New Before/After Face Pics

And I thought my face was slim in the "before" pic... holy cow!

Pic Updates...

Lots of you were asking for pics... so...


TOP: OLD PIC (2 weeks); BOTTOM: NEW PIC (this morning)
If you notice, there isn't as much "flab" at the very bottom of my arm. HELL YES!




And here are some new body pics. Thank GOODNESS for taking pics to view my progress. I can't believe this is my body!








If you ever want to "lift" your butt, ladies, LUNGES is the way to go! ;)

P90X Completed Week 6

Ok, I won't lie. I had to re-complete week 6. I was a VERY bad P90X-er during the Thanksgiving holiday. I missed THREE days of working out and ate like a horse. Luckily, I didn't gain any weight, but I did NOT lose inches... A bump in the road, but I was back with a vengeance this week!

I just want to SCREAM that I hit the 76 pound mark... HELL YES. I am less than 10 pounds away from my goal, but I think I might want to keep going. I am VERY close to being in my "ultimate" pant size, but here's where my mind has changed: I am no longer going after a weight or a pant size; my ultimate goal has now become "being in the best shape I can possibly be in."

Current P90X Measurement Losses:
Weight: Minus 13.5 Lbs
Chest: Minus 2 inches
Waist (at bellybutton): Minus 4 inches
Hips: Minus 3.5 inches
Thighs: Minus 2.5 inches
Arms: Minus .75 inches

Total Inches Lost: 12.75 total inches

Here's what I learned over the last three weeks: SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A BREAK FROM WORKING OUT AND "DIETING." Go easy on yourself; a little self-indulgence can be VERY good for you. However, too much self-indulgence can lead right back to being overweight again.

You know what pissed me off this morning? I saw an infomercial for some spandex body shaper that said: "Tired of dieting? Tired of exercising? Our product can take 4 inches off your body without ANY of those!" Really?! I used to wear those, and let me tell you something: everyone around me thought I looked better, but I still knew I was wearing one, and I still felt fat (and rightly so) because I knew it wasn't my "real" body or image. It NEVER gets old to slip into a dress, look in the mirror, and see EVERYTHING in place where it ought to be WITHOUT using one of those spandex body shapers.

Weeks 4 and 5

It has been a ROUGH last two weeks. My wrists and knees have been KILLING ME! :(

During week 4, my diet wasn't all that great... and now on week 5, I am tired and not sticking to the diet as well as I should be.

Luckily I haven't gained any weight - I still lost a half a pound.

Luckily I lost another half inch from my waist (AB RIBBER X! lol)

But... whew... I am TIRED of being this disciplined. However, I am DETERMINED not to gain any weight/inches during the holiday season. I REFUSE to give up all of this hard work!

Next week, I need to bring back the intensity.

I KNOW I CAN DO IT! I am HALF WAY THERE!

P90X Week 4 Almost Complete!

12 pounds down in four weeks (and losing more and more inches every time I measure)! Believe it or not, this is a healthy weight loss - an average of 3 pounds a week. That is what most trainers and nutritionists suggest.

Here is something that I have been hearing a LOT:
"You look absolutely amazing! How did you do it?!.... Wow, can you sustain something this strenuous?"

And I never really had an answer for those people. Here's the thing. This isn't a diet; it hasn't been a diet since the first day I started. It is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE! There is a huge difference between the two. Am I going to be on P90X forever? That's impossible. I don't know what I will be doing once I complete it, but I DO know that I will figure something out. I have had to re-evaluate my nutrition and fitness goals SEVERAL times throughout this process, and that is something that isn't going to change.

TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME. It's hard to think: "I have 100 pounds to lose" or "I am on this diet for a year." However, it is MUCH easier to think: "I am going to work on losing another 5 pounds" or "Don't think about next week, I am going to work out TODAY."

I can't believe I have learned all of these lessons. This works for anything in life. Want to save money? Do it a little bit at a time. All you need is a goal and a plan to achieve it. It's quite exhilarating to know that you can't control everything, but you can control a whole heck of a lot!

An Old Pic...

