.youtube.com/watch?v=
c_Dq_NCzj8M
7-It's okay to revoke your membership to the Clean Plate Club
8-Fiber makes my tummy happy
9-You should set a few goals that don't involve the scale
10-It is possible to crave things like hummus, carrots, and grilled chicken
11-There will be bad days, but there will also be days where you feel like a FREAKING ROCKSTAR!!!
12-You should celebrate your accomplishments
13-Support is important, but make sure it is genuine and not just someone sticking around to watch you fail
14-You don't have to apologize for making healthy changes in your life
15-It's okay to say thank you after receiving a compliment (and even to believe it... ) I used to be notorious for listing reasons the compliment wasn't true
16-I have to do the work, whether I'm with Sam or not
17-I still have a lot to learn

The following are before and after pics of my face. The first was taken a long time ago, but I was only 2 lbs heavier in the pic than I was at the start of this 3 month journey so, I figured my face was probably about the same. The 2nd one was taken on Sunday, 9/11/11. I can really notice a difference

I'm looking forward to the results of my next set of measurements in another 6 weeks. I may not have lost a ton of weight, but I feel SOOO much better about myself and my body is changing. I'm more dedicated now than I've ever been and I'm expecting big things. Thanks for all of the support everyone!

Also, I met my pushup goal. 3 months ago I said I wanted to be able to do 25 regular pushups in 6 months. I told Sam this and he said "You'll do it in 3." At the time I could only do 2, so I told him "I think I'll leave it at 6 months, thank you." Then he said "Look at me...3 months and that's final." Well, Sam was right...I just did 31 nonstop. My arms feel like jello now, but I did it! Whoo Hoo!

The Boobies are Always the First to Go! (6 Weeks In)

Today marks 6 weeks of working out for me.  I have not done anything hardcore, unless I'm with my trainer.  So, don't expect any mind blowing numbers lol!  I see my trainer twice a week and I'm supposed to do cardio on my own 3 other days a week.  In all honesty I only do about 2 other days of cardio, and until the last two weeks I was not putting in all I could to those cardio days.  I also don't eat as I should.  Don't get me wrong, I definitely eat better, but I cannot say I'm eating clean.  Anyway, enough with the excuses I know you all want to see the numbers and here they are.

	6/7/2011	7/16/2011
Arm	14.75	14.75
Bust	46	44.75
Band	38.5	38.25
Waist	41.5	40.5
Navel	46	45
Hip	48	47.5
Thigh	32.25	31.5
Calf	17.75	17.5
Total Inches:	284.75	279.75
Weight	244	236.8

So, I've lost 5 inches and 7.2 lbs.  I wanted more of a loss on the scale, but I know I didn't do all I was supposed to do.  That's my fault, so I'm not stressing about it.  Plus, a loss is a loss.  That is 7.2 lbs I am no longer carrying on my body.  I know what I need to do for this next 6 weeks and I'm more motivated now to do it.  I'm super excited about the inches lost though.  I lost the most around my bust (1.25 inches).  This always happens, so I'm not shocked.  I'm also really happy about the inch gone from my waist.  Whoop Whoop!

I started jogging on Wednesday and it was fabulous!  I was planning to do the Couch 2 5k plan, but for whatever reason I just was not feeling it.  So, what I did was walk 0.25 mi to warm up then I alternated jogging and walking 0.25 mi.  I did  close to 3.1 miles in 48 minutes.  I was not in any pain or anything.  I was really shocked because when I tried C25K back in March it was horrible.  I was in pain and aching every single time I jogged.  So, I expected the same thing this time, but it was not there.  I think this is because of the strength training I've been putting in with Sam.  That's really the only thing I can think of that is different.  Regardless, it was a really exciting day for me.  It felt GREAT!  I'm going to keep walking the 0.25 miles, but slowly increase the jogging intervals.  I had a slight injury.  My shoes rubbed the skin off my heel and I was bleeding.  I've learned to wear socks that completely cover my heel.  I was supposed to jog yesterday, but I visited my grandmother for a few hours instead, so I'll do it today.

The bottom line is that I'm excited about working out.  I look forward to working out and it makes me happy.  I know it's going to be hard work, but I get excited to see Sam.  I'm also looking forward to my next jog.    This has been a good week!

Today's Song is Whitney Houston's Million Dollar Bill.  I'm a slow jogger, so this song is perfect for em when I'm jogging.  I love when I'm on a section of the trail by myself so I can sing out loud haha!  Enjoy!
Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill

The Beginning

Like so many people in the world today, I am trying to lose weight.  This is really just somewhere for me to put all my thoughts down during this journey.  I have been gaining and losing the same 10-15 lbs for about 5 years.  I'm 28, 5'8", and 242 lbs.  I go through a cycle of being really excited about losing weight, telling everyone about it, and slacking off after about two weeks.  This time I have decided to tell no one.  Less than 5 people know I am currently trying to lose weight (again). 

I hired a trainer two weeks ago (Sam) and he is wonderful.  So far, I have had 4 training sessions with him and he has me doing things I never thought I would be able to do.  During a session I feel like I'll never make it, but afterwards I feel great.  The sense of accomplishment I get is amazing!  Right now I see Sam twice a week and I do cardio on my own for 2 days a week. 

I started at 244 lbs, and yesterday I weighed in at 242.6.  So, I've lost 1.4 lbs.  This is because I still eat terribly.  I crave things that are awful for me.  I took the bad stuff out of my fridge and pantry and I will still stop at a fast food place on the way home.  I'm really going to try and do better this week. 

Starting Stats (inches):
R. Arm     14.75
Bust         46.00
Band        38.50
B. Button 46.00
Waist       41.50
Hips         48.00
R. Thigh   32.25
Calf          17.75
Weight     244.0