Week 15/Final Update!

Well, well, well.  Here I am at the end of my weight loss challenge and I can't believe it's finally over!  For the past 15 weeks I have been working my butt off (literally) to try to lose 15 pounds.  It all began with a giant wake-up call in the form of me stepping on the scale one day and deciding that enough was enough.  Things were getting out of hand, and my health and happiness were on the line.  It was that moment that made me decide to get myself in gear and make some serious changes, and that's exactly what I did.  I set a realistic, yet challenging goal for myself: lose 15 pounds in 15 weeks.  With Memorial Day weekend beach plans with my friends looming in the distance, 15 weeks was exactly how long I had to get myself ready for bikini season.  My plan was simple - move more, eat less.  I tracked my food intake, counted calories, and worked out regularly.  In the end, I was more than successful at achieving my goal, and now I'd like to share my final results with all of you!

I didn't post my weight on this blog when I kicked off the challenge, mostly because I was so embarassed.  Now that it's over, I'd like to give everyone the full scope of how much my body has changed over the last 15 weeks:

Starting weight: 163 lbs
Ending weight: 147 lbs
Total weight loss: 16 lbs - that's 10% of my body weight!!!

Starting BMI: 28 (overweight - 30 or higher is obese)
Ending BMI: 25.2 (Still technically overweight, but just over the line from being "normal" [18.5-24.9])
Total BMI lowered by 2.8

Starting body fat %: 28
Ending body fat %: 23 
Total body fat loss: 5%
(Average body fat percentage for women is 25% - 31%, "Fitness" level is 21% - 24%)

To put this all in perspective for anyone out there reading this who doesn't know me, I'm a 25-year old female and I'm 5'4".  Also, because I know that this is what a lot of people were hoping for, I decided to swallow my embarassment and give you some before and after photos as evidence of these changes!

"Before" photos taken: 2/2/13
"After" photos taken: 5/19/13

The bottoms I'm wearing are part of a bikini that I was really hoping I would fit back into in time for my beach getaway this coming weekend, and thanks to my efforts I'll actually be able to!

So there you have it - I wanted to lose 15 pounds in 15 weeks, and in the end I managed to lose 16!  I also drastically reduced my body fat percentage and lowered my BMI.  Now I'm right over the line from having a "normal" BMI, and I reduced my body fat by FIVE PERCENT!

I'm also very proud of the fact that I did this completely on my own.  By that I mean that I didn't have a personal trainer, nutritionist, or chef, I didn't do any cleanses or fad diets, and I didn't take any supplements or mystery pills; all I did was get a gym membership.  Pure diet and exercise is what it really comes down to when you're trying to lose weight. 

All in all, I just feel so much better after having finished my own personal weight loss challenge.  This was really about so much more than just a number on a scale, even if that's what my impetus was for getting things started.  I've made so many positive changes in terms of my diet and exercise habits, and I hope to keep those healthy new habits and use them to maintain my body the way it is now.  Maybe in the future I will challenge myself once again and try to make more changes in my body, but for now I'm so perfectly happy with all that I have achieved over the last few months and I fully intend to enjoy my renewed sense of happiness and well-being throughout the summer!  Cheers!

Week 14 Update

Well, folks, here we are: it's almost over, only one week left in my challenge!  Since losing the 15 pounds, I have tried to stick with my plan and see if I can lose any more weight, but I have to admit I've been particularly lax, especially last weekend.  I had friends in town visiting, went to a beerfest, and it was cinco de mayo.  I may have partied a little too hard because of those things, but really I only have myself to blame for my week 14 results.

Physical Fitness:
-5/4/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
-5/6/13: went on the elliptical for 30 minutes and then ran 1 mile on the treadmill
-5/7/13: BODYATTACK
-5/8/13: BODYSTEP
-5/9/13: ran outside for 35 minutes, went 3.2 miles
-5/10/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes

I tried to work out extra hard to make up for my weekend fun.  I've been doing a lot of running and it's grown to be much more bearable than it was in the beginning.  I used to hate running, now it's something I tolerate.  After all, it's one of the best forms of straight up cardio you can do.  So far the spring weather has been perfect for running outside, but I'm concerned that once the DC summer weather really kicks in it'll be too hot and I'll be relegated to the treadmill.  Or maybe I'll try to force myself to get up earlier more often to fit in morning runs before work, and before the temperature rises too much for the day.

Food:
I did a good job with food during the week and ate pretty much all the normal things.  The problem during week 14 came from my weekend partying.  In particular, on cinco de mayo my friends and I all went to a beerfest and despite my best intentions, I let the alcohol influence my food choices and I wasn't strict enough about it.  The beerfest was followed by a cinco de mayo dinner, complete with margaritas.  I know I've talked about this before, but alcohol really is just completely terrible for you if you're trying to lose weight.  Not only is it empty calories with little to no nutritional value, but alcohol itself slows down the fat burning process, and influences you to make poor decisions food-wise.  That's why as of the seis de mayo, I decided that I wouldn't drink any more alcohol until my challenge is over and I'm at the beach with my friends.  The Outer Banks trip that I'm taking over Memorial Day weekend was what inspired me to start losing weight in the first place and marks the end of my weight loss journey, so what better place to celebrate my success and end my detox than a sunny beach vacation surrounded by my friends?  God, I can't wait to have a gin and tonic...

Cooking:
Once again I didn't use my time efficiently enough to schedule in a night to cook something new.  I am making up for it by making 2 new recipes during Week 15, though!  One of them was a healthy tuna macaroni salad that I made last night - recipe to follow.

Weigh-In:
Thanks to my partying ways last weekend and depite my attempts to make up for it with 6 workouts throughout the week, last week I lost...

0 POUNDS!!!

That's right, once again I have stayed the exact same.  It would have been nice to lose another pound, but I'm still very pleased with making my 15 pound goal so it's good to know that I didn't derail all that progress by gaining weight back last week.  I also think at this point my body has completely gotten used to my new lifestyle in terms of diet and exercise so I'm hitting that plateau I've been dreading.  I'll try and push through that to see if I can lose any more weight in the last week of my journey.  I'm motivated and ready to move forward through the 15th and FINAL week of this challenge!!!