So when I took this picture back in March, I was really excited that these jeans were just slightly too big. These are the SAME jeans that are in the next post (the one with me in the pink shirt). Thank GOODNESS for keeping pictures to track progress. I forgot that I actually used to wear those jeans!

P90X: Week Three Completed

My knees and wrists are killing me!!!!!! Hopefully it is just the weather and not the work outs. Regardless, I have to wrap everything before working out. I look pretty insane with my knees and wrists bound; but hey, it's necessary at this point, since it's only going to get harder.

I think this pain is worth it though! Time for my weekly measurement session:

Weight: -9 lbs (since starting P90X three weeks ago. I JUST hit the -71 mark! Holy crap!)
Chest: -1 in
Waist: -2.75 in
hips: -1.5 in
Thigh: -1 in
Arm: -.75 in

Week 4? It's called a "recovery" week. However, the workouts are all cardio. It isn't really a "rest" week; it is just going to give my muscles a chance to heal before going on to more intense workouts. Hopefully my knees and wrists will be able to take it!

P90X Week Two - Almost Complete

Before I get down to business, I just want to say that working out is my favorite part of the day...

Anyway, I am closing in on the second week of P90X, and I have lost a LOT of weight in just a week and a half. I have lost over 7 pounds. But those pounds have not been replaced with flabby skin, but rather muscle definition. I am noticing distinct definition in my obliques (WHAT?! definition in my stomach!?!?!?!?! NEVER!!!!!!!), and I am utterly shocked!

Here is the breakdown of the total inches lost:
Stomach (measured from my belly button): -2
Hips/Butt (measured exactly across the middle of my butt): -1
Thighs (measured in the middle) : -1
Arms (measure upper arm - where there is the most flab!): -.5

HOW INSANE IS THAT?! I literally lost a jean size in less than two weeks. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am OFFICIALLY only one jean size away from my ultimate end (for those philosophical readers out there, don't over think that I called a jean size my "ultimate end," ok?!).

Thank goodness for taking pictures to track my progress.

Before and Now (I can't believe the first picture was less than two weeks ago!):









I can't wait to see what I look like at the end of day 30!!!!!!!

For all of you out there working on your own concept of perfection, keep up the good work. And always try to keep in mind how far you have already come!

Oh... and I tried on my old pants tonight.... it made me cry to see how far I have come. I am NEVER throwing those old pants away - ever. I don't want to be that ever again.

P90X Day Five

P90X is probably the best thing I could have ever done at this point in my weight loss journey.

At the end of day four I have lost a total of 7 pounds. I am NOT joking or exaggerating. I was completely and utterly shocked when I got on the scale this morning.

After months and months of Atkins dieting, I was terrified of following the diet specified by Beach Body. I was REALLY worried about eating what I thought was "so many carbs." Here are my new diet percentages: 50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% fat. I am working out so much that my carbs are being burned before they can be stored as fat.

At the end of each workout, I am COMPLETELY drenched, and I feel FANTASTIC. I feel stronger, I have a TON of energy, and I want more! Granted, I am sore for DAYS after the work outs, but I really do feel amazing.

Some side injuries and plans of traveling have made it difficult for me to complete the first week exactly the way the schedule says to, but I am trying.

I have learned this week that NUTRITION IS 90% OF THE BATTLE. YOU CAN'T WORK OUT AND EAT CRAP AND THEN EXPECT TO SEE SERIOUS RESULTS. YOU CAN'T HALF-WAY COMMIT - IT HAS TO BE ALL OR NOTHING.

Stay healthy!

Starting Over

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
~Benjamin Franklin

Here's the thing about weight loss: it's hard. Oh yeah, and the more weight you lose, the harder it becomes to continue to lose weight. Your body doesn't respond to the same diet and exercises the same way anymore.

Example #1:
At the beginning of dieting, you can do some serious food changes. You can limit your fat and carbs/sugar and eat lean protein. Done, done, and done. The pounds melt off. 65 pounds later, you are eating "clean" food and limiting calories. But you want to lose more weight. What do you do? You can't cut any more calories or cut out fats or carbs completely.

