Week Five Completed - Weigh In

Finally, I'm seeing some progress! After my mini-meltdown yesterday, I stepped on the scale to see 189 !! That is a four pound loss! Whoohoooo!

And I took my measurements this morning and they are:
Waist: 34.5"
Hips: 41"
Chest: 34"
Thigh: 27"
Upper Arm: 13"

That is a loss of 3.75" from June 2nd and a total loss of 6lbs & 7" since May 16th!

I normally don't weigh in till Mondays, but I just had to share! Thank you to everyone who stopped by and left me encouraging comments yesterday. I really appreciate it!

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View my complete Food Diary HERE.

Believe It Or Not, Even I Get Discouraged

Forgive me for this rant / vent / pity party post, but I am only human and yes, believe it or not, even I get discouraged.

I've been diligently logging every morsel I put in my mouth, measuring portions, exercising every day in one shape or form for over 6 weeks now. And yet, I've only lost two pounds. I just don't get it. I really don't get it.

I'm still wearing the same clothes, still weighing in the same and look no different at all. I don't feel much different, either. I still have the same aches and pains, some more than others due to the added activities. I don't cheat, I don't splurge, I just keep plugging away doing the things that I'm told are the healthy ways to get healthier.

I admit I could eat more fruits and veggies. But, other than that.. I don't know where I am going wrong. I could eat the way I used to eat and stay at this same weight that I'm at now. Without all the counting calories and working my butt off. So, why keep at it? I almost feel like a gambling addict with a bunch of scratch tickets. Maybe THIS week will show some progress. Nope. Maybe THIS week? Nope. Unable to quit because I think that success may be just around the next corner (at the next weigh-in). But, slowly losing hope and berating myself for wasting so much time to get nothing accomplished.


View my complete Food Diary HERE.

Week Four Completed

I refuse to let this scale beat me! I will not allow it to determine my mood for the rest of the day, week or even minute!

Today I am up 2 pounds. Now, I know that I have been eating right, exercising every day and drinking my water. I've been doing everything right. However, I do feel that PMS-y feeling coming on and since I have been exercising every day, I know that my muscles are storing up water for recovery. Therefore, I am NOT going to worry about these lousy two pounds. There is no way that it is actual fat that I've gained. It's just water and it will go away by my next weigh-in.

That being said. My DD14 and I did my measurements the other day and here are the results:

My Starting Measurements as of May 16th were:

Bust: 38
Chest: 35
Waist: 35.5
Hips 44.5
Thigh: 27.5
Calves: 17.5
Upper Arms: 14

And My Measurements Now are:

Bust: 38
Chest: 35
Waist: 35
Hips: 42.25
Thigh: 27
Calves: 17.5
Upper Arms: 13.5

For a total of 3.25" lost.

Not too shabby. Makes me feel better about those pesky 2 lbs. Grrrr...

So, to recap.. my Starting Weight was 195 and I am at 193 now. By my next weigh-in, TOM should be gone or on his way out the door, so I will look forward to then.

Today I am on Day 7 of Level 1 of the 30 Day Shred. I really needed yesterday's resting period. My shoulder feels a little bit better though after doing some more jumping jacks, push ups and arm raises, we shall see..... I'm going to keep on keeping on, though.

Why Take Regular Rest Days?

Today is my Rest Day. I am not going to do any type of high-impact exercising at all. My shoulder is sore and my poor muscles need rest. Now, part of me wants to do my workouts anyway. No pain, no gain, right? However, I've been reading up on the subject and the benefits of taking a day off every week (or even more often than that) are many.

First of all... you deserve it. If you've been working out regularly all week and have done your best to improve your health and fitness you absolutely deserve to take the focus off of your weight and muscles and just BE. We don't want to become so focused on our journey to fitness that we let everything else fall to the back burner. Giving yourself a break once in a while is good for the body and the spirit. Have a lazy day. Have a crazy day. Just spend some time doing anything you feel like doing, even if it's sleeping in, laying around reading a book or hanging out with friends and family. Give yourself a day to just relax and renew.

Secondly, your muscles need it. When you exercise, your muscles actually break down. They need time to repair and replenish the elements lost during your workouts. If you keep exercising and working those muscles non-stop without giving them a break, it can actually do more harm than good. They will just keep breaking down without being able to build back up. Yes, your body does heal while you sleep, however, that is not necessarily enough for your muscles to repair and rebuild muscle and connective tissue. Not allowing enough resting periods for your muscles can lead to increased muscle break down and may lead to over-training and injury.

Third, if you don't give your muscles time to heal your metabolism may slow down. This is definitely not something that a dieter wants to happen. In order for muscles to make a complete recovery, protein stores and energy stores need to be replaced. If your muscles are not given the time to recover, they can become progressively smaller. In the course of a few weeks, in regards to the dieter, this can mean a gradual decline in lean tissue, thus lowering your metabolism. This results in less calories burned overall then the need to decrease your caloric intake which may already be at the lowest end to begin with, or the need to burn more calories through exercise which just keeps you in a vicious cycle and exasperates the problem.

Fourth, You don't want to get burned out. If you have recently begun eating right and implementing daily exercise into your life, you probably have been going all-out. Your motivation is high, you are excited and raring to see results. However, if you are serious about becoming a more fit and healthy person, you need to look at this not as a Diet, but as a Lifestyle Change. You have the rest of your life to worry about. This is not a "Lose 10 Pounds In 3 Days And Keep It Off Forever" diet scam. This is your LIFE. Pace yourself, take it one day at a time and don't lose sight of the big picture. I know many people who are all Gung-Ho during the first couple weeks of their 'diets' just to give up because they have burned themselves out, overwhelmed themselves and didn't see results quickly enough. If you are trying to lose weight, get toned, be healthier in general, remember... you did not gain your weight overnight and it will not come off overnight either. This is a life-long process that will take a while, but the results will be worth it.

