Round 1 Results

Ok, so I am like a week late on this. Work has been a bit crazy and I haven't had a lot of time in the evenings lately to hop online.

but... drum roll please....

RESULTS:
Weight: -6.8 lbs
pants size: down about 1 size
neck: -3/4 in
chest: -1/2 in
waist: - 1 1/4 in
hips: - 2 in
r thigh: - 1/4 in
l thigh: same
r arm: - 3/4 in
l arm: same

So, I didn't quite hit my goal of down 10 lbs, but I am still pretty darn happy with the results. For 3 weeks, I am actually really impressed with the number of inches lose. I can't believe I lost 2 full inches off of my hips. It was also kind of surprising I lost 3/4 of an inch off my neck, perhaps it's a measuring inaccuracy, but I kind of doubt it.

This next round, I am going to make it a mini goal to not weigh or measure myself for the full 21 days. I think I am becoming a bit obsessive about it and it will be a good test of will power and a (hopefully) fun surprise at the end. I am also going to ramp up the upper body training a bit too, move up from the 3lb set of weights to the 5lb set. Here's to round 2! :)

Day 17 and (mini) non scale victories :)

Well, the scale has become frustrating. I am still down probably 4-5 lbs, but it keeps fluctuating. I know I just need to step away from the scale and only weigh myself once every week or two, but I just can't help it.

But! I have noticed a few other little things.

1. I have lost at least an inch off of my hips and waist. I checked it with the tape measure and it's going down. :) I have noticed my pants fit just a little bit better. I can get my old 18's on- they are very, very tight, but they can come on! And, one of my favorite light, summer-y blouses fits better. It is supposed to be loose and flow-y, but it used to be taught around my hips. I noticed when I wore it today, it was just the slightest bit more comfortable and had a bit more wiggle room.

2. I feel just a tiny bit stronger. I notice when I stand up or go up the stairs, my legs feel a bit stronger. It's almost like I have a bit extra spring in my step. Maybe I am just pushing myself a little bit harder, but the workouts seem to be just a tad easier as well. I think I can do a few more reps and do slightly better form.

3. I don't really get the debilitating sugar cravings I used to. I get slightly hungry, but I don't feel as though I'm going to die without sugary foods. It's easier to walk by the pastries at the grocery store and just drive past the fast food placed.

Getting tired of boring chicken breasts....

(Lucky) Day 13!

... and going strong. I feel like it is still going well. I have had a couple of 'treats'. We ate out at a breakfast place for a work meeting and I splurged on eggs, hash browns, and a few bites from sausage and gravy. I just counted it as my blue container, all of my carbs, and a protein. Then I ate a couple of apples and carrot sticks throughout the rest of the day with a large salad for dinner. I hope I don't retain a bunch of water from all of the salt. Maybe I will just skip the scale tomorrow and let it level out a little bit. :)

I have also been going on walks with a girl from the office. We have gone at least 3 times this week and it has been nice. We are probably taking much longer than a 15 minute break, but it all evens out in the end. I have been getting a lot of steps in- around 10,000 - which is rare for me.

I have also been drinking some apple cider vinegar 'tea' with a dab of honey and lemon. It's actually really good. It tastes a bit like a kombucha tea. It's a little tart, zing-y and leaves an oddly clean taste afterwards. There are supposed to be a bunch of great health benefits from it, but I honestly just like it.

You should check it out too- this is the one I like.
http://www.bragg.com/

One week down! (Day 7)

I can't believe it has already been one week! I feel like I have stayed on plan pretty darn well. I have noticed the last few days, I have had a really hard time getting all of the food in. I need to focus this week on getting all of my veggies in. I have really enjoyed my morning fruit and yogurt snack. I have been trying to get the carbs (fruit and starches) in earlier in the day and then by the evening, I am just not hungry enough to get in all of the protein and veggies. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I know I need to switch it up.

The workout today was actually really nice. The yoga was fairly easy and after a long week, it was much needed. I am glad I started my week on Saturday. I always feel more motivated on the weekends. I put more energy into food prep and ensuring I get the workouts done early. By the end of the week, I am just ... blah. So that worked out well.