Example #2:
At the beginning of dieting, you can add some intense workouts to your plan. When you go from doing NO exercise to about a mile a day, your body makes some SERIOUS changes. 65 pounds later, a mile doesn't work anymore. You need to do at least 3-4 miles a day to see similar results.

Example #3:
At the beginning of dieting, you can add some weight training. Your muscles are shocked and bulk quickly. Now, the same workouts are "boring" to your muscles, and you see NO more results.

This is why I have decided to do P90X. Yes, I know I sound like an infomercial, but honestly, I was getting so frustrated with my lack of results lately, that I needed to do something different. I will still be doing the same updates, and I will also be taking pictures, as the program prescribes.

I will also be following the diet plan prescribed by the program. Thus, my percentages will be changing. I will now be eating 50% protein (that is normal for muscle building), 30% carbs (SCARY), and 20% fat. This makes perfect sense. If I am doing more intense workouts, I will need more carbs to keep my energy up. Those carbs SHOULD be burned before they have a chance to be stored as fat. If I don't lose any weight in the first week, I will tweak the diet. But I will be honest: it is about to get intense!

I am looking forward to a new level of fitness. Wish me luck!

Today I Read Someone Else's Weight Loss Blog...

...and it made me cry - literally.

"...when I look in the Mirror I now see the Fat Girl I once ignored."

I could have written those words. It is one of the hardest thing to pass your weight loss goal (by 26 pounds) and still look in the mirror and absolutely hate what you see. It doesn't matter how well my new clothes fit; it doesn't matter that I now wear a size medium shirt (I was an XL) or that I am now wearing pants I wore in Jr. High - I still see every little piece of skin that I hate. I don't see how far I've come, but rather how far I still have to go. It's frustrating.

I have now hit the 61 pound mark, and signing on to update my blog reminded me of why I started this in the first place. My blog title says it all: "Rethinking Perfection." When I first started this weight loss, I did it for myself. I did it because I wanted to treat my body the way it deserved to be treated, I wanted to be happy and healthy - for the sake of being happy and healthy. Now, I am treating health as a means to an end - i.e. I want attention or I want to keep losing sizes and pounds. I want to run further and further to brag that I can. And I want to lift more just to say that I can. Nothing is good enough at this point.

New resolution: to remember to always "rethink perfection."

Perfection is not a pant size.

Before/After "Face"

Ok, I was asked to post a picture of my face! haha So, here is it!

I can't believe that is me in the old picture! Crazy!

Listen to Your Body

-58 feels good. Looking at that number is awesome! It's going to be GREAT to hit -60!

However, over the last three weeks, the weight loss has slowed. Why?
1. My body is EXHAUSTED
2. I am eating like CRAP because I am too tired to shop or cook
3. I haven't been hitting the gym as often (or as rigorously)

Am I upset? Nah... the scale keeps moving the right way: DOWN. As long as it doesn't go up, I am ok with where I am.

Here is something I learned today: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY (it seems like I have to keep learning that). This week was rough. I was finally finished camp, and I thought I would get some amazing time off. Wrong. I got sick! :( I was fighting it off and thought I would be ok, so I ate some SERIOUS calories (homemade alfredo) and carbs. It was worth it, by the way!!!! Then I was so sick that I didn't make it to the gym for the next three days. I literally stayed in bed for about 2.5 days. I was SO stressed out about those calories and what it would do to the scale! When I finally made it back to the gym this morning, I only did about a mile before I tired out!

LUCKILY my metabolism is still revving from eating well in the past few months. I had lost another pound since my last weigh in! I learned that there is only so much my body can handle at once; I also learned that taking a little time off from the gym isn't going to RUIN your life!

My sister informed me that she thinks I need to take in more calories. And she's probably right. I am only consuming about 1000 calories a day. This could be the reason I am run down and tired.

NEW GOAL:
1. Lose another 28 pounds (YES! It's finally under 30 pounds!!!) by CHRISTMAS
2. Lose another 2 pant sizes by Christmas.
3. Try to get my 1500 calories in every day.
4. Go to the gym and do LIGHT workouts when I am tired. And I need to go easy on myself when I have to do that!!!!

