Last week we had the Body Back celebration Brunch where our results were revealed.
We all put on an outfit that didnt fit us 8 weeks ago and potlucked brunchy items over to one of the girls houses. We were greeted with Champagne and had an incredible spread of food to choose from, some healthy, some not- but this was a splurge day since it was our final celebration.
I filled my plate with some of the most delicious items, quiches, breakfast tostadas, fruit, cake balls (yes, I said CAKE BALLS, YUM!), breakfast casseroles and more... and had at it, all of it!
Then Angela stood up and one by one revealed our results. Now most of the girls already knew I had lost 13 lbs, but what was incredible were my strength results. Here they are:
Starting Weight 153.2 lbs Ending Weight 140.1lbs
Total loss 13.1 lbs
Measurements Beginning to End
Chest 34.5 to 32.5
Waist 29.8 to 26.3
Hips 40 to 36
Thigh 22.8 to 20.8
Total loss of 11.5 inches!
Run 5:46 to 4:41
Biceps 31 to 50
Plank .36 to 1.32
push ups 4 to 9 (still need to work on this one)
Sit ups 22 to 30
Squats 38 to 56
Side Bridge .37 to 1.09
TOTAL IMPROVEMENT 323% WOW!
So, YES, that results sheet is hanging on my Fridge, right where we will proudly display all of Blakes artwork when he gets old enough to make it. The fridge was actually a great place to put it, seeing that when I am hungry- its reminds me to go for the veggies instead of the ice cream! After all, EVERYTHING paid off.
Angela ran a contest during Body Back for the biggest loser. The girl who had the most improvement/ weight loss/ inches lost won the contest, and recieves another round of Body Back for FREE.
AND I WON IT! I was the Biggest Loser!
So here we go again- starting tomorrow I will be doing another 8 weeks of the Body Back Program.
What's my goal this time? Well, that easy. I want to get even stronger. I want to become a better runner and kill my arch nemisis- those push ups.
As far as weight goes, What's my goal. Well, thats easy too! Lets see if I can get to my "Driver's License Liar Weight" because lets be honest ladies, NO ONE puts their actual weight on there. I usually go for a -5lbs or so, maybe -10 if Im feeling skinny on the day I fill it out... Right now it says I am 135lbs. Hmmmm... think I can do it??
Cheers to ROUND 2!!!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Drumroll PLEASE!!!
Today was our Final Assessment Day for Body Back. I got up in the morning nervous but ready for my final weigh-in, and ready to show some major improvement from my stats on the first assessment.
As I drove up I could see Angela pulling out the scale. Oh, my dear old enemy and recently, friend... the scale. It has all come down to this. You and Me. Me and You. I was crossing my fingers hoping that magical number would be on the scale, but literally had to hope and pray since last weekend was my birthday weekend and I didn't exactly follow the meal plan. As I stepped onto the scale and it calculated, I closed my eyes one last time for a final prayer. When I squinted each eye to open them I slowly saw that blurry number more and more clear. 140.1 Wait, am I reading this right... 140.1 Really 140.1? 140.1! 140.1!!!!! I let out a huge "YESSSSSSS!" and high fived my group members. Nothing you could say could wipe that smile off my face. I made it to my wedding weight! After 8 weeks, I lost 13lbs! I made it to my goal weight!
Next Angela measured our chest, waist, hips, and thighs. Drumroll please.... I LOST 9 INCHES!
After the high of those measurements and weighing in, I was SO ready to rock this out! Again, we were measured, weighed, and counted, but this time it didn't matter what place I came in. I could be dead last in my group, but all that mattered is that I got better, and MAN! I sure got better!
The run was the first up in the assessment. As I was running, I could feel myself wanting to slow down and walk a bit for a break, then pick up the pace and carry on. I didn't want to slow down, I had to keep running. It helped that I could hear one of my fellow bodybackers and Angela at the end cheering me on, but I had to keep telling myself, "keep pushing through it, you can do it, keep running, come one!" And guess what... I DID IT! I ran the whole time and even sprinted at the end. I lowered my run time by one minute, which doesn't sound like much, but when you think of it as a whole 60 seconds you can tell it was a huge improvement from before.
