Day 138 Weight: 222 lbs.
Personal Trainer Sessions Complete: 7
Weight Difference: -30 lbs.
Okay, so right off the bat, you'll notice the GIANT gap between Day 1 and today. Let me give you the background and then we'll move into the good stuff. On May 15, 2011, I decided I'd had enough with being overweight. I'd tried Weight Watchers before, but had recently seen a commercial featuring Jennifer Hudson and offering free registration. Having just finished house-sitting for a friend's parents, I had a little extra cash from that in my pocket, so I signed up. I created my account, entered my Day 1 weight, did all my various measurements and dove head first into learning how to follow the plan correctly.
Over time, I learned the secrets to Weight Watchers success. I didn't do my usual apocalypse-style kitchen-clean-out, but gradually phased the not-so-good items out by incorporating them into my daily points targets until they were gone. I switched from red meat to white (mostly ground turkey, but occasionally ground chicken), white breads and pastas to wheat, and still made sure to have some Weight Watchers Friendly (in future to be noted as "WWF") desserts on-hand for my insatiable sweet tooth. As we progress, I'll share with you my favorite items, tips and recipes. Because I have truly gotten my money's worth out of the Weight Watchers Online.
The weight loss was slow going at first. I plateaued at about seventeen pounds and hovered there for a long time. And then those words that I'd been repeating to myself in my head for months (who am I kidding?, years) finally clicked: "If you don't add exercise, this will all be useless." Having committed so much time and energy into making this go-round with WW a success, I couldn't throw in the towel this early. Especially not after I'd been updating my weight loss progress on my Facebook page weekly. What if someone eventually realized there hadn't been an update in months? What if they asked and I had to tell them that I hadn't lost another pound or (gasp) gained some back?! Unacceptable. I was on a one-way street to Sexyville and there was no turning back.
Thankfully, I had some monthly payments I'd been making for a year or so hit their pay-off point right when I decided that joining a gym was the right next step for me. But, I was hesitant. I knew nothing about exercising other than cardio was good for you and you should do it regularly. I had joined gyms before but had strategically stayed away from anything denoted as a "machine" or included in its title the words "weights," "lats," "squats," "pulls" or "extensions." All Greek to me. Plus, I didn't want to build muscle, I wanted to lose fat. Or so I thought. I sat down with the sales representative from my local LA Fitness who showed me how important it is to do both at the same time. News to me, gaining muscle actually helps you lose fat faster and at a more sustainable rate. I explained how I only wanted to do this once... I wanted to lose the weight and just maintain for the rest of my life. No more yo-yo-ing for this chickadee.
The representative quickly went into the perks of a personal trainer. Being a sales person in my previous life, I know all the tricks and usually see right through them. But, this all clicked... it made sense and I knew I had to go "all in." I'm not married, I don't have any children or other responsibilities outside of work and for once in my life, I could afford it. If I said "no," I had no real, reasonable excuse for complaining about not losing weight. So, I signed up. One year of gym membership with eight personal trainer sessions per month for $235 per month. I know... you're probably like, "Damn!" But, I promised honesty and that's what you're going to get. My previous alternative was weight loss surgery, which ranges in price, but usually starts around the $13,000 mark with an expectation that you'll also implement an exercise program. For now, I'm skipping the scalpel and saving some cash.
Soon after, I met my trainer. We went over my goals (I told him that I wanted to be comfortable wearing a tank top in public next summer. His reply: "No problem. Let's go.") and had a whole session devoted to just learning where I stood on the whole physical agility spectrum. The result: Pretty low. But, today, going into my eighth appointment with him, I have dramatically improved in my ability to get through the routines and exercises and my stamina and endurance has jumped leaps and bounds. This girl who could hardly get through 30 minutes on a flat treadmill at a slightly quick walk is now busting through the stair climber for thirty minutes, pouring in sweat and loving every minute of it. Well, "loving" might be a stretch. I'm feeling very accomplished... that's more realistic terminology. My trainer is knowledgeable, encouraging, hot, funny, engaging, interested in my progress, hot, motivating without being pushy or mean, friendly, hot and oh, did I say hot? Yeah... he's hot. Which I consider to be my reward for finally taking my health seriously. I will attempt not to just drool over him daily in my posts. I can't guarantee anything though.
After this month of personal training, I know what held me back before. It was a lack of education. So, if I can use this blog to share with you my accomplishments, hopefully inspire you that this real-world, unpaid, non-celebrity-spokesperson can do it with little more reward than her health and sexiness, and share the insights I'm learning while I'm at the gym about how to properly exercise, it will all be worth it. So, let's start sharing our accomplishments or goals. What one little thing can you change to help you move in a better direction? Like my tank tops next summer, what's your material goal? Do you have a certain piece of clothing you'd like to fit into again or be comfortable in for the first time?
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| I own these... and am wearing them. Right now. |
Post-workout pointers tomorrow!