Those are realistic goals and should be relatively easy to achieve. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for the support. And good luck to all you girls trying to lose weight too!

Holy Cow... Where Do I Begin?

Ok, yes, it has been a LONG time since my last post.

Where am I today?

Here are the updates:
-52 pounds (What? Yes, I typed that correctly! -52 pounds!)
-10 inches from my waist
-10 inches from my hips/stomach/butt
-7 inches from each thigh
-5 inches from each upper arm

I never, ever, EVER thought I would ever lose that much. Literally.

Here are some updated pics wearing some pants that used to be too tight for me. Yes, I wore those pants for Christmas, and they were too tight for me. Now I think I might be able to fit another person in with me!






And remember that jacket that I was excited that I could close? Well, now it is too big for me. I won't be able to wear it this fall!





And here is a new picture of my arms. I am still struggling to get those triceps in shape, and it just isn't happening. It's getting frustrating, but I am not going to give up on those triceps!








Here are some things that have changed in my life:
1. I can walk into ANY store and put on ANYTHING. IT FITS. I am NEVER EVER again shopping at Lane Bryant.
2. My t-shirt size is now a Medium. I NEVER thought I would see that size!
3. I can actually wear boots from a regular shoe store. In the past, my calves were always too big for me to wear boots. Now it isn't a problem!
4. Believe it or not, in the past, my hands and wrists were always too large for me to try on bracelets. Now they fit...
5. My college ring is going to have to be re-sized, since I have lost weight in my fingers as well.


My last post, I commented that my body was tired. Well, luckily that isn't the case anymore. I am sleeping better and waking up at 5:00 AM to hit the gym. I am back up to my three miles a day, and I am doing really well! I have reached the point to where I can do a mile in the fastest time I have EVER been able to do, and I am barely winded. My exercise is back on track, but my food isn't. I am still breaking my percentages, but I am not too worried about it since I am losing weight.

Future Goals?
1. Lose another 30 pounds. Jogging has taught me a LOT about patience and endurance. You HAVE to take it a 1/10 of a mile at a time. If you think about the 3 miles, it is just too overwhelming! But if you take it a 1/10 at a time, then it is MUCH more manageable. It is the same with weight. Take it 5 pounds at a time!

2. Lose 3 more pant sizes.

3. GET THOSE DAMN TRICEPS IN SHAPE! URGH!

4. Start to spend more time working on my stomach. I don't care how much weight I lose, if my skin doesn't look good, then I won't feel good about myself.


Thanks for all the words of encouragement!

Day 94: It's Been a While...

Two weeks of camp have flown by!

Have I been able to keep up my diet and exercise program?!

Hell no...

Literally.

I am finding it very VERY difficult to actually eat. I wake up so early (5:00 AM) that I am not really hungry; at lunch time with the kids, I am usually running around doing something; and when I get home at night, I am too tired to even think about cooking or eating.

With that being said, I am back to losing about a pound a day. I have hit the 45 pound mark, which is NOT good. Since when is losing weight not good? It is unhealthy to lose this much weight when you are NOT eating.

My energy levels have dropped drastically (probably because I am not eating well). I used to be able to do about three miles a day, and now my body literally stops after one mile.

I am still keeping my same work out schedule. I am still doing the same weight program, but my cardio has dropped drastically because my body literally can't do it.

This week I am going to try harder to get GOOD, nutrient food into my body. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Two weeks down; only seven to go (only SEVEN?!).

Day 78: "Before I Toss Them Out..."

I just wanted to take a picture of my old jeans with my new jeans before I toss the old ones out! I tried EVERYTHING to shrink my old jeans: hot water, drier, etc. They are still just too big.

There is a HUGE difference between my old jeans and new ones! The new ones are three sizes smaller than the old ones!!!!!




Other good news today: because of the ice, my quads are getting better! I was able to jog a mile without walking/resting once! I used to walk a mile; then I moved to walk/jog a mile; now I am doing a slow jog/fast jog mixture. It feels fantastic!

