So, I'm getting married in July. Very excited about that. Only problem: I can't shop for a dress. Sure, I can window shop (online) and get ideas...but with so much weight left to lose and no real idea of how cooperative my body will be between now and July...I'm left with only one option: be patient.
HA! That's hilarious. Me? Patient?
But what choice do I have?
Of course, the fact that it's not a big wedding and is more of a cocktail party is a big help. I'm getting a dress, not a gown. That means I can head over to a department store or get one of J.Crew's absolutely gorgeous casual, beachy dresses.
By my best guesstimate, I'll probably lose at least another 50 pounds by then -- at least I aim to. That said, I might lose even more. The weight has really been coming off lately - due in great part to Medifast but also because of the more efficient and targeted workouts. With better fitness comes the ability to challenge myself more and to sculpt and tone. I'm really seeing the results of that work - both in the mirror and on the scale. Then there's the fact that my body and my weight aren't necessarily in sync. At the weight I am now, the last time I saw it (on the way up), I was two sizes bigger on top and one size bigger on the bottom. So, let's say I only lose 30 pounds between now and July - as unlikely as that is - I might be three sizes or even four sizes smaller just because of my muscle density and tone.
Yeesh!
So, here I am, doing my best to be patient. I figure I won't be able to buy a dress any earlier than the first part of June...and even then, I plan to still be shrinking. So, hopefully my tatas will have stopped shriveling up by then and I can at least get away with an Empire Waist dress.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
103...Abs and Arms: You're On Notice!
It's still odd for me to conceptualize any number over 99. The 3 digits 1-0-0 were something I had always hoped I'd see in terms of weight loss, but, if I'm being totally honest with myself, I'm not entirely certain it's a milestone I completely and wholeheartedly believed I had the ability to achieve. Yet, here I sit at 103 pounds lost (as of last night). Now my goal of losing a full 180-185 doesn't seem nearly as impossible or far off. In fact, I think that I might just make it there by the time I get married in July.
Here's the latest round of pics.
Ooops! Now, how did THAT get in there?
The difference over the past few weeks has really been in my abdominal region and in my arms. I've gotten a lot more aggressive there.
On top of the bike, which I do at about 16-18 mph for 30-35 minutes 3-4x per week plus a ten minute hand weight routine, I'm also still doing my full body 40 minute pilates workout at least 2x per week.
Then, I've just added a customized stability ball and resistance band workout to the arm, arse and ab toning regimen. The ball/band routine is still a work in progress, but here are the highlights:
I've combined the Biggest Loser Stability Ball Workout (if you're interested, it came with this product: http://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Loser-Advantage-Stability-Orange/dp/B001JIV6A0)
...with a core routine courtesy of Real Simple (http://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/stronger-abs-in-fifteen-minutes-00000000022852/index.html)
...plus another resistance band routine, also courtesy of Real Simple (http://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/resistance-band-exercises-00100000067997/index.html)
I've cut the overlapping exercises, making it about a 25-30 minute strength training blast. It's a nice change from what I've been doing and a hell of a challenge. Did this on Friday and am still sore on Sunday. That "Monkey" exercise in the last RS workout is a hell of a killer.
Anyway, I think I've ramped things up in the exercise department just enough to hold me for at least another month. I've built in a good amount of variety and challenges to keep me interested as well. I really want to see my abs and arms take shape, so it feels good to start targeting them more directly. The rest of me is kind of falling (or raising) into place pretty naturally.
As for the diet, Medifast is shockingly easy for me to stick with. It's been weird to move back to being a carnivore...but I'm still steering pretty clear of red meat (minus the roast beef yesterday). That said, I feel a lot of energy, I see a lot of progress and, while it's friggin expensive as all hell, I also see it as a worthy investment in my future. I'm actually really glad that I started it when I did, since it does put me on a path to be pretty slim (if not at my goal weight) by mid-July. I had no idea we'd be getting hitched back when I hopped on the train in November, but things do often have a mysterious way of working out.
Onward and downward!
Here's the latest round of pics.
Ooops! Now, how did THAT get in there?
The difference over the past few weeks has really been in my abdominal region and in my arms. I've gotten a lot more aggressive there.
On top of the bike, which I do at about 16-18 mph for 30-35 minutes 3-4x per week plus a ten minute hand weight routine, I'm also still doing my full body 40 minute pilates workout at least 2x per week.
Then, I've just added a customized stability ball and resistance band workout to the arm, arse and ab toning regimen. The ball/band routine is still a work in progress, but here are the highlights:
I've combined the Biggest Loser Stability Ball Workout (if you're interested, it came with this product: http://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Loser-Advantage-Stability-Orange/dp/B001JIV6A0)
...with a core routine courtesy of Real Simple (http://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/stronger-abs-in-fifteen-minutes-00000000022852/index.html)
...plus another resistance band routine, also courtesy of Real Simple (http://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/resistance-band-exercises-00100000067997/index.html)
I've cut the overlapping exercises, making it about a 25-30 minute strength training blast. It's a nice change from what I've been doing and a hell of a challenge. Did this on Friday and am still sore on Sunday. That "Monkey" exercise in the last RS workout is a hell of a killer.
Anyway, I think I've ramped things up in the exercise department just enough to hold me for at least another month. I've built in a good amount of variety and challenges to keep me interested as well. I really want to see my abs and arms take shape, so it feels good to start targeting them more directly. The rest of me is kind of falling (or raising) into place pretty naturally.
As for the diet, Medifast is shockingly easy for me to stick with. It's been weird to move back to being a carnivore...but I'm still steering pretty clear of red meat (minus the roast beef yesterday). That said, I feel a lot of energy, I see a lot of progress and, while it's friggin expensive as all hell, I also see it as a worthy investment in my future. I'm actually really glad that I started it when I did, since it does put me on a path to be pretty slim (if not at my goal weight) by mid-July. I had no idea we'd be getting hitched back when I hopped on the train in November, but things do often have a mysterious way of working out.
Onward and downward!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
A New Reason To Lose
So, this holiday season was a big shitstorm, with one MAJOR exception: I got engaged!
Oh, and the wedding is July 14th. No, not 2013...this July! So, now I have a whole new motivation to keep me on the wagon: wedding photos.
I did hit 100 pounds of weight loss before the end of 2011, by the way. Of course, that was because I was helping to plan and execute a memorial service and dealing with a tragedy, but hell, it was a silver lining to the madness. Unfortunately, the minute I started eating again - about 5 pounds came back. Still, I don't care - I met my goal at one point in the year and I'll take it, technicality or no.
Oh, and the wedding is July 14th. No, not 2013...this July! So, now I have a whole new motivation to keep me on the wagon: wedding photos.
I did hit 100 pounds of weight loss before the end of 2011, by the way. Of course, that was because I was helping to plan and execute a memorial service and dealing with a tragedy, but hell, it was a silver lining to the madness. Unfortunately, the minute I started eating again - about 5 pounds came back. Still, I don't care - I met my goal at one point in the year and I'll take it, technicality or no.
