Week Ten

Well, we have had quite the time here at home. We had a huge storm (a Derecho) that produces some extremely damaging winds. We lost about 40 trees on our property (10 were across the driveway). I haven't been to the gym in over a week, but I have absolutely gotten my workouts in. Hauling brush and stacking wood is a killer workout!

My race is in less than 2 weeks and I have got to log some miles this week.

Week ten of my Body For Life program: July 4-11, 2012.

Weight: 181.2#
-4.2 pounds in the last 3 weeks/ -18.6 pounds total
Waist: 36"
-1" in the last 3 weeks/ -3.75" total
Hips: 41.75"
.5 in the last 3 weeks/ -2.75" total

Workout Improv

I realized I wasn't going to make it to the gym this morning, so I was forced to think outside the box. I stuck the kids (all 70 pounds of them) in the wheelbarrow and jogged my driveway while pushing them. Down and back, the driveway is 1 mile with big hills. It was intense! The kids laughed the whole time!

Week Seven

Week seven of my Body For Life program: June 12-18, 2012.

Weight: 185.4#
-.2 pounds for the week/ -14.6 pounds total
Waist: 37"
-.25" for the week/ -2.75" total
Hips: 42.2"
-no change for the week/ -2.25" total

I am late posting this week. I have been suffering from discouragement about the lack of scale progress for the past 3 weeks. It has been tough to write when there isn't really any progress to report. Less than 1/2 pound in 3 weeks when I hope for 1-2 pounds per week! It is discouraging when you are working so hard and the tangible results aren't there. Sure, I can look at the pictures, remind myself that I am in better shape than I have been in for 6 years and think about the long term. This is a lifestyle change I am making, not a quick fix!

The bottom line is, not seeing the scale move sucks!

Anyway, as promised, I had my body fat percentage measured last week. The results of that were astonishing! Back in week one, on May 1, 2012, my body fat was 44.8% (measured with calipers). On June 15th (week seven) My body fat percentage was down to 36.3%! What does that mean?

May 1: 44.8% body fat
This means that of my 194#, 44.8% (87#/ yes, you are reading that correctly, EIGHTY-SEVEN POUNDS) is fat and 107# is my Lean Body Mass. LBM is the sum of the weight of your bones, muscles and organs (everything in your body other than fat).
June 15: 36.3%
This means that of my 185.4#, 36.3% (67#) is fat and 118# is Lean Body Mass.

In other words, in 7 weeks I have lost 9 pounds on the scale, but that isn't telling the whole story! I have actually, in 7 weeks, lost 20# of pure fat and gained 11# of pure muscle!!

So, I am choosing today, to see this healthy lifestyle thing as a direction, not a destination. I just need to keep moving in the direction of health and fitness and forget the dumb scale!

Week Six

Week six of my Body For Life program: June 5-11, 2012.

Weight: 185.6#
-.2 pounds for the week/ -14.4 pounds total
Waist: 37.25"
-.25" for the week/ -2.5" total
Hips: 42.2"
-.50" for the week/ -2.25" total

Tomorrow I am going to have my body fat percentage measured again. I'll post that when I can.

I took progress photos today. I am so thrilled with what I see that I am going to post them here. This is so far out of my comfort zone that I may come back and take it down. *hides under a table*

I am most pleased with my back! The rolls are gone! I can't wait to see what the next 48 days hold for me!

Mindful Eating

I have given you a bit of insight into the exercise portion of my program, but I haven't said much about how my eating habits have changed.

Honestly, I haven't changed what I am eating that much. What has changed (drastically) is the volume of food I am eating. Meal times don't look much different for me except that my portion is smaller and I don't finish the kid's leftovers for them.

Another thing that has had to change is the number of times I eat during the day. The way I am able to cut my portions drastically is by keeping my belly satisfied by snacking all day. It weighs out to be 5 or 6 small meals per day.