The next part of the assessment were bicep curls, squats, sit ups, push ups, and planks. All categories I made major improvements in as well, WOO-HOO!
When we finished the assessments, we laid back to watch our final Body Back sunrise, and did a little meditation. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as Angela told us how amazed she was at our journey. She told us to visualize who we were in the beginning, and who we are now... and to look at the transformation. When I did this, I felt so proud and I felt so strong.
The thing that amazes me is that I thought I would be most proud of my weight loss, and I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fact that I am back down to my wedding weight... that is just AWESOME! But I am so much more proud of the fact that I have gotten so much stronger. I feel empowered to train to do things I never ever even thought I wanted to, like run a marathon- and the Jules I was 8 weeks ago would've laughed in your face if you asked her to run a marathon! Body Back has made me not only physically stronger, but its made me realize that I can truly do anything I set my mind to.
So the BIG question all you Stroller Striding mamas are wondering... Was it worth it?
The answer is YES.
The money it costs- YES! I'd even pay more because I got the results I wanted. And I'm not the only one who got results, our group on average lost 10 lbs. and 8 inches per person. Its a program THAT WORKS, in a world where there are so many weight-loss get-fit programs out their that don't. With Angela as your coach, failure is not an option. With the camaraderie built between the women in your group, failure is not an option. If someone told you you could pay money to lose weight and inches, what mama wouldn't save their pennies to do it??
The Early Mornings/Lack of Sleep- YES! and I am NOT a morning person. Once I got past the hard part waking up to my alarm- I was fine. After a cup of coffee I was ready to go. And towards the end, I loved having that early morning time to myself. It was my ME-TIME where I could drink my coffee, check my email, and head to my workout- all by myself, before the sun rose, and all while my husband, baby and the rest of the sane world were sleeping. The best part was that I didn't have to find time in my schedule to fit the workout in. I made time, when I would've been sleeping in bed, and had the rest of the day to do everything else on my Mommy Do List.
The Soreness- YES! I was actually worried that if I was sore, I'd have trouble carrying Blake or picking him up. This was not the case. Was I sore? HELL YES. but the soreness never got in my way of being able to carry Blake, and it served as a constant reminder that I was a little bit closer to my goal!
Can Breastfeeding Mamas do it- YES! I have been nursing Blake exclusively for the past 5 months. The meal plan allows for healthy snacks and lots of water. The workouts, weight loss, and diet change didn't affect my milk supply at all. (I would nurse Blake before I left if he hadn't gotten up within the hour so that I could get through the workout without worrying that he would be hungry.)
I know it sounds a little corny, but being in Body Back has changed my life in such a wonderful way. Its been the greatest thing I've done for myself after having a baby, and I would do it ALL over again. So YES! It was worth it, ten times over!!!
Current Weight: 140.1 lbs
As I drove up I could see Angela pulling out the scale. Oh, my dear old enemy and recently, friend... the scale. It has all come down to this. You and Me. Me and You. I was crossing my fingers hoping that magical number would be on the scale, but literally had to hope and pray since last weekend was my birthday weekend and I didn't exactly follow the meal plan. As I stepped onto the scale and it calculated, I closed my eyes one last time for a final prayer. When I squinted each eye to open them I slowly saw that blurry number more and more clear. 140.1 Wait, am I reading this right... 140.1 Really 140.1? 140.1! 140.1!!!!! I let out a huge "YESSSSSSS!" and high fived my group members. Nothing you could say could wipe that smile off my face. I made it to my wedding weight! After 8 weeks, I lost 13lbs! I made it to my goal weight!
Next Angela measured our chest, waist, hips, and thighs. Drumroll please.... I LOST 9 INCHES!
