Well guys (and girls) I FINALLY feel as if I've got my groove back. I would have to say the #1 way for me to know I'm doing it all 'right'. I ache from head to toe! and today - I do! Not a BAD, OMG I can't get out of my chair ache, but a oooooh I worked that muscle; ache. I LOVE IT. And today, I realized that I'm finally feeling that one emotion that's the most motivating to me - hope. I remembered what it felt like to be happy in my own skin. To walk out of the house and think to myself 'D*** I look Good!' heh. To want to take off my coat because someone is going to say... Look at those arms! And I know that I'm only about 5 weeks from starting to feel that way.

Yesterday was a good day.

Good -

I ate well, stayed under 1800 calories and kept it really close to my ratios. I hit the backyard as soon as I got home and got in a shoulder workout. A GOOD one too. I skipped calves because I had just done legs yesterday and I was going to run 2 miles so I figured why burn out my legs. It worked well for me and my calves are sore today anyway. I streched as I had planned and did abs as well. OH! and I ran 2 miles in less then 25 minutes! It's been my goal to run my 5K at a 12 min/mile pace and if I can keep the training level I've been at - I'll make it!

Bad -

I only drank 48 oz of water instead of the 64 I had planned. Other then that - the day was perfect.

Better -

I really want to hit that 64oz of water. I've already started and have 16oz down already. I've brought my lunch and feel as if I'm getting a MUCH better quality of food in today. I started my day with cream of wheat mixed with protien powder rather then a Big 100 MR Bar, and mentally I feel much better about that. Mentally - I couldn't ask for a better mood then I'm in right now. I hope to hang on to it as long as I possibly can.

Still pushing to hit 192 by Saturday - I'll be taking pictures (for my last 12 week challenge) and posting them tomorrow since I have the day off.

Happy Hump Day all!

Thanks to those who encouraged me. I realize 14 lbs is a good start. It's just hard for me to celebrate 14 lbs when I still have 64 left to lose!

As for yesterday's 'Bad News'. I'm really not taking it hard. Yeah, they might be telling the truth but I'm not going to set my heart on it. If they call back, then GREAT if not... well I won't be dissapointed because I've already resigned myself to the possiblity. I'm not going to funk about it :) If it was meant to be - it will happen. If not... well I haven't lost anything.

And the update for yesterday:

Good
I got my workout in. I got home SO TIRED that I just wanted to curl up and fall asleep. (I didn't sleep well all weekend averaging about 5 hours each night - the weekend is usually 'catch up time' for me) BUT I knew that if I laid down I would NEVER get my workout in. So I didn't. I changed my clothes, and went outside and did legs. Extensions, squats, deadlifts and curls. The best part is that I'm still walking today. A little pain but manable.

Food was also positive - OK so I didn't reach 1800 calories, but I wasn't hungry. I think my body was still processing all the food I ate over the weekend. The totals for the day: Cal 1200, F/C/P=20/40/33% Not the exact balance I was looking for, but it's a start. Our cupboard's a little bare so making dinner was a challenge last night.

I can say that my head is in the game. I'm totally focused on what Im doing and what I need to do.

Bad

I didn't stretch like I wanted. No real reason. I got started doing other things and didn't think of it again. I'll blame it on fatigue.

My water intake wasn't what I wanted either. I got in 32 oz instead of the planned 64.

Better

I want to tighten up the ol' nutrition. That will mean planning more and doing some shopping. The sourdough bread I've been having on my sandwiches has to go. Maybe I'll start getting whole wheat wraps instead. I also want to do better on my water intake. I know I'll feel better overall for it. I want to keep this attitude I've found. The 'just do it' mentality is working well for me.

The Plan
Today's plan is to get in ALL 1800 Calories for the day. Of course, I'm not going to 'force' myself to eat if I'm not hungry. I have a training run for my 5K and I'm going to work on shoulders abs and calves. I will drink 64oz of water.

I think that's it! :)

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.

I think I just got the 'brush-off'

I was supposed to have my second audition tomorrow night. Today when I emailed to confirm I got a message that they changed thier mind about tonight because the drummer needed to work on his parts before thier gig on the 8th and one of the band members was out of town. They ended it with 'I will keep you posted'. *sigh* that was a 'don't call us we'll call you' if I ever heard one! Ah well it was a fun dream while it lasted :)

I started this challenge with a double free day. I know it sounds wierd, but I needed it. It's now monday and I'm ready and raring to go! The plans for this challenge are rather simple. Lose weight! heh. I've desided that it's time to get serious about the weight lifting portion of my workouts. PLUS I need to focus on my running workouts so that I'm ready for my 5K. So - 6 workouts a week are in the plans for me.

Food wise. I want to track my intake a bit closer. I've been inspired by Michale. I'm going to keep my fitday entries up to date so I know my caloric intake. I'm focusing on balancing my Carbs/Protine/Fat. Those ratios tend to work for me. According to Fitday my BMR is 1585 and my average daily calories Burned in a day are 2893 if you count background activities and digestion. Another calculator says 2847 so I'm feeling pretty confident about those numbers (at the moment - ask me again later heh) So - to lose 2 lbs per week I need to eat (about) 1850 calories per day or a little over 600 per meal. We'll see how that number works out as the weeks progress.

I also want to focus on getting my water intake up. I know I don't drink nearly enough water and I want to change that. For this week I'm going to set a goal of getting 64oz of water in each day.

I would love to be 192 by the end of the week. It might be a challenge after the two free days I had :) but we'll see.

Plan for today?

Well it's 3:15 and I've had 900+ calories. Everything I've eaten so far has been duely recoreded into fitday. I want to hit legs tonight and do some stretching. I did a bunch of stretching last week and felt SO GOOD after I want to keep that up. I've not had ANY water yet, so I guess I better get started!

I'm sure I'll be brain dumping more later.

Final weigh in is tomorrow! I've kept on track this month - but I'm not seeing 'steller' results. Still some is better then nothing!

It's late I'm tired - I'll wrap up this challenge with more substance tomorrow. Expect pics!

weather has taken a turn for the sunny once again. Unfortunatly work is really busy and I can't take the time to sneek away and enjoy it. I'm hoping to get out of here while the sun is still shinning.

We went out last night - I was a good girl and did not have any appitizers and no alcohol! yay me.