Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Katie: Week 31 Only 10 more pounds to go!

Guess what skinnies?!...

Current weight: 135 pounds
Last week's weight: 136 pounds
Total weight loss: 35 pounds (Yay!)

 
Agh!!!  I'm getting so close I can taste it!  I kind of couldn't believe the scale when I got up to go to the bathroom and saw that it read 135.6.  Especially since just a couple of days ago I was up at 138.2.  But it's true!

I am only 10 pounds away from my final goal!

Can you believe it?  

Can you believe that I've lost 35 pounds so far?  

I cannot.  Making goals that are hard and take a long time to accomplish and then actually following through with them is not typically my style.  But it sure is a good feeling.  So, to celebrate my progress (and because I can't be shown up by my mom) I took pictures!  Although let me preface this by saying that my mom does her updates on Saturday mornings when there are people around to take a picture of her.  I do mine on Tuesdays.  Which equals weird self-taken pictures.  So please bear that in mind when you come to this week's pictures.


Week 1:



Week 11:

 
Pictures: Week 21

 
Week 31:
 
Okay, so these last pictures are terrible, taken the wrong direction, and not a very exciting climax.  But can you see the progress?  At least from week 1 to now?  Man, I sure can.  And I'm so happy about it.  It makes me feel sad and a little disgusted to look at the week 1 pictures and realize that I let my body get that way.  
 
And if you can't see in the pictures, maybe you can see the difference in these measurements.
As of December 29, 2009 my measurements were as follows:
Wasit: 39 in.
Tummy: 42.5 in
Hips: 39 in.
Bust: 40 in.
Bicep: 12.5 in.
Weight: 170 lbs.

As of July 27, 2010 my measurements are as follows:
Waist: 34.25 in.
Tummy: 37 in.
Hips: 38.5 in.
Bust: 36.5 in.
Bicep: 11.25 in.
Weight: 135 lbs

That's a total of...
Waist: down 4.75 in.
Tummy: down 5.5 in.
Hips: down .5 in.
Bust: down 3.5 in.
Bicep: down 1.25 in.
Weight: down 35 lbs.

Whoooooo hooooooooo!  And one of the best things about all this that, not only do I feel and look so much better, but I'm finally fitting back into even some of my skinnier clothes!  Hooray!  On Sunday I wore a shirt that I honestly can't remember the last time I wore.  I probably haven't worn it for at least two years.  

I'd say the two things that have helped me the most lately are (1) using MyFitnessPal.com and (2) eating foods that are more filling and have less calories.  I'll try and take pictures of my regular menu this week so you can see what I've been eating lately.  Because that has been helping a ton.  That is, of course, in addition to my regular exercise and drinking lots of water.  

If there's one thing I'm still fussing over it is this: trying to help myself have a flat tummy by the time I reach my goal weight.  Yes, I do still have a little fat there to lose, but I think for the most part now it's just flabby skin (especially left over from pregnancy) and weak muscles.  I had gotten lazy about doing my nightly crunches, but I'm getting back on board with that again and I've been good about it for the past few days.  Although last night as I was doing crunches it just didn't quite feel like enough.  So instead I just stopped at 30 crunches and then did 3 sets of holding in plank position for 20 seconds.  That is hard?  Umm... but is that going to help me tighten my abs?  I'd really love to work on this area in a non-super-sweaty way as much as possible.  It's already hot enough around here.  Any input or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Oh, and, by way of keeping myself accountable, here's where I'm at on actual goals.  I've had it in the back of my head for a while now that I want to reach my goal of being 125 pounds by Christmas.  But if I stay on track with the goals I've put into MyFitnessPal.com (losing one pound a week), then that has me reaching my goal at the beginning of October.  Right now I'm actually a little bit ahead on my goal.  So should I just buck up and set my goal for the first week in October?  I can't decide.  I don't really know why.  Maybe because there's nothing exciting going on the first week of October.  

Hooray for exciting progress!
Happy Tuesday!

7 comments:

Kathy Haynie said...

I can think of something exciting the first week of October: You reaching your goal weight! I say go for it!

I am putting a copy of my Prevention exercises in the mail to you today. The core/ab workout in there made a big difference for me. My tummy finally feels like it's getting flatter. There are just 3 of the core/ab exercises, but they really do work those muscles.

Congratulations on your progress! I am so excited for you. The pictures are amazing. Look how skinny your arms are! Look how loose your pants are! Your posture is better in those last two pictures, too.

Woo hoo for Katie!!!

Carou said...

Very impressive progress Katie! You are an inspiration. I talked to a trainer once about lower abdomen exercises and he said more cardio will burn the belly fat so just keep up the exercise with the healthy eating. It will happen.

emmalou said...

I agree with Kathy. Go for the first week of October and just aim to maintain your goal weight through the holidays. There are enough temptations from Halloween through Christmas that it would be way harder on yourself to be trying to lose weight then. Ya know?
Also, I recommend doing Pilates abs & waist workouts. I am in love with them. It is supposed to trim you down rather than build a six-pack. Which means less sweating, to me. Great work! You will be there so soon!

alee said...

Woohoo! Getting so close!

Unfortunately for you, it won't matter if you have the strongest abs on the planet, they won't look or feel "flat" unless the flub on top of them is gone...and yes, that means more cardio!

One exercise I love with my big ball is to lay on the ground, ball in between my ankles- legs straight and arms straight above my head. Then bring arms and legs straight up so they are perpendicular to the ground, meeting in the middle right over your belly. Grab the ball with your arms and then put arms and legs back on the ground like you started. Continue passing the ball back and forth. :)

Or just start in a pushup position, but with your feet on the ball. Then curl your legs up to your chest and push them back out straight while trying to keep your arms in the same spot. That is another favorite...favorite, but not as much...but they're both good :)

Emily said...

YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY Katie!!!!!!!!!!!! I can definitely see the progress! You are so amazing! I am very impressed! Congratulations!

Whitney said...

the ab exercise i love, and jillian michaels loves (and i listen to jillian michaels, shes kinda my hero) is the bicycle crunch. it works all parts of your abs in one single move. and based on some googling the American Council on Exercise (never heard of them, but it sounds offically important) has ruled the bicycle crunch one of the most effective as well. here's the link to other ab moves that were effective as well: http://exercise.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=exercise&cdn=health&tm=35&f=10&su=p284.9.336.ip_p674.7.336.ip_&tt=29&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.acefitness.org/getfit/abstudy_results.aspx


youre doing awesome and are quite inspiring, my dear.

Leigh Anne said...

Just found your blog and am so excited for you! Way to go! Wanted to chime in on the ab exercises...after 2 kids I was needing some help in that area and found Lindsay Brin - Pre and Postnatal Fitness expert. She has a blog www.lindsaybrin.com about getting her body back after 2 babies or her website www.momsintofitness.com has all of her DVD's etc....I'm am more toned in my stomach after doing her DVD's than ever before. I specifically recommend Core Firing Sequence. It isn't cardio but toning the core in levels and she explains exactly how to do it right & why. I was doing abs all wrong before. My stomach is flatter after having 2 kids than before!! Amazing! I just love her and her "real" motivation....no fad diets or exercises. Just good old hard work! But it works! BTW - I purchased the CFS dvd from Amazon as a download and it was only $7. Quite a steal for a toned tummy!
Best wishes on your goal - you're gonna make it ;)
Leigh Anne

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