Week 13 Update

Well, apparently I've hit my plateau.  I knew it would happen eventually, and at least it happened after I already lost my goal of 15 pounds!  I was pretty good during Week 13 and worked out 6 times, but it seems my body has finally hit a wall.  Here's the recap:

Physical Activity:
-4/27/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
-4/28/13: ran outside for 45 minutes, went 4 miles!
-4/29/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes
-4/30/13: BODYATTACK
-5/1/13: BODYSTEP
-5/2/13: ran outside for 40 minutes, went 3.2 miles

My office did a 5k walk/run to raise money for Boston last week, and I decided to run it to get my workout in for that day.  I got off to a slow start because I was walking with my coworkers for about the first half mile but then I took off and did the rest of the route running.  I'm happy with the knowledge that I can actually run a 5k the whole way without stopping, so I decided to sign up for a 5k race that my friends are doing in June.  That's another one of my challenge goals to check off the list!

Food:
Food and drink could probably have been better during Week 13, but it also could have been worse.  I drank more than I normally do last weekend, and I also had friends visiting this past weekend so that combined with the cinco de mayo beerfest that I went to yesterday means I didn't start Week 14 off in the best way that I could have either.  Because of that, I decided that from now until I leave for my Outer Banks trip, which is about 2 1/2 weeks away, I'm not going to drink any alcohol.  I don't think I drink too much or anything, but I definitely think alcohol impacts the choices I make in regard to food, and alcohol inhibits the fat-burning process, in addition to it's other reasons for being something you should avoid when trying to lose weight.  I really want to focus on getting the most out of the last 2 weeks of my challenge, so it's time to detox!

Cooking:
I made 2 recipes during Week 13 to make up for the fact that I didn't have time to cook anything the week previous.  One of the dishes I prepared was this Three Bean Salad recipe that I got from my mom, and the other was a recipe for Portobella Mushroom Pizzas!  Those came out great, they were essentially mushroom caps stuffed with sauce and cheese and then baked.  They were deee-licious and I'll be posting the recipe later this week.

Weigh-In:
As far as my weight loss results for week 13, I lost...

0 POUNDS!!!

I think I was probably so happy that I had already lost my 15 pounds that I was more lax during the week and therefore didn't continue to lose weight.  Also, I think at this point my body has adjusted to my new levels of fitness and it will be even more difficult to continue to lose weight.  The number on the scale stayed the same, but that's okay with me.  I'm happy as long as I'm not gaining back the weight I worked to hard to lose! 

There was another important milestone I reached last week that meant more to me than losing an extra pound would have.  You see, there's this pair of jeans I own.  I bought them sometime in late 2011/early 2012, and if I'm being honest, they were probably too tight for me even when I bought them.  I still wore them, but by fall of 2012 they were ridiculously tight on me to the point that I could barely get them closed.  I stopped wearing those jeans for a long time because I just plain couldn't.  Those jeans have been in the back of my mind ever since I started my weight loss challenge.  I refused to try them on throughout the last 13 weeks because I wanted to use them as a benchmark for my progress at the end of the road.  Well, since I lost the 15 pounds, last week I decided to put the jeans back on.  I almost cried when I realized that not only can I get the jeans on again, they fit PERFECTLY, even better than when I first purchased them.  Seeing real, tangible change like that means just as much to me as seeing the numbers on the scale decrease every week, so even if I don't lose any more than the 15 pounds I was initially aiming for, I'm satisfied with knowing that I have clearly changed my body.

Week 12 Update

Well folks, I DID IT!  I FREAKING DID IT!!!  I'm not even going to make you wait until the end of this post to find out because I'm just so happy that I did it!!! I lost 15 pounds, and it only took me 12 weeks instead of 15!  By far the best weigh-in of this whole challenge was this past Saturday morning when I stepped on the scale and saw that I shed that 1 last pound to get me to my goal.  I can't even describe how amazing it feels to know that I actually did it, I achieved this goal that I had set for myself, and ahead of schedule to boot!  I still have 3 weeks remaining in my challenge, so I'm going to keep working hard to see if I can lose more weight, but it's nice to know that anything I lose now will just be an added bonus!  

Here's the recap of this magical week:

Physical Activity:
4/20/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
4/21/13: ran outside for an hour (went about 4.5 miles total, ran for about 2.75 miles of that)
4/22/13: ran outside for 35 minutes (went 3.5 miles)
4/23/13: BODYATTACK
4/25/13: ran outside for 35 minutes (went 3.5 miles)

Since I can now run 3 miles without stopping, I started paying more attention to time this week.  Every time I ran I did it in slightly less time, and that's the sort of improvement that's nice to see once you've tackled a goal.  My friends and I are going to sign up for a 5k and I'm really excited for that!

Food:
I have to admit I was not exactly on my game during week 12 when it came to food and drink.  I over-indulged quite a bit, and ended up turning a cheat day into a cheat weekend, which is a really bad habit that I'm still trying to break.  I also went out with some coworkers during the week for drinks to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day, and that was the first time I drank during the week since I started this challenge.  I was happy to see that I still reached my goal, but it was a little too close for comfort for me this week.

Cooking:
This is going to sound like an excuse, but I was literally out every single night during week 12 and just didn't have time to cook anything of significance.  However, I'm doing 2 recipes this week to make up for it! 

Weigh-In:
Well, as you already know I lost...

1 POUND!!!

When I started this challenge I didn't actually know if I'd be able to stick it out and lose the weight.  Seeing that number on the scale Saturday morning was proof that when you set your mind to something, you can make it happen, you just have to work for it.  The past 12 weeks have not been easy and the last 3 to come will be just as difficult, if not more so, but I'm secure in the fact that I started all of this with one main goal in mind: to improve my health and fitness, and I succeeded.  Now let's see how much more weight I can lose before this 15 weeks is up!

