173.3, 173.6, 172.7, 172.2... Day 19 and measurements

I DO NOT recommend going to Costco while on a diet! lol We went Friday night, and it was torturous sitting there watching Quin and Niel eat a hot dog, and I love their pizza... I sat and ate my chicken salad with no dressing... bu I did give in and have a diet coke... either way - I gained! So I'm not risking it again for a DC, although that sounds so good right now... lol My drops haven't been as good as last week, but I was also very active last week with the garden and all... I almost think I may try and workout a little bit to see if that makes a difference? I know they say you aren't supposed to, but a little bit wouldn't hurt? I guess we'll see...
as far as measurements, those are still going good

week 2 - week 3
shoulders - 44 - 43.5
Chest - 38 - 37
bicep - 13.25 - 13
waist - 32 - 31
abdomen - 38 - 37 (for every 5lbs loss = 1inch loss on stomach, which is holding)
hips - 42.5 - 41.5
thigh - 25.5 - 25
lower thigh - 21.75 - 21
calve - 15 - 15

Can't complain there! Over all, in 3 weeks, down 19.8 lbs from my load, and 11.8 from previous weight. This is definitely a more time efficient way to lose weight, but I'm starting to play the head games, and wanting to just eat - I may consider an apple day if I don't start dropping more in a couple of days.... If I go the 43 days I'm not even 1/2 way... This diet works, but definitely a commitment!

177.6, 176.2, 176.0, 174.9, 173.3... Day 16!

So, still losing, even after a crazy day yesterday! We've been putting up a swing set for the kids, and I desperately needed to get my garden in, so we were outside all day yesterday. After 5 hours of tilling and moving dirt, laying edging, raking, pulling grass, and planting, I'm sure I burned over 2000 calories! And as I have stated before, you aren't supposed to work out... I was a little nervous, and starving, and wasn't sure what to do, so I consulted my supplier, and recommended eating more protein. So as soon as I was done, I threw down a protein shake, and probably 64 ounces of water. Now shakes aren't on the list, so this too made me a little nervous, but I lost 1.6lbs either way! Due to hydration and other issues, it will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings. I'm now at 173.3... I have never been below 175 that I can remember! The lightest that I ever remember weighing was 170 - when I was 13!!! Now that's a victory! The key is to keep losing, and once I am where I want to be, to keep it off forever! Hope all are well!

179.7 - 179.4 - 178.7 - 177.6...! Day 12

Then 177.8? Say whaaa? So I was enjoying a loss everyday, and then today I stepped on the scale and was up a little bit, so I went through my food log, and was ok there, then got thinking... I shaved my legs yesterday, and then coated my arms and legs with bath & body works, body cream... checked the label - TONS of different types of oils in it! Geez! Definitely check your labels, even on body care! I also may be starting girl time, which I have read can effect loss, but its hard for me to tell, since I have an IUD, and am very irregular...(sorry if TMI:) The hunger has been a little better... I try to just drink a big glass of water, and they say you can use your fruit as a snack instead of with your meal, which I have been trying, and seems to have helped.

Starting to get compliments, and am noticing my own changes in the mirror. Our stake is having a clothing drive, and so I started going through my closet trying stuff on - almost none of my old pants fit! And on Friday, we went to the Park City Outlet mall, and I found some Nike yoga pants in a Large for $15, and a sweet new swim suit for $25 in a 10-12! Good day! Can't wait to see what 3-4 weeks and another round of working out will bring :) I definitely plan on working out again after this is over with - I sure miss it! Not sure what I will do... thinking p90x, or have heard the new one 'insanity', I'm open to any suggestions if any one has something they are curious about, I also think I may try the Mediterranean, or South Beach diet... again - open to suggestions :) I am planning on doing the full 43 days, or till I get to 165lbs, which ever comes first (I'm hoping 165!. So, 13 more lbs, and a little wiggle room wouldn't hurt. I just know that I plan on having at least 1 more kid, and do not EVER want to get back up to my 235-245 pregnancy weight, nor EVER see 200 again! NEVER AGAIN! :) I also measured my self, and had a decrease every where...

