6 Month Check In

My fitness journey continues.  I know I haven’t posted anything in a while, and I bet you thought I fell off the fitness wagon?  Not.  I did go on a 2 week vacation, which set me back a little bit.  I didn’t do any weight training for the entire time, but I played lots of tennis.  I was interested in seeing if the scales, and body fat numbers would change any, so I had my personal trainer take some measurements, body fat numbers, and, of course, weight.  The results were interesting.  I lost 5 pounds, but actually gained a tiny bit of body fat.  So, that probably means I lost muscle.  I’m not really too worried about it, though, because I am weight training again, about 3 times a week, and playing tennis 3-4 times a week, so i should be able to at least maintain with this regimen.

I took some photos today.  It’s not easy to take a picture of yourself in a mirror, but you get the idea, I’m sure.  A side-by-side comparison.  The first photo was taken in January, 2012. The middle photo was in March, and the third photo was taken today.  Not bad for a 50ish year old, I would say.    Now, if I could only get that elusive six-pack.

8 Week Check-in

So, I had my 8-week check-in with my trainer yesterday.  I’m happy to report that I am continuing to lose inches, body fat, and I even lost a little weight!  I remember hearing that when you embark upon a fitness program with the intent of losing weight and/or inches, it takes 12 weeks total – 4 weeks to notice a difference yourself (check), 8 weeks for others to start to notice (check), and 12 weeks until the world is a different place!  (LOL – I made up that last one).  I ran into a woman that I hadn’t seen in quite a while, and she actually asked me if I had lost weight!  So, that seems to confirm that “they” know what they are talking about!  Who are “they”, anyway?  i digress.

So, at my 8 week mark, I am down a total of 7% body fat, inches EVERYWHERE, including bust, waist, hips, legs, arms, and 2 pounds!  My waist has gone from 33″ to 29″!  My goal is 28″, so I’m almost there!  I’ve also gained 7% muscle!   Most importantly, I am SO much STRONGER than I was 8 weeks ago.  There are some exercises that I could not even do 8 weeks ago, that I can now do with relative ease!  So, 4 more weeks to go before our vacation.  I have no doubt that I will be wearing a bikini with pride!

So, how did I get here?  Piece of cake.  *NOT*  No cake for me.  I work out daily – 7 days per week – minimum 90 minutes daily.  I do 3 days per week of 60 minute cardio sessions.  3 days per week of weight training, and 20 minute cardio sessions.  One P90X Yoga per week.  Abs 7 days per week.  Personal training sessions one day per week.  The exercise is the easy part, for me.  Although it’s all relative.  It certainly is NOT easy.  Some days I do NOT want to exercise, but I do it anyway.  I always say to myself that, if I still don’t feel like working out 30 minutes in, I can quit.  I never do.  The toughest part is getting started.

Then there’s the eating.  I don’t call it a diet.  I never wanted to lose WEIGHT.   I am more concerned with losing inches and looking leaner and fitter.  I want sculpted arms and legs, and an hourglass figure.  I want to improve my posture and energy levels.  I want to keep my heart strong.  So in order for my body to respond to the exercise I’m doing, it needs proper fuel.  That means protein for building muscle, and lots of healthy vegetables, fruit, and whole grains.  That means cutting out sugar and alcohol.  I eat 4-5x per day.  I’m not counting calories.  I’m supplementing my diet with whey protein, and a couple of other supplements my trainer recommended.  I cheat one day per week.  It’s not always easy, but I’m getting used to it.  I still crave sugar, and carbs sometimes, but the cravings are less.  I feel good eating this way.  When I cheat, it doesn’t always feel so good.  My body is getting accustomed to being fed healthy food, so it rebels when I give it crap.  It’s all good.

So, I’m procrastinating on working out today.  My body is sore from yesterday’s training session.  I can’t believe I still have sore muscles after my workouts.  No pain, no gain. 

Before and After

So, my fitness journey continues.  I know I haven’t updated this blog for a while, but there really isn’t anything exciting to say.  I’ve been working REALLY  hard on my fitness.  My daily workouts are intense – 90 minutes, usually, alternating between weight training and cardio.  7 days a week, most weeks.  I have taken the odd day off.  My eating has been clean most of the time, but I do allow myself one cheat day a week.  My weight remains the same, pretty much.  I still find that a little frustrating, but I’m trying not to put so much emphasis on the scale.  I have lost inches, and I am noticeably stronger and fitter.  My body is changing in subtle ways.  So, I took photos today, to compare them to the day I started training with Lynette, (January 7) – so I thought I’d *gulp* share it.  It’s noticeable, but not OMGish.