There has been this weird issue with the last two workouts. The DVD just randomly skips and I lose several minutes. Yesterday, I easily spent 10-15 minutes pausing it, restarting the system and fast-forwarding just to get all of the moves in. That was frustrating. I did a live chat with Beach Body and they are sending me a replacement disk. They had pretty good customer service. :) So hopefully that will come by next weekend when I get to those workouts again.

Here's to week 2! :)

What I Hate About Being Fat

As I've been coming to realization of how much I need to change my habits, I have been spending a lot of time thinking about what I want to be different.  It's a lot of work carrying around an extra 70-80 pounds. And honestly, I can't believe I am sharing some of this, but I don't feel like I can move forward in a positive way unless I acknowledge it. So here goes nothing.

1. Having my knees, back and joints pop constantly. Literally every time I walk, get out of bed, or sit in a position for too long, they pop.

2. Being winded. It’s embarrassing how often I am out of breath. It feels like more often than not. Even just laying in bed, I need to breathe through my mouth. I sometimes try to hide it by walking away or making background sounds (like running the dryer or faucet). I mean, seriously, who does that?

3. Feeling hungry pretty much all of the time and sugar cravings. Even after eating a large meal, 20 minutes later, I crave something sweet. It's a never-ending battle.

4. Having rolls. It’s so disgusting. My back under my bra. My arms. My hips are the worst. I am uncomfortable. All. The. Time.

5. Being uncoordinated. See #3. But not just due to poorly fit, despite the spandex, clothes. Everything jiggles around. I feel like I am always stomping. Even walking I feel self conscious about. I perpetually feel like Godzilla tumbling through narrow streets. I am terrified to go into store aisles with lots of glass.

6. Feeling a twinge of pain every time I walk by my reflection.

7. Feeling the need to cover myself up constantly while having a wardrobe full of clothes and only about 10-20% fit. I have so many sizes from fluctuating up and down over the years. And, I'm back in my biggest sizes.  I utterly hate shopping in the plus size section at the store. Even the cutest clothes feel frumpy and unflattering.

8. Acne. I am constantly breaking out it seems. I suppose it could be due to my moisturizer or makeup, but I am 99% confident it is my diet and lifestyle.

9. Chairs are my natural enemy. I always get a sinking feeling when I go to a movie theater, restaurant, or work training for the first time. I never know if the arms of the chair are going to cut into my sides for the next 2, 4 or 8 hours. Folding chairs and bar stools make me wonder if they are even able to support me. Having a chair collapse under me in a crowded room is one of my greatest fears.

10. My long-term health. This is probably the biggest one for me. I don't want to have to wonder if I am slowly killing myself by poor choices. I shouldn't have to worry about developing early-onset diabetes, a heart attack at the age of 30, or who knows what else.

Day 4

Well, I just finished the Pilates workout and my abs are on fire. I think today went really well. It was my first true test with going back to work, in my normal routine with lots of bad habits to break. I packed my little lunch bag, made a promise to myself that I wouldn't make any side stops at McDonald's or the gas station to snag a quick danish, and followed through. It was really hard for some reason. The worst part was when I was trying so hard to stay on plan and I went to the lunch room in the basement to heat my brown rice and chicken. I was sitting there, eating and I realized I was just staring at the vending machine, thinking anything in there tasted better than what I was eating. I'm going to have to hide all of my change and loose dollar bills for weak moments.

I did get a LOT of walking in today. One of the girls at work asked me if I wanted to go on a walk during a morning break and I went with her. It was so nice to get out of the office and chat- she is so nice. The weather was lovely too- it was cloudy and cool, perfect for working up just a little bit of a sweat while still going back to work. I think we were gone for a lot longer than the 15 minutes though. Oops. We walked over 2 miles! All in all, I walked over 10,000 steps today according to my Fitbit! I haven't done that in quite some time. (Sad, I know.)

I think that is part of the reason Pilates was so hard tonight. My form was probably terrible and I felt like I was just sort of going through the motions on a lot of it. But, I did it! As much as I wanted to justify just saying 'screw it' tonight, I didn't. So yay!