I am only two sizes away from my goal size!!!!!! :-D

Day 76: Sports Injury

Sigh... I strained my quadriceps.

My pelvis/hips have both been bothering me for weeks, but I always ran through the pain, since it would go away the more I jogged.

Well, yesterday I went to see Dr. Guillory. I mentioned my hips/pelvis to him, and he did a few stretches on me. It hurt like HELL. So he informed me that I strained both of my quadriceps because I have been jogging too much too soon. Luckily, I was told that it was not serious. I just need to ice it and stop jogging for a few days. I should be back to normal soon!

Lesson to learn: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! If something hurts, STOP EXERCISING!

Exercise today? Upper arm weight training. I am still trying to get those triceps in shape, but it is coming slowly!

Day 75: Monumental Goal Reached!

Well today I stepped on the scale, and it said I lost...

11.5 pounds since yesterday!

Ok, obviously it was wrong. I used the Wii fit to see where I was, and it was a big mistake. Clearly, it isn't a reliable source. Thus, it is EXTREMELY important to have access to a reliable/medical scale. We have one in our gym that I calibrated myself (meaning, I put a 15 lb weight on it to make sure it was correct). And I actually lost another 2.5 pounds since last week!!!!!

This is HUGE! I have reached -35 pounds, but more importantly, I have reached a monumental weight - one that I haven't seen since the end of high school.

Mood:
Extremely happy. Do I attribute this to just weight loss or exercise? haha probably not. Lots of wonderful things going on in my life right now: summer break, camp starting soon, the end of a wonderful year with our after school program, and... a certain guy. :-D

Satisfactions:
1. Buying jeans that are 5 sizes smaller than my last ones. They are literally about an inch too tight, but I plan to get there in a couple of weeks!!!!!
2. Once again, going into ANY store and being able to fit into ANYTHING I WANT!
3. My figure is now PERFECTLY hour-glass. I am the exact same size in my chest as I am in my butt/hips. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. New Goal: Run a half marathon at the end of the year!

Frustrations:
1. I know I have lost 35 pounds and countless inches, but I still look in the mirror and still feel the same way I used to feel: fat and ugly.
2. Trying to fix too much too quickly. For example, I need to work on my arms, my abs, and my legs/butt; yes, I can work all theses areas out, but I need to stop wanting results so quickly.

Exercise:
2.5 miles
10 min on the elliptical

Food:
Same ol' same ol': 45% protein, 35% fat, <20% carbs

:)

Day 73

Mood:
1. IMMENSELY happy. Does it have anything to do with my weight or diet or exercise? Hm, probably, but it might have something to do with a certain trainer... :-D

Speaking of him... I wanted to share some info I got from him this morning before my daily run. I told him that my right hip joint/ligament has been giving me trouble. He told me that it is VERY important to keep your pelvis tucked in and your stomach muscles tight when walking (or even running!). Basically, if you don't keep your pelvis/stomach tight, it puts a LOT more stress on your thighs and hip joints.

So I tried it out, and it worked. The hip doesn't hurt as much! Granted, it's still a little weak, but it's manageable! My morning 3 miles felt GREAT today!!!!

Keep those tummy muscles working!!!!!!!!

Day 69: THE JACKET

Yesterday, I wrote that I was worried about getting on the scale this morning. Well, I forced myself to do it!

And...

...
...

I LOST 2.5 pounds since last week! YES! How is this possible since I didn't really diet all that much this weekend? Well, here are some of my theories: 1. last week was "my time of the month," so I was bloated, and now I am losing that water weight. 2. I have more muscle mass, so my body is more efficient in burning calories. 3. My metabolism is AWESOME! haha Maybe all of the above.

Mood:
EXCITED! But also anxious about finding an auto loan!

Work out:
1.5 Miles
Upper body (minimum resistance)

Food:
Back to the strict diet!

