Well.... I did it. I got off my tush and worked out.
And what did I pick? Cripes. It hurts to type it.
Jillian Michaels (from Biggest Loser) "The Biggest Winner" Shape Up - Front
Ouch. It was TOUGH. But... I did it. That's all that matters.
I don't even know how long the workout is. It was very intense, though. I can't wait for my chest to get a little smaller... it will make those jumping jacks so much more pleasant.
Here is the workout schedule I made for the next few weeks:
THU - SHAPE UP FRONT (JILLIAN MICHAELS)
FRI - TURBO JAM 20 MIN
SAT - SHAPE UP BACKSIDE
SUN - REST
MON - SHAPE UP - FRONT
TUE - TURBO JAM 20 MIN
WED - SHAPE UP BACK
THU - MAXIMUM CARDIO BURN (THE FIRM)
FRI - SHAPE UP FRONT
SAT - REST
SUN - REST
MON - SHAPE UP BACK
TUE - MAXIMUM CARDIO BURN
WED - MAXIMIZE FULL FRONTAL (JILLIAN MICHAELS)
THU - TURBO JAM 20 MIN
FRI - MAXIMIZE BACK IN ACTION
SAT - REST
SUN - REST
MON - FULL FRONTAL
TUE - MAX CARDIO BURN
WED - BACK IN ACTION
THU - TURBO JAM 20 MIN
FRI - FULL FRONTAL *START PHASE 3 OR REDO PHASE 1 DEPENDING ON RESULTS*
SAT - TURBO JAM 20 MIN
*FINAL PUSH FOR UPCOMING BIG EVENT*
SUN - BACK IN ACTION
MON - MAX CARDIO BURN
TUE - SHAPE UP FRONT
WED - MAX CARDIO BURN
THU - SHAPE UP BACK
FRI - REST DAY
SAT - REST DAY
I know it seems kind of ambitious... but I feel that the Jillian Michaels workouts will build strength quickly as long as I stick with them. Once this first month is over, I will be switching over to 3 days cardio and 3 days strength to balance and burn fat. Sometimes when I think about this current schedule, I wonder if it would be smarter for me to put more cardio now to burn fat and then work up the strength training. I will see how the first week or two goes on the weight loss front, and determine from there what the best approach will be.
I'm just really freakin proud of myself for staying with this. I feel great.
Jillian Michaels Kicked My Ass.
Phase One - Results!
It is nice to be in Phase Two - I had Life cereal this morning for breakfast and it was delicious! I had grapes for snack, chili for lunch... and I was amazingly hungry again so guess what I'm having??!! CHEESE. Yeah, that's right baby. CHEESE IS SO DAMN GOOD. I get to have 1oz a day, so I bought these Cracker Barrel 1oz pieces as well as these Cabot 50% less fat individual pieces. Since I was dying for some cheese... I went big and did the Cracker Barrel. lol. I am having it with some more grapes... and I am taking my time on it. It's LOVELY.
For dinner it is a 3oz piece of beef - not sure if I will chop it up or maybe pull out the George Foreman and try that thing out - kind of afraid to do it a new way because I will be so pissed if it gets ruined LOL. I am going to cook up some brown rice in chicken broth, and my frozen stir fry veggies and I am going to eat like a Queen tonight LOL. I feel so devious.
I tell ya, this diet sure has caused me to appreciate food so much more. I made some chili last night, and you know what - suprisingly enough I am not sick of it. This diet makes me feel so good. My best friend started 2 days ago, and she is having a hard time being creative. I rationed out some spices for her because she has none. She needs to go grocery shopping and get herself straight over there. I hope she sticks with it.
Phase One, Day Nine DONE!!!
I am on my last day of the detox part and I am so thrilled. I haven't officially weighed myself for a complete total on Phase One but I've been sneaking peeks at the scale over the past few days... and measured myself again today. It's incredible. Truly.
I now will move into Phase Two tomorrow, and I am pretty excited. The things I look forward to most??
- 1oz of cheese daily - I bought some Cracker Barrel pre-sliced 3/4oz pieces.