Remembering the phrase "If you bite it, write it!" has been helpful, too. I log everything that I eat. Accountability is the biggest help to me. I have online group of friends at My Fitness Pal that can see my food diary and how many calories I ate (and burned through exercise). I log my food on MFP when I am home and when I am out, I use the iPhone app to log food.

Body For Life has a pretty easy to follow food plan if you are someone who cooks a lot or eats a real food diet. Honestly, if you can stay away from the processed stuff it is pretty easy. I am the main food shopper and preparer in our home. My husband isn't really on board and he still has his stash of processed food, but really those things (chips and crackers mostly) hold very little appeal to me. My downfall is ice cream and eating out. I am learning how to eat real food when out and there seem to be good options everywhere I go!

So, here is the approved food list while on Body For Life:

Food List

Protein Proteins

Chicken breast
Turkey breast
Lean ground turkey
Swordfish
Orange roughy
Haddock
Salmon
Tuna
Crab
Lobster
Shrimp
Top round steak
Top sirloin steak
Lean ground beef
Buffalo
Lean ham
Egg whites or substitutes
Trout
Low-fat cottage cheese
Wild-game meat
Turkey Bacon

Complex Carbohydrates

Potato
Sweet potato
Yams
Squash
Pumpkin
Steamed brown rice
Steamed wild rice
Lentils
Couscous
Kashi
Bulgur
Whole-wheat pasta
Oatmeal
Barley
Beans (black, kidney)
Corn
Strawberries
Melon
Apple
Orange
Fat-free yogurt
Fat-free milk
Whole-wheat bread
High-fiber cereal
Whole-wheat tortilla
Whole-wheat pita bread
Whole grains

Vegetables

Broccoli
Asparagus
Lettuce
Carrots
Cauliflower
Green beans
Green peppers
Mushrooms
Spinach
Tomato
Peas
Brussels sprouts
Artichoke
Cabbage
Celery
Zucchini
Cucumber
Onion

Vegetable Proteins Proteins Vegetable

Tempeh
Seitan
Tofu
Texturized vegetable protein
Soy foods
Veggie burgers

Healthy Fats Fats

Avocado
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Cold-water fish
Natural peanut butter
Low-fat cheese
Low-sodium nuts
Olives and olive oil
Safflower oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Flax seed oil

What Not to Eat on Body-for-LIFE (except on your Free Day)

Protein
Pork bacon
Deep-fried meat such as fried chicken, chicken fingers, fish sticks, Buffalo wings, etc.
Hamburgers and fatty cuts of beef
Hot dogs

Simple Carbs
Cookies
Cake
White rice
White bread
Crackers
Candy
French Fries
Chips
Doughnuts
Soda

Unhealthy Fats
Butter
Lard
Mayonnaise
Coconut oil
Cream-based sauces
Full-fat dairy products

One part of the Body For Life nutrition plan that I do not follow is the use of nutritional supplements and protein bars. I prefer eating real food that I prepare here at home. When something has 50 ingredients and I can pronounce half of them, I am not interested.

I may expand on this another day to let you see what a day of eating actually looks like for me.

Week Five

Week five of my Body For Life program: May 29- June 4, 2012.

Weight: 185.8#
-2.2 pounds for the week/ -14.2 pounds total
Waist: 37.5"
-.5" for the week/ -2.25" total
Hips: 42.75"
-.50" for the week/ -1.75" total

Looking back over the last 4 weeks, I am proud to report that in May, I ran 36 miles, lost 8.2 pounds and the best news was that from my allergist!

Remember what got me really started on this journey? The asthma diagnosis. Last week I had a followup appointment with the allergist to recheck things. My pulmonary function test was much improved (the allergist agrees it is likely due to running), I got to go completely off of one medication and he cut the second med in half! In only one month I changed my future! If that isn't motivation to keep it up, I don't know what is.

Week Four

Week four of my Body For Life program: May 22-28, 2012.

Weight: 188#
-2 pounds for the week/ -12 pounds total
Waist: 38"
-0" for the week/ -1.75" total
Hips: 43.25"
-.50" for the week/ -1.25" total

I missed a day of C25K in week 3. I still decided to start the week 4 schedule. It didn't turn out to be too much. I also made the decision to sign up for a 5K! I will be participating in Color Me Rad on July 21st. That puts me in good shape to finish the C25K program a few weeks before the race.

