Six Week Results

I don’t know if it’s the soda getting to me (I know, I know – I had been really good about it, then had some as a treat and it’s a slippery sodaful slope, I tell ya!) or a number of other exciting things, but I’m totally wired and work is not keeping my focus. Nosirree!

Today was my last day of the TEAM Weight Loss class and I’m super stoked about that. I’m forever grateful that I did it because it had a built-in accountability that got my ass moving and to the point I am today, but going forward I need something that feels less like a chore to maintain a regular exercise routine. Also, something way less expensive.

I don’t know if you know this about me, but I really dig numbers and quantifiable things. I like calculating and tabulating and rearranging and manipulating them to suit my needs/expectations/goals etc. My second week of TEAM was actually the sixth week of this run of the program. It goes for 12 weeks at a time and the first, sixth and twelfth weeks are reserved for various tests to see where you’re at and how far you’ve come, etc. For easy comparison, here are the results of my first tests and the results of the tests from this week.

Weight: 221 – 215
Body fat percentage: 40.8% – 38.2%
Arm: 14.75″ – 14″
Chest: 43.5″ – 42.5″
Waist: 46″ – 42.5″
Hips: 47.5″ – 46.5″
Thigh: 25.75″ – 25″
That’s 7 total inches lost!

Timed Endurance Test (30 min)
Speed: 2.7mph – 3.1mph
Incline: 6.0
AT: 150bpm
Distance: 1.37 miles – 1.59 miles

Pushups: 8 (toes) then 13 (knees) – 12 (toes) then 14 (knees)
Situps/30 sec: 16 – 17
Plank: 54 secs – 68 secs
Wallsit: 47 secs – 60 secs
Sit and Reach: 15.75″ – I totally forgot to do this today.

I did better in everything, so I’m totally stoked about that. I was hoping I’d be able to hold out on the plank and the wallsit for much longer, but not yet. Soon though! In another 6 weeks I’d like to do these tests for myself again, just to see how far I’ve come (again). With the body fat percentages I calculated (as I do so like to do) that while I’ve only lost 6 pounds in total weight (according to the gym scales), I’ve actually lost 9 pounds of fat and gained 3 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks. Woot!

I freely admit to being disappointed about the weight this morning but I weighed in at 211.6 when I got home (and got naked), so I felt better. My official initial weight for the 90 Day Challenge was 230.2. So I’m pretty happy with where I am. I went through a bunch of pants I was saving in the back of our closet and found a few that fit again! From 4 or 5 years ago! It’s a great feeling and I like knowing that I probably won’t have to go clothes shopping all summer. (Though I might, if I want to reward myself somehow – but there’s always yarn for that. Yarn cakes for a reward are way better than real cakes.)

There are 5 weeks left of the 90 Day Challenge and I really want to kick its ass (or mine), so I’m hoping for a weight of 190ish when I weigh in on May 5th. (This is below my initial “YES I WILL WIN” goal of being down to 160 by the final weigh in, but I’m okay with that.) That means an average weight loss for the remaining weeks of 5 pounds per week, but I think I can do it. Especially if I really eat cleanly, get in more protein, kick the soda to the curb (again), Move Frequently at a Slow Pace, Lift Heavy Things and Sprint Once in Awhile. One of my goals this weekend is to totally deck out one of the walls in our bedroom with a vision board and goal list and reminders and all of that. I’ll probably work on it Sunday when Kyle’s at work – I’ll take some pictures and post them here after I get it done. I’ll probably be posting more regularly about my Operation: Get Healthy so I feel like I’m accountable to someone else besides just me since that’s the one thing I’m going to miss from TEAM.

I’m really excited to see how exchanging the Chronic Cardio for Moving Frequently at a Slow Pace works out for me as well. I mean, it’ll say a lot I think if I can lose as much (or more!) weight in the next 5 weeks with a Primal Blueprint Fitness routine as I did in the first 8 weeks with a Conventional Wisdom workout routine. And Ender will be happier too, because my plan is to walk him every single morning for 30-45 minutes. (His walks now are just 10-20 minutes and usually just around the park or to the mailbox. He will get to explore so much more!) I’m also happy that I won’t have to drive 15 minutes to and from the gym every Monday, Wednesday and Friday as well.

Part of my vision board will be outlining an exercise plan, so I’ll share that too. Mostly for me. 🙂