Weekly Tip: Get Out

Spring has officially sprung, at least here in DC, which makes the possibilities for exercise infinitely greater!  My advice to you all this week: get outside!!! You don't need to go to the gym to get a good workout in, there are plenty of activities you can do outdoors now that the weather is getting nicer. 

Running, for starters, is a pretty obvious way to take advantage of the higher temperatures and get some great cardio.  For people who aren't particular fans of running, you can still get your heart rate up outdoors with a brisk walk or bike ride.  For strength training, you can do so many of the basics right in your own backyard, i.e. pushups, situps, planks, squats etc.  If you want to branch out more, try looking up outdoor fitness classes in your area.  Lots of major cities offer all kinds of great classes that you can enjoy in the fresh air instead of a stuffy old gym.

So get out there and move!  After all, what could be better than getting fit AND getting tan at the same time?!

Week 11 Update

Week 11 seemed like just another week to me in terms of my eating habits and my physical activity.  I didn't do anything too crazy or different, but still achieved amazing results, which is totally fine with me!  Nothing too special to note so this post will be a little shorter than usual...

Physical Activity:
-4/13/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
-4/14/13: ran outside for 35 minutes (went 3.5 miles)
-4/16/13: BODYATTACK
-4/17/13: BODYSTEP
-4/18/13: swam laps freestyle for 20 minutes, 650 meters total

I can finally run 3 miles without stopping!!!  Never in my life did I think I'd be able to do that.  It just goes to show you that practice makes perfect and if you keep at it you really can make progress.  I found that when I run outside I can typically go faster than I do on the treadmill, so I was pretty impressed with myself for that too.

Food:
Nothing too special happened during week 11 in terms of food challenges.  I ate well consistently throughout the week and still went out and had fun with my friends.  I'm only human, and there have definitely been weeks during this process when I splurged a little too much or binged on the weekends and then had to make up for it throughout the week.  Week 11, luckily, was not that kind of week.  It was smooth sailing over the weekend and during the week.

Cooking:
I tried out a new quinoa recipe last week, but this time it was quinoa with lots of yummy veggies mixed in and a lemon-basil dressing.  It was a great summer salad that was filling and delicious, and I was able to eat the leftovers all week long.  Recipe coming soon.

Weigh-In:
Let's just get to the good part already!  For the first time I actually wasn't too nervous about my weigh-in.  I was confident in the fact that I had done well all week long and pretty much expected to make my 1 pound goal with ease.  It was nice to not be freaking out before getting on the scale for once!  Little did I know that I actually over-achieved last week, because in the end I lost...

2 POUNDS!!!

That's right, 2 pounds last week, which brings my total weight loss in 11 weeks to 14 pounds!!!  I still have 4 weeks to go in my challenge and I'm only 1 pound away from my goal weight!  It's such an amazing feeling to know that I'm almost there.  I'm going to carry out my plan through the full 15 weeks to see if I can lose more weight than I initially hoped and work on my other goals as well.  Here's to hoping the last month of this challenge goes smoothly!

Weekly Tip: No Excuses

If anything should be your mantra throughout your weight loss process, it's this: no excuses allowed.  The moment you start making excuses for yourself is the moment your progress stops.

It's really easy to do when you think about it.  "I don't have time" and "I'm exhausted" are among the biggest offenders.  We get so caught up in our day-to-day lives that we don't make time to focus on our health and fitness, but if you want to see results and make real changes, it's time to re-evaluate.  Stop coming up with all the reasons why you can't put in the work and start committing to your goals.

At the end of the day, if you're not seeing the results you want, you have nobody to blame but yourself.  Take a closer look at what you're doing and focus on ways you can improve.  It's important to know your limits and be realistic about what you can do, but unless you start challenging yourself, you're not going to see any real results.  6 months down the road you're going to look and feel exactly the same way as you do right now.  How long is your lunch break at work? It probably doesn't take you a full hour to eat a meal, so when you're finished eating, go take a walk around the block.  Your friend invited you out to dinner after work but you haven't been to the gym yet this week, so SAY NO.  You're so tired after work you can barely move, so go to bed early (and I mean actually go to bed, not go home and watch tv or look at facebook until 2AM) and get up in time to fit a workout in the next morning.

I work from 8am - 6pm, Monday - Friday, and I have about a half hour commute each way.  I have 2 side jobs, I'm on a kickball team, and I volunteer for my neighborhood newspaper.  I have a very active social life, and yet on top of all that I still manage to work out at least 5 times every week, prepare most of my meals myself, and get 8 hours of sleep at night.  Do you want to know how I manage to do all of that?  It's because I'm serious about my goals.

No excuses.

Week 10 Update

Slow and steady wins the race, right?  That's exactly how I feel about my progress over the last few weeks.  I'm not seeing the big numbers I was posting towards the beginning of this challenge, but I am still consistently getting results and I'm doing it in the healthiest way I know how.  Read on to find out how week 10 of my challenge went!

Physical Activity:
-4/6/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
-4/7/13: ran outside for 30 minutes (total distance was about 2.7 miles)
-4/9/13: BODYATTACK
-4/10/13: BODYSTEP
-4/12/13: ran outside for 28 minutes (did the same 2.7 mile loop - I got faster!)

The weather is finally turning spring-like in DC, which means I've been able to start running outside more instead of always heading to the gym for the treadmill.  Even though running outside presents challenges in terms of keeping pace etc, it's also much more enjoyable thanks to the changing scenery.  Living someplace like DC really helps because most of the time I go run around the national mall, which means I'm looking at the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building, as well as beautiful museums along the way.  

I also tried another new class this week, and I think I might be hooked!  BODYSTEP is another Les Mills class that they offer at the Gold's Gym I go to.  I've always been nervous about taking step classes because I'm not the most coordinated person and I'm always afraid that I'll trip over the step.  This week I decided to get over that and I ended up really enjoying the class.  The instructor was the same woman who teaches the BODYATTACK class on Tuesday and she is really great.  She's very positive and motivating throughout the whole class and she never makes you feel like you're not doing something right, she just encourages everyone to do what they can and to keep moving.  All in all, BODYSTEP was a great workout and I'd like to keep taking the class to switch up my workouts throughout the week.

