Phase Two!

Great Changes!

I've been doing the LiveFit program for five weeks.  Somehow I managed to stay away from the scale for four whole weeks.  It was hard at first since it was a habit I had formed but now I just schedule it on the calendar and don't think about it until it's time. 

Just so we can be clear on the growth here.  At my first weigh in and measurement take...

July 8:
Weigh: 168.2

Sorry the ones on the left are blurry...my five year old took them :o)

bust: 40 in
waist: 37 in
hips: 41 in
butt: 43 in
biceps: 12 in (R), 11 1/2 (L)
thighs: 21 in (R), 22 1/4 (L)
calves: 14 1/2 in (R), 14 1/4 in (L)

Remember there was a week and a half hiatus with lots of resteraunt food....I wonder how much more dramatic my results would have been without that break.

August 10:
Weight: 162lbs
bust: 39 in.
waist: 36 in.
hips: 41 in.
butt: 42 in.
biceps: 11 1/4 in (R), 11 3/4 in (L)
thighs: 23 in (R), 23 1/4 in (L)
calves: 14 in (R), 13 1/2 in (L)

The changes =

Weight...down 6.2 pounds
Bust....down one inch
Waist...down one inch
Hips...no change
Butt...down one inch

My biceps and calves both went down a little, my thighs went up.  This may be a measurement error since I am measuring myself but I am okay with these parts changing to be more shapely! 

Plus/Delta

The easy part of LiveFit are the workouts.  I print them out each day, I head to the gym around the same time each day (kids in tow), and push hard while I am there.  I love the time alone.  I put on my music and tune the world out.  For one hour each day, I am completely focused on doing my personal best physically.  And seeing the types of changes I have been keeps me motivated.

The most challenging is the food.  The food is delicious but I it takes a lot more prep time than I had anticipated.  I haven't stuck to my meal plan each week.  My hubby is doing a juice fast right now though, so I will be able to only focus on me and not worry about whether or not anyone else will eat the meal because I know I will.  I offer my dinners to my daughters and they often will try a bite or two but often wont eat it. 

The Meals

This morning I made this Strawberry Banana Protein bread for breakfasts for the next few days.  It's cooling right now but I'll let everyone know how it is in the next post. 

I made this 3 Bean Turkey Chili last night. It makes 10 servings so it will be my dinner all week long.  My 15 year old neice liked it enough to have two helpings last night.

For lunches I will have a big salad with baked chicken on top and a half a sweet potatoe. 

My mid-am meal is always a Chobani greek yogurt.  I prefer the apple/cinnamon or peach flavors.  My mid-pm meal is always a protein shake.  My recipe is 1 cup Almond Milk (unsweetened vanilla is my favorite), four frozen strawberries, 1/2 a frozen banana, and 8-10 frozen peach slices, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder. 

Gaining Confidence

Took a little hiatus while I got back into the grove of the LiveFit program.  I am currently on Day 25.  For the past two weeks, I have done the same workout four times and been able to increase the weight each time.  Today, I moved from exercises to exercises knowing I could handle the weight and that I would be a little sore the next day and that would be a good thing.

I know I am guilty of wussing out.  For example, I have to do chest presses with the a bar.  I could do them on a machine but I feel I get a better workout with a bar.  For a long time, I was convinced I could only do the bar with no weight.  I do 3 sets of 12 and be proud of my work.  I have never gotten the kinds of results I wanted doing this.  The past couple of weeks have been about breaking my own boundaries.  I threw 5lbs on there.  It felt good but I didn't feel a burn.  I threw 10lbs on.  Slight burn.  15lbs...burn by the third set.  By the fourth workout I was doing 3 sets of 10 with 25lbs on the bar!

I have gained so much confidence in the past four weeks of this workout.  I feel strong and while I don't know if I've lost very much weight (due mostly to my week and half hiatus) but I know my clothes are fitting very differently.  I will be taking my measurements this weekend to see if they have changed much since the beginning.

On another note...I'm now obsessed with workout fashion since I'm spending 5-6 days working out.
I am a major fan of the cropped workout pant.  I recently tried on about 10 different pairs of shorts and can't deal with having that much leg exposed while working out...yet.  One article I read said that layering long leggings with shorts is an in trend for fitness wear.

My biggest struggle is the sports bra.  It is near impossible to find one I like that is also somewhat affordable.  When you have a decent sized rack finding a bra that keeps you locked and loaded can be difficult.  Feel free to comment on your finds ladies because I am stumped! 

Love these capri length blue pants and the mosaic bra

Love these from here



Took a stay-cation

My mom was in town this past week.  I haven't seen her in two years since I haven't been able to get up to Ohio and she has been able to get down to Florida.  I took the week off of the LiveFit program while she was here.  I didn't make it into the gym and I was off my eating schedule.  We ate out a lot as well.

While I feel like I tried to make better choices while at a resturaunt there was definietly an increase in fat, calories, and especially sodium.  Twice I completely threw up my hands because we went to two of my favorite places.  Mr. Souvlaki's...a Greek place in Tarpon Springs that has the best Greek I've ever had.  And Bahama Breeze...another of my all time favorites to celebrate the fact that I had passed my oral defense for my masters degree.

Needless to say though that I am ready to get back on track.  I am not going to start from the beginning but will pick up where I left off.  I am going to start week 4 over.

Today, Thursday, is Day 22 on the program and my favorite workout...legs.  I'm supposed to do single-leg barbell deadlifts with kettle weights.  That are seriously difficult.  Especially on my left leg which is a log weaker than my right leg.

Tomorrw is Day 23...back and biceps. 

Feel pretty unmotivated but going to force myself to get it going again.