pre measurements - week 1

shoulders - 44 - 44
Chest - 38 - 37.5
Bicep - 13.5 - 13.25
Waist - 32.5 - 32
Abdomen - 38.5 - 38
Hips - 43 - 42.5
Upper Thigh - 26 - 25.5
Lower Thigh - 22.5 - 21.75 - I have this dimple in my lower thigh that I want gone!
Calve - 15.25 - 15

Weight - 184/192 - 177.6
Body Fat - 27.7% - 26.1%

Hopin for a better day tomorrow :) Keep the questions coming - you can email me at Iluvtnf@aol.com, or find me on facebook :)

179.7....

So yesterday was day 8 of hcg... And I was down to 179.7! I finally broke the 183 barrier, needless to say! The only problems so far, is that I am still hungry! Most people I have talked to said this goes away after a couple of days, but it hasn't yet... Not quite sure what to do... I talked to my supplier and he said to up my protein, so yesterday I had my lean hamburger patty, and 2 servings of chicken, which seemed to help. I also started eating the 5 fat free soda crackers that you are allowed, and drank a ton of water. We went to a movie, where I grabbed a vitawater zero, so I wasn't as hungry yesterday, so that was good, but I also had dinner at my parents, where my mom bbqd chicken, and left the sauce off for me, but put tons of seasoning. She made potatoes for the rest of the family, and I had a tiny bite to try... So this morning when I weighed, I was only at 179.4... so still a loss, but barely!!! This is a diet you CANNOT mess with! I've been little bit over the 500 calorie mark, but haven't gone over 600... so just these few little errors have hindered results! So today, definitely cleaning it up, and will not make any errors, no matter how tiny! They even say the oils from cosmetics and lotions can affect the results! So look out! Time for lunch, so I'm outta here!

Burned out....

Well, I guess I'm human just like everybody else... I started a second challenge April 5th, and pushed my self, just like the first challenge, for the first couple of weeks... but it seemed to just get harder and harder! And I can make up all the excuses in the world, but I won't. I just got burned out, and too busy... not too busy to not care anymore, because I still did all the workouts, even though I tweeked my back, but just burned out on being in the kitchen all the time. I got lazy on the cooking in bulk, and planning ahead. And it was a little hard in the afternoon with track practice. That saying, 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail,' is so true. But before I could fail completely, I realized what was up, caught my triggers, and have decided to move on to something new... But don't get me wrong, BFL is a good program to get you where you want to be, but it isn't maintainable over 1 or 2 challenges - for most people. Even my little bro dropped off after the first couple weeks on our second challenge :( And everyone that joined me in the first challenge has dropped off... but 1.5 challenges isn't bad, and even though the results weren't what I had hoped, they were still great results, and BFL got me in the right frame of mind to exercise and eat right again, and it had been years since I was doing that. My results weren't as spectacular the second time around... I basically worked off the extra I had gained during my 2 week break, and a little more. It was frusterating, because it seemed like no matter how hard I worked, I wasn't really budging. Here were my results from the second challenge:

week 1
Body fat- BIA - 27.8% - w6 - 26.8%
chest - 39 - w6 - 38
shoulders - 45 - w6 - 44
bicep - 13.75 - w6 - 13.25
waist - 34 - w6 - 32
abdomen - 40 - w6 - 38
hips - 44.25 - w6 - 42
thigh - 26.5 - w6 - 25.5
calve - 15.5 - w6 - 15
weight - 188 - w6 - 183

Those 2 weeks off really did damage, but I was at least able to get it off, plus a little more, from my first challenge. I love the BFL workouts, but nutrition got me in the end... so on to something new...

So what's this something new? I guess it may be considered controversial? Or another fad, or yo yo diet... which it is... but over the last couple of months, I've had many people - friends, family, clients - inquire about it. So I did some research and even went in and talked to my family doctor. While it is something he doesn't recommend, due to the unknown, he didn't say no... It has been around since the 50's-60's, and is being researched more and more, with great results... and I have no questions whether or not it works, its only obvious, but I do question whether or not it is maintainable, or just another fad/yoyo diet. So after reading the book, and all the instructions, and asking LOTS of questions, I have decided to try hcg.