 

So….there you have it.  3 inches smaller, 5% less body fat.  That’s what it looks like.

Weight loss vs fat loss

My original artwork.    I blogged about it on my other blog, here.

When I began working with (my personal trainer) – Lynette, and I told her that one of  my goals was to lose 10 pounds, she told me that I probably wouldn’t lose much weight, but that I would lose inches.  I wasn’t unfamiliar with this concept.  I know that muscle weighs more than fat, and it’s also more compact than fat, so, in theory, if I am building muscle, and losing fat at the same time, one could actually see results on the measuring tape, but not on the scales.  That is exactly what happened to me.  I’ve been on this program for almost 6 weeks now.  I haven’t lost any weight.  But, I have lost inches almost everywhere.  And, I have lost 4% body fat!  That’s good, right?  So why do I keep hoping to see results ON THE SCALE?  I need to be happy with the way I look, knowing that I am working hard in the gym, and eating healthy, which should mean that I am doing everything within my control to be the best I can be.

There’s an awesome article about this over at Sparkpeople - here.

4 Week Check-In

Four weeks ago, I began working with a personal trainer. I began a new fitness program, and changed my eating habits. Some aspects have been more difficult than others. I actually enjoy the exercise program, even though it is tough! I guess I’m just a glutton for punishment, lol. The biggest change Lynette recommended was the 60 minutes of cardio, 3 days a week. I have a home gym, with a treadmill, so I did a slow run/fast walk on most of my cardio days. I threw in the odd P90X DVD on some of my cardio days. I do abs daily. My other 3 days/week are weight training days. I did P90X yoga on day 7. My original plan was to exercise 5 or 6 days per week, but I’m a bit of an over-achiever.

The “diet” plan was a whole different story. I learned that I am hugely addicted to carbs…bread, pasta, dairy products, fruit, sugar…oh, how I love thee carbs. I was restricted to 3 per day, and I couldn’t have any carbs after 2:00. I was able to stick to it most days, but I was really hungry in the evening. Bottom line, I am going to change my eating habits for the next 4 weeks to something that is more realistic over the long term. I’ll probably follow the P90X diet.

So, my results are pretty encouraging. I really don’t want to lose much weight. I just want to tone and tighten up, lose a little body fat, and look better in a bikini. I lost 3 pounds, but, more importantly, I lost inches everywhere! I lost 3 full inches from my waist! Woo hoo! My goal is to lose 2 more inches by April 1st.

How are you doing? Any positive results you want to share? Any questions for me?

This is Tough!

Photo Credit

So, since my last post, I’ve had some tough days.  I had a bit of a meltdown a few days ago.  I was totally feeling sorry for myself because I couldn’t eat what I wanted to eat, and just had no motivation to exercise.  Have you had days like that?  I’m sure it’s pretty normal to get discouraged from time to time.  Looking back, I think I just failed to plan properly (I hadn’t shopped for healthy snacks, and vegetables), so I wasn’t eating enough during the day.  As a result, I had lower than normal energy levels.  I also learned that I can’t break up my exercise.  I had done my 20 minutes of cardio in the morning, on an empty stomach, with the intention of doing my weights later in the day.  But, I just didn’t have the energy or desire to do it, so it never got done.  Also, as a result of my poor eating throughout the day, my cravings for “bad” carbs were really high.  So, I gave in, and ate a bunch of carbs that evening.  But, instead of giving up entirely (not that I’ve ever done this…lol), I just got up the next morning with a new attitute, and got right back on track.

Yesterday was “Christmas” for my hubby’s family, so we went to a restaurant for dinner.  I did okay…I didn’t have any alcohol, but I didn’t do so well with my eating.  Also, I had a busy day, so I didn’t get my full 60 minutes of cardio in.  I did 40 minutes.  But, today, I did my usual 20 minutes of cardio, and weights, and added an additional 20 minutes of cardio to make up for yesterday.  Yay me!  So, I think I’m back on track now, and ready for the week ahead.