- Cereal for breakfast! I got plain Life and plain Cheerios... it will be decadent!
- I can have meat!!! I don't know what I will make tomorrow - I am thinking stir fry with 3-4oz beef or chicken for dinner! I think I can split up the meat over the course of the day. Perhaps I should start out small and see how I tolerate it?
There are some things I have to work on in Phase Two, which lasts three weeks:
- Do not ever, ever give into a craving for Oreo Cakesters again. I don't remember if I blogged about that experience.. but it was HORRIBLE.
- Eat more consistently during the day to prevent mid-day headaches.
- Don't be afraid to try new recipes.
- Exercise, exercise, exercise!!!
- Drink enough water!!!
I still have a ways to go before hitting my goal... but this has been an incredible start. Can't wait to weigh in tomorrow morning. I am sooooo close to my first goal!!!!
The Horror That Is Starting Measurements!
Here are my "starting" stats... should have done them on day one.. but I didn't. I know I have lost 8lbs and counting (maybe more by tomorrow morning WAHOO!) so they were probably higher than this. I know I definitly see a difference in my back/bra line and in my upper abs. Sooo....
Height: 5' 3"
Starting weight: 182
Current weight: 174
Left Bicep: 14"
Right Bicep: 14.25"
Chest: 44" oh the horror
Upper Abs: 41.25"
Waist: 40.25" thanks to jean waist bands blech
Lower Abs: 42.25"
Right Thigh: 23.5"
Left Thigh: 23.5"
Right Calf: 15"
Left Calf: 14.5"
Not too bad but not that good, either. That's the last time I will see these numbers, I promise myself! Onward with Weight Loss Bliss!
Phase One, Day Six
I am not feeling well today - my daughter has a nasty cold/flu/something and I am getting it I am getting the stuffy nose and headache... and body aches. ARGH! I am supposed to start my workouts tomorrow and ITS.JUST.NOT.FAIR.
What IS fair, though, is that I cheated and snuck a peek at the scale today. You ready for this????........................ 174!!!!! That's 8 FREAKIN POUNDS!!!! I am so thrilled! I have 3 1/2 more days to go. This rocks!!
Unfortunately, because of not feeling well, my diet has stunk today:
Breakfast: banana
Snack: Yogurt
Lunch: Cabbage Soup
Snack: yogurt and banana (boy am I predictable today)
Dinner: leftover steamed asparagus, bowl of Cabbage Soup
I was hoping to feel a little better and make a valiant attempt at kicking the food intake up a notch today but it so didn't happen. Oh well. There is always tomorrow. Just got to keep plugging away here.
Goals
I've decided that it is time for me to make some mini goals and rewards seeings as I have embarked on this journey to my goal and have stuck with it this time. I have a history of making goals in the past and then never sticking with the diet. So... now that I have been successful and have my motivation hat screwed on straight.... onward with the goals!!!
1st mini goal - 169 lbs
Reward: A few new things for summer!
Not only will this put me back in the 160's... which I have been aiming for for a long time, it will take my BMI out of the obese category and put me in plain old overweight. I was brokenhearted when I went up a BMI category. I will be truly happy to earn my previous health status back.
2nd mini goal - 156 lbs
Reward: Some heavier weights, some new workout videos or join a gym/class.... one of the three
Being in the 150's again will be a pleasure all it's own. I will be in close proximity to my goal - I will have lost half of the weight needed to reach my goal of 130. This will be a huge boost to the motivation and self esteem for achievement.
3rd mini goal - 146 lbs
Reward: Highlights, manicure and pedicure
This is a significant number for me because when I lost all the weight back in 2004/2005, my lowest number on the scale was 147. By reaching 146, I will have blown past my best number from previously! I will have a new personal best.
4th mini goal - 139 lbs
Reward: Some new clothes!!
I can't recall the last time I was in the 130's... it certainly hasn't been for atleast 15 years. This will be huge for me because I am soooo close to my goal. I will have to really buckle down and work hard to achieve my ultimate goal.
