Women's Challenge Final Stats

July 29 - Starting measurements
Bust - 44.25
Chest - 36.25
Waist - 41.5
Hips - 48.5
Thighs - 26.5
Calves - 14.75
Upperarm - 16
Forearm - 12
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 218
BF% - 38.5%(??)

Nov 24 (measurement) (Lost this month) (Lost during challenge)
Bust - 42.5 (no change) (-1.75)
Chest - 34.25 (-.75) (-2)
Waist - 36 (-2.5!!!) (-5.5)
Hips - 44.5 (-.5) (-4)
Thighs - 22.25 (-2 each side!!) (-4.25 each side)
Calves - 13.75 (-.25 each side) (-1 each side)
Upperarm - 14.5/14.5 (-.25/-.5) (-1.5 each side)
Forearm - 11.5 (no change) (-.5 each side)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 189.4 (-2.4) (-29)
BF% - 32.3 (-2.2%!!!!)n (-6.2%)
Total inches lost this month - 9!!!!
Total inches lost during challenge - 27.75

Open Challenge Goals
Goal 1: Weight Loss of 43lbs (218 to 175) - I have broken my sticking point of 195 and am currently at 189. I won't achieve 175 by the end of the year but I have still made great progress!!

Goal 2: Losing 2 dress sizes (18 to 14) - Done! I am going to try to get into a 12 now.

Goal 3: Compliance - 50% this month. I don't have time for this stuff. Honestly, I probably did more than I think but it wasn't 'formal'.

Goal 4: Perform 10 pushups. (0 to 10) - Still at 6 but since I hurt my shoulder I don't hink I will get much further than that but I still have another month to try.

Side View Progression

What is up with my hair in some of these pictures!!!

November Progress Report

Oct 5
Bust - 42.5 (-1.5)
Chest - 35 (-1)
Waist - 39.25 (-.75)
Hips - 45 (-3)
Thighs - 24.25 (-.75 each)
Calves - 14 (-.5 each)
Upperarm - 15.5 (no change)
Forearm - L-11.5, R-11.25 (-.5L, -.75R)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 197.4 (-13.2)
BF% - 34.5 (-3%)
Total inches lost this month - 10

Nov 2
Bust - 42.5 (no change)
Chest - 35 (no change)
Waist - 38.5 (-.75)
Hips - 45 (no change)
Thighs - 24.25 (no change)
Calves - 14 (no change)
Upperarm - 14.75/15 (-.75/-.5)
Forearm - 11.5 (no change)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 191.8 (-5.6)
BF% - 34.5 (no change)
Total inches lost this month - 2

Open Challenge Goals
Goal 1: Weight Loss of 43lbs (218 to 175) - Last month I was at 197. This month I am at 192. Only 5 pounds this month but I broke through my 195 sticking point and actually lost during a month of crappy eating!!

Goal 2: Losing 2 dress sizes (18 to 14) - This goal was reach this month. I am officially a size 14. Not that I have many to wear since my clothing budget is totally maxed out!! LOL

Goal 3: Compliance - HIIT twice a week and SS cardio three times a week - 50% this month. My schedule has bee so crazy I am lucky to fit in my regular workout and that takes precedence over HIIT and cardio.

Goal 4: Perform 10 pushups. (0 to 10) - Push-ups - I got up to 6 push ups this month. I had to switch back to incline push-ups though a couple of days ago because my shoulder and back have been bothering me. Hopefully I will be back to regular push-ups soon.

October Progress Report

I don't really see that much difference in the pictures but my measurements show a big change. I have also gone down in clothing size.

Aug 27
Bust - 44 (-.25)
Chest - 36 (-.25)
Waist - 40 (-1.5)
Hips - 48 (-.5)
Thighs - 25 (-1.5 each)
Calves - 14.5 (-.25 each)
Upperarm - 15.5 (-.5 each, 'bout damn time!)
Forearm - 12 (no change)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 210.6
BF% - 37.5%(-1%)
Total inches lost this month - 7

Oct 5
Bust - 42.5 (-1.5)
Chest - 35 (-1)
Waist - 39.25 (-.75)
Hips - 45 (-3)
Thighs - 24.25 (-.75 each)
Calves - 14 (-.5 each)
Upperarm - 15.5 (no change)
Forearm - L-11.5, R-11.25 (-.5L, -.75R)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 197.4 (-13.2)
BF% - 34.5 (-3%)
Total inches lost this month - 10

Open Challenge Goals
Goal 1: Weight Loss of 43lbs (218 to 175) - Last month I was at 210. This month I am at 197. A loss of 13 lbs this month, 21 lbs total. Twenty-two pounds left to reach Open Challenge Goal. (195 has always been a sticking point for me so I am going to have to refocus myself!!!)