After the high of those measurements and weighing in, I was SO ready to rock this out! Again, we were measured, weighed, and counted, but this time it didn't matter what place I came in. I could be dead last in my group, but all that mattered is that I got better, and MAN! I sure got better!
The run was the first up in the assessment. As I was running, I could feel myself wanting to slow down and walk a bit for a break, then pick up the pace and carry on. I didn't want to slow down, I had to keep running. It helped that I could hear one of my fellow bodybackers and Angela at the end cheering me on, but I had to keep telling myself, "keep pushing through it, you can do it, keep running, come one!" And guess what... I DID IT! I ran the whole time and even sprinted at the end. I lowered my run time by one minute, which doesn't sound like much, but when you think of it as a whole 60 seconds you can tell it was a huge improvement from before.
The next part of the assessment were bicep curls, squats, sit ups, push ups, and planks. All categories I made major improvements in as well, WOO-HOO!
When we finished the assessments, we laid back to watch our final Body Back sunrise, and did a little meditation. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as Angela told us how amazed she was at our journey. She told us to visualize who we were in the beginning, and who we are now... and to look at the transformation. When I did this, I felt so proud and I felt so strong.
The thing that amazes me is that I thought I would be most proud of my weight loss, and I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fact that I am back down to my wedding weight... that is just AWESOME! But I am so much more proud of the fact that I have gotten so much stronger. I feel empowered to train to do things I never ever even thought I wanted to, like run a marathon- and the Jules I was 8 weeks ago would've laughed in your face if you asked her to run a marathon! Body Back has made me not only physically stronger, but its made me realize that I can truly do anything I set my mind to.
So the BIG question all you Stroller Striding mamas are wondering... Was it worth it?
The answer is YES.
The money it costs- YES! I'd even pay more because I got the results I wanted. And I'm not the only one who got results, our group on average lost 10 lbs. and 8 inches per person. Its a program THAT WORKS, in a world where there are so many weight-loss get-fit programs out their that don't. With Angela as your coach, failure is not an option. With the camaraderie built between the women in your group, failure is not an option. If someone told you you could pay money to lose weight and inches, what mama wouldn't save their pennies to do it??
The Early Mornings/Lack of Sleep- YES! and I am NOT a morning person. Once I got past the hard part waking up to my alarm- I was fine. After a cup of coffee I was ready to go. And towards the end, I loved having that early morning time to myself. It was my ME-TIME where I could drink my coffee, check my email, and head to my workout- all by myself, before the sun rose, and all while my husband, baby and the rest of the sane world were sleeping. The best part was that I didn't have to find time in my schedule to fit the workout in. I made time, when I would've been sleeping in bed, and had the rest of the day to do everything else on my Mommy Do List.
The Soreness- YES! I was actually worried that if I was sore, I'd have trouble carrying Blake or picking him up. This was not the case. Was I sore? HELL YES. but the soreness never got in my way of being able to carry Blake, and it served as a constant reminder that I was a little bit closer to my goal!
Can Breastfeeding Mamas do it- YES! I have been nursing Blake exclusively for the past 5 months. The meal plan allows for healthy snacks and lots of water. The workouts, weight loss, and diet change didn't affect my milk supply at all. (I would nurse Blake before I left if he hadn't gotten up within the hour so that I could get through the workout without worrying that he would be hungry.)
I know it sounds a little corny, but being in Body Back has changed my life in such a wonderful way. Its been the greatest thing I've done for myself after having a baby, and I would do it ALL over again. So YES! It was worth it, ten times over!!!
Current Weight: 140.1 lbs
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The Long Stretch Home...
Yesterday was our FINAL "official" Body Back workout.
And how am I feeling, you ask. Well, a bit sad.
Our workout was intense and we did all the crazy exercises that I've complained about in my previous posts. Yes, we did the KILLER "T", the resistance run, the push ups, mountain climbers, squat jumps... we did it all. And as my thighs were shaking about to give out, I had a totally different mindset than when I had begun Body Back. I knew I could push through each exercise, I knew I would survive, and I knew that if I pushed myself hard enough, I would come out stronger. And at the end of the workout, I realized, I am a hell of a lot stronger!
