Graduation Challenge: Inspiration

Have you ever looked through your facebook pictures and compared the old ones to the new ones? Well, I was doing that today and ran across two pretty interesting pictures. Now I love to see how much I've changed over the last few years and matured, but this one gave me inspiration for my graduation challenge.  I found two pictures of me, one from 2010 and one from 2011, in the same exact dress.  Only difference, I'm a lot smaller in the second picture.  Now I know there's a year between these two pictures, but it still gave me the little extra drive I needed this week. Here take a look:

2010: 

 2011:

And just for fun, this was me last week.  

Ha! Isn't that crazy??  My stomach is flatter and my face is SO much thinner.  Just crazy!! I remember when I put that dress on last easter that I had to tie it tighter because it had gotten a little too big.  I didn't realize how much of a difference until I compared these two pictures.  I'm also pretty sure that this dress is way to big for me now.  Kind of exciting!  

Graduation Challenge: Weeks 1 & 2

Well as of today, I am technically two weeks into my graduation challenge.  I have done very well at exercising for at least 45 minutes every day these last two weeks.  I haven't seen a lot of pounds shed off, but I can tell I've lost some weight.  A friend recommended tracking my inches along with my weight loss, because inches count more than pounds and will reflect my status better!  I can definitely say that is true for me these two weeks.  I've been doing a lot of strength training with weights, so I think the muscle gain is balancing out the weight loss.  What I can say for sure though is that I already feel so much better.  My favorite exercise is still swimming, but I try to switch it up.  We go to the pool Monday/Wednesday/Friday and all the other days I work out in the gym.  I've lost a little bit of momentum these past few days, but I'm not allowing myself to give up.  I push myself to go workout and every time I feel 100% better afterwards.  This is definitely a process that I am new to, but I know if I stick with it I will see progress!

For the dieting portion of this challenge, I have not done as well.  I've tried very hard to limit what I eat and cut out unnecessary items throughout my day.  However, old habits still catch me some days.  I've decided starting this week, I am going to cut out fried foods and bread from my diet. Bread is going to be harder to give up because sandwiches are basically all we eat around this campus, but I'm going to try my best!  I also think it is absolutely necessary to give up fried foods.  I don't eat a lot of them, but they have absolutely no nutritious value and are very bad for my diet. Plus, if I'm going to allow myself to have pasta occasionally, I need cut out carbs in other areas of my diet.  This is probably the harder portion of the challenge for myself.  I've learned over the past few years that I am an emotional eater.  I eat for comfort basically. I love food and have a very hard time giving up my favorite items, but I really am trying to be better about it.  Portion control and not eating for comfort or out of boredom is where I have to start.

Anyways, on to the exciting news that I know you've been waiting for.  The numerical update on my progress!  I checked my weight and measured my inches on 2/23/12 and this is what I found:

I lost 1/2" around my arms, waist, hips, and calves! 
I lost 1" around my thighs!  
And the best news:
I lost 2 inches around my stomach!!


As for weight, I lost 2 pounds these last two weeks!  Like I said before, on the scale I haven't seen as many pounds shed off as I would like, but I think it's because of the muscle gain. Either way, I'm still down 2 pounds and 2 inches around my stomach!  I'd say that's progress even though I've got a ways to go!  You have to start somewhere though right?  Here are some before and after pictures as of now.  I think I can see it most in my face and a little bit on my stomach.  What do you think?  I can't wait to watch my progress through these pictures over the next few weeks!

BEFORE  ( 2/15/12):

 AFTER (2/23/12):

 BEFORE (2/15/12):

 AFTER (2/23/12):

Week three here I come!

Not Me Monday

I did not throw myself a little inner dance party when Cassie said I looked like I had lost weight this weekend.  I would not be so childish to respond with dancing.  I always respond with a reserved and polite thank you when I receive a compliment.

And, I most certainly did not give into my cravings yesterday and eat a piece of my favorite cake after enjoying a bowl of macaroni and cheese.  I would never break my diet so soon.  Nor would I give into both temptations at once. Especially not after receiving a compliment two days before.  That would just be pathetic.

And, I also did not swim extra laps today at the pool because I didn't break my diet and skip my work out yesterday.  I've stayed right on track every day with my dieting and workout. I would never have to plan in extra time at the gym to make up for the day before. That would just be lazy.

And, I did not not take the elevator today because I was too lazy to walk up four flights of stairs after class.  And I absolutely did not force myself to take the stairs after the pool, because I felt guilty for skipping them before.  I always take the stairs.  I would never take the elevator.

And at the end of the day I don't feel an extreme pride in myself for sticking to my goal.  I have always worked out and never been lazy before.  This routine is not new at all for me.