The biggest proof that my drive to stay on track with this challenge continues is that I actually woke up extra early on Friday morning to get a run in before going to work.  I had only fit in 4 workouts last week and I knew my schedule wouldn't allow me to exercise Friday evening after work, so I did what I had to do and forced myself out of bed bright and early.  For anyone who doesn't know me, I am not a morning person, so the fact that I woke up even earlier than I normally do on a work day in order to EXERCISE is really saying something.  It all comes down to the fact that I just really don't want to fail in this challenge.  I want to make sure I accomplish this goal I set for myself, so I'm willing to do whatever I have to do to make it happen.

Food:
I have to honest and admit that I did not make the best choices in terms of food and drink at the beginning of week 10.  Last weekend was filled with a lot of food-centric activities, and when that happens it's hard for me to be as vigilant about calories etc.  I can at least say that I was very aware of all the choices I made in regards to food and alcohol, and even when I didn't make the best decisions, I still tracked everything that I consumed, and that's really important.  It would be very easy to just leave things out when I'm tracking my food intake, but that wouldn't be honest and I need to see all those things written down in order to stay conscious and responsible for what I eat and to make sure I balance things out during the rest of the week. 

For example, my friends and I always do family dinner together on Sunday evenings.  It's a wonderful tradition we started to give ourselves one more thing to look forward to every weekend and it's a great way to bring all our friends together to catch up and regroup.  Last weekend we had a guest join us for Sunday dinner and she cooked the most amazing Mexican food for us, she made a dish called Chicken Tinga.  The food was phenomenal, but the problem was I had already treated myself earlier that day at a brunch picnic that some friends and I had attended, and I also ended up consuming more alcohol that day than I originally intended, merely because of the fact that I took on a careless attitude that day.  I definitely enjoyed myself a lot at both activities and I worked hard during the rest of the week to make up for the binging I had done over the weekend, but I still wish that I had made better choices and been a little more selective with my choices on Sunday.  I didn't need to have a bloody mary AND a mimosa at brunch, and I didn't need to have a glass of wine AND a beer at dinner.  I think this is very common for people who are trying to lose weight and are watching their diet.  You want to eat and drink the things you normally would when you're out and about with your friends, but it's important to maintain the balance between enjoying yourself in the moment and putting in effort towards achieving your long term goals.  That's something that I'm definitely still working on!

Cooking:
I decided to tackle something new last week and opted to make dessert!  I had yet to attempt a dessert recipe throughout this challenge and there was a skinny raspberry lemonade cupcake recipe that I had been wanting to try.  It was a gorgeous day when I made them so the raspberry lemonade flavor worked perfectly.  The cupcakes turned out to be a really nice treat and didn't endanger my diet plan at all!  Everybody enjoyed them and I didn't have to feel guilty about eating one, so that's a win-win!  I'll post the recipe later this week.

Weigh-In:
Like I said before, I was really concerned last week because of the decisions I made during the weekend.  I did work very hard and was very disciplined during the week in terms of food in order to compensate, but I was even more nervous than usual before my weigh-in.  Maybe I need to start thinking about those nerves when I'm making decisions about what to eat!  With that said, this week I lost...

1 POUND!!!

I was so relieved to see that I still managed to lose another pound this past week, despite the fact that I was very worried I wouldn't.  I'm happy that I'm still progressing, but I need to use Week 10 as a lesson that cheating too much or binging on the weekend and then trying to work double time during the week to make up for it is not the best strategy.  Moving forward into the last 5 weeks of my challenge I want to keep that in mind at all times.  I'm 12 pounds down and 2/3 of the way through my challenge and the end is in sight, but there's still plenty more work to do!

Weekly Tip: Have Fun!

In honor of my Spring kickball league starting tonight, this week's tip is simply to HAVE FUN with whatever physical activity you decide to do.  The concept behind this is very simple: the more you enjoy doing something, the more likely you are to keep doing it.  When it comes to starting an exercise plan, you have to choose activities that you know you enjoy so that you don't burn out early and completely give up.  If you hate running and you think that overnight you're going to start running 5 miles 5 days a week, you're sorely mistaken.  Choosing something more enjoyable, like a brisk walk or bike ride, will make your exercise plan more realistic and your goals more attainable.

For example, in the beginning of this challenge I discovered swimming for exercise.  Swimming has always been something I enjoyed, so turning that fun activity into quality exercise time means I'm more excited about sticking with it.  I also have my kickball team, and while it doesn't always give me the best workout, it's a way to get outside and be somewhat active with my friends, which is why I keep coming back to it.  If you like dance, try signing up for some classes at a dance studio.  If you enjoy team sports, consider joining a baseball league, etc.

Getting in shape and exercising more does not mean you have to make yourself miserable 7 days a week.  You just have to figure out what you like and then try to do those activities more often.  My plan so far throughout this challenge has been to stay realistic about my goals, and I know that workouts that feel like torture will not hold my interest for very long, no matter how effective they might be.

So get out there and start having fun with your workouts!

Week 9 Update

As the weeks continue to fly by during this challenge, I keep trying to challenge myself and make sure that I get the results I want.  Week 9 was another week of dedication and commitment, and I was able to benefit from that in terms of my weight loss.  Here's the recap!

Physical Activity:
-3/30/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 3
-4/1/13: 30 Day Shred level 3
-4/2/13: BODYATTACK
-4/3/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 3
-4/4/13: swam laps freestyle for 30 minutes, 900 meters total

I'm finally done with the 30 Day Shred DVD goal that I set for myself, which was to do each level 6 times, or 3x per week.  Now I can focus on getting more cardio in, but I still may pop the DVD in every once in a while to mix things up.  Overall I can say that DVD definitely kicked my butt, but in a good way.  Jillian Michaels is so motivating, so I might try one of her other DVDs at some point.  Also, I'm up to running 2.5 miles at a time on the treadmill, which I'm super proud of!  It's so helpful to see tangible progress throughout this challenge to keep myself motivated to continue.  I'd like to get the point where I can run at least 3 miles without stopping and then sign up for a 5K!