I sure admire those of you out there who have successfully lost weight, through healthy eating habits.  I have been fortunate to have been able to eat almost anything I wanted for most of my life.  This “dieting” is really tough!  I have learned that I am a serious carb addict.  I love my bread, pasta, rice, and sugar!  I’m not totally eliminating them from my diet, but my personal trainer believes that I should avoid them after 2 pm. So, since I want to have a body like hers, I am trying really hard to do everything she tells me to do.  I should add that I am not much of a follower.  I’m a Leo, and like to do things my way. ;)   I am currently eating 3 carbs per day, all before 2 pm.  After 2 pm, I eat as many vegetables as I want, and protein.  No fruit, no breads, no pasta, no sugar….

I also have to get back to recording my food and exercise in my fitness journal.  I’ve slacked off a bit in that area.  I found it helpful in so many ways.  That, and blogging about my days has helped me to feel accountable, if only to myself.

Pluggin’ Along

I know I’ve been MIA for a few days, but I am still inspired and determined to meet my fitness goals.  One of my favourite things to make is smoothies.  I absolutely love them, and you can put almost any fruit (and even some vegetables) in them.  My favourite combination is banana, strawberry and orange.  I use 1/2 a banana, about 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries, and either orange juice, or canned mandarin oranges.  I usually add some whey protein powder, as well, AND…spinach!  It turns your drink green, but honestly, you cannot taste the spinach.  Either frozen or fresh works equally well.

I had one “bad” evening on the weekend.  We went over to some friends’ for dinner, so I ate what was served.  It was yummy, but too many carbs.  And, I had a couple of glasses of wine.    Oh well.  One bad meal out of 21 aint so bad, right?  That’s what I’m telling myself, anyway.

I’ve been back on track since Sunday, and feeling strong!  I can already feel some differences in my body, and I have lost a few pounds on the scale, too.  I am really enjoying my personal training sessions.  Lynette is so knowledgeable, and helpful, and inspiring…I highly recommend a personal trainer, if you want to learn lots about nutrition and exercise, and stay motivated.  That’s what it’s doing for me, anyway!

Can I Do This?

Can I get this kind of result? Yes, I can! I did 60 minutes (yes, a full hour!) of cardio today! That’s six straight days of exercise, and clean eating! Blogging every day about this is helping me a lot. It feels like I am publicly accountable. Even if no one ever reads this, I’m putting it (and myself) out there. And, the bottom line is, that this is really only about me…about me being accountable to me. I can do this.

Inspired and Motivated! New Goals

Hello my friends!  How was your week?  Did you meet your diet and fitness goals?

I am approaching the end of week 2 of My Operation Muffin Top.  After meeting with my personal trainer, and getting started with her suggestions and ideas, I have revised my goals.

1.  Exercise 6x/week – 3 cardio days, 3 weight days
2. Follow Lynette’s diet suggestions
3. One cheat meal per 7 day period (with only 2 cheat items)
4. No alcohol except on special occasions (see #3)
5. Blog minimum 3x weekly
6. Keep a food & exercise journal
7. Lose 5% body fat by March 31st
8. Weigh myself on Fridays only

There you have it.  I am feeling totally inspired, and motivated today.  And, it’s Friday, so I stepped on the scale, and I am happy to report that I have lost weight! I’m trying not to put too much focus on weight loss.  Lynette keeps telling me that I may not see results on the scale, but will start to notice differences in the way I look, and that I may lose inches.  That would make this girl happy.  But, I can’t help being excited when I lose pounds.

I ate clean yesterday, and worked out with Lynette.  I’m sore today, as expected,but it’s a good sore.  I actually like feeling this way!  It means that I worked hard yesterday, and I’m building muscle! 

Focus on Fitness

I had my second workout with my personal trainier, Lynette, from FITfocus, here in London, Ontario, Canada.

How inspiring are THOSE abs? THOSE arms? It turns out that we are about the same height and weight, but, I do NOT look like her!  That is my goal, though.  Well, she is 20 years younger than me, so I can’t expect to look like her, but I would be happy with a flat tummy, and sculpted arms and legs.  She thinks that I may not see big results on the scale, but rather, I will lose inches, build lean muscle, and look better!  Sounds good to me!

We did an intense, but short workout again today.  I learned more about her diet recommendations, and I’m even more inspired, and excited today!  This is totally doable.