I started last week, and am on day 6... It basically works like this - You load for 3 days while starting the drops or injections (I'm doing drops), then you cut doen to 500 calories of a protein, 'cracker', fruit, and veggie, 2 meals a day, only 8 items a day. And LOTS of water. You maintain this for a minimum of 23 days, and maximum of 43. Once you've reached your goal, ou stop taking the drops, then maintain the 500 calories for 3 more days until the hcg is out of your system. You then go on to a 1500 calorie diet of what ever your'd like, except no sugar or carbs/starches. After 21 days of the 1500 cal, you bump up to 3000(ish) calories to a maintanence phase, and slowly can introduce sugars and carbs again... Simpl enough right? We'll see. I weighed 184 before I loaded, then 192 on my first day of 500 cal, yesterday I was at 186, today at 183... so tomorrow will be the interesting day... to see if I can finally break that 183 barrier I have been up against the last 2 months... Like I said this is controversial, but for those of you that have always wondered, feel free to follow me in my next adventure. I'll probably blog everyday, or every other day on this one since the change is so drastic, plus I have lots of thoughts to share. Hope all are well, and keep staying active!

oops... has it really been 5 weeks? Sorry!!!

I know, I know, I know... I'm a slacker - I don't know why, but I just got burned out blogging, but I am happy to report that I have not fallen off the wagon! I'm still going, and seeing results... but I definitely can be better. I haven't missed a workout, but nutrition is struggling... I don't know what it is... just burned out? Don't care? Losing will power? Haven't figured it out... I'll go several days with out a mistake, and then something will come a long, and even though it isn't my free day, I will still partake... The one good thing though, is that I am not letting it ruin the rest of the day... I eat it, then get over it :P I can definitely say though that nutrition does play a bigger role than working out, because even though I'm working hard, my results have not been the greatest :(

And I am sad to report though, that my litle bro has fallen off the wagon :( Even though his results were awesome, I think they weren't to his expectation... its hard comparing your self to the other before and after photos, so I can see why he feels that way. But he says hes still working out, and is still losing... I'm just sad to not have him there by my side... I think it kind of brought us closer, or at least gave us something in common, but now that is gone :( But I do have a friend that jumped on board and has had some great results - and its fun to have someone to do cardio with occasionally!

Results so far:

shoulders - 44 (-1.5)
chest - 38 (-1)
bicep - 13.25 (-.5)
waist - 32 (-2)
abdomen - 38 (-2)
hips - 42 (-2)
thigh - 25.5 (-1)
calve - 15 (-.5)

weight - 183 (-5)
BF - 26.8% (-1%)


So down on everything, which is good - and I'm now lower on everything from the first challenge. I tweeked my back a couple of months ago, and with the over head lifting and squating it has progressivley gotten worse, so I finally drug my butt into the chiropractor the other day... Thankfully it wasnt degenerative - I've just got a vertebrea out thats pinching some nerves, so I have to take it easy they next couple of weeks, and that has been hard to do... The one motivating factor is we are going to Hawaii in Aug/Sept! I bought a swim suit that is a little snug, so It's got to fit by then :) But with all of this going on, I've had some nagging thoughts in the back of my head... I've had several people ask me about HCG, and I've had a few friends and family members do it... and I have to admit, I am curious. There is no doubt that it works - just like any other yoyo - fad diet - I'm curious though if the claims of it resetting your metabolism, and burning the 'harder to get rid of' fat, and not losing any muscle mass, are true... And if the weight loss is maintainable, IF YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE & EATING HABITS!!! They are a must! If you continue back to what you were doing before, of course you are going to gain the weight back! SOoo... I've been doing some research and reading, and am considering the HCG for a change... I have a few people that I have talked to, that are wanting to do it as well, and are willing to let me help them with it, and to become some what 'subjects' for me as far as gathering info and data... so we will see. It's not a fore sure thing, but like I said before, I am curious, and what better timing than before a trip to Hawaii! Ok, I think I've bloged enough for tonight :P I hope all are well, hit it hard tomorrow!