Food:
Last weekend my mom was in town visiting, and it was Easter.  My mom and I went out to eat Saturday night at Fogo de Chao, which is a Brazilian steak house.  For anyone who doesn't know, that means the servers come around to your table with skewers of different kinds and cuts of meat and slice off whatever you request onto your plate.  Basically it's meat overload, and there's also a pretty extensive salad bar for non-meat lovers.  I did try to stick with the fresh veggies on the salad bar, which were delicious, but I couldn't resist trying the many varieties of meats the restaurant had the offer.  The saving grace was that all the meat seemed to be just drenched in salt, which meant I didn't end up eating a whole lot of it.  On Sunday we went to my cousin's house for Easter dinner, which was wonderful.  I love spending time with my extended family since I don't get to see them very often.  Dinner was wonderful and I made sure to keep my portion sizes in check, and was still able to enjoy a glass of wine or two!  When weekends like this arise where I know I won't have as much control over my food options, I make sure to at least try and stick to normal portions and I definitely make sure to get plenty of exercise in so that I don't end up feeling guilty.  I also kept my calorie counts in check for the rest of the week to make up for any splurging I had done.  

Cooking:
My cooking experiments continued in week 9, and I tried out a skinny recipe for Chicken Florentine.  It was a delicious casserole with chicken, spinach, and pasta.  Two of the most voracious eaters in my friend group helped taste test this for me, and one of them wanted seconds, which I know is a good sign!  I think I'm becoming more comfortable in the kitchen, but I'm still a beginner, so I don't want to toot my own horn too much.  I'll post the recipe later this week, since this is one that everyone should try!

Weigh-In:
I'm happy to report that my weight loss continues, and this week I lost...

1 POUND!!!

I'm steadily working my way toward my goal, and I'm now down 11 pounds in 9 weeks.  Taking this challenge 1 pound at a time has made it so much easier, because my goal is reasonable and I've been able to see progress pretty steadily throughout the last 9 weeks.  I'm so close to the end I can taste it, but I know there's a lot more work to be done.  Here's to week 10 being just as much of a success!

Week 8 Update

I'm 2 months into my weight loss challenge and I continue to work hard and see results.  Here's the week 8 recap!

Physical Activity:
-3/23/13: ran on the treadmill for 40 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 3
-3/25/13: 30 Day Shred level 3
-3/26/13: BODYATTACK
-3/27/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 3
-3/29/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes

I finally made it to level 3 of my 30 Day Shred DVD and I was SO not prepared for it!!!  These workouts kick my butt so hard every single time I do it.  You would think that it would get a little easier as you continue, but it doesn't.  It's always difficult, but I stuck with it and I'm almost done so I can be proud of that!

Food:
Despite going to the La Boum brunch at L'Enfant Cafe last weekend (if you've never been or don't live in DC, you can find out what La Boum is here), I still managed to do pretty well with my food intake.  I let myself indulge a little more with alcohol (because when the champagne bottles come out with sparklers attached, how can you NOT order multiples?!), but since I had been really good about that over the previous 2 weeks, I thought that was okay.

Cooking:
I had been making a lot of dinner/main dish recipes lately, so this week I decided to try something different: breakfast bars!  I followed a recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal bars and they were awesome.  They were very light and fluffy, almost a cake-like consistency, but they were very satisfying.  I had them for breakfast throughout the week and it was almost like having a granola bar, but better!  Recipe to follow later this week.

Weigh-In:
This week I reached another major milestone with my weight.  I stepped on the scale Saturday morning and saw that I had lost

1 POUND!!!

This means that over the last 8 weeks I have lost TEN POUNDS!  I'm 2/3 of the way to my weight loss goal and I still have 7 weeks left to lose the remaining 5 pounds.  I couldn't be happier about this progress and I feel really great that I've made it this far.  Onward and upward!

Workout Song of the Week: The Bravery

Sometimes all you need to get you moving is the thought of some rough sex.  This week's song is the perfect example of that sort of motivation: "Hatefuck" by The Bravery.

Passion and intensity is sometimes all you need to go that last quarter of a mile or lift that last set of weights.  This song is perfect for that since it's quick, upbeat, and to the point.  Overall message: violence can be thrilling and sexy.  The Bravery perfectly captures that lusty, heat of the moment, rough-you-up kind of sexual attitude that we all need once in a while.  In addition to the song's overall sound being great for working out, the lyrics are pretty scandalous, and sometimes thinking about getting sexy can be just as big of a motivator.  It gets your blood pumping and your legs moving, just what you need kick some ass in the gym!

Week 7 Update

Week 7 was my idea of the perfect week.  I stuck to my guns in terms of food and alcohol all week, kept up with my workouts, ate well, and saw awesome results.  Ideally, every week of this challenge would go that way, but we can't have everything.  Or can we? 

Physical Activity:
-3/16/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
-3/17/13: 30 Day Shred level 2
-3/18/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 2
-3/19/13: BODYATTACK
-3/20/13: 30 Day Shred level 2
-3/21/13: swam laps freestyle for 30 minutes, 800 meters total

I'm still sticking to the 30 Day Shred 3 times per week plan, which is working out really well.  Incorporating that DVD for the month of March has meant that I've been working out 6 days per week most weeks, which seems like a lot but since the DVD workouts are only 25 minutes it's completely manageable.  I also reached another running milestone; I can now run 2 miles on the treadmill without stopping!  Since I have more time and energy on Saturday mornings as opposed to week nights after working all day, that's the day when I spend a little more time on the treadmill, usually about 45 minutes.  When I first started I would tend to run for a few minutes, then walk for a few minutes, then run again etc.  Now that I've worked my way up to running longer distances at a time, I can run 2 miles on the treadmill, then walk for a few minutes, and then run another mile before cooling down.  I know my progress is somewhat slow, but it's still progress!

