That's it. It's that simple. Eat right. Exercise. And you will get there. Boom. The mentality they radiate on a daily basis has been such a motivator for me. Although this past week I was only maintaining, it really helped me keep focused on what I was eventually going to be a part of. Anxious to get started, I didn't wait until my weigh in this morning to get started with eating better. I enjoyed the weekend and first thing Monday morning I was back on track, and, so far, have been ever since. When I felt like I wanted to cheat or go off track I simply pulled out my phone or walked to my computer and scrolled through the hundreds of motivational images. The more users I follow the more images I see, and the more images I see the more motivation I receive I don't know why I didn't think to do this sooner! The concepts of clean eating, running, and weight training are chanted page after page, and I love it! I really think it's going to be a HUGE tool in my success.
Moving on. So, this morning I weighed in but I also decided to re-take my measurements and compare them to the measurements I took my first day of P90X.
| OLD Weight: | 151 pounds | NEW Weight: | 161.8 pounds |
| OLD Chest: | 37.5" | NEW Chest: | 39" |
| OLD Waist: | 30" | NEW Waist: | 35.75" |
| OLD Hips: | 38.5" | NEW Hips: | 40" |
| OLD Right Arm*: | 12.5" | NEW Right Arm*: | 12.25" |
| OLD Left Arm*: | 12" | NEW Left Arm*: | 11.5" |
| OLD Right Thigh: | 21.5" | NEW Right Thigh: | 22.25" |
| OLD Left Thigh: | 21" | NEW Left Thigh: | 22" |
| OLD Body Fat: | 27% | NEW Body Fat: | 33% |
* The comparison of my arm measurements isn't a real comparison as I was flexing during the old measurements, per the P90X instructions. I decided not to flex this time around, however, as I don't walk down the street constantly flexing my arms. I wanted a true reading of what my arms were like simply lifted (in other words, how low does my arm flab hang), so I won't be flexing during any new measurements taken for my arms.
Ouch. Once upon a time I had a theory that I've only gotten heavier and not bigger because when I told people I've gained back 10+ pounds they were all, "REALLY!?" That theory is no more, hahaa. The major change was in my waist - aka. my gut, which I knew. I could feel it in the way my pants fit. I guess that's the difference 10 pounds make, huh? Although that increase is horrid, I feel okay about it. I knew when I first pulled out that measuring tape I was going to see an increase in every single number I had previously recorded. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. There's nothing I can do about it. No reason to get upset or freak out; it is what it is. All I can do at this point is learn from my mistakes and move on, and I think I have.
I feel really, REALLY good about things right now. The idea of not holding myself to an eating regimen or meal plans or points counting and just eating good foods is really refreshing to me. Ever since I can remember I've been restricted on what I can and can't eat, and for whatever reason it makes me feel rebellious and I want to cheat. But now, I technically can't cheat, because I technically can eat whatever I want - sans points even. It's time for me to just EAT and not worry about it. I know how to eat, I need to put it into practice. Being that I haven't been grocery shopping in forever I've had to improvise the last few days and will need to continue to do so until the weekend, but here is my week so far:
Monday: Fruit salad (strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, and a few grapes) for breakfast, salad bar salad (romaine, turkey, egg, radishes, carrots, and dried cherries with light ranch on the side) for lunch, turkey roll-up with light cheese and Miracle Whip with a side of mashed cauliflower for dinner. Tuesday: Same as Monday, except breakfast, which was simply an orange (I meant to have some oatmeal too but lost track of time). Today: Small egg white omelet with a little light cheese and Canadian bacon with a light English muffin topped with low-fat peanut butter for breakfast, salad bar salad for lunch, and dinner will most likely be the same turkey roll-up and a Greek yogurt (since I'm out of cauliflower).
Pretty good, pretty basic, but that's okay. I'm really excited to get home tonight because I'm going to start doing the 10 Minute Trainer program! As much as I would LOVE to do P90X, I simply don't have the dedication for it right now. I'm hoping that 10 Minute Trainer will be the jump-start I need, and once I finish it I'll want more! The program is only four weeks, but I want to repeat it twice before I consider doing P90X again. So, I will do eight weeks, and then on May 22 I'll decide if I want to keep at it or try to conquer P90X. Only time will tell!