Goal 2: Losing 2 dress sizes (18 to 14) - Last month I was still in an 18. This month I am comfortably in a 16 and can wear a few 14s. I may try to reach a 12 by the end of the challenge. I haven't been in a 14 since well before my first son was born and I am not sure I was ever in a 12! (I think I jumped straight from a 10 to a 14 right after highschool.)

Goal 3: Compliance - HIIT twice a week and SS cardio three times a week - Last month my compliance was 75%. This month I had an unscheduled week off when I got my tattoo. If we count that week then I am at 75%, if not I am at 100%. (For those that didn't see it, it was not a little tattoo! LOL)

Goal 4: Perform 10 pushups. (0 to 10) - Push-ups - Last month I could not do any regular push-ups. This month I am able to do 4 in a row and 12 spread out in sets. I have restarted the 100 push-ups program with the new layout and doing regular push-ups. I am progressing slower than I should because I am taking 2 rest days in between each workout because the regualr push-ups are harder on my back. So far, 2 rest days has really helped and I am finding my back is less and less fatigued each time.

Fifteen Pounds!

I have lost fifteen pounds this month. I don't know how. I wish I did so I could keep doing it. Eating has been sporadic, but always in check calorie wise. Exercise has not been as often as usual. I just don't know. Maybe my body needed a long break!!

Regardless I am not complaining!!

Number crunching

I did some number crunching tonight.

Since January I have lost 35 pounds. Not bad for 8 months. That averages about a pound a week so it is on the low side of normal.

But I think what is cool is that at 210 pounds I am wearing the same clothes that I was wearing when I weighed 185 pounds. On top of that my posture is way better, I have muscle and my shoulders are wider.

So for my number crunching...

My body fat has gone down 8%. (I actually think it is more than that but the calculator I am using is all I have to go by.) Based on that, of the 35 pounds I have lost, all but 2 pounds was from fat.

I have reduced my body weight by 15% without starving myself.

I have lost a total of 31.5 inches. Seven of them from my hips, 5 from my waist and 5 from my chest.

And my BMI has dropped 5.5 points. Ironically though, I would have to lose lean body mass in order to be considered a healthy BMI at 20% body fat. And that is to be in the top range of "normal". At my initial goal of 165 with 20% body fat I will still be considered over weight.

So, not bad for 35 pounds, if I do say so myself! LOL

It's that time again!

Aug 27
Bust - 44 (-.25)
Chest - 36 (-.25)
Waist - 40 (-1.5)
Hips - 48 (-.5)
Thighs - 25 (-1.5 each)
Calves - 14.5 (-.25 each)
Upperarm - 15.5 (-.5 each, 'bout damn time!)
Forearm - 12 (no change)
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14
Weight - 210.6

BF% - 37.5%(-1%)

Open Challenge Goals
Goal 1: Weight Loss of 43lbs (218 to 175) - I am at 210. Not as far as i would like to be but considering the month I have had I can't sneeze at 8 pounds!

Goal 2: Losing 2 dress sizes (18 to 14) - I am still an 18 but I can get into some of my 16s so I am on the verge of sizes.

Goal 3: Compliance - Goal 3: Compliance - Performing HIIT twice a week and SS cardio 3 times a week. Compliance sheet will be maintained. Success at the end will be determined by compliance %. - My compliance is 75% because of my week out of town for the funeral. The rest of the month was 100%.

Goal 4: Perform 10 pushups. (0 to 10) - Push-ups - Still at 0 here but I have progressed from push-ups on my knees to push ups on the bench. I was able to do 7 of them. That is up from 3 when I started the challenge.

Measurements

July 29
Bust - 44.25
Chest - 36.25
Waist - 41.5
Hips - 48.5
Thighs - 26.5
Calves - 14.75
Upperarm - 16
Forearm - 112
Wrist - 6.5
Neck - 14

BF%38.5%(??)

Progress Pics

219.8

That is what the scale read today. I am quite excited. After two weeks of fluctuating at the same weight I switched up my workouts and switched to a different fasting plan and I have finally dropped below 220!

