Month 7 Stats

So after Thanksgiving I went right back to my sugar-free lifestyle. It took 3 days to get rid of sugar withdrawal symptoms, but after that I was not craving it anymore.

Here are the stats for the last month, and running total:

Weight: 126lb (down 1lb)*
Body Fat: 27% (down 1%)*
Chest: 32" (no change)*
Waist: 26" (down 0.5")*
Hips: 37.5" (no change)*
Thighs: 21.5" (no change)*
* from last month

Cumulative total: down 11lb, 7% body fat, 10"**
**in the last 7 months

One Slice of Pie and Sugar Hell

I survived thanksgiving reasonably well. I ate very lightly during the day, including a lunch of Supreme Whey Protein to keep hunger at bay until dinner time. I didn't pile up my plate, and had no seconds. No wine for me, either. The only problem is that I decided to have a slice of pie... and experienced the most horrible sugar cravings for the next 3 days. I did not give in to those cravings, though, and have again been sugar-free since Thanksgiving. It seriously left me thinking that eating that one slice of pumpkin pie was not worth it, because of what I went through for the next 3 days. Sluggish, irritable, and OBSESSED with sugar, like, it was all I thought about! Ugh.

Month 6 Stats

I've been busy lately, and posting to this blog has taken the backseat. I lost 2" this last month, I'm quite thrilled! I also updated my stats below. I've lost a total of 10 lbs now. Some may think that 10 pounds in 6 months is not a big deal, but the overall picture is I also lost 6% body fat and 9.5 inches around my waist, hips, thighs and chest combined. Some people lose weight faster, but I see it this way: had I not decided to change my habits and get serious about exercise 6 months ago I'd still be where I was then: unhappy about my body. I've found supplements and an exercise program that works for me, and I'm pretty happy with my results so far.

I plan to step it up a notch with the exercise plan. Not sure yet, but I'm thinking maybe a half-marathon within the next 4-5 months, and I also want to challenge myself with heavier weights on my ChaLean Extreme program. I've been using 5lb and 8lb weights for upper body and 10lb and 15lb weights for lower body, and I'm definitely feeling stronger, that I could go 8lb and 10lb for upper body and 15lb and 20lb for lower body. 

Weight: 127lb (up 0.5lb)
Body Fat: 28% (no change)
Chest: 32" (down 0.5")
Waist: 26.5" (no change)
Hips: 37.5" (down 1")
Thighs: 21.5" (down 0.5")

Cumulative total (in the last 6 months): down 10lb, 6% body fat, 9.5"

Here's to a successful seventh month! Cheers! (Raising my glass of Supreme Whey Protein)

Month 5 Stats

Here is a late update on my numbers for the last month, and the running total below:

Weight: 126.5lb (down 0.5lb)
Body Fat: 28% (no change)
Chest: 32.5" (no change)
Waist: 26.5" (no change)
Hips: 38.5" (no change)
Thighs: 22"(no change)

Total so far: down 10.5lb, 6%, 7.5"

I'll take the mostly no change as a small victory, considering I spent a month away from home, my exercise routing was disrupted, and I was eating out for pretty much every meal.

On the Road, Again

I've been away from home for the past 17 days. 10 more days until I'm back in California. Right now my husband and I are in Maine, and we're driving to Quebec this afternoon.

My routine has been somewhat disrupted; I don't have my Supreme Whey Protein with me, so my protein consumption has been poor. I do have the Power Pops, and the Hoodia in them is helping keep my hunger in check. They've helped me before, so I decided to buy them again for this trip.

I haven't been able to weigh myself, or to take my measurements, so I won't know until the 20th of October when I'm back home whether I've lost weight this month or not. I'm not expecting a loss as traveling always takes its toll on my diet and exercise routing. For the first 2 weeks of my trip I stayed with family in NY and that can be stressful, adding to the calories I eat. I've stayed off sugar the whole time, almost 6 months now since I'm off the stuff (not eating high fructose corn syrup either).

While away from home I've been doing the ChaLean Extreme workouts (I put the videos on my hard drive and brought my laptop with me) using the resistance bands instead of free weights. Some days I alternate that with the Royal Canadian Air Force exercises or the Thin Thighs is 30 Days book for some variety. I haven't been doing as much cardio as I should. In fact I should do a ChaLean Extremecardio workout tonight at the hotel.

I will update my weight and measurements as soon as I get back to California. For now I will enjoy my trip and continue to be kind to myself.