I thought I would feel relieved that the program is coming to a close. No more early mornings, no more soreness on Tuesdays and Thursdays (and sometimes through the weekend.) No more weigh ins and no more meal plan.
But, to tell you the truth, I am a bit melancholy about finishing. I keep saying I don't know what I'm going to do on Mondays and Wednesdays between 5 and 6:30 (but we all know I'll just be sleeping!) and I'm really going to miss it. It was such a great way to start the day, I loved working out in the early crisp morning air, and I loved the girls in my group. I loved getting to take the time out for myself, and I loved not feeling guilty about it (as all of us mommy's do when we do something for ourselves) because everyone was still in bed sleeping. I loved the support and accountability that Body Back gave me, I loved knowing that if I didn't follow through on my commitments I'd not just be letting myself down, but the group down too. I just don't know if this is something I can do on my own... needless to say, I AM considering signing up for the program again!
Tomorrow we do our final assessments and we will find out just how much I've lost, and how much stronger I've become. Can't believe how quickly these past 8 weeks have gone!
And how am I feeling, you ask. Well, a bit sad.
Our workout was intense and we did all the crazy exercises that I've complained about in my previous posts. Yes, we did the KILLER "T", the resistance run, the push ups, mountain climbers, squat jumps... we did it all. And as my thighs were shaking about to give out, I had a totally different mindset than when I had begun Body Back. I knew I could push through each exercise, I knew I would survive, and I knew that if I pushed myself hard enough, I would come out stronger. And at the end of the workout, I realized, I am a hell of a lot stronger!
I thought I would feel relieved that the program is coming to a close. No more early mornings, no more soreness on Tuesdays and Thursdays (and sometimes through the weekend.) No more weigh ins and no more meal plan.
But, to tell you the truth, I am a bit melancholy about finishing. I keep saying I don't know what I'm going to do on Mondays and Wednesdays between 5 and 6:30 (but we all know I'll just be sleeping!) and I'm really going to miss it. It was such a great way to start the day, I loved working out in the early crisp morning air, and I loved the girls in my group. I loved getting to take the time out for myself, and I loved not feeling guilty about it (as all of us mommy's do when we do something for ourselves) because everyone was still in bed sleeping. I loved the support and accountability that Body Back gave me, I loved knowing that if I didn't follow through on my commitments I'd not just be letting myself down, but the group down too. I just don't know if this is something I can do on my own... needless to say, I AM considering signing up for the program again!
Tomorrow we do our final assessments and we will find out just how much I've lost, and how much stronger I've become. Can't believe how quickly these past 8 weeks have gone!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Week 7
Today marks the beginning of week 7. Six weeks down, and only 2 left to reach my goal weight of 140 lbs. So after the weigh in today, I am proud to say the scale was my friend this morning. 141.4lbs! Only 1.4 to drop and I will be there, Wow.
I remember filling out my goal on the Body Back registration sheet and thinking "Yeah, right. I weighed 140lbs at my Wedding! 13 lbs in two months! Hey- its a goal, its a challenge, so I'll write it down, but I highly doubt that will EVER happen." I had this fear that once I had a baby, I could never be skinny again. I would always have a little pooch, I would never be able to get back to what I was before. And here we are, 6 weeks into it and I've lost a total of 11lbs. I wouldn't say I'm skinny, but I can already see the difference Body Back has made on my body, and I am excited. I feel stronger, and I feel Fit. That final goal is totally within reach, and all of these early mornings, hard work, and meal planning have been paying off!
Todays workout was intense, as usual! But since it was so cold outside, my frozen extremeties distracted me from all the work my body was doing! It was so nice to come home to my sleeping baby and hubby and spend the rest of President's Day relaxing with them, workout- done!