I broke up my workout and am doing the strength portion and one of the circuits in the morning and then in the evening I have been doing the other circuit. (Sometimes I set the Gymboss for tabata style and just pick random exercises for 10 or 15 minutes.)

I have also picked up the pace when I walk the dog. (Much to her dismay!) Since I am now thinking of that as part of my workout, I have been doing it more regularly. (I think she has mixed feeling about that!)

I went from the Eat Stop Eat style of fasting to a 16/8 split daily. Doing low carb, the 16/8 split has been easier to maintain!!

So there is what I did to break my plateau. Hopefully I won't have to worry about it for a while now. I would like to see the 100's by August 15th!

Progress Pics

I have to say, I was feeling a bit discouraged lately because the scale is not moving much. I will be the first to call the scale evil and admit that there are tons of things that interfere with the scale. But, at the same time I can not kid myself and think that I am gaining all this muscle. I can not simply trade fat weight for muscle weight because my frame can not support 222lbs regardless of how low my body fat percentage is!! The scale needs to move. So when I looked at these pictures I was shocked. I normally have to really look at my pictures to see progress but this time I saw the progress before I even put them next to the other pictures! I have no measurements to go with these. The pictures were taken spur of the moment this morning. No time to hunt down a tape measure.

Warp Speed Final Stats

Weight - 221.6

Bust - 46
Chest - 38
Waist - 41
Hips - 48.25
Thigh - 26.5

BF% 37

Since beginning Warp Speed Fat Loss I have lost 11.4 lbs of fat and gained 2.4 lbs of muscle.

About 25% of that weight loss was in the last week and I was following the TNT diet instead of WSFL. (They really are very similar.)

I am super thrilled with the results and I will continue with TNT Plan C from here on out. Technically I should be doing Plan A but I am willing to take a slower fat loss and have one day of higher carbs. I will also go back to doing intermittent fasting. I was doing it before WSFL, although I am curious to see how different it is now that I am low carb.

225 right around the corner!

225 has been a goal of mine FOREVER! My scale seems to have some sense of self preservation lately. (Read my feeling on the scale here) This morning I weighed.....




225.8

almost there!

Progress Pics

Here are my before and "during" pictures. These are after doing NROL4W Stage 1 and NROL Fat Loss 1. I start Warp Speed Fat Loss on Monday so I had to get some pictures taken before then.

NROL Fat Loss 1 Workout A6

I should have actually done B5 but I picked up the wrong log. Oh well, maybe that is why my arms feel like hey are about to fall off! LOL

This is yesterday's workout:
Squat - I added some weight and it somehow made things easier!
3X10 @ 10lb

Bent Row
3X10 @ 62lbs

Hip Extension
3X10

DB Push Press
3X10 @ 17lbs

Step ups
2X10

Reverse Crunch
2X20

I am supposed to do the last FL1 workout today but I am a bit sore so I will put it off til tomorrow or Thursday.

Today is measurement day!

Here are the last measurements (April 7th):

Bust - 46.25 (-.75)
Chest - 39 (-.25)
Waist - 42.5 (-.75)
Hips - 51 (-.5)
Thighs - 27.25 (no change)
Calves - L - 15.25 (+.25), R - 15 (no change)
Upperarm - L - 16.5, R - 16.25 (-.25)
Forearm - L&R - 12.25 (-.5)
Wrist - 6.75
Neck - 15

Inches lost this month - 2.75
Total inches lost - 7.25

Weight 233 (lost 2 lbs.)

BF% - 41.5
Total BF% lost - 4.5%

Here are today's measurements:

Bust - 46.25
Chest - 37.5 (-1.5)
Waist - 42.5
Hips - 50.5 (-.5)
Thighs - 27 (-.5)
Calves - 15 (-.25)
Upperarm - 16 (-.75)
Forearm - 12.25 (no change)
Wrist - 6.5 (-.25)
Neck - 15

Inches lost - 3.75
Total inches lost - 11

Weight - 231 (lost 2 pounds)

BF% - 40.5
Total BF% lost - 5.5%

Measurement time again

Last month's measurements were:

Bust - 47
Chest - 39.25
Waist - 43.25
Hips - 51.5
Thighs - L - 27.25 , R - 27.25
Calves - L - 15, R - 15
Upperarm - L - 16.5, R - 16
Forearm - L&R 12.5

BF% - 42.5

This month's are

Bust - 46.25 (-.75)
Chest - 39 (-.25)
Waist - 42.5 (-.75)
Hips - 51 (-.5)
Thighs - 27.25 (no change)
Calves - L - 15.25 (+.25), R - 15 (no change)
Upperarm - L - 16.5, R - 16.25 (-.25)
Forearm - L&R - 12.25 (-.5)
Wrist - 6.75
Neck - 15

Inches lost this month - 2.75
Total inches lost - 7.25

Weight 233 (lost 2 lbs.)