Definitely Getting Stronger

I feel my body getting stronger. I have been abstaining from eating sugar since April 18th, and it's been almost 3 months since I started weight training with ChaLean Extreme. The transformation in my body is amazing.

I have been using SparkPeople.com consistently to log my weight, food (calories and macro-nutrient information, with a keen eye on protein), and fitness. I've been tracking my exercise minutes, and my monthly goal (which I've been making) is at least 1,000. I have a goal of 10,000 minutes for the whole year (I didn't start tracking until April) and I'm nearing 7,000 right now.

I have another family visit trip coming up, NY this time, and I'm confident that, like last month, I will be able to refrain from eating behaviors that sabotage my success. There's just too much at stake now (I feel GREAT!) for me to throw it all away.

I'll be away from home for a month, from September 21st until October 19th, including a trip to Canada with my husband.

When I take my stats next month I will take new pictures, I think there's a noticeable difference in how I look compared to my beginning picture.

Month 4 Stats

This last month went by so fast! Despite visiting with family in Florida for 2 weeks I managed to keep my exercise routine (to some extent) and not gain any weight! In fact, I remained sugar-free the entire time and lost another 1.5lbs; I'm thrilled! I'm now on the LEAN phase of the ChaLean Extreme program, and after buying heavier weights I'm definitely feeling challenged again. I'm getting better on the cardio workouts, but they are still very challenging! Lots of plyometrics, intervals and drills. But best of all is the way I feel. I feel good whatever I do. Cleaning, playing with my nephews and nieces, jogging, doing calisthenics, even working, as my back is getting stronger and the pain I used to have from sitting all day is gone!

Here are my numbers for the last month, and the running total below:

Weight: 127lb (down 1.5lb)
Body Fat: 28% (down 1%)
Chest: 32.5" (down 0.5")
Waist: 26.5" (no change)
Hips: 38.5" (down 0.5")
Thighs: 22"(no change)

Total so far: down 10lb, 6%, 7.5"

Month 3 Stats

I forgot to write down my 3rd month stats a few days ago, so here they are:

Month #3:

Weight: 128.5lb (down 2.5lb)
Body Fat: 29% (down 1%)
Chest: 33" (no change)
Waist: 26.5" (no change)
Hips: 39" (down 0.5")
Thighs: 22"(down 0.5")

Total so far: down 8.5lb, 5%, 6.5"

I am going to Florida for 2 weeks for a family reunion, and I'm worried that I might have sugar there. (Being around cake, donuts and chocolate 24/7). I've been sugar-free since the 18th of April. I really don't want to undo all that I've accomplished so far...

Getting Results with ChaLean Extreme Workouts

Last month I bought Beachbody's ChaLean Extreme Workout DVDs. I just finished the program's first phase, the "Burn" phase, and I feel awesome! Chalene Johnson actually makes me look forward to doing my workout with weights! Even though it's only been a month I already see -- and feel -- the difference in my body. I think I found what I was looking for, this is the type of exercise that will actually change my body shape. As she says on one of the videos, "muscle is your fountain of youth".

After exercising everyday for 17 days...

I had a setback today. I was taking a nap when the phone rang. I jumped out of bed and ran to the phone, tripping on a chair and taking a nasty spill. Now I have a huge painful bruise on my right thigh, and I hurt so much that I was not able to exercise today. I iced it, hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to at least go for a walk. Or may manage to do some Yoga. Bummer. There goes my streak...

Homemade Pizza

Pizza is my favorite food. The problem with it is that there is no way to really know how many calories I'm taking in when I go to my favorite pizza joints in town. I also love Trader Joe's, and when I was there last week I decided to buy some ingredients and try to put together a homemade pizza. I usually say that "pizza is like sex, even when it's bad, it's good", so even if it didn't turn out fantastic, I would still enjoy it.

But turn out fantastic it did! So I'll list here the ingredients that I used, and the calorie count for the quantities that I used. For the dried tomatoes, the table shows a larger serving than I actually used, because the program used to calculate the calories had a different calorie count for them than what the jar said. So I adjusted the quantity accordingly on the calculator, but in reality I only used about 6-7 thin tomato strips. (The reason the dried tomatoes were so high in calories is because they are preserved in olive oil).

