Well – the first twelve weeks of the year have come and gone. My first reaction; disappointment. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I expected more from myself. The actual numbers are not that bad.

Weight: 208.5 -> 194 Loss 14.5lbs
Body Fat%: 50.4 -> 46.7%

When you do the calculations I discovered something interesting
208.5 @ 50.4 = Fat of 105.08 LM of 103.42
194 @ 46.7 = Fat of 90.6 and LM of 103.4

So all 14 lbs was Fat – I was surprised and really pleased at that. What this means to me is that I really have been doing the nutrition rather well – There’s not doubt in my mind that I’m capable of putting on muscle. I did it during my ‘successful’ challenge and it seems that this process may have had a lot to do with my success at the time. Now that I seem to have some control and perspective on the food issues I’m going to have to focus on getting consistent with the workouts.

The rest of the numbers also look good.

Chest (this is the measurement directly under my armpits): 39.5 -> 39.25
Bust: 46.5 -> 44 –2.5
Ribs: 37.5 -> 37.5 Even
Waist: 39 -> 37 –2
Hips: 49.25 -> 48 –1.27
Butt: 49 -> 44.5 – 4.5
This measurement is rather confusing – It’s possible my starting number was wrong – but who knows maybe I really did dump a lot of weight off the ol’ butt
Thigh 27.5 -> 26 –1.5 (off each thigh)
Calf: 15.5 -> 15.25 -.25 (off each)
Upper Arm: 15.25 -> 14.75 -.5 (relaxed)
Bicep: 12.5 -> 11.5 –1 (relaxed – and I see some definition in the arms that wasn’t there before)
Forearm: 10.75 -> 10.5 -.25
Wrist: 6 -> 6
Ankle: 8.75 -> 8.75

Now – reduction in things like my forearm measurement might be worrying if not for the fact that my lean mass hasn’t gone down. It just goes to prove that fat really does ‘grow’ all over!

So, how am I feeling now? I’m happy with the measurements I’m glad to see them going down and I’ve felt it; in my clothes, in the way I move, etc. I’m happy to have lost 14 pounds. But most of all: I’m glad to have finished! I spent all last year trying to get back into the rhythm of things. I can’t tell you how many challenges I ‘started’. To have finished one is a BIG step in the right direction. I plan to continue in that direction over the next 12 weeks and the next and the next. I will be lean, I WILL be healthy, I WILL be proud of myself and my body.