Weight is such a taboo topic in our day and age and everyone seems scared to disclose their weight. I am not going to let that bother me any more, because I know that my body is healthy and that I am in a good range for my height. Its just a number on a scale. So my plan....lose 15 pounds(realistic) in order to get to Vegas, but push to see if I could lose 20(a lofty goal). You see my starting weight was 175.5 lbs. The lowest I had ever been in my adult life was 156...pre-baby, and working out at a gym regularly. To lose 20 lbs would be a stretch. But I was confident I could do 15.
And so I set out. For me I decided to start out slow, so I wouldn't get discouraged and wear myself out. I started watching my portion sizes, but not cutting anything out of my diet. If anyone knows me they know I love to bake....I can't give that up. But I can eat one cookie instead of three....or seven... and I can reduce the amount of food on my plate, because lets face it...I was still putting enough food on my plate for two, even though I wasn't pregnant or breastfeeding. I started exercising to an at-home work out DVD that was great for beginners, Amy Dixon Ultimate Fat Burn. I was sore the first few times I did it for sure, but I pushed through. I started out only doing it 2-3 times a week. And you know what....after the first month I probably only lost a pound. Maybe two. Sure it was a bit discouraging, but I kept going. I knew it wasn't going to be fast. Over the next few months I got a bit more disciplined about my food. I had my portion control down pat and I no longer wanted large meals. Exercising was getting easier.
Christmas came and went and even though I had lots of food and sweets, my body did not gain any weight back. It may have gone up for a few days, but came back down once I resumed my regular meals and exercise. In January I needed a change in my workout routine, so I started Jillian 30 day shred. I think I did week one twice and week three twice, and by mid-February I decided to really push myself. I amped it up to Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30. It was HARD!!! This is when I really started to notice a big change in the scale. I was building muscle and burning fat like crazy. My body was becoming more lean and toned and I felt great. In late March/early April, I think I was really close to my goal of 15 pounds. But I still wanted to push.
In order to give ourselves enough time to book our trip we bumped our goal date to April 17. I continued to work out doing Jillian 4-5 times a week. My diet had not changed significantly. I still ate whatever I wanted. All in moderation and at smart times. I ate way more vegetables and fruits and less carbs and sweets. I tried to avoid eating late as much as possible. I began to crave nutrient rich food, and feel sick when I ate too much junk or ate too late. Two weeks before weigh in, I borrowed a friends juicer. I had heard a bit about juicing, but wasn't sure if I would like it so I wanted to try before I committed to buying one.
I debated a long time about putting my pictures up here on the blog. I mean...its me....in my work out clothes....with skin showing... and the whole world could see it if they chose to look...lol. But I am proud of the work that I did, and hope that maybe it can help someone else feel motivated. This isn't a quick fix though remember....it took hard work over a seven month period.
I have already had my trip to Vegas, and it was a BLAST!! So worth it too. I will tell you about it another time. Having a reward to work towards made working out easier. I highly recommend it. It doesn't have to be a huge trip, but something you really want, and you will push hard to get it!