So here is the ingredient list for the homemade pizza (for that typical pizza taste I sprinkled dried oregano on top. The smell while baking filled the entire house!):

Fighting the Bloats... and Losing

This week has been tough. That time of the month, combined with a serious case of "the bloats", and I feel as if I've gained 5 pounds. I've also had a wicked migraine for about 4 days now, and it just feels like my head is going to explode! Vigorous exercise is making it worse, so I dusted off my Earth Shoes and went for a walk on Monday and yesterday, in lieu of running. (The thought of bouncing made me want to curl up in a ball and disappear).

It had been a while since I had worn my Exer-Walkers, and boy do they make a difference. It basically felt like I was going uphill the entire time and now my calves feel it. I think I will add a couple of walks a week wearing them. I don't think I should run in these shoes, as they were made specifically for walking, and I'm picky about my running shoes (read: afraid of knee injuries). But WHOA! What I thought would be a leisurely walk turned into quite the work out. (The long shower afterward was bliss)...

Month 2 Stats

Here are my results for the second month. While not as good as the first month results, it is still a trend in the right direction. I really need to step up my exercise.

I also need to get back on track with my diet. While I'm still completely abstinent from sugar, I ran out of Pure Thermo Burn and only ordered when the bottle was already empty. I'm all set for month 3 now, and my goal for this month is to clean up my carbs a bit. Too much pasta and potatoes, so my goal is to make sure I eat some protein with every carb heavy meal. I'll continue with the Supreme Whey Protein for my mid-afternoon snack.

Month #2:

Weight: 131lb (down 1lb)
Body Fat: 30% (down 1%)
Chest: 33" (down 1")
Waist: 26.5" (down 0.5")
Hips: 39.5" (down 0.5")
Thighs: 22.5"(no change)

Total so far: down 6lb, 4%, 5.5"

Successful Camping Trip and Power Pops Weight Loss Lollipops

I just came back from a 10-day camping trip with my husband. We went to Arizona and Utah and hiked some beautiful National Parks. We spent a lot of time in the car, and I was afraid boredom would lead me to overeat. We had good music and audio books, and I also had my computer with AT&T data connect, but still I was worried. Turns out I was able to stay busy and entertained, and I think I actually lost weight during this trip. I will weigh myself again on or around June 18th.

Before setting out on our journey, I received an advertisement for Power Pops weight loss lollipops, which contain Hoodia and are supposed to help suppress appetite, as well as Guarana to give you an energy boost. I bought a bag and brought it with me on the trip. The lollipops are absolutely delicious (except for the Root Beer Float flavor which made me gag: I HATE root beer and should have known better than to even try that flavor). It is fun to have the lollipops in between meals, and lollipops or audio books, something kept me away from snacking the whole time. I drank lots of water as recommended on the product packaging as well, (which kept me stopping at every rest area), and I think that helped with the hunger control as well.

I consider it a successful trip, but I'm happy to be back home and to have more exercise options (such as my trampoline, running on the beach, etc). I don't like the way I look on the photos, though, and I keep looking forward to staying on track with my exercise and abstinence from sugar. I know I can have my nice, toned body back if I keep doing what I am doing.

Month 1 Stats

So I finally weighed myself and took my measurements this morning. The results were:

Weight: 132lb (down 5lb)
Body Fat: 31% (down 3%)
Chest: 34" (no change)
Waist: 27" (down 2")
Hips: 40" (down 1")
Thighs: 22.5"(down 0.5")

That's a 5 pound loss, a 3.5 inch loss and a reduction of 3 body fat percentage points. I'll take it! I feel I could have done better, I really need to step up my exercise.

Here's to the start of month 2! Cheers!

Feeling good, low appetite!

I've been feeling great these days! I have been exercising every other day, still short of my daily commitment, but I'm starting to feel more energetic. One thing with the Pure Thermo Burn is that it kills my appetite! I have been forgetting to eat, and I work at home, which used to have me raiding the fridge and cupboards all day. I'm getting so much work done, and I've been eating very little as a result of this appetite suppressant effect. This is huge for me. Food used to be on my mind the whole day! I was either eating or planning my next meal or snack. Now I actually get work done, and my productivity has soared. I guess I'll take it as a nice side effect from the Pure Thermo Burn!

Sugar-free is the way to be!

I haven't had any sugar since April 23rd. I cannot believe how much better I feel! Sugar has always been a problem for me but I cannot seem to stay off it for too long. Last year I read Sugar Shock by Connie Bennett, and I could check off pretty much all of the symptoms of sugar intoxication that she mentions in the book. Ugh... It's been two weeks now and I'm staying strong. It is amazing how I just do not feel hungry when I am eating sugar.