5th goal - 130 lbs
Reward: Go to a Red Sox game and sit in really good seats, and a concert of my choosing!
Words can't describe my feelings about this goal.
Day Five, Phase One
Today was a messed up day schedule-wise, but I stuck with the diet and everything works out well. My daughter woke up this morning and had a fever of 104.8 and we had to make a run to the pediatrician. They say she has the flu, but I am not 100% on that. She doesn't have the intestinal distress associated with the flu. But thankfully she doesn't have strep throat or an ear infection - two things that I got chronically as a child, and often as an adult. So... we're doing a little better I think.
Breakfast: Did not have - was at doctors.
Snack: banana
Lunch: Cabbage Soup - It was really hard to sit at the table and eat lunch with my kids. They were eating peanut butter and jelly.. and one of them was talking to me and breathing peanut butter breath all over me lol... it smelled good, and that sounds really disgusting now that I wrote that down LOL
Snack: Yogurt
Dinner: Left over Hoppin John (did not finish all, there was about a cup) steamed cauliflower with spices and a few squirts of I Cant Believe Its Not Butter Spray, and steamed asparagus with spices on top.
Snack: One crappy Oatmeal Cookie and a few Sweet Potato Fries.
On an experimental note - I cooked up a batch of the Phase 1 oatmeal cookies and sweet potato fries. I was trying to cook ahead because sometimes I don't always have time to cook something so I opt out of having it. Let's just say... I must have done something wrong with those oatmeal cookies. I used the recipe that's on the Fat Smash site and man... it was awful. Possibly it could be because I used this oatmeal I bought back when I was going to try clean eating - it is Old Wessex 5 grain cereal - oats, rye, triticale(?), barley, and golden flax. Crap... now that I look at it... I think I screwed up the Phase One because of this oatmeal. CRAP CRAP CRAP. That's ok I suppose... I'm NOT eating any more of those cookies anyways.
I just tried a bite of the sweet potato fries and they are decent - they for some reason got kind of burnt on the outside - not crispy... just mushy and burned LOL. Oh well. Trial and error. It's fun to experiment though.
I feel really good today. I have to say that in all honesty, after the doctors appointment, I really wanted to stop at McDonalds or Dunkin Donuts and get something for breakfast. I didn't, which is a huge accomplishment for me... but I just hate those cravings. It's not that often that I can talk myself out of the drive through. Fast food is definitly my nemesis. Particulary McDonalds and Burger King. I don't know why... because frankly the food is disgusting and horrible for you. But hell... if I am going to be honest, I might as well just admit it. The Dollar Menu kills me. I overdo it BIG TIME when I eat that stuff. I do the McDonalds thing a LOT when I am stressed. Sometimes several days in a row. How embarrasing is that to admit it??? Ugh. I am just glad I didn't cave today. I really wanted to. I just came home, ate my Cabbage Soup and that was the end of it.
I wrote up a workout schedule for the next four weeks. I am starting on Monday. I would like to get in the habit of working out in the morning before the kids get up. I know that I will have a hard time with this, but hell... if I can stick with this diet for this long and not give up... I CAN work out in the morning. Plus, it will prevent me from making excuses later in the day. I'm real good about making excuses. I do think I should consult a few more fitness magazines, and rework the schedule a little. I know I need a decent amount of cardio... but strength training really helped me before. I want to make sure I am burning off the layer of fat above my muscles so I don't bulk up instead of slim down.
I tell ya... I am feeling really good. I do look forward to getting some meat back in my diet, but I am not totally broken hearted that it is gone right now. The main cravings I've had have been for sugary things like those stupid Oreo Cakesters I bought for the kids. ROAR. Silly, stupid little things like that. So... I have fruit or veggies instead. No big deal, right now. I'm more iterested in finally losing this weight once and for all. I want to get back to where I was before when I was so successful in this journey. I got as low as 147... which I hadn't been for YEARS... and I felt like a million bucks. I wore sleeveless tops and looked people in the eye. I miss that. I want that feeling back again. I can do this.