Current Weight: 141.4 lbs
I remember filling out my goal on the Body Back registration sheet and thinking "Yeah, right. I weighed 140lbs at my Wedding! 13 lbs in two months! Hey- its a goal, its a challenge, so I'll write it down, but I highly doubt that will EVER happen." I had this fear that once I had a baby, I could never be skinny again. I would always have a little pooch, I would never be able to get back to what I was before. And here we are, 6 weeks into it and I've lost a total of 11lbs. I wouldn't say I'm skinny, but I can already see the difference Body Back has made on my body, and I am excited. I feel stronger, and I feel Fit. That final goal is totally within reach, and all of these early mornings, hard work, and meal planning have been paying off!
Todays workout was intense, as usual! But since it was so cold outside, my frozen extremeties distracted me from all the work my body was doing! It was so nice to come home to my sleeping baby and hubby and spend the rest of President's Day relaxing with them, workout- done!
Current Weight: 141.4 lbs
The Body Back Olympics
Last weeks Wednesday Body Back Session was called the BB Olympics. It was called that because we were asked to push ourselves past our limits and do as much as we possibly could. We were told our minds shut down before our bodies do, and we totally proved it that day!
Here's a little taste of what our workout looked like:
7 minutes of Squats
8 1/2 minute wall sit
6 minutes of reverse lunges
3 minutes of mountain climbers
3 minutes of push ups
3 minutes Bicep curls
3 minutes Triceps
4 minutes of crunches
and I know there was more... but thats all my brain is capable of remembering right now. Lets just say I haven't been able to post until now because even my fingers have been feeling this workout. HECK! Muscles I didnt even know existed were feeling this workout! Its typical for me to be sore the day after a workout, but since we all pushed ourselves so hard, I felt this one all through the weekend! And with each crooked stair climb up the condo, or hobble to the baby's room in the middle of the night, I was reminded of what a GREAT workout I had!
During the wall sit Angela read out compliments that the other BBers had said about each of us, and it was quite touching. I got a few "Sassy MAMA" and "Fun mama" compliments, all things that made it a little easier to keep that wall sit with shaking thighs. Angela even started to get teary while she spoke about one of the BBers in my class- it was a sweet moment. It made me realize how lucky I am to have met these women, and fall into this group. Not only for the changes I've been able to make to my body and lifestyle, but these are the kind of women I want to surround myself with. These are the positive, hard-working, loving influences that inspire me daily.
So yes, my achey body needed a few days (four to be exact) to recover from the workout- but this workout was such a great experience, totally worth it.
BTW, Wednesday was my first weigh in since Hawaii- and we are still dropping people!
Woo-Hoo!
Current Weight: 143.8 lbs
Here's a little taste of what our workout looked like:
7 minutes of Squats
8 1/2 minute wall sit
6 minutes of reverse lunges
3 minutes of mountain climbers
3 minutes of push ups
3 minutes Bicep curls
3 minutes Triceps
4 minutes of crunches
and I know there was more... but thats all my brain is capable of remembering right now. Lets just say I haven't been able to post until now because even my fingers have been feeling this workout. HECK! Muscles I didnt even know existed were feeling this workout! Its typical for me to be sore the day after a workout, but since we all pushed ourselves so hard, I felt this one all through the weekend! And with each crooked stair climb up the condo, or hobble to the baby's room in the middle of the night, I was reminded of what a GREAT workout I had!
During the wall sit Angela read out compliments that the other BBers had said about each of us, and it was quite touching. I got a few "Sassy MAMA" and "Fun mama" compliments, all things that made it a little easier to keep that wall sit with shaking thighs. Angela even started to get teary while she spoke about one of the BBers in my class- it was a sweet moment. It made me realize how lucky I am to have met these women, and fall into this group. Not only for the changes I've been able to make to my body and lifestyle, but these are the kind of women I want to surround myself with. These are the positive, hard-working, loving influences that inspire me daily.
So yes, my achey body needed a few days (four to be exact) to recover from the workout- but this workout was such a great experience, totally worth it.
BTW, Wednesday was my first weigh in since Hawaii- and we are still dropping people!