Nope.  Not me.

Loving the pool

Yesterday was the first time I've gone to swim laps in probably over a year.  Lucky for us, we have a great indoor pool on campus built for swimming laps that we can use year-round.  I've been wanting to go, but kept using the excuse that I didn't want to go alone as a way to put it off.  So yesterday when Meredith mentioned wanting to go swimming I jumped on the opportunity.  We did have to go buy me a different tankini top for my bathing suit, seeing as how my current one is strapless, and a pair of goggles before we could go though.  It was a little expensive, but I told her and myself that we'd go enough times to make the cost worth it.  We figured the goggles were $13 so we had to swim at least 13 times this semester.  Haha I actually enjoyed it so much that I think we'll end up going way more than that.  Also lucky for me, Meredith has swam her entire life.  I know how to swim freestyle but that's about it.  She was able to show me some new strokes and tools to use in the pool for different exercises which will help a lot.

My favorite was probably the back stroke, and while I'm working on the breast stroke my legs seem to have a mind of their own.  She also showed me these cool things you put on your hands while swimming for strengthening exercises.  I did around 20-30 laps yesterday (I didn't keep a close count), and I can definitely feel it in my arms today!  I kind of like being sore though because it shows me I've done something and it's working.  As much as I like using the elliptical, swimming added a new and fun twist to exercising.  I had forgotten how much fun it was, and it's such a great workout!  Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be more efficient at these different strokes and my stamina will increase.  I had hoped to go swimming today but I couldn't fit it in with my class schedule.  Instead I plan to go to the gym after my last class today before hitting the road.

I'm going home for the weekend, which will also add a twist to my exercising routine.  We used to be members at a gym, but I think it ended.  Instead I think I'll either go up to Northern (my high school) and run on the track, or run through a neighborhood by our house with Coconut.  I think hims would enjoy that!  Or maybe Erin's gym will let a visitor come for free with her?  I'm not sure yet, but I'll figure something out.  Well that's all for now, I've got to head to class here in a few minutes, I just wanted to give a little update.

I plan to be back in the pool Monday afternoon, and I think more people are going to come with us this time!  Maybe everyone (including me) just needed a little push to get things started.

Graduation Challenge

Ok folks, here it is.... I'm about to join the millions of other people who are attempting to lose weight. 

I have always struggled with my weight.  There are actually very few times in my life I don't remember it being an issue.  There have been times that I've hated my body, times I loved it, and times that I just lived with it.  Well, I decided I'm tired of living with it and am going to do something about it!  You see, I've never really put in a whole lot of effort into trying to lose weight.  It's one of those things I accepted as part of me and didn't really think I had a choice. I learned to live with being overweight and to accept my body as is. I've gotten used to shopping for larger sizes or standing to the side while my friends shopped in stores I couldn't shop at.  I've gotten used to disguising my size with clothing (thank you Spanx and layering!) and only shopping with people I trust to not judge me.  It's been an uphill battle with myself and quite frankly, I'm tired of fighting it.  So I've decided I'm going to do something about it.

I've tried diets before and failed because they forced me to give up all of my favorite foods.  This time instead of eliminating all of my favorite items (like macaroni and cheese and chocolate), I am going to limit them.  I think my biggest issues come from portion control and lack of exercise, so that's where I plan to start.  I know what I eat is important, and I am trying to eat better (like more fruits and vegetables and less junk food snacking) but getting rid of my favorite items is simply asking for failure.  I mean come on, anyone who knows me knows I can't live with out macaroni and cheese!  I can however limit my intake of it.  It may be baby steps at first, but I have to start somewhere.  I'm not really sure what motivated me this time, but I plan to stick to it.  I've done really well working out for an hour every day this week (I give myself Mondays off). I've been doing weights, running on the elliptical, and swimming laps.  I'm actually really enjoying it!  I've never really liked exercising before but it has helped relieve stress and I feel better already.

So here goes, my graduation challenge:   My goal is to lose at least 20 pounds by graduation (May 5, 2012).  There are 12 weeks until graduation, so that would average about 2 pounds a week.  I've heard that's a healthy rate to lose weight so that's my goal.  It would be incredible if I lost more than that, but 20 is my goal. I know there will come days that I want to give up and lose my motivation, and  I know there will be days where I cave and give into my food temptations.  However, I'm really hoping I can stay motivated. Plus, I heard once that it takes 12 weeks to break or start a new habit, so I'm hoping exercising and eating right will become habit by the end of this! Your accountability and encouragement however would be greatly appreciated (especially come like week 5)!  So here goes.. my graduation challenge has begun!