Challenge Completed.

Now, on to the next 12 week challenge with Mariah.

Week 12!!!!!

This is my final week of the twelve week challenge and I am soooo excited!!

Twelve weeks ago I met my trainer. She told me that at the end of my challenge I would accomplish the following things: 1) Lose about 30lbs, 2) become a size 4/6, 3) run a 5k.

Needless to say I laughed out loud. I thought that this woman was crazy. But here I am in the final week and I have : 1) Run a 5k, 2) lost 28 pound (I will lose those last two pounds by end of the week) 3) and fit into a size 4/6. This past weekend I even bought a size extra small dress.

So- I WAS WRONG. SHE WAS RIGHT. AND I AM SO HAPPY TO BE WRONG.

Week 11

Week 11 is almost halfway over, and that means 1 MORE WEEK OF TRAINING!!!!!!!!

I have lost 25 pounds to date. Almost 8 inches off my hips, and several inches every where else.

I ran a 5k. - which for me is HUGE.

And I've worked out practically every single day.

I cannot wait for the challenge to be over!

5k complete

So Saturday was my first 5k. And I did it! I ran the whole time, at my own pace, and was very thrilled to have accomplished it. My husband was there to support me at each point, taking pictures, which helped to ensure I was never caught walking. :-)

Week 10

Down 23lbs. There is a light at the end but it still seems so far away. I have two more weeks of working out with Mariah. And oh my god, I am so tired! I have politely asked her if we could do some workouts that were not all "balls to the wall." She said "No." .....Great....

I'll say it again. The food part is really easy for me. I have discipline. I can handle another 5 weeks of eating this way. It is just about willpower. But the exercises, man oh man, it is getting harder and harder.

Saturday I have my first 5k. As a non runner, I am pretty nervous and excited about it.

2 more freaking weeks of this - I can do it! Right?

Also, I know how to jump rope now. :)

Ok I lied. Pic Time.

I am at the start of week 10, and I am down 21 pounds.

On Week 9

So, I am on week 9. I have lost 19lbs and counting. Personally, I feel good and think I look good. My trainer may disagree and say I have further to go reach my destination. But no matter, I am still happy with where I am right now. Over six inches lost off my hips alone. 19lbs lost in 8 weeks. I worked out everyday while on vacation, and ate healthy things. I even told the chefs that I had a medical condition whereby butter and oil caused me severe damage, so I needed everything dry. So I am giving myself a virtual pat on my back. Good job me.

I really cannot wait until I am done with the whole process. It has taught me how to eat better, how to exercise better, and be generally more fit. But I want to be a normal person again.

I am doing everything I can to not obsess about my weight, or get all worked up if I don't manage to lose a pound here or there, but sometimes, someONE makes it hard for me to be normal...

I have 4 weeks to reach my goal weight. I know I will reach it. But you know what? It doesn't really matter if I reach it in 4 or 5 weeks. That said, I will lose it in 4 weeks, but I am just saying that no ones life depends on me being the exact goal weight at the exact day and time we arbitrarily set. Mainly, I am just writing this for my own sanity. I am in charge, which I sometimes forget.

See you in Week 10.

Week 8

Down 17 pounds, down a dress size, down some inches. 2/3rds done, and really looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel. Not going to post any pictures till I'm done, that way it can be all dramatic. I have another 12-13 pounds to go, I can do this...but I will complain all the way till I make it.

Till week 9!

Week 7

This week has been hard. I look forward to being done with Week 8, cause then just 1 more MONTH!!!

Progress Pictures- 1) Before pic 2)Week 4 pic, 3) week 6 pic.

Week 6- Halfway Point

13 lbs down! Yay.

I have to give a shot out to my trainer Mariah MacDonald over at http://www.revelationfit.com/
She puts up with my complaining, and though I dread working on out on her days, because I know its going to be a brutal butt kicking, I certainly love the results the days after. Shopping is fun again and I am starting to have energy throughout the day. I am eager to see the final results in another 6 weeks, but I am enjoying the current results as of now!!

Week 5- and stuff.

I probably shouldn't write anything today, or this week, because it wont be all positive, but since this is for me, I'll do what I want.

The Positive: I am working out every day, and most days twice a day. I am proud of that. I still hate running with a passion, but I am managing to run for extended periods of time without wanting to die. I can actually jog for 30-45 minutes, which is 100% more than before. People have noticed some physical change too, which is a nice motivator. And I am officially done with 1/3 of the program. WooHoo!