One of the steps in the Body For Life program is to practice the universal law of reciprocation by giving unselfishly. I will be putting this into practice by raising money for the Special Olympics of VA. Go to my fundraising page by clicking on the link to your right in my sidebar.

Week Three

This week was spent in recovery from a stomach virus. I didn't take measurements and my weight was 185 pounds. This was not at all accurate as I had just spent 2 days vomiting and ate under 1000 calories for 4 days.

http://whatareyoudoingitfor.tumblr.com/post/21808601989

Week Two Update

On Saturday of this week I was headed home from a bridal shower and was hit hard with the need to vomit. I pulled over in a church parking lot about a mile from my house and proceeded to ruin my shoes. It was bad. My pants legs were covered, so right there in the parking lot, I took them off and drove home bottomless. I continued to vomit for around 36 hours. That was some serious dehydration from which I had to recover.

In the past, I have let the inevitable setback derail me completely. Not this time. I was determined to stay on track.

Wednesday was the first morning I felt kind-of normal. I still felt really weak, so I walked instead of my C25K. My online friends at My Fitness Pal gave me the encouragement I needed and the accountability to keep me going.

If you are someone like me who needs the accountability of calorie and exercise tracking and if you need friends to keep you going, then you have to check out My Fitness Pal. There is an online version and mobile app for many of the smart phones out there. Friend me there! My name is herwitsend.

Week Two

Week two of my Body For Life program: May 8-14, 2012.

Weight: 190#
-4 pounds for the week/ -10 pounds total
Waist: 38"
-1.5" for the week/ -1.5" total
Hips: 43.75"
-.25" for the week/ -.25" total

Some thoughts from mid-week (day 10 of the BFL program):

I hate every step of running.

I am so glad I have an iPhone (I run with Justin Timberlake- or I pretend to).

The trainer I was randomly assigned to at my gym doesn't "get" what I'm doing (switch?).

It is not that hard to eat right if you are paying attention.

I am really fat (SW= 200 and I am 5'4") and I wasn't really seeing it until I took underwear photos.

I cried after I had my body fat percentage measured and found out that I was carrying around over 70 pounds of fat.

I also have 122# of lean body mass (that I intend to not only keep but add to by building more muscle).

I can do this. There is no reason why I can't be a smoking hot hardbody (or close) by this time next year.

I feel so glad that my kids will have a healthy mama.

http://www.paranoias.org/2011/05/quotes-posters/

Week One Update

May 7, 2012

I can now run 1 mile without stopping!

Week One Stats and Plan

Week one of my Body For Life program: May 1-7, 2012.

Weight: 194#
BMI: 31.61 (Obese)
Body Fat (calipers): 44.8%
Resting Heart Rate: 78bpm
Waist: 39.75"
Hips: 44.5"

I began doing the BFL exercise program on May 1st. I started the Couch to 5K program for my cardio days (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) and the BFL weightlifting program for my weight training days.

Official Body-for-LIFE Weight-Training Plan

Daily Training Guide

Download the Exercise Guide

Day 1	Upper Body Training	Chest/Shoulders/Triceps/Back/Biceps
Day 2	Cardiovascular Workout
Day 3	Lower Body and Abs Training	Quads/Hamstrings/Calves/Abdominals
Day 4	Cardiovascular Workout
Day 5	Upper Body Training	Chest/Shoulders/Triceps/Back/Biceps
Day 6	Cardiovascular Workout
Day 7	Rest

Upper Body

Chest

Choose Exercise from List

Back

Choose Exercise from List

Shoulders

Choose Exercise from List

Biceps

Choose Exercise from List

Triceps

Choose Exercise from List

Goal Setting

I know where I am. Obese.
I know where I am going. Healthy.

