dianaschnuth

This evening, I did something I should have done two weeks ago: a full-body measurement. Mainly for my own record-keeping purposes, here are the results:

Weight: 198.5 lbs
Neck: 14″
Bust (around the fullest part): 43″ or 44″
Chest (below the boobs, not the armpits): 37″ or 38″
(I measured twice, and I came up with different measurements for my bust and chest.)
Upper Waist (the narrowest part): 37″
Lower Waist (where my pants live): 42″
Hips: 48″
Upper Arm: 13″
Lower Arm: 10.5″
Thigh: 25″
Calf: 15.75″

(Just look at those measurements. Hi, I’m the spokesmodel for the Pear Shape. *sigh* BTW, for anyone who doesn’t know me personally, I’m 5’10” tall, so at least I’ve got that on my side.)

For those who might be keeping score, my last official set of full-body measurements was posted in May 2006, almost exactly 13 months ago. Overall, I’ve lost thirteen pounds in thirteen months, plus about an inch off all major measurements. Man, it feels like my hip measurement should have changed more than it did, because I have quite a bit of loose skin around my belly button. Weird.

I’ve been freeforming the diet just a little, not planning everything every day, mainly due to me being a dork and spending too long at the computer at night. I mean to give myself time to write out the next day’s meals and exercise, plus pack my lunch and snacks, but it doesn’t always happen. I haven’t been too evil, though; the worst thing I could accuse myself of is not eating enough protein. My “default diet” seems to be fruit and Ostrims, if I don’t have time to make something proper for lunch.

Cardio is and always has been my downfall. Even back when I was in my best shape ever, I absolutely hated running. I’ve always preferred resistance training to aerobics. Maybe that explains some things. Anyway, I’ve been enjoying the weight training part of the program, and neglecting the cardio. I just can’t make myself go run around the block or drive to the park, and the trampoline is so God-awful boring sometimes. I know. I need to get over it.

This past weekend, while we were visiting the bookstore at the mall (where I bought both Men’s Health and Women’s Health magazines), we swung past the Dick’s Sporting Goods that’s next door. I bought not only the equipment I’d said I needed before — namely, two more 10# plates, new dumbbell bars, and a heavy resistance band — but I also got myself a 75cm stability ball. That thing rules in so many ways. Between that and my new bands (complete with door anchor!), I can do almost all of the exercises I’d poo-poohed before as being impossible without gym equipment. Cable pulls, back extensions, leg presses… yeah. I’m good to go.

I’m not overly upset about the scale only moving one pound since last week’s weigh-in. I *feel* firmer. My stomach feels more solid (to me, anyway). My legs definitely feel more solid. It won’t be long before something kicks in (probably my cardio workouts) and the fat starts to melt off and leave behind the muscle I’m building.

It’s still early in the game, but I feel positive about things. Not just weight loss, but Things In General.

Yeah… it’s all good.

I’ve been completely exhausted for the last two days now, and it’s not casting a positive light on my feelings for my one-week mark on the Body for Life diet. I’ve even resorted to caffeine — Diet Mountain Dew. Add to that a less-than-stellar weight-loss for the week, and little to no change in my body fat reading, and I’m a little disenchanted. That doesn’t mean I’m quitting, though.

This week’s official weight: 199.5 lbs. That’s a one and a half pound loss from my official starting weight of 201 last Tuesday, even though last Wednesday charted me at 200 even. My body fat percentage hasn’t changed much yet: last Tuesday’s reading was just over 31%, last Wednesday’s reading was just over 32%, and yesterday’s one-week reading was 32.8%. Granted, my Omron Body Fat Analyzer is really only good for a guesstimate, so I should probably go easy on the body fat readings and only do them with my monthly photos.

I’ve read online that a lot of BFL participants don’t experience any actual weight loss; the major change is in body composition. Fat takes up five times the volume of muscle, after all, so losing a given amount of fat and gaining the equivalent weight in muscle would make a huge difference.

I do have a couple of visible, non-number-related goals for this 12-week program:

1. To have my thighs not touch at the top when I stand with my feet shoulder-width apart
2. For my upper arms to be the same shape (or close to it) when my arms are raised and when they’re down at my sides (i.e. no more embarrassing arm-fat expansion when my arms are pressed against my sides)

I think those are reasonable expectations for a 12-week weight-training program, really.

We made a run to Dick’s Sporting Goods this past weekend, and got me a couple of 10-pound plates for my dumbbells and a couple of spring-loaded weight collars to replace my lame ones that require tools in order to change plates. I was a big dork, though, and didn’t heed Aaron’s repeated question of “Are you sure that’s all you need?”

I’m planning to go back to Dick’s on Thursday or Friday and buy myself two more 10-pound plates (you need TWO pairs of plates for dumbbells, silly), new dumbbell bars with threaded collars (the clips don’t quite fit on my paint-chipped garage-sale bars), and a stronger resistance band (mainly for leg presses — my quads are getting neglected, compared to everything else). After that, I should be good to go for a while. That’ll give me dumbbells ranging from 5 lbs to 35 lbs, with the plates I already have, and that should be sufficient for my needs for at least another couple few weeks.

The diet has been going well, for the most part. I’m taking advantage of the Cheat Day aspect of the program, and saving all my evil cravings for Saturdays (except the dark chocolate that got the best of me yesterday). I’m eating six small meals a day, which seems like a lot, even though the meals are small. I *am* enjoying getting to eat sweet potatoes and pasta again, even in small portions.

Even though the scale hasn’t seen much action, I still *feel* better (apart from being tired these past few days). I stand taller, I feel firmer, and my muscles are pleasantly sore almost all the time with all this working out I’ve been doing.

I can dig it.

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…

I guess I never realized that I’m one of only 5% of dieters who have kept off the weight long-term. (Does three to four years count as long-term?) Sure, I gained back 10 of my 50; but I lost it again, plus more.

Check out the article 5 Secrets of the 5% at SparkPeople to find out how I did it. Apparently.

Actually, they’re not far off the mark. I just hadn’t thought about it.

P.S. – If anyone’s interested, I’m down to 197 lbs.