BF% - 41.5
Total BF% lost - 4.5%
And if you don't already know where my pictures are then you don't spend enough time on my blog! LOL

Measurements Take 2

Here are last month's measurements:
Bust - 47
Chest - 39 (wow that means the bra I am wearing is actually the right size!! That is a first in years!)
Waist - 44
Hips - 53.5
Thighs - (L)28, (R)28.25
Calves - (L)15, (R)15.25
Upperarm - (L)16.25, (R)15.75
Forearm - (L,R) 12.5

BF% - 45

Now for this month's:

Bust - 47 (no change)
Chest - 39.25 (+.25)
Waist - 43.25 (-.75)
Hips - 51.5 (-2)
Thighs - L - 27.25 (-.75), R - 27.25 (-1)
Calves - L - 15 (no change), R - 15 (-.75)
Upperarm - L - 16.5 (+.25), R - 16 (+.25)
Forearm - L&R 12.5 (no change)

BF% - 42.5

So that gives me a loss of 4.5 inches sine February 12th.

Body Fat Calculator

Runner's World has a Body Fat Calculator. I really am not sure about it though. It says I have 28% body fat and I really expected it to be higher. Who knows, maybe it is right. Try it out for yourself.

Here is another one.

Here is another one.
This one seems the most accurate. It was very close to what I expected.

The first one was much lower than I expected (28%), the second one was much higher than I expected (53%) and the third on was JUUST right (41%). Sorry I couldn't resist the Goldilocks reference. I was expecting the mid to upper 30s so 41% seems about right.

BFL - Day 3

It is early in the day but I finally got around to taking my measurements. Since I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon I will also be getting on the scale so I will report back with what the DoD has to say.

Here are my measurements:

Bust - 47
Chest - 39 (wow that means the bra I am wearing is actually the right size!! That is a first in years!)
Waist - 44
Hips - 53.5
Thighs - (L)28, (R)28.25
Calves - (L)15, (R)15.25
Upperarm - (L)16.25, (R)15.75
Forearm - (L,R) 12.5

BF% - 45%

The pulmonologist diagnosed me with asthma based on symptoms. I am not surprised. I have to go have a chest x-ray and 2 different breathing tests to verify. Now to find out where to get an x-ray done that is covered by insurance!

I promised to follow up with what the DoD said my weight was so here it is. My weight was 234. I was 245 on Jan 7th so according to the DoD, I have lost about 11 pounds.

My BFL lesson today is that I really need to plan better. But this is week one so I can't expect to be perfect. This whole balance carb/protein thing is tricky. Well, for those of us who eat very little meat that is. I will be consuming animal tonight; my husband will be so thrilled! LOL

Food log:
Breakfast - Protein Shake with Blueberries
Lunch - Left over pasta salad with salmon
Snack - Seitan Jerky and coffee with soy cream
Dinner - Chicken breast cooked in a little sesame oil, bean sprouts and snappeas in lettuce wraps
Snack - goat cheese, cashews, rice crackers, carrots

Measuring Weight Loss while avoiding the Device of Doom

Any one who knows me is fully aware of my feelings on scales. For those who don't know me let me explain....

Scales are evil, lying, deceptive and evil devices whose sole purpose is to undermine anyones attempt at being healthy. (Did I say evil twice?)

So, as you can imagine, I seldom get on one. So instead of stepping on the Device of Doom I will be taking my measurements monthly. The trick to using measurements as a tool for measuring weight loss is to do it the same every time and to understand that if you are doing weight building exercises you might see a temporary increase in your measurements in the beginning.

I found a good guideline for measurements on About.com.

• Bust: Measure around the chest right at the nipple line, but don't pull the tape too tight.
• Chest: Measure just under your bust
• Waist: Measure a half-inch above your belly button or at the smallest part of your waist
• Hips: Place tape measure around the biggest part of your hips
• Thighs: Measure around the biggest part of each thigh
• Calves: Measure around the largest part of each calf
• Upper arm: Measure around the largest part of each arm above the elbow
• Forearm: Measure around the largest part of the arm below the elbow.