When you decide that you might want to go somewhere, the first thing you usually do is find it on a map, right? You may do an internet search for photos of the place. You may check out a book from the library or head out to have a cup of coffee at Barnes and Noble while you look at their books. If you are like me you will check plane fares to see if the cost is something attainable. No sense planning my 14 day Italian dream trip if I can't even afford to get there.

Getting healthy, for me started in much the same way. After tipping the scale at 200 pounds, I got scared. I decided I wanted to get healthy. I started a Pinterest board called Taking My Body Back. I checked out books from the library. I asked people what they do to be healthy. I researched the local gym (I live in a very rural area, so yes, we only have one). I calculated the cost to myself and to my family. I also calculated the cost of doing nothing.

Shortly after I made the decision to get healthy, something happened. I was derailed by an unusually harsh allergy season. It ended up being 10 weeks of sitting inside and trying not to move so I could breathe. At an allergist appointment (after multiple GP visits) I was diagnosed with asthma. The cost of doing nothing about my weight just went WAY up. Did you know that obesity exacerbates asthma?

I had to get educated about asthma along with figuring out how to get my health back. Once I did that, I made a body wish list, my reasons for change. This will look different for each person, but for me it looks like this:
~I want to be strong.
~I want to feel healthy.
~I want to wear clothes that I like .
~I want to like what I see in the mirror.
~I want to kick asthma's butt.
~I want to live a long life.
~I want to be a good example to my children.

In order to get to those things I want, I need to plot out my course. I chose the 12 week program Body For Life and based on that, I made some 12 week goals.
Within 12 weeks, I will:
~Lose 20# of fat and gain 10# of muscle. Achieved in Week Seven!
~Hike 5 miles without becoming winded. Achieved in Week Five!
~Lower BMI enough to be out of the obese range.
~Run a 5K.

There is a lifestyle that I have adopted in order to get to 200 pounds and sedentary. In order to achieve my goals, there are some hinderances I will need to lay aside:
~My addiction to high calorie, low nutrition foods.
~Laziness (especially in skipping workouts).
~Fear of failure.
~Fear of success.

As I lay aside those things I am inviting new choices into my life:
~I choose to sleep enough by going to bed at 10:00 pm.
~I choose to rise early and run before the weather gets too hot and before my kids are up for the day.
~I choose to plan tomorrow's workout, meals and snacks.
~I choose to recognize and reject emotional eating.

So, today, I challenge you to make a wishlist, make goals from that wishlist and identify the behaviors that will get you there and ones that will hinder your progress. It will be worth it, I promise!

http://www.leahremilletblog.com/

Starting a Journey

Hello. My name is Amy (aka, Mama). I am a wife and a mother; a former fit and healthy person. This blog will be a personal documentation of my journey back to that place of health and fitness.

Over the next few days I will try to give you some insight into who I was in a former life (fit me), who I was before my turning point (unhealthy me) and who I am today.

I began to change my diet in February 2012 and quickly lost 10 pounds, but I was plagued with allergies (and difficulty breathing) for weeks that kept me inside and basically inactive. I gained 4 of those pounds back. After an allergist appointment in mid April 2012 where I was diagnosed with Asthma I began medication that helped my symptoms tremendously. I also learned that for overweight people, asthma can often be managed by weight loss and exercise!

That was enough to get me going. This was the first time I had any medical diagnosis of anything remotely scary (other than Postpartum Depression). The fact that my symptoms were possibly related to my obesity (how's that for a scary word?) frightened the crap out of me!! 3 out of 4 of my grandparents had diabetes. There is also high blood pressure and heart disease in my family.

So, I came to the place where I had to decide that I am not going to go willingly down that road. On May 1, 2012, I began the Body For Life program.

As I take you on this journey with me, I hope to keep it real. I am in a different place daily (hourly) and I will endeavor to stay positive, but some days aren't that great and I may share that, too. Don't judge! ;)

For now I leave you with some stats.

I am 64"tall (162cm)

I have a small/ medium build (in other words, I am not "big boned").

On January 1, 2012, I weighed 200# (90.7 kg).

This keeps me going.

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