Food:
Week 7 kicked off with St. Patrick's Day last weekend, which I somehow managed to survive in a completely sober fashion.  I stuck to my 3 drink maximum at a St. Patrick's Day party with my friends.  I was able to have fun and enjoy myself while still respecting the guidelines I had set for myself ahead of time, so I was very proud of myself for that.  I also fell in love with a new snack last week: mixing greek yogurt, berries, and granola.  I know this is not a new concept for a lot of people, but I'm just getting on the parfait train now and I'm loving it.  Altogether it's under 300 calories, so it's a great way to satisfy my sweet tooth without putting my calorie count in danger.

Cooking:
Last weekend I cooked St. Patrick's Day dinner for the first time ever!  Growing up in a half Irish household, I was raised on corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes, but this was the first time I've ever made it.  I did it in the crock pot, and it came out amazing!  At a table of 7 people, the corned beef literally disappeared before our eyes.  I had made A LOT of veggies, so there were leftovers of those for me to have throughout the week.  Yum!

Weigh-In:
I'm always a happy girl when I can see positive results in number form on the scale at the end of every week.  I also get nervous the night before about not making my 1 pound per week goal, but week 7 was a very successful week in my eyes.  Thanks to my hard work, I lost not 1, but...

2 POUNDS!!!

This brings my total weight loss to 9 pounds in 7 weeks, and I still have 8 weeks to go to lose the remaining 6 pounds.  I was ecstatic about this progress and can only hope that it continues in the coming weeks.  With dedication and hard work, I'm confident that I can keep seeing results like this.

Weekly Tip: Have A Plan

Sticking to your fitness and weight loss goals means actually having to set specific goals for yourself to begin with.  Committing to something vague like "I want to lose weight" is almost like committing to nothing at all; it's way too vague and general.  If you don't have specific goals for yourself, you'll never achieve them.  That's why this week's tip is to HAVE A PLAN!

Initially, it's important to set your ultimate goal so you have something to shoot for.  This is what should keep your focused throughout your journey, because making major changes doesn't happen over night.  For example, my goal is to lose 15 pounds in 15 weeks.  I have a set number and a set time frame.  Once you've decided what your ultimate goal is, you need to make a plan to achieve that goal.  In my case, I decided that I wanted to start exercising at least 3-4 times per week and that I would track my food so I would know how many calories I was actually consuming throughout the week.  The blog also doesn't hurt when it comes to keeping me on track.

Once you've decided what specific action you need to take to achieve your goal, it really helps to make a schedule.  That way it's harder to keep pushing off that run to the next day or skipping your strength training session because "you'll do it later."  If you schedule those workouts in ahead of time, you're more likely to complete them.  Example:  "I will do cardio 3 days per week."  Or even more specifically: "I will do cardio on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday."  For me personally, I know that every week on Tuesday I'm going to go to my BODYATTACK class, and that every Saturday morning when I go to the gym for my weigh-in I'm also going to put in some time with the treadmill.  This is also helpful for time management in general since you can stay on track with your fitness commitment and you already know ahead of time when you're free for other activities.

Having a plan in terms of your meals is another huge factor.  I can't say enough how helpful it is to have your breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for the work week planned out ahead of time.  I make sure that I know in advance what I'm going to bring to work the next day so that I don't end up empty handed on my way to work in the morning and trying to decide which fast food chain to hit up for lunch.  Bringing only a certain amount of food with me to work each day also means I can only eat as much as I bring, therefore preventing me from snacking too much and overeating.  Generally I bring my lunch and 2 snacks for mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

Having a plan is useful in all facets of life, but especially when it comes to achieving your health and fitness goals.  Just having a goal is not enough, generating a plan of how exactly you're going to reach that goal is what makes it happen. 

Week 6 Update

Wow, hard to believe it's already been 6 weeks since I started this!  I feel like it's all still so new and I'm still learning so much.  I think under normal circumstances, most people get bored and give up on their resolutions after about a month, so I'm proud that I've stuck with it this far and will keep pushing myself until I reach my goal.  This blog really helps me stay on track, so thank you for reading!

Physical Activity:
-3/9/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
-3/10/13: ran outside for 30 minutes (I went 2.5 miles total and ran for about 1.75 miles of that)
-3/11/13: used the elliptical for 30 minutes, then did 30 Day Shred level 2
-3/13/13: 30 Day Shred level 2
-3/14/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes
-3/15/13: 30 Day Shred level 2

I'm now doing the 30 Day Shred workout 3 times a week, which is so much easier to handle!  This week I moved up to level 2, which is SO MUCH HARDER than level 1!  I was expecting it to be a little more challenging, but wow.  Jillian Michaels really knows what she's doing.  I can only imagine what level 3 will bring, but thankfully I don't have to worry about that for another week.  Also this week I finally got a chance to run outside!  Spring weather is really making an effort to break through this long winter we're having in DC so last Sunday I took the opportunity to change things up and take my workout outside.  Running outside is completely different than running on the treadmill, and more challenging in many ways, including trying to keep a steady pace, but it's much more enjoyable and the change of scenery made me not hate my run so much that day.  Also I'm still working on being able to run for longer distances at a time, and worked my way up to 1.75 miles without stopping.  I know that doesn't sound like much, but considering that a) I hate running, and b) I'm still a beginner, I think 1.75 is pretty darn good.

One day on the treadmill I tried out a pyramid-style interval workout that I had found online (this is the one I did).  Interval training is great because by constantly changing your intensity you prevent your body from getting used to any one speed, which increases fat burning and prevents plateaus.  The workout I tried was only 30 minutes, but it seriously kicked my butt.  The sprints really take the wind out of you!  I'm definitely going to incorporate more interval training into my workout, especially since I'm 6 weeks into my challenge now and I don't want to get into a slump with my workout routine.

