Posts
This post was copied from an entry on My Food Diary (MFD) during my pre-blogging days. Back then, I used the forums on MFD as my daily 'blog'. Just wanted to get my entire journey in one place.
_________________________________________
April 2, 2009
April 2, 2009
60-day ChaLean Extreme update:
What can I say? I LOVE this program. When I first started it, I was a little skeptical and unmotivated but I promised myself I would give it my all for at least three months - just one round of CLX. When I started to get to week 3 and 4 of the program and it was obvious I had gotten stronger, that's when I realized I really liked it. I posted my 30 day measurements and was stunned to see all the negative numbers despite the scale barely moving. Besides my weekly weigh-ins on Fridays, I don't take any other measurements until the start of the month. I had to resist the urge to take my measurements sooner than day 60 this past month because I was so excited to know how I was doing. The scale did move down a bit more than the first phase of the program, but I do think it's because I upped my aerobic exercise a little by trying to take daily walks before I hit the weights in the evening. Again, my diet in the Push phase could have used some major help... way too much carbs and not enough protein... so I'm really looking to "bringing it" during the Lean phase. This is the phase that you're suppose to see the most results in so I'm hoping it holds true to me.
I start the Lean phase today and I was so excited to get getting earlier this week that I wanted to wake up early today to sample Lean circuit 1. But I was so tired last night there was no way I could get up an hour earlier to exercise. I cleared my schedule for tonight and can't wait to try the Lean phase... from what I've heard, it's a whole different world of muscle exhaustion and I can't wait! :)
________________________________________________
On a side note, over the past several days I have been analyzing my charts off of MFD as well as some of my own charts since November, trying to find a pattern or correlation between: my Friday weekly weigh-ins vs. diet vs. exercise vs. type of exercise vs. daily gross calories vs. daily net calories vs. carb % vs. fat % vs. protein %. After spending several days looking over charts, putting all this information into one chart in excel and color coding each section based on the amount of weight I lost that week... NOTHING! There is absolutely no direct correlation between these things. A couple of weeks in December I ate between 1100 - 1350 net calories and I had only lost like half a pound for both those weeks. Jump to a couple of weeks in January and I ate at 1200 - 1600 net calories and dropped 2 pounds for each of those weeks! BUT, I had the complete opposite weeks as well... ate 1200 - 1600 and didn't lose anything.
It really just goes to show that there is nothing terribly scientific about losing weight and getting healthy... just eating properly and maintaining an active lifestyle really is the "magic pill" everyone is looking for. In fact last night my boyfriend and I were talking before bed and he told me that what I'm doing with this whole weight-loss journey and lifestyle change is truly amazing (this is the first time he's said anything like this about my weight-loss... it made me feel so good). He doesn't think he'd ever have the dedication and discipline to do something like this. He's not overweight at all, but he's always wanted to build and put on some muscle mass, but never has been able to do it because he gives up a month or two into the program*. Anyway, I told him that looking back at the last 7 months, I can't believe how far I've come and the type of progress I've made... sure there's been ups and downs and a lot of hard work and frustration went into losing the first 30 pounds, but looking back, it seemed fairly "easy". Just need to take one day at a time and just realize that what I do today will make a difference tomorrow. I really felt like kicking myself in the behind for not doing this sooner in my life!
This time around, I really feel like I am making a lifestyle change and I get excited just planning out my exercises for the week! If I have a weekend or a couple days were I don't get active, I start getting antsy and need to schedule in a workout... I LOVE THIS FEELING! :)
Just need to keep on keeping on!
*This morning my boyfriend said he's really going to think about lifting weights again... I've inspired him to and he can see the progress I've made and now believes that it is possible for anyone (plus, I have the ChaLean Extreme program and P90X sitting at home already, so why not?!). The one thing he's never changed his entire life was his diet so we both knew that's probably the reason why he didn't see results all the other times he's tried to workout. I told him if he seriously wants to start, that will give me huge motivation to start eating "like an athlete". My diet has been lacking throughout the CLX program... I eat relatively healthy, but not the right %'s of fat/carbs/protein. If he starts lifting too, then I can make sure all our meals are optimal muscle-building meals. Will keep you posted!
