There's No Stopping Me!

Just a quick update...

I am still working out not only because I love how my body is looking but because it is how I maintain my sanity. Carlene of Mommy's Body came by last week and gave me some killer upper body exercises so I should see some definition in my arms and back soon. I have been doing the leg workout she suggested, but a couple of the days I had some terrible pain in my left knee that made it difficult to do lunges. The photo above was taken about a month ago and i like it because I look lean with a bit of definition to my arms. I will keep posting periodic updates as I get new photos or have new milestones to announce.

Thanks for checking in!

Still Transforming and Working My Butt Off!

Just a quick update to let everyone know that I am still transforming and working my butt off! Carlene stopped by today with the Magic Scale and I am so thrilled to see that my body fat percentage is down. I lost some inches overall but it was all BF and only a teensy bit of lean muscle which is fantastic. Carlene will be putting together a new workout to focus on my lower body- legs and glutes need so much more work than anything else at this point. She's also going to address my nutrition plan which has been rather lame lately. I eat, but don't stick to what I should and sometimes don't eat enough. Lastly, I am going to ease back on my cardio since it is pretty much overkill at this point. One 30-45 minute session in the morning is fine for now and I figure on non-weight training days I can also go for a run in the afternoon if the mood strikes me. I have been walking with my niece, Kristin, and we split pushing her kids in a stroller on a five mile walk up and down hills a couple of days a week which is some really awesome exercise. We're thinking about renting the kids and stroller out to help people get in shape!

Well...progress is being made and I look forward to the day when I am training for a competition. Yes, I said it. It makes me really nervous to think about it but it would be really awesome to have a goal to work toward of that magnitude.

Until next time...keep your chin up and keep your eyes focused on your goals and you will succeed!

Training and Food Journal: Saturday, February 28 :: Final Day and After Photos

Today marked the end of the Tight Curves Transformation Challenge and I celebrated with pizza and beer for dinner. Woo Hoo! Allan took my after photos for me (warning: photos are posted below and may scare small children so please use caution while viewing ;)) and I was very impressed with the way my body is transforming. I still have a long way to go but for a 43 year old woman I think I look pretty good.

Carlene used her magical machine on me Thursday afternoon and I learned that my hard work is paying off! I have lost 15 pounds, 5% of my body fat, one inch off my hips and three inches off my waist. Good riddance! Sadly, I lost about 3 inches off my chest, however; on the plus side my metabolic age went from 30 to 20! Yay me!

I asked Tom at Bodywell Nutrition to consider sponsoring me with their product for another 12 weeks. They said they would possibly do this for anyone who finishes the Challenge and is motivated. That's me! Unless, of course, I am the winner and then I think I still get some more Tight Curves product to try. I will definitely post whether or not I win or get to continue using the product at no charge. Wish me luck! I will be continuing to work toward my goal of a totally lean, fit and healthy body and will post my progress but probably not a daily journal of my training and nutrition as it has been a rather time-consuming task.

Let me know if you have come across my blog and been inspired to pursue a fitness challenge of your own!

Training:

AM: 35 minutes treadmill

PM: 30 minutes elliptical

Weight training: N/A

Food:

Pre-cardio: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules

Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal with cinnamon and Splenda w/ 1/4 apple

Snack: N/A

Pre-lunch: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules

Lunch: One slice bread and 6 slices turkey (150 cals) and soup (140 cals)

Afternoon snack: N/A

Pre-dinner: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules

Dinner: Two slices Mellow Mushroom meat pizza and two Stella's

Dessert: Cheese blintz with strawberry sauce and two snack size Milky Way bars

Lots of water

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS

Before - Front

After - Front

Before - Back

After - Back

Special thanks to Carlene Steenekamp at Mommy's Body for getting me involved in the Tight Curves Transformation Challenge and providing the nutrition and workout information I needed to get from "before" to "after" and beyond. Please contact Carlene if you would like to experience your own transformation challenge.

Training and Food Journal: Thursday, February 26

Carlene from Mommy's Body (I know, even though I don't have a Mommy's Body I still need guidance and Carlene is the perfect coach) came by to update my stats and it was awesome. More on this in Saturday's post since it is the last day of the Tight Curves Transformation Challenge. Check out Carlene's website for more information about what she can do for pre- and post-natal women or any woman who would like to change the shape she is in.

Training:
AM: 30 minutes elliptical
PM: 15 minutes elliptical
Weight training: Workout #4/Lower Body

Food:
Pre-cardio: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules
Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal with cinnamon and Splenda
Snack: N/A
Pre-lunch: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules
Lunch: One slice bread and 6 slices turkey (150 cals) and soup (140 cals)
Afternoon snack: 2 tbsp. peanut butter
Pre-dinner: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules
Dinner: Chicken taco salad
Dessert: N/A
Lots of water

Training and Food Journal: Wednesday, January 14

Carlene, my trainer at Mommy's Body, sent over my new menu and a recipe for Muscle Bound Chili which looks like a rather tasty meal. I can't wait to go to the grocery store tomorrow for the ingredients. Allan will like it too. I didn't remember my lunch time Fat Burner today... better luck tomorrow! I need to add a lot more strength training to my workouts because I just feel like working harder. This challenge is addictive!!

Training:
AM: 42 minutes treadmill
PM: 20 minutes elliptical
Weight training: Shoulder and Abs

Food:
Pre-cardio: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules
Post-cardio: Tight Curves Protein in 6 oz. water
Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal with cinnamon, ginger and Splenda
Lunch: 8 slices of turkey and 1/3 cup cottage cheese
Afternoon snack: 1 tbs. peanut butter on wasa bread
Dinner: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules 30 minutes before pasta, sauce and baked chicken breast (leftovers)
Lots of water

Training and Food Journal: Friday, January 9

Carlene from Mommy's Body came by today to check my progress and run some new tests with her nifty new machine that calculated my body fat and a ton of other exciting things. Carlene is awesome and knows exactly what everything the magical machine spit out means...so she can tell me what I need to focus on for the remainder of the Transformation Challenge. I am still on track and guess what...my metabolic age is 30. Cool, huh?!