Food:
I did very well with food during week 6, but what I really wanted to focus on was my alcohol intake since I had been struggling with that in prior weeks.  I decided to challenge myself to something new that week: to not drink a single alcoholic beverage all weekend.  I stopped consuming alcohol during the week when I started this challenge, so bye-bye went the occasional glass of wine after work or with dinner.  On the weekends though, I found I was having trouble sticking to my 3 drink maximum so I wanted to take a break.  I also think alcohol was a contributing factor to why I gained a pound after week 5, which is why I decided to do a detox for week 6 and see what would happen.  I must admit my social life seriously declined last weekend, since in order to avoid drinking I ended up staying in Friday and Saturday night, but in the end I completed my challenge and I managed to not drink all weekend.  For anyone who knows me or my friends, you understand what a feat that is! 

Cooking:
Thanks to the nice weather in DC last weekend my friends and I were able to have a cookout for family dinner on Sunday.  My contribution was a Chicken Orzo Salad that I had been wanting to try.  It's a fresh, light salad that turned out to the perfect addition to a grill session.  Recipe coming soon.

Weigh-In:
I had really been stressing out about my weight last week since I gained a pound in week 5.  I know that I'm trying very hard and I'm making a lot of positive changes in my life, and I understand that weight loss is a process and my weight will fluctuate a lot and I won't always lose pounds, but it's still hard to not feel discouraged when you don't see the results you want on the scale.  I managed to use that as motivation in week 6 and it paid off.  Last week I lost:

1 POUND!!!

I'm finally back on track after wavering a little last week and I'm very excited, I just need to stay focused.  All together I'm 7 pounds down and I still have 9 weeks to go.  I can do this!

Week 5 Update

Week 5 was a very interesting week, so let's just get right into it shall we?

Physical Activity:
-3/2/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes, then 30 Day Shred level 1
-3/3/13: 30 Day Shred level 1
-3/4/13: ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes, then 30 Day Shred level 1
-3/5/13: BODYATTACK
-3/6/13: 30 Day Shred level 1
-3/7/13: swam laps freestyle for 30 minutes, 800 meters total
-3/8/13: 30 Day Shred level 1

In honor of March Madness I wanted to kick up my workouts, so I had decided that in addition to the exercise I was already getting, I would start a workout DVD that my friend let me borrow: the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.  The DVD focuses on very fast, intense workouts (about 25 minutes including warm up and cool down) consisting of a mix of strength training, cardio, and ab-specific exercises.  My plan was to do the DVD every day for the month of March, and I was going to do each level for 10 days (there are 3 levels), but about 6 days in I found out that you're not actually supposed to do the DVD every single day, you're supposed to include rest days to allow your muscles to rest and repair, which was such a blessing because that DVD was seriously kicking my butt!  So now I'm going to do the DVD 3 days a week and see if that changes anything.  Also, working out every single day for 7 days was so exhausting, and definitely not a maintainable routine, and in the end it wasn't as effective anyway (see weight loss results below), so I'm going to have to tone things down again.  So much for March Madness...

Food:
Food and alcohol both became an issue last week, since it was one of my bff's birthdays and the festivities included a nice dinner out, followed by a night of drinking and dancing, as well as a Drag Brunch Buffet the next morning, and then a pasta dinner complete with red velvet cake for dessert that night (If you've never done a drag brunch, you need to!  This is the one we went to).  Needless to say, I was faced with a lot of temptation, and I may not have made the smartest choices.  I broke my 3 drink maximum rule for going out, and I also couldn't resist some of the less healthy food options on the brunch buffet.  My self-control definitely slipped, and unfortunately it had an impact on my results for the week.  I tried to make really healthy choices throughout the rest of the week, but in the end I don't think it balanced out.

Cooking:
This week I decided to break in my new crock pot, and the recipe I made was for Pesto Ranch Chicken that I found, of course, on Pinterest.  It was a bit high in calories and sodium due to the large portions of chicken and the sauce that I used, but it was delicious and I only ended up eating half a serving so it wasn't too bad.  The chicken literally fell apart and was super moist thanks to the long, slow heat of the crock pot.  Recipe to be posted separately later this week.

Raw chicken, yum!

Weigh-In:
So here it is, the moment of truth.  The results of my weigh-in for week 5 are:

I gained 1 lb!!!

As bad as it made me feel to actually gain weight instead of losing or at least staying the same, I realize that there are a few different factors that went into this.  The first, and the one that I'd really like to think is the biggest, is the fact that I was doing the 30 Day Shred DVD almost every day last week, and that is a very strength-training intensive program.  That means that I was probably building muscle by doing those workouts, which would lead me to gain weight instead of losing.  The trainer that I met with at the gym a few weeks ago recommended 75% cardio and 25% strength in order to lose weight, so I'd like to keep that in mind as the weeks continue.  Another factor might be that I had more drinks than is usually recommended for weight loss when I was out last weekend (Jillian Michaels advises no more than 2 drinks per WEEK when you're trying to lose weight!), and the fact that I ate out a few times and let myself have more of a cheat weekend than just a cheat meal or cheat day.  I'm trying not to get too discouraged, though, and I plan on going back to focusing more on the cardio aspect of things in order to drop the weight I want to.

All in all, I'm now at a total loss of 6 pounds in 5 weeks and 1/3 of the way through my program with 10 weeks to go and 9 more pounds to lose.  I'm still  slightly ahead of the game in terms of my original plan for 1 pound per week, and I am positive that I can get back on track and still reach the goals I originally set for myself.  Now I need to get to work!

Workout Song of the Week: Adema

A lot of great workout songs are upbeat, pop/club tracks that just make you want to dance, but sometimes all you really want is a nice hardcore rock jam that motivates you by triggering your rage.  Had a stressful day at work?  Significant other getting on your nerves?  Feel like punching someone in the face?  Those are the times when you need to have more angry, hateful music that pushes you to let out all your aggression on the gym equipment instead of the people around you.  As a prime example of one of those songs for me personally, this week I'm using Adema's "The Way You Like It"

Some people need more intense, aggressive music to get them through their workouts, and if you're that kind of person, this one's for you.  When this track comes on my iPod while I'm working out my cardio, it puts me in the perfect ass-kicking mood that forces me to pound out my frustration on the treadmill.  I know the song is old, but it's still a great example of a heavy rock tune that's still upbeat enough to keep you moving during a workout.