What can I say? I LOVE this program. When I first started it, I was a little skeptical and unmotivated but I promised myself I would give it my all for at least three months - just one round of CLX. When I started to get to week 3 and 4 of the program and it was obvious I had gotten stronger, that's when I realized I really liked it. I posted my 30 day measurements and was stunned to see all the negative numbers despite the scale barely moving. Besides my weekly weigh-ins on Fridays, I don't take any other measurements until the start of the month. I had to resist the urge to take my measurements sooner than day 60 this past month because I was so excited to know how I was doing. The scale did move down a bit more than the first phase of the program, but I do think it's because I upped my aerobic exercise a little by trying to take daily walks before I hit the weights in the evening. Again, my diet in the Push phase could have used some major help... way too much carbs and not enough protein... so I'm really looking to "bringing it" during the Lean phase. This is the phase that you're suppose to see the most results in so I'm hoping it holds true to me.
I start the Lean phase today and I was so excited to get getting earlier this week that I wanted to wake up early today to sample Lean circuit 1. But I was so tired last night there was no way I could get up an hour earlier to exercise. I cleared my schedule for tonight and can't wait to try the Lean phase... from what I've heard, it's a whole different world of muscle exhaustion and I can't wait! :)
________________________________________________
On a side note, over the past several days I have been analyzing my charts off of MFD as well as some of my own charts since November, trying to find a pattern or correlation between: my Friday weekly weigh-ins vs. diet vs. exercise vs. type of exercise vs. daily gross calories vs. daily net calories vs. carb % vs. fat % vs. protein %. After spending several days looking over charts, putting all this information into one chart in excel and color coding each section based on the amount of weight I lost that week... NOTHING! There is absolutely no direct correlation between these things. A couple of weeks in December I ate between 1100 - 1350 net calories and I had only lost like half a pound for both those weeks. Jump to a couple of weeks in January and I ate at 1200 - 1600 net calories and dropped 2 pounds for each of those weeks! BUT, I had the complete opposite weeks as well... ate 1200 - 1600 and didn't lose anything.
It really just goes to show that there is nothing terribly scientific about losing weight and getting healthy... just eating properly and maintaining an active lifestyle really is the "magic pill" everyone is looking for. In fact last night my boyfriend and I were talking before bed and he told me that what I'm doing with this whole weight-loss journey and lifestyle change is truly amazing (this is the first time he's said anything like this about my weight-loss... it made me feel so good). He doesn't think he'd ever have the dedication and discipline to do something like this. He's not overweight at all, but he's always wanted to build and put on some muscle mass, but never has been able to do it because he gives up a month or two into the program*. Anyway, I told him that looking back at the last 7 months, I can't believe how far I've come and the type of progress I've made... sure there's been ups and downs and a lot of hard work and frustration went into losing the first 30 pounds, but looking back, it seemed fairly "easy". Just need to take one day at a time and just realize that what I do today will make a difference tomorrow. I really felt like kicking myself in the behind for not doing this sooner in my life!
This time around, I really feel like I am making a lifestyle change and I get excited just planning out my exercises for the week! If I have a weekend or a couple days were I don't get active, I start getting antsy and need to schedule in a workout... I LOVE THIS FEELING! :)
Just need to keep on keeping on!
*This morning my boyfriend said he's really going to think about lifting weights again... I've inspired him to and he can see the progress I've made and now believes that it is possible for anyone (plus, I have the ChaLean Extreme program and P90X sitting at home already, so why not?!). The one thing he's never changed his entire life was his diet so we both knew that's probably the reason why he didn't see results all the other times he's tried to workout. I told him if he seriously wants to start, that will give me huge motivation to start eating "like an athlete". My diet has been lacking throughout the CLX program... I eat relatively healthy, but not the right %'s of fat/carbs/protein. If he starts lifting too, then I can make sure all our meals are optimal muscle-building meals. Will keep you posted!
No comments:
Post a Comment