I have been taking my Pure Thermo Burn and my Supreme Whey Protein as recommended, but I still haven't been able to settle into a daily exercise routine. (Granted, taking a pill and drinking a tasty vanilla shake are easier actions to take!) I had a killer calisthenics session this morning, and am pretty wobbly right now. Yesterday I did not exercise. It's been pretty much every other day, for 45 minutes. I will increase that.

I will weigh myself only on Monday the 17th of May, but I feel that my pants are not digging in my skin so much at the waist. All my clothes are super tight, but I refuse to buy larger sizes as I see that as throwing the towel. 

Great Day!

Awesome run this morning. Did 6 miles while listening to a very inspirational Zig Ziglar seminar, The Foundation for Successful Change. It had been a while since I last ran (1 month) so I struggled in the end, but I managed to pull it off in just over 1 hour, doing intervals of run 4 minutes and walk 1 minute throughout. It felt great and I came home to do my 200 squats, 200 situps and Thin Thighs workouts before a nice, long shower. 4 Pure Thermo Burn pills today. 1 serving of Supreme Whey Protein. Note to self: buy flavors other than vanilla for variety. I can get chocolate, strawberry or banana. I love vanilla, but when taking it everyday it can get boring.

New Fitness Resources for Sit Ups and Squats

I found two great exercise routines that I added to my mix: 200 Squats and 200 Sit Ups. They are done three times a week and build you up towards completing (hence the names) 200 squats and 200 situps. They have a 100 Push Ups program as well, but I'm in nowhere near shape to even begin to consider that. I realize I do need to work my upper body as well, and I am currently looking for a comprehensive strength training program that I can start. Something more regimented.

My Strategy to Lose 30 Pounds

So, my strategy will be to do some form of exercise every day. Be it walking, running, rebounding or calisthenics. For my calisthenics workout I do either 8 Minutes in the Morning, Royal Canadian Air Force Exercises, or Thin Thighs in 30 Days.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I will only be using two supplements in addition to my multi-vitamin each day. They are Peak Nutritions's Pure Thermo Burn and Supreme Whey Protein.

Pure Thermo Burn has Guarana that I've taken before to help me with energy and I'm hoping it will help me with my depression as well, as the lack of energy has made it very difficult to get out of the house and exercise. It has other components that help prevent muscle breakdown when dieting and exercising.

The Supreme Whey Protein has 20g of protein and only 8g of carbs. Being a vegetarian and sugar junkie I get enough carbs, but I always seem to be lacking on protein. So this will be my protein supplement. It only has 2g of fat, tastes really good when mixed with water (I'm lactose intolerant) and provides 130 calories overall. I want to try it with Vanilla flavored reduced fat soy milk, but I need to buy it. That would add another 100 calories, but will make it more filling. I don't know about the taste, but if the mix already tastes good with water my guess is that adding soy milk won't make it taste bad.

Cheers!

Starting Point; The Journey of 30 Pounds...

So as you can see I am not obese, but I have been eating all carbs and not exercising, which led me to gain weight, lose muscle, and lose the nice muscle definition I used to have in my body.

I have a couple of products that I bought a few months ago and never used, so I will posting about them later. It's a protein shake and some thermogenic pills, and those will be the only "extras" I will be using aside from adding more protein (in form of eggs and tofu, I'm vegetarian) and exercise to my routine.

I would like to cut down on sweets, too, but I will not swear them off completely as that does not seem to work for me. (Leads to so much deprivation that all I can think about is cookies, candy and ice cream. If know I can have them then I'm not thinking about them all day long!)

Day 1 Picture, Ouch!

Day 1 Stats, Ugh...

Weight: 137lb
Body Fat: 34%
Chest: 34"
Waist: 29"
Hips: 41"
Thighs: 23"

One more

I know. This has been done a thousand times over. I'm here because I fell off the health wagon and cannot be accountable for myself. No self-discipline. Of any sort. I will go public (well, somewhat -- under the pseudonym "Neli") with my efforts to reclaim my health and fitness because at this point with my depression and self-loathing I would do things for others more than myself.

I let it slide way too far. I will post numbers and a picture tomorrow (sorry, no face -- I'm too self-conscious).

What I ate today: 1 box (yes, the entire box) of Cheese Nips and 2 king size Twix (yeah, 4 bars each).