But it is not all bright lights and smooth roads, I have hit some speed bumps along the results highway and 'frankly' the motivation highway.

The Negative: No real positive change in weight this week, but that's not what has got me down. One thing I have noticed is that my mental state of mind has as much influence over my workout as anything else. I can be pumped about a work out, and just let one comment deflate all my energy. I need to work on ignoring any and all comments that will negatively affect my workout. So from now on, I'm going to block all comments that I interpret as condescending, belittling, berating, and pissy out of my head- regardless of their origination or intent.

I'll be back at the very end of week 6 for another update. At that point it will be my half-way point.

Before and Current Progress Pics.

Week 4

So far I am down 9 pounds and I am not even done with my week 4. I felt I had a great work out yesterday, and my clothes fit even better today. In fact, the suit I am wearing today is really loose, and it was really tight a few weeks ago, so that makes me smile. I had to adjust my heart monitor and my watch yesterday because they were getting too loose.

I can't wait to be done with week 4, so that I can say I'm 1/3 done. :) I started this training with the goal to finish and be healthier. After a day or two, I changed my goal to numbers, and inches, and I became really discouraged. Today, I am back to my goal to finish it, give it my all, and be healthier. Of course the numbers and inches goal will follow, but it just isn't my priority.

Till Week 5, or Part 2.

Week 3

I am at a total loss of 7.5 pounds since I started. Still the same clothing size, but it feels nicer. Tomorrow I have pictures and I am eager to compare to see if I can see any real changes. It's still early on in the whole transformation, and sometimes its hard not to be impatient. The diet part is going steady. I didn't have a cheat meal last week, but I will this week.

I'm ready for week 4.

Week 2

I have lost about 4 pounds since I started last week. That's pretty darn good and I am really happy about it. I feel my work outs are far better than when I started on day 1, so that is progress as well. The food part is less about what I crave eating and more about not wanting to eat the things I am supposed to have daily (i.e. egg whites).

Perhaps its the weather, the lack of sugar, or just me, but today I am struggling to be motivated.

Till week 3.

Week 1 post first workout

Thoughts still in week 1.

1. The Food Diet-

I went from never eating breakfast to eating a crap ton of egg whites and oatmeal every morning around 7am. I went from eating two meals a day and never being hungry to about 5-6 small meals a day and always feeling hungry needing/craving breakfast.

Is the food part doable? Yes. Is it what I want to be eating? No. I imagine I would rather have Indian food (G'raj Mahal or Taj Palace), Thai food (Thai Fresh), Mexican food (Trudy's or Maudies), sushi (Suzi's or Piranhas), and all other kinds of tasty food (P.Terry's, Omelettry, Torchy's etc). But all in all, the food part of this training/program is 100% about willpower, and I have plenty of that. So I see no problems, no slip-ups, no failures, no hard times when it comes to this half of the procedure. I got the food part in the bag.

2. The Working Out-

Yeah. So apparently I am in awful shape. I had all the willpower, and the dedication to do every exercise my trainer asked, but unlike the diet, willpower alone didn't get me there. To be honest, it was frustrating, embarrassing, disheartening, and I had to keep frustration tears from shedding a few times. The thoughts in my head were "come on Flo, are you serious? what's the matter with you, this is easy." In school, I was great at every sport (except running which is not a sport, but instead simple torture). But now, at age 27, with two bad knees, a hip that pops as I walk, no muscles, and what seems like no lung capacity- I am no longer great.

I did my best though, and as I type the word best and compare it to what I did yesterday, I again hang my head down. But, the silver lining is I have confidence that Mariah will figure out how to get my best to be a million times better than last night.

Till Next Week.

Week 1

The Players:

The Left Corner: Me.- Flo. Someone who used to be physically active (but never thin), and has not been on that wagon consistently since high school.

The Right Corner: Mariah MacDonald, my trainer over @ http://www.revelationfit.com/

The Challenge:

Do everything my trainer says- including work out 6 times a week, and follow a diet, and complete a 5k.

The Rewards:

11% Body Fat. Size 4/6. Trip to Cozumel. Bad Ass Body.

The Stakes:

My Pride. My Body. My Pride. My Health. And Pride.

The Reason:

Got married over a year ago so its not for that. My ten year reunion is coming up but I probably wont go, so its not for that. So why? To see if I can. To give myself a challenge. And to go to the beach for the first time in my life and not feel attached to my bathing suit cover up.

Blog Posts:

The goal will be at least one update a week. That's doable. Its just 12 updates. I can do that. Will I post pictures? ha. maybe.

Lets DO THIS!