Workout progress

So I never thought I would make so much progress in so little time.  I fully expected it to be the end of October before I could write about finally reaching my goal size (8). I’ve learned how to eat healthier, I’ve learned how to get strong, and I’ve learned how to appreciate what my body is capable of, rather than being focused on what it looks like.  So here’s how I did it.

My rules were simple:

• If I can't do it for the rest of my life then I don't want any part of it.  That means unreasonable workouts, restricting food/starving myself, or cutting out entire food groups are all a no-go for me.
• I work hard at workouts that I enjoy and fuel my body properly.  I eat at least 2500 calories a day and still lose inches and pounds.
• I don't deprive myself, I enjoy eating out with friends and family, I still drink alcohol, I still make time for friends, family, and sleep.  Although this has been a learning curve to find the balance.
• My goals are not based on what the scale says--only I see that number.  Everyone else sees how my clothes fit or how my muscles look.
• I'm not doing this to look good but rather to be strong and healthy.  All of this is defined by my goals:  fit into a size 8, have 23% body fat, do 1-25 unassisted pull-ups, do 60 push-ups, bench press 130 lbs and run 3 miles.

I started using MyFitnessPal (MFP) app last December 2011 where I started around 196 lbs and a size 14. Through calorie restriction alone (due to exercise restriction from the hernia) from Dec - Feb I lost the first 15 lbs.

Then I started back to workouts at the end of February after bedrest/recovery from surgery with only a couple of days of light cardio. By the beginning of March, I built up to 30-45 min of cardio 4x per week, plus pilates 1 day/wk.  At that time I switched out the cardio for Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred to test how strength training would go.  After about 2 weeks I got bored with the program and found it too easy, so I started more rigorous strength training at the beginning of April using Butt Bible (free on youtube).  I completed that program after 6 weeks. 

In May I cut down my workouts from 6 days/week to 3 days/wk and stopped doing pilates class because it was too easy.  I started loosely following New Rules of Lifting for Women and New Rules of Lifting for Abs.  I focused on lifting heavy, at 4-8 reps for 3 sets using compound lifting and doing high intensity interval training cardio 3 days a week.  At the end of May, I continued my strength training but added in running/walking 3 miles using the Zombies Run! app 2 days a week.  In July I started playing volleyball once a week.

I eat 2500-2800 calories a day and target 130 g of protein, which puts me at a 50% carbs, 25% fat, and 25% protein ratio.  The big successes that have had nothing to do with the scale:

• I've gone from a size 14 to a size 8
• I am at 26% bodyfat, down from 33%
• I went from 3 push-ups on my knees to 12 standard push-ups on my toes.  If I take about 60 sec breaks every 8-10 push-ups I can do 55 standard push-ups.
• When I started I could bench press 24 lbs and now I bench 95 lbs
• I used to shoulder press 16 lb and now I press 60 lb
• When I started I could only squat with body weight – 196 lbs.  Now I can squat with an extra 105 lb
• I could only hold a plank on my knees for 15 sec, now I can do them with elevated feet, or up on my toes with one arm out for 90 sec.
• I could only run/walk 1/2 mile and now I can run 3 miles in about 33-36 min with no walking (depends on how hard I lift!).
• My resting heart rate was about 80 bpm and now it's about 60 bpm.

My advice:  Choose workouts/exercise/activity that you enjoy.  If you have fun you will be more likely to stick with it.  Do some weight lifting and ignore the scale – my goal wasn’t a weight on the scale, it was to fit back into a specific size.  Make sure you eat enough food!!  Whenever I don’t eat enough I get really exhausted, my hair and nails suffer, and I’m unable to complete my workouts.  Also make sure you are getting enough sleep!! 

Next goals:

• Learn how to maintain my size.  I’ve never had to do this before!
• Try some new activities, like adult ballet.
• Bench 130 lbs
• Do 60 push-ups with no breaks, and 100 push-ups with breaks.
• Do at least 1 unassisted pull-up.  Eventually I would like to do 25.
• Do at least 10 unassisted triceps dips.
• Target 23% bodyfat (not sure if this is the right number yet)

Note that the July 2008 photos are about 3 months post baby, but my body stayed more or less between that picture and the March 2012 picture for a few years. I floated between size 14 and size 12 for most of the last 4 years. There was a time I got down to 183 lb and size 10 by 'eating when I was hungry and stopping when I was satiated' and using the C25K app, but I was still very soft and flabby. Now I can feel all the muscle!

Also wanted to show my bare back since I’ve had a lot of muscle development.