Oh, the infamous jacket... While I was home, I saw some pictures of me from Christmas. Well, it wasn't pretty. In fact, it was very ugly. And I was wearing a khaki jacket, or I was TRYING to wear the khaki jacket. I couldn't close it. Yes, as of December 25, I could not EVEN COME CLOSE to closing this jacket.

Well, this morning I tried it on again...



IT FITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you want the HONEST truth, I haven't been able to close the jacket in the time I have owned it. Yes, I have owned this jacket for about 5 years now. This is the first time in FIVE years I have been able to close the jacket! Also, if you notice, it is kind of loose!!!! AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, I'm excited!

Day 68

Sorry... it's been a while! I was in Louisiana!

Mood:
FRUSTRATED, but that has nothing to do with food/weight. I am frustrated with a parent at work. This man is a complete jackass. Anyway...

Satisfactions:
1. Having people at her high school not recognize her.
2. Jogging in the neighborhood and going MUCH faster than on the treadmill.
3. Walking into ANY store and being able to try on almost anything there!!!!

Frustrations:
1. Having a small waste but larger thighs/butt. URGH! I definitely need something to help tone my thighs/butt. I'll get back to you guys on what I find.
2. Getting off of my food schedule. I cheated a little this weekend, but this week I am going to be pretty strict about my diet!

Tomorrow?
Getting back on the scale... eek! We'll see what happens!

Day 64

Lesson for the day:
MAKE (and keep) A PLAN!

Seriously... Keep track of what you're eating - don't just ASSUME you are eating what you are supposed to. At first it was really tough and annoying for me because I just didn't understand how food works. But once I had the correct formula, it really helped. I have already mentioned that I need the following percentages: 45% protein, 35% GOOD fat, <20% carbs.

How to do that. Go to www.sparkpeople.com; there you can keep track of EVERY bite! Then when you are done with planning your food for the day, you can click on the overview of the day, and it calculates your percentages for you. This is IMPORTANT because one snack could completely ruin your daily percentages. Thus, you need to plan to eat it before you put it in your mouth!

P.S. - sparkpeople.com is FREEEEEEEEE... use it.



One last thing:
MEASURE YOUR FOOD!

Yes, yes, yes... I know. I thought I would NEVER, EVER be the person who counts my almonds or weighs my meat. But... it makes a difference. Example: there is a pasta sauce that I love, and I love it because it is only 40 calories per serving. However, months ago, I would just pour the sauce into the pot without knowing that I was really using a LOT more than I was supposed to. So if 1/2 cup=40 calories, and I ate 1 cup without knowing... that's double the calories.



*I didn't wake up in time for my morning work out, so I am going to have to do it during lunch.
The hip is bothering me again, so I am going to have to focus on arms today. I am SERIOUSLY going to get those triceps in shape!!!!!

Day 63

Mood:
Happy, relieved, anxious (about prepping for summer camp), content

Frustrations:
1. I wasn't all that hungry this morning, so my food schedule has been thrown off a little!

Satisfactions:
1. 2.5 miles today
2. Lost another pound!
3. MY ARMS ARE GETTING MORE DEFINITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Obviously my arms aren't where I want them to be yet, but it is REALLY cool to see some definition in my arms! I don't think I have ever seen that in my biceps before! AAAAAAHHHHH! Now I just need to keep working on my triceps, but it's good to see some progress (even if just a little!).
4. Yesterday my massage therapist commented that he could feel more bones and muscle even in my back/shoulders. SWEET!






P.S. - thanks for all of the words of encouragement, and to all you other girls out there who are working hard too (uhm, you know who you are!), GOOD JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep it up! Seriously, if I can do it, then so can you!

Day 61

Mood:
Tired, cranky, anxious
Stupid uterus...

This might be too much information, so feel free to scroll down. My menstrual cycle has changed DRASTICALLY. It used to be REALLY heavy and painful, now it is irregular and really light. I actually went to see a doctor about it last month because it freaked me out. Supposedly rapid weight loss can seriously diminish menstruation. It's kind of unnerving, but normal, I guess. :(

Frustration:
1. Giving away my favorite clothes... so sad! :(
2. Today was a weights day, but I always like to add in cardio. This morning I couldn't even walk .25 miles because my hip joint was hurting so much. Not good. My body is saying that it wants a rest! :(

Satisfaction:
1. Going into Old Navy and being able to put on jeans! I haven't been able to do that since high school!!!
2. Bought the CUTEST new shirt! So now I have to find new favorite clothes!