I just ordered a new bathing suit. I'm not sure if it will fit but I didn't let my vanity stand in my way this time. Usually I buy bathing suits in a size too small for me in hopes that by summer I'll fit into it. Then, instead of just being comfortable and confident that I've dressed for my body, I feel fat and blubbery all summer long. This was not the case this year. I ordered two different tops (both black tankini tops with underwires, one ruched and one not) both in size 10 and the ruched I ordered in a size 8 as well - I'm hoping this one works best. For the bottoms, I just ordered one. They were black boy shorts, in a size 10. They didn't have an 8 in the kind I liked, so I'm hoping the 10s fit. Bathing suits tend to run a bit small, especially boy shorts, so I'm hoping they fit as an 8ish. Even if they are a little big I'll still keep them. I want to feel comfortable at the beach this year, and since my body won't do it for me I'll have to dress for it!
I feel really, really good about everything right now. Yes it will take time, but if I just keep doing the right things hopefully the weight will just come off naturally. I don't want to think of this as a diet or anything like that. I want to think of it as I'm just changing some of my habits. If I can keep that thought process then hopefully I won't get burnt out or fed up or whatever the case may be. I'm hoping things will just fall into (and out of) place on their own as long as I stick with it ... and I really believe I will this time!
I feel really, REALLY good about things right now. The idea of not holding myself to an eating regimen or meal plans or points counting and just eating good foods is really refreshing to me. Ever since I can remember I've been restricted on what I can and can't eat, and for whatever reason it makes me feel rebellious and I want to cheat. But now, I technically can't cheat, because I technically can eat whatever I want - sans points even. It's time for me to just EAT and not worry about it. I know how to eat, I need to put it into practice. Being that I haven't been grocery shopping in forever I've had to improvise the last few days and will need to continue to do so until the weekend, but here is my week so far:
Monday: Fruit salad (strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, and a few grapes) for breakfast, salad bar salad (romaine, turkey, egg, radishes, carrots, and dried cherries with light ranch on the side) for lunch, turkey roll-up with light cheese and Miracle Whip with a side of mashed cauliflower for dinner. Tuesday: Same as Monday, except breakfast, which was simply an orange (I meant to have some oatmeal too but lost track of time). Today: Small egg white omelet with a little light cheese and Canadian bacon with a light English muffin topped with low-fat peanut butter for breakfast, salad bar salad for lunch, and dinner will most likely be the same turkey roll-up and a Greek yogurt (since I'm out of cauliflower).
Pretty good, pretty basic, but that's okay. I'm really excited to get home tonight because I'm going to start doing the 10 Minute Trainer program! As much as I would LOVE to do P90X, I simply don't have the dedication for it right now. I'm hoping that 10 Minute Trainer will be the jump-start I need, and once I finish it I'll want more! The program is only four weeks, but I want to repeat it twice before I consider doing P90X again. So, I will do eight weeks, and then on May 22 I'll decide if I want to keep at it or try to conquer P90X. Only time will tell!
I just ordered a new bathing suit. I'm not sure if it will fit but I didn't let my vanity stand in my way this time. Usually I buy bathing suits in a size too small for me in hopes that by summer I'll fit into it. Then, instead of just being comfortable and confident that I've dressed for my body, I feel fat and blubbery all summer long. This was not the case this year. I ordered two different tops (both black tankini tops with underwires, one ruched and one not) both in size 10 and the ruched I ordered in a size 8 as well - I'm hoping this one works best. For the bottoms, I just ordered one. They were black boy shorts, in a size 10. They didn't have an 8 in the kind I liked, so I'm hoping the 10s fit. Bathing suits tend to run a bit small, especially boy shorts, so I'm hoping they fit as an 8ish. Even if they are a little big I'll still keep them. I want to feel comfortable at the beach this year, and since my body won't do it for me I'll have to dress for it!
I feel really, really good about everything right now. Yes it will take time, but if I just keep doing the right things hopefully the weight will just come off naturally. I don't want to think of this as a diet or anything like that. I want to think of it as I'm just changing some of my habits. If I can keep that thought process then hopefully I won't get burnt out or fed up or whatever the case may be. I'm hoping things will just fall into (and out of) place on their own as long as I stick with it ... and I really believe I will this time!
Meet Samantha, a twenty-something aspiring musical theatre performer based in the greater Chicagoland area. My three greatest passions are the power of music, the comfort of family and friends, and the enjoyment of food. My weight has held me back for years, keeping me from being truely happy and succeeding in the things I care about most. Now I'm in a new city, living a new life, and enough is enough! Time to finally finish what I've started.