Woo-Hoo!
Current Weight: 143.8 lbs
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The Devil Eats Malasadas.
Malasada.
Wikipedia's Definition-a Portuguese confection. They are made of egg sized balls of yeast dough and deep fried in oil and coated in granulated sugar. Traditionally, malasadas were made to use up all of the lard and sugar in the house.
My definition- a donut that fell from heaven and landed in my hand in Hawaii.
Now as you can see, the picture here shows the malasadas doing a happy dance, playing the ukulele and welcoming you to the islands. Their smiling faces made me forget about my diet and the 300+ calories I was consuming by eating just one. And they are kind of like potato chips... you can't just have one.
The bakery doesn't even pop them into the fryer until you order them, so they are fresh and hot when you bite into them. Malasadas just might be the most delicious things I've ever tasted. So yes, I ate one. Ok, I ate two. and YES, I made Kara drive by Leonard's on the way to the airport the day we left, but I simply couldn't help myself. The Devil eats malasadas.
All I can say is, THANK GOD I don't live in Honolulu or this would be a constant temptation for me!!! Now that I'm back home, its back to the diet, and I will try... oh so hard... to forget about these magnificent little pastries that made me jump off the meal plan. Hey! I was on vacation!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Hurts SO good!
So Mondays weigh in went well again! I lot another 3 pounds, boo ya! I was super excited when I saw that number on the scale and ready for a great workout.
I read our coaches Facebook status that morning before I went, and it said "you better put on your big girl pants." And let me be the first to tell you, she was NOT kidding. This workout was not for babies, and it was by far, the hardest one yet. We did another traveling class like the first real workout we had, and man o man! It KICKED MY ASS! We did totally different exercises than we had before and my body is still recovering a day and a half later. The biggest win I had is that we did the resistance run again, this time I managed to complete it without pissing myself, woohoo!
I guess as we get farther along in the program, the workouts have to get harder in order to continue seeing results. Well this one was tough, and I am feeling it. Muscles I didn't even know existed are aching tonight. I now know the meaning of "HURTS SO GOOD." because even though it hurts a little, it just lets me know that I had an awesome workout, and am on my way to getting results!
Today I fly to Hawaii to see my little sister training the dolphins. I am so excited for this vacation, but nervous of the impact it'll have on my body back routine and results. All the delicious hawaiian food and drinks will be tempting, and it will be tough to work out while Im there... Keeping this in mind- I looked up calories in one pina colada and the answer was 640. 640??? In just one??? I remember a few years back when I went to hawaii having 4 or 5 of them in a day. That sure won't be happening this time. Hmmmm.... I wonder how many calories are in a mai tai :)
Current Weight : 146.0 lbs
I read our coaches Facebook status that morning before I went, and it said "you better put on your big girl pants." And let me be the first to tell you, she was NOT kidding. This workout was not for babies, and it was by far, the hardest one yet. We did another traveling class like the first real workout we had, and man o man! It KICKED MY ASS! We did totally different exercises than we had before and my body is still recovering a day and a half later. The biggest win I had is that we did the resistance run again, this time I managed to complete it without pissing myself, woohoo!
I guess as we get farther along in the program, the workouts have to get harder in order to continue seeing results. Well this one was tough, and I am feeling it. Muscles I didn't even know existed are aching tonight. I now know the meaning of "HURTS SO GOOD." because even though it hurts a little, it just lets me know that I had an awesome workout, and am on my way to getting results!
Today I fly to Hawaii to see my little sister training the dolphins. I am so excited for this vacation, but nervous of the impact it'll have on my body back routine and results. All the delicious hawaiian food and drinks will be tempting, and it will be tough to work out while Im there... Keeping this in mind- I looked up calories in one pina colada and the answer was 640. 640??? In just one??? I remember a few years back when I went to hawaii having 4 or 5 of them in a day. That sure won't be happening this time. Hmmmm.... I wonder how many calories are in a mai tai :)
Current Weight : 146.0 lbs
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