Training:
AM: 30 minutes elliptical
PM: 30 minutes elliptical
Weight training: N/A

Food:
Pre-cardio: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules and 1/3 apple
Post-cardio: Tight Curves protein and one cup skim milk
Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal with cinnamon, ginger and Splenda
Morning snack: 1 oz. mozzarella cheese
Lunch: Two slices Pepperidge Farm Thin Slice Bread- Wheat and 6 slices of turkey
Afternoon snack: Tablespoon of peanut butter on wasa bread
Dinner: Lettuce, 6 slices of turkey, hard-boiled egg, 1/3 cup cottage cheese with balsamic vinegar
After dinner snack: Handful of popcorn
Lots of water

Training and Food Journal: Thursday, January 8

I can't wait for Carlene from Mommy's Body to come by tomorrow to see how I am transforming and do some re-measurements and give me some new nutritional menus. I can definitely tell a difference in my appearance and I hope she will notice too. One problem I have with myself being on this program is I don't think I am eating enough. I am starting to feel a little run down and I need to ask Carlene if this is normal or if I need to eat more. I forget to eat my little snack meals...

Training:
AM: 30 minutes treadmill
PM: 30 minutes elliptical
Weight training: Chest and triceps

Food:
Pre-cardio: Two Tight Curves Fat Burner capsules and 1/3 apple
Post-cardio: Tight Curves protein and one cup skim milk
Breakfast: 1/2 cup oatmeal with cinnamon, ginger and Splenda
Morning snack: 1 oz. mozzarella cheese
Lunch: Two slices Pepperidge Farm Thin Slice Bread- Wheat and 5 slices of turkey
Afternoon snack: Tablespoon of peanut butter on wasa bread
Dinner: Lettuce, can of tuna, hard-boiled egg, 1/3 cup cottage cheese with balsamic vinegar and a small serving of baked beans (about 1/4 cup) (My mom makes these great Boston Baked Beans and I have to eat them or her feelings will get hurt. I would rather do extra cardio and weight training than make her sad!)
After dinner snack: Allan shared 1/6th of his regular size Snickers bar with me. Not on the plan, but won't even think about a Snickers for another six weeks...
Lots of water!!!!

Days Four and Five :: Updates

I received my diet plan and shopping list from Carlene yesterday along with four workout plans that I will do once a week on four different days. I also have to do 30 minutes of cardio each morning when I get moving and then make sure I eat my breakfast and the rest of my 4-5 meals each day. I have been disciplined with my diet and exercise before so this won't be too difficult, however; I do have to make sure that Allan gets enough to eat... He is very support of me in everything I do so I should be fine for the duration of the Transformation Challenge (and beyond). The protein supplement and fat burner have not arrived so Carlene substituted another protein source for my diet, but the Tight Curves products should arrive this week. Each program that Carlene designs for Mommy's Body is specifically tailored to the individual based on the information she obtains from a series of questions, tests and feedback during the consultation. Although Carlene and I have known each other for quite some time she has followed her usual procedures to ensure she doesn't overlook anything in my analysis.

I have to keep a diet journal of everything I eat. This, I know, will be the most surprising part of the next 11 weeks. I honestly don't eat as well as I used to and I will have to work hard to prepare the nutritious meals that Carlene has on my program. The meals themselves are not difficult it will be me making the time to shop and then prepare each day. Just a little re-prioritizing of my time and energy is all. I have gotten so used to working from home that I often overwork and lose focus on me and what is important to my health and well-being.

Just to keep me on track...30 minutes of cardio and the shoulders/abs workout yesterday and 30 minutes of cardio already this morning (per the program!). Thought for the day: Focus!

Days Two, Three and Four :: Updates

There has obviously been no major progress on the transformation yet, but I have sworn off the Christmas cookies for the rest of the holiday season as of Thursday evening. I have been holding an Open House for my fused glass business, Sassy Glass Studio, and served some yummy cookies and they were my dinner on Thursday. Cookie overload. I won't need another sugary treat for a while, I guarantee it.
Carlene from Mommy's Body came by Friday afternoon to do my analysis which included checking my blood pressure (good) and my body fat (not good) and she will be preparing my diet plan and give me some guidelines on my workout program as well. I have been doing about 30 minutes of cardio most days of the week, but I really need to step it up if I am going to win the challenge.
No excuses. Excuses don't win you anything...

Day One :: Tight Curves Transformation Challenge

December 10 marks the first day of the Tight Curves Transformation Challenge. My before photos are below. They are not pretty and I didn't realize how out of shape I am. Thanks to Carlene Steenekamp of Mommy's Body - http://www.mommysbody.com/ - for getting me involved in this Challenge. The Transformation Challenge is about 12 weeks long and the winner is chosen based on overall appearance improvement not weight loss, fat loss or increase in muscle mass. I have been so focused on building the two businesses my husband Allan and I have, Sassy Glass Studio and ALM Photo that I have not been focusing on my fitness like I used to when I had a regular job. You would think that working for yourself would guarantee you would have and make time to workout but you would be wrong. It has taken a goal to get me to reevaluate my life and day to day activities in order to fit fitness back in.

In this blog I will be keeping track of my progress and providing some information on the challenges I face on my way to the end of the challenge and beyond. Drop me a line if you have any suggestions or tips that will help me stay focused and strong!