New clothes = much better (and smaller) than old clothes! Forgive my hair and makeup... I just got back from work!





Here is another "before and after" pic. That was about a month ago though, so it isn't all that relevant today! I need to do more pics soon!

Day 60

Mood:
Cranky!
Could be attributed to little exercise because of studying.
Could be attributed to beginning new menstrual cycle.

Exercise:
walk/jog 2.5 miles!

Frustrations:
NOTHING in my closet fits - NOTHING!
I haven't lost any weight in three days.
Being stuck indoors while reading Aristotle (I don't recommend it).

Food:
1. Breakfast: coffee, sun crystals, egg white, turkey sausage, half bagel, no fat cream cheese
2. Lunch: extra lean ground meat, classico tomato sauce, spaghetti squash
3. Dinner: Cafe Express salad, chicken breast, PESTO (ok, it could be worse), broccoli
4. Snacks: Atkins bar, EAS protein shake
5. Water... about 90 oz.
All about 1300 calories (the pesto was a LOT, but luckily the fat was "good" fat).

Satisfactions:
1. My new running shoes (uhm, expensive running shoes) KICK ASS!
2. Re-measured myself and realized I lost more inches than I thought!
3. My skin is "glowing" because of the water intake.
4. My hands and forearms are smaller and are showing more muscle/ligaments.

Tomorrow?
WEIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bring on the toned arms!

Weight loss?!

Let's be clear (and blatantly honest): I never thought I would ever be blogging, much less be blogging about weight loss - especially my own weight loss. However, the last two months have been just that - "my own weight loss." See those jeans in the picture? Those used to be tight (TIGHT). This picture was taken AFTER washing them in hot water AND putting them in the dryer. Yes, I can't believe that's me!

At 24, I was relatively healthy: good cholesterol levels, good glucose levels, relatively-decent blood pressure (ok, ok I was borderline hypertension the last time I took my blood pressure), relatively active, etc.

My spine completely changed my opinion of my body and my health... after months of severe neck and should pain, my chiropractor found three (THREE!) abnormal curves, one of which was attributed to my weight. It was only going to get worse if I didn't do something...Dr. Guillory's advice? Lose weight... a LOT of weight.

It seemed completely hopeless, since I never, ever EVER lost weight easily (no, really...). I used to get excited about losing .5 pounds in a few weeks. However, over the course of the last two months, my outlook on life, food, exercise, and even beauty and perfection has changed drastically. And it has been suggested I share all of this with you, so... here goes:

Where am I today?
1. -30 pounds
2. -8 inches from my hips/butt
3. -6 inches from my waist
4. -5 inches from my thighs (I am most excited about this!)
5. -1.5 inches from my arms
6. My blood pressure is in the "low normal" range.

How long did it take?
6 weeks

Future Goals?
1. -25 more pounds
2. Be able to jog 4-5 miles a day
3. A certain clothes size (that I will share once I reach it)

How it happened?
1. EDUCATION/INFORMATION.

No, really. I started paying VERY close attention to what went into my mouth (both quality and quantity). What does that mean? It's actually pretty simple: NON-PROCESSED foods. Basically here is the percentage that my sister gave me (and it has WORKED): daily: 45% protein, 35% fat (GOOD fats only), <20% carbohydrates.

Benefits:
1. Weight loss
2. MUCH better emotional stability
3. MUCH more energy
4. Stronger love for my body and the way it works, what it looks like, etc.
5. Lower blood pressure
6. Better/deeper sleep at night


What will I share in this blog?
1. Workout progressions
2. Future pictures
3. Food progressions
4. Other general health information
5. Frustrations!

Note: positive reinforcement is PRICELESS... so if you know someone working hard, tell him/her how great you think he/she is doing!