dianaschnuth

I don’t recall exactly when I decided that I was going to start the Body for Life program today. It was before the Japan Trip, at any rate, because I packed the Body for Life book in our carry-on (even if I didn’t end up reading it on the plane). I knew I would take a “diet vacation” while we were in Japan — when we came back, after the Memorial Day holiday and the Super Crazy Japan Party™, I would attack my own fitness with vigor. Being that I have just a little longer than three months to find a new job, it seemed that taking 12 weeks to do the BFL Challenge made sense, too.

I hadn’t started out with the intention of doing The Challenge. I just so happened to remember that it existed after I decided to get with the BFL program. Not that I think I’ll win any big prizes, mind you… but officially entering the challenge is a form of accountability, and I’m all about that.

Another major form of accountability? The “before” picture. I realized last week that I didn’t have any appropriate workout clothes in which to take a midriff-baring before picture. So, while we were out running errands yesterday, I drug Aaron into Target and I bought something I never EVER thought I would buy.

A bikini. A two-piece, completely midriff-baring swimsuit. In size extra-large.

Dear God.

…but, actually, I’m looking forward to wearing it in public someday. Not today, probably not anytime this summer, but someday.

I took my before photos today, after work — which was a challenge, since the tripod that I was using broke a while back, and I had to resort to setting the camera on furniture of appropriate heights that faced blank walls that were big enough to serve as a backdrop. (Note to self: a light stand, an umbrella, and a cheap backdrop will really come in handy in about 12 weeks.)

OK, friends: if you want to see the before picture, here it is. I’m not posting it in the body of the entry because, well, I’m not THAT much of a masochist. I will be posting the after picture on or around… *checking calendar* …August 21st.

As for my first day… I think it went well. I planned out my meals and exercise yesterday, and followed them fairly well, for the most part. I did some decent interval training on the mini-trampoline this evening, and broke a decent sweat. I always forget how GOOD it feels to sweat during and after a workout. Tomorrow is a lower-body workout, I think, and I’ll have to plan that one out this evening, while I’m planning tomorrow’s meals.

My starting point? 201 lbs (yes, I gained five back in Japan) and 31% body fat.
My goal? 180 lbs (not necessarily in 12 weeks) and/or 20% body fat.

I think this is a completely reasonable goal. It involves me losing 25 pounds of fat and gaining only five pounds of muscle, by my calculations. Would I like to see 170? Sure. But we’ll see how I’m feeling once I get to my first goal. It’s entirely possible that I’ll be happy enough with my new body composition that I’ll have reached a good stopping point. For the time being.

Day one was a success. Only 83 more days to go…