Guest Post, courtesy of Salina
I have stayed committed since Dec 2011, but logged into MFP everyday starting at the end of Jan 2012. It’s been a year and here’s what I’ve done:
Apps: MFP, FitnessBuddy (electronic log of weight lifting), hundredpushups, C25K, Zombies Run!
Programs: Eat More to Weigh Less (EM2WL), New Rules of Lifting for Abs (and for Women), Butt Bible, 30 Day Shred, P90X, Book – How to Eat What You Love and Love What You Eat (helped with emotional eating)
My personal rules:
- Make a choice and enjoy that choice guilt free.
- Choose things I can do for the rest of my life. That means unreasonable workouts, restricting food/starving myself, or cutting out entire food groups are all a no-go for me.
- Focus on being healthy, looking good is a positive side effect.
- Sleep and rest are as important as working hard and giving it my all.
Inspiration quotes:
- A year from now you will have wish you started today
- Strive for progress not perfection
- The only person you are in competition with is the you from yesterday
Inspirational people:
- MFP friends Shannon (she inspired me to stay committed) and Darla (she inspired me to shed the ‘but I’m only a girl’ mentality to push my limits with lifting)
- Heavy Lifting Staci: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
- I seriously don’t have any execuses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448
Advice:
- If you don’t feel like working out that day, go for 10 min. If you want to stop after 10 min, then give yourself permission with no guilt. (I’ve never once stopped after 10 min, although I have cut my workouts short to 40 min.)
- If you spend time feeling guilty about what you didn’t do, then you don’t get to enjoy what you are doing. How good does the cake taste if you are feeling guilty for eating it in the first place? How can you enjoy time for you while working out if you are feeling guilty about not spending time on the chores/hobby/family?
- Don’t starve yourself. You’ll be more successful in the long run if you do it a little slower and eat more food. Check out www.eatmore2weighless.com for information
- Find a workout program you like and change up your routine every 6-10 weeks – you’ll probably stick with it because you have an ‘end’ to look forward to and something new to try. Take a rest week between switching up your routine (or earlier if you feel exhausted/running on empty).
- Work hard at workouts that you enjoy and fuel your body properly, including eating from every food group.
- Don’t deprive yourself, rather find balance. I enjoy eating out with friends and family, I still drink alcohol, and I still make time for friends, family, and sleep.
- Don’t set your goals based on what the scale says–only you see that number. Everyone else sees how your clothes fit or how your muscles look. For me, meeting all of the other goals has been so much more rewarding than seeing a certain number on the lying scale that lies.
Here’s what I did:
| Time period | Exercise | Caloric intake | Weight/Bodyfat | Dress Size |
| May 2011-Aug 2011 | C25K | 2500-3000 calories?? Didn’t track | Start 193 lbs, end 183 lbs | Size 12/14 |
| Sept 2011 – Dec 2011 | Exercise restriction due to hernia (surgery #1 Oct 2011) | 3000+. Emotional eating, didn’t track | 197 lbs, 33% BF | Size 14 |
| Dec 2011 – Feb 2012 | Exercise restriction due to hernia (surgery #2 Jan 2012) | 1700-2200 cal/day, track with MFP | 182 lbs | Size 12 |
| Feb 2012 – mid Mar 2012 | Light cardio 2-3x week | 1700-2200 cal/day | 177 lbs | Size 12 |
| Mid Mar 2012-early Apr 2012 | 30DS 2x/week, pilates 1x/week, medium intensity 20 min cardio 2x/week | 1700-2200 cal/day | 177 lbs | Size 12 |
| Apr 2012 | Butt Bible lower 2x/week, NROLFW Level 1 3x/week +HIIT cardio, pilates 1x/week | 2200 cal/day | 176 lbs | Size 10 |