If you feel you absolutely HAVE to do something, make it something that is low-key. Try Yoga, stretching or a walk in the park or around the block. Having regular rest days will leave you refreshed and rejuvenated for your next few days of workouts!

30 Day Shred Day 6 Level 1

Today is my sixth day on Level One of 30 Day Shred. It has been a long week, let me tell you! There were some days that my body hurt so bad, that I lived on Ibuprofen and it took a lot of get up and go to get off my butt to do that day's workout. But, I did. And I can feel a difference in my body even if I can't really see any difference yet. My energy level is up, my muscles are sore - but in a good way. Level One is becoming more manageable and I am able to get into the stances more and more. Tomorrow is my day off and I'm 1/2 way looking forward to it and 1/2 way not. I hope that by taking a day off it won't be harder to do when I come back to do it again on Monday!

I've been consistently staying in my calorie range and drinking my water. I've found that my appetite is fluctuating a bit. There are days when I am starving - the ones that I burn the most calories. And then there are days when I struggle to get to my minimum of 1200 calories. However, if I am starving before a workout, I usually am not after the workout. And my tastes have been changing quite a bit as well. I can taste grease and salt much more now and I don't like it at all. I've actually thrown food away that I 'thought' would taste good because I used to eat it regularly since now it tastes too salty or greasy. This is a good thing.

My DD14 and I took my measurements the other night and I am happy to say that I've lost inches over the last two weeks. I will post in more detail on Monday when I do my weigh-in post.

Oh, and guess what? I found a bunch of other Bloggers who are doing the Shred in June, too! Check them all out by clicking on the button below!

A Little About My Injuries

Sometimes I cringe when I hear myself say something about an exercise hurting or saying that there are some things I 'can't' do anymore because of my injuries. Mostly because if you saw me, fully clothed and didn't pay much attention to my limp, you wouldn't really know the extent of the injuries that I've been dealing with for the past 10-plus years.

I really strive to not let them hinder me in any way, but sometimes I have to be VERY careful as to not injure myself any more or re-injure myself by doing things that some people take for granted. I have overcome a lot to be able to get to where I am now and have done things that I probably shouldn't have that have irritated my joints, bones, health in general because, well... I had to.

So, I will attempt to explain a little about the pain I am in every day. Not because I want any type of sympathy. But, because I want others to know that even though you may have 'something' that you feel is holding you back or limiting you, you can overcome, compensate or figure out a way around it in order to become a healthier, happier you.

Arthritis - I was diagnosed with Arthritis when I was 17 years old. It began in my wrists and hands. I have no idea why. I just know that there were periods of time when my hands and wrists would lock up and hurt so bad I went to the dr. and they did x-rays and told me that's what the problem was. I am now almost 36 years old and I have it practically everywhere. It spread rapidly after my 3-wheeler accident to my ankles, feet, knees, hips, back, shoulders, elbows, etc. I know when a storm is coming. I cannot use a can opener. Scissors give me trouble if I need to use them for very long. But, I don't let it incapacitate me. I am sure it can get worse, but I'm hoping that this journey to health and fitness will help.

Open Heart Surgery - I had open heart surgery when I was 24 years old. I had three children by that time, my youngest then was only 18 months old. Apparently, I was born with holes in my heart. (See Atrial Septal Defect) Four of them to be exact. One the size of a quarter and three the size of pencil erasers. I was pretty overweight when I had the surgery and gained afterwards, too. I did go on to have two more children, but it was just too much on me during my last pregnancy and I ended up having my tubes tied once my youngest was born. Honestly, the palpitations have been pretty much under control for the last few years, although even after the surgery for years I had issues with them. I have to maintain a pretty low-key attitude as stress triggers them.

Compressed Discs In My Neck - During the open heart surgery, the anesthesiologist wrenched my neck while putting the tube down my throat and I ended up being almost bed-ridden for almost a year afterwards. I went to a chiropractor for months for compressed discs in my neck before finally getting some relief. I haven't been able to go for quite a while now, so occasionally my neck gets out of whack and causes me severe headaches, numbness in my arms, etc.

Broken Tib & Fib - One year, almost to the day, of my open heart surgery I was in a 3-wheeling accident. I suffered quite a few injuries including a shattered tibia and fibula, back injuries, broken ribs, hips out of place, foot & ankle injuries as well. I had to have a Intramedullary Rod inserted and had severe complications post-surgery. Basically, the impact to my leg was so severe it damaged the tissues of my calf and it wouldn't heal at all. It practically rotted off. My Dr. was a quack and I ended up having to do my own Surgical debridement at home with my own scissors before I could get in to see anyone. Eventually, I got to see a plastic surgeon who did what he could, I guess.. but left me looking like a shark attack victim. I never got to go to Physical Therapy because I didn't have the money or a way to get there, but I did teach myself to walk again on my own. I still have a lot of trouble from these injuries and though I push through the pain, there are some things that give me more trouble than others... such as running and jumping. Therefore, cardio has been tough for me. But, I am still doing it, modifying when I have to so as not to re-injure myself.

Rotator Cuff Injury - About 2 years ago, I suffered a Rotator Cuff Injury to my right shoulder. I did some physical therapy, but was unable to complete it once I lost my insurance. Most of the time, I am good as long as I am very careful. However, it is easy to overexert myself at times and I have a tendency to over-extend while exercising or carrying things I probably shouldn't. I have had to learn to listen more closely to my body and really pay attention to the movements I make with my shoulder.

These are some of the things I deal with every day. However, I am pretty sure that as I continue increasing my strength and fitness level in general, some of the problems will improve. At least, I am hoping so!