What are some of the angrier songs that keep you motivated during your workouts?

Weekly Tip: Drink More!

...water, that is.  I was talking about this with my friends over dinner last night, which inspired me to use it as my weekly tip.  It's one of the most important factors for weight loss, and for your overall health: drinking enough water.  Many of us aren't actually getting as much water as we need, so it's important to keep this in mind at all times, but especially when you're trying to lose weight.

Staying hydrated is important for your health and fitness for gazillions of reasons, but here are just a few:

• Usually when you first start to lose weight, you lose water weight, so you need to drink enough water to avoid dehydration during this initial stage.
• Also good to note, dehydration slows down the fat-burning process, therefore the more hydrated you are, the faster your body can trim fat!
• Burning calories creates toxins, kind of like a car letting out exhaust, and water helps your body flush out those toxins.
• Drinking water before meals can make you feel full faster, and thus more satisfied with less food.  Many of the times we think we're hungry, we're actually dehydrated.

I know a lot of people aren't big water drinkers like me (I drink at least 8 12 oz. glasses per day), so here are some tips for drinking more water:

• Add lemon!  This is for the person with a sweet tooth who usually opts for sugary drinks like pop or juice.  Try squeezing some lemon into your water to make it a little more palatable without adding tons of extra sugar.
• Drink a glass of water first thing when you wake up in the morning.  This will rehydrate your body after hours of sleep with no water.
•  Drink an entire glass of water before each meal.  This will help you feel full faster, and if you're eating 4-5 small meals a day, this guarantees that you'll drink at least 4-5 glasses of water.
• ALWAYS drink water during a workout.  ALWAYS.  

This is just one example of an article about drinking enough water.

Doesn't that just look so refreshing?!

Week 4 Update

Officially 1 month into my weight loss challenge, I hereby declare Week 4 the Week of the Heart Rate Monitor!  I finally received my new toy and I had so much fun testing it out all week during my different activities.  It's even waterproof so I was able to wear it swimming.  Here's a photo!

Yes, you're reading that correctly, I burned 643 CALORIES in an hour!!!  That's thanks to the super intense BODYATTACK class I take on Tuesdays at my gym.  Speaking of the gym...

Physical Activity:
-2/23/13: ran on the treadmill for 45 minutes
-2/25/13: swam laps freestyle for 30 minutes, 700 meters total
-2/26/13: BODYATTACK
-2/27/13: walked 2.8 miles in 45 minutes (from work to the gym), then walked on the treadmill at a steep incline for 20 minutes
-3/1/13: Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD, level 1

I used my new heart rate monitor during all those activities, and it's so helpful since it tells me exactly how many calories I burn, what my average heart rate was, what my max heart rate was, and how long I had my heart rate in the right zone for maximum effectiveness.  This is one of the best purchases I could have made, especially for calorie tracking purposes.  

I also had a free fitness assessment at my gym on the 27th.  I met with a trainer and we went over my weight loss goals (which she said are totally doable, yay!), she weighed and measured me, and then we had a short personal training session.  She gave me a lot of useful information and now I can do a lot of the exercises she showed me on my own.  Out of all her measurements, one was my body fat percentage (yikes).  I remember having this done when I was in college and worked at a gym, and when I was 20 years old my body fat percentage was around 22%.  Unfortunately, that number has increased since then, and now I'm at 28%!!!  Apparently a healthy range is between 15-20%.  Because of that, I now have another goal to add to my challenge:  decrease my body fat back down to 22% by the time this challenge is over (there are 11 weeks left).  That means I have to undo 5 years of carelessness in 11 weeks.  I can do this!

Food:
I don't believe food was really an issue during week 4, but my roommate and I decided to throw a party last weekend, which meant that I had to pay attention to my alcohol intake.  During the first few weeks I have been really good about keeping my alcohol consumption to a minimum, since drinking too much is one of the WORST things you can do when trying to lose weight.  It's such a huge factor!  However, I was actually very well behaved at the party.  I let myself indulge with my friends, but I didn't go overboard and kept good track of how many drinks I had.

Cooking:
My new recipe for Week 4 was a Turkey Chili recipe that one of my best friends sent me.  It was such an easy thing to make, it was super healthy, and I had plenty of leftovers to take to work for lunch throughout the week.  

Here it is, burbling away!

I'll post the recipe separately later on, but this was the perfect thing to eat on a chilly (ha ha!) winter evening.  Chili is also super easy to make, since you just throw everything into one pot and let it cook.  

Another of my recent purchases is a Crock Pot, which is another super simple way to cook, so I'm excited to start experimenting with some Crock Pot recipes in the coming weeks.  Stay on the lookout for those!

Weigh-In:
I am pleased to report that my good results have not stopped coming, and after week 4 I lost

1 POUND!!!

That means I've lost 7 pounds so far, and I still have 11 weeks left in my challenge.  Who knows...at this rate maybe I'll lose more than 15 pounds! 

Workout Song of the Week: The Chevin

The song I'm highlighting this week actually kind of snuck up on me as a workout song.  I wouldn't have thought of it off the top of my head, but when it came on my iPod randomly the other day while I was on the treadmill, it gave me such an incredible boost of energy and once it was over all I could think was, "wow, that was an amazing 3 minutes and 48 seconds!"  So my workout song of the week is: The Chevin "Champion"

This song came to me as the free single of the week on iTunes last year, and while it's a pretty great song in general, it turns out it's also a nice upbeat tune for banging out some cardio!  It keeps a steady, upbeat tempo and is the perfect addition to a nice long jogging playlist.  So go check it out and let me know what you think!