14 Days And One Piddly Pound

I decided a few weeks ago (unofficially - seeing as I didn't share it with anyone but my mom) that I wanted to hit 150 pounds of weight loss by the wedding. Seeing as the wedding is two weeks from today and I've just hit 149 as of this morning...I think it's totally do-able! WOOHOO!

After that, it's just 30 pounds to go -- and there's no deadline on that -- it'll come. I know it.

In other news, I've experienced another major "shrink" over the past three weeks. Here are the numbers:

• Down another 1/4 inch in my upper arms (6 inches total loss)
• Shrunk a half inch in my chest (9.5 inches total loss)
• Burned another 1/4 inch in my chest (8.25 inches total loss)
• Lost another half inch in my saddle bags (13.75 inches total loss - clearly, I am a pear!)
• Obliterated a full inch from my belly (16.5 inches of total loss - holy shit!)
• Even lost another half inch in my thighs (14.5 inches of total loss)

The rest of my body is 'unchanged', but all told, I've lost 96.15 total inches since November 2009.

I predict my final stop with the tape measure will tally up somewhere around the 115-125 inch mark, cumulatively...but I am definitely in the homestretch...er, homeshrink!

Now, off to do some pilates/yoga with Ellen Barrett...or maybe some kettlebells.

5 Pounds & 5.5 Inches - Slow & Steady

It's been just shy of a month since the last time I measured every inch of my body...and in that time, I've lost 5 pounds and 5.5 inches...from my calves, my arms, my belly and three from my friggin saddlebags.

This is why I love my tape measure.

I also love my new scale. Over the past three weeks since I quit Medifast, my weight loss has predictably stalled -- but my fat loss has been steady and significant. According to the scale, which measures % body water, bone mass, fat and muscle...I'm down from nearly 45% body fat to just under 43% and my muscle mass has increased from 33% to nearly 36% -- IN JUST THREE WEEKS!

My goal is to be under 40% blubber by the wedding, and I think that's totally do-able with the workouts I've been doing lately. I have so much energy and love working out now like I haven't in years. It's great to view food as fuel again. That's one component missing from the Medifast diet (which, again, has a LOT of merit -- but it's nice to feel my body responding so favorably after I abruptly jumped off of the plan). I find that if I do a workout of about 45-60 minutes before 2pm, by around 4:30/5, I'm ready for a mile walk around the neighborhood or another round of yoga or pilates. In fact, I've been averaging about 60-90 minutes of cardio and/or strength training 6 days per week over these past three weeks. It's fantastic and I feel so accomplished.

I feel especially awesome after scrolling through some of my earlier posts -- posts where I talked about not wanting to work out, not being able to work out as hard as I used to and only being able to do 15 minutes on the bike...or only being fit enough to play with the Wii Fit...wow, was I out of shape!

It's great to look over my shoulder to see all that's behind me -- especially when I look in the mirror and still see those pesky 40+ pounds I have left to lose. I have a feeling they'll be some of the hardest fought pounds yet.

I've lost 138 pounds and 86 inches. Another 42 pounds? Totally doable.

Measuring Success: Inch By Inch

This morning, I decided to measure myself again. I'm trying to do it every few weeks now, since the toning work I'm doing is really starting to take effect. It also helps to take the edge off of some occasionally disappointing numbers on the scale. I don't think I'll ever be able to shake the unrealistic expectations I have for my weight loss.

So far, I've lost:

• 1.5" from my neck
• 5"from my upper arms
• 2" from my forearms
• 7" from my chest
• 5" from my bust
• 7.25" from my waist
• 9.5" from my saddlebags
• 11" from my belly
• 12.5" from my upper legs
• 6" from my knees
• 2" from my calves

That's 68.75 total inches lost across my body. 6 of those inches were lost last month alone! 

I think it's realistic to think I'm going to look damn good at my wedding in July! Just need to stay in the fight for a few more months...and spend the rest of my life maintaining. 

I. Can. Do. This!

32.75 Inches - The Scale Only Tells Half Of The Story

I used to take my measurements every week. Lately, not so much. For some reason though, I decided that today was as good a day as any to see where I stand.

I'm so glad I did. Considering that the scale ticked slightly upwards in spite of more rigorous workouts - and has since (thankfully) turned back in the other direction again - it's an important bit of perspective.

What I'm doing IS working!! It's not just the way I feel when I wake up in the morning or the way I see myself in the mirror (which we all know can be quirky and downright deluded at times) - I'm tightening, toning and burning.

As of this morning. not only have I lost 55.5 pounds...


I've eliminated 32.75 inches from my body!

Here's how it all shakes out...er, off:

• 1/2 an inch of puffyness around my neck - GONE!
• 3 1/4 inches of upper arm flab - OBLITERATED!
• 2 inches of meat from my forearm - HASTA LA VISTA!
• 4 1/2 inches from my bust and chest - OUTTA HERE!
• 6 3/4 inches from my waist and belly - BURNED!
• 9 inches from my thigh - SENT PACKIN'
• 4 1/2 inches encasing my knee - MELTED AWAY!
• 1 1/4 inches from my calves - CRUSHED!

Clearly, I am a pear shaped gal. If I could have a lower half transplant, I'd seriously consider it. Still, it is very gratifying to see the progress itemized like this. It is taking me so much longer to achieve my goals than I hoped or expected it would, but I am really REALLY getting there.