| 1st half May 2012 | Exhaustion/sick, full rest on workouts for 2 weeks | EM2WL: 2400 cal/day with no exercise | 175 lbs, 27% BF | Size 10 |
| 2nd half May 2012 | NROLFW + HIIT cardio 3x/week | 2500 cal/day | 175 lbs | Size 10 |
| June 2012 – mid Aug 2012 | NROLFW 2-3x/week, running 3 miles 2x/week, volleyball 1x/week | 2700-2800 cal/day | 172 lbs, 26% BF | Size 8 (reached at 173 lbs at end of July) |
| 2nd half Aug 2012 | Rest | 2600-2700 cal/day | 172 lbs | Size 8 |
| Sept 2012 | NROLFA 2-3x/week | 2600-2700 cal/day | 171 lbs – 175 lbs | Size 6/8 |
| Oct 2012-Dec 2012 | NROLFA 2x/week | 2600 cal/day | 169-174 lbs, 25% BF | Size 4/6 |
I was always one of the lucky people – I was stick thin, could eat what I wanted when I wanted without any impact to my size or weight. I’m 5’11” and for most of my life I was a size 4 or smaller. I also grew up playing volleyball and staying active. Combine getting older, an office job in front of a computer, and having a baby and suddenly I didn’t look like this anymore (size 4, early 20s):
When I embarked on this journey in December 2011, I really had no idea what I wanted my goals to be, beyond ‘Weigh 165 lbs by Halloween’ which was the last time I remember being a size 8 and feeling great about the way I looked. Seeing myself in my sister in law’s wedding in September 2011 made me realize just where I was size wise:
I dealt with the death of my dad and two surgeries (with each having a 6 week exercise restriction period) in the last year. I am so proud of my progress thus far. I am looking forward to doing a Tough Mudder or Warrior Dash this year, as well as continuing to lift. Some before/after pics:
Holiday party 2011 in red, 2012 in black:
Front, back, side
Fitness changes:
| Weight | 197 lbs | 169 lbs (up to 174 lbs…it fluctuates) |
| Bodyfat | 33% | 25% |
| Dress Size | 14 | 4/6 |
| BMI | 27.5 | 23.7 |
| Resting HR | 85 bpm | 58 bpm |
| Distance run before walking | ½ mile | 3.5 miles |
| Push-ups | 3 on knees | 22 on toes, 70 with short breaks every 12-15 |
| Plank | 15 sec on my knees | 3 min on toes, with unsteady arms on bosu ball, unsteady/raised feet on exercise ball, or jack knives with exercise ball or 50 lb cable pulls while planking |
| Side plank | 10 sec on knees | 2+ min on toes with one arm or one leg raised. Also 50 lb cable pulls while planking. |
| Bench press | 16 lbs | 105 lbs |
| Lat pull down | 50 lbs | 140 lbs |
| Pull ups | 100 lbs assist | 36 lbs assist |
| Squat | Body weight | Body weight + 110 lbs |
| Deadlift | 40 lbs | 100 lbs |
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Great post. It’s great to be encouraged that a 100 lb loss in a year isn’t always the best thing, and eating less isn’t always best. I love this encouragement that slow is better than fast.
Great post, thanks for the detail on your journey it helps understand the full scope of progress. It’s amazing to me how people focus so much on LBS gained or lost when its clear in your photos that only a handful of LBS is the difference between bodies. Its so much more than the number on the scale.
wow thanks for sharing! you look strong and much happier! youve come a long way with your fitness journey, I love how organized all your stats are, mine weight is similiar to yours but im a size 12 still, keep it up and inspiring others.
You have done soooo well and look absolutely great!
Thank you for sharing and helping to inspire us newbies.
Thank you for sharing. I am feeling quite down with no change but you have inspired me. Thanks
Thank you! Well done!
Wow. LOVE this. And I love your progress charts. You’ve inspired me to sit down and make some when I get the chance. Thank you so much for sharing!
Fantastic effort & results.
Thank you for posting.
Awesome post!!! Thank you for sharing your story!