Weight Loss – 12-week Challenge

For the past 12 weeks, I have been participating in a weight loss challenge that was organized by my friend (and fellow mommy of a December 09 baby) Tiffany of Mommy's Losing Rolls. The challenge ended yesterday.

This was taken maybe 2-3 months after I had Liam (early 2010) - the first time I went running after baby. I probably weighed 165 lbs.

I have always wanted to lose my baby weight - just never really made much of an effort. I made it back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but I still had areas that I felt needed work - mainly my midsection. I figured with my half marathon training last year, it would have just melted off. Not the case. In December 2012 (my month off from running), I dabbled a bit with the 17-Day diet and got results from that, but I found that I don't like to follow any real plan. So with my food, I took ideas from the recipes from the 17-day diet and just modified and ate what I wanted (or felt like making - I am not a great cook by any means).

June 2012 - probably around 145 lbs.

Instead of following a real diet plan, I started counting my calories with My Fitness Pal and made an effort to eat cleaner. I even bought a Polar heart rate monitor to track my calorie burn with my workouts - WHICH I have learned, that my calorie burn is not quite as much as I had been estimating. I always thought that generally 10 minutes of exercise equals a 100 calorie burn. Nope. I'm lucky to get 70 calories burned in 10 minutes. I'm thinking maybe it is because my heart is just working more efficiently? For instance I ran my fastest half marathon in February, but I only burned 999 calories in about 2 hours of running at a pretty consistently moderate effort.

It's not all about the diet, though. I have been going to a bootcamp class twice a week, running, rowing on my rowing machine, doing planks and other exercises that I can fit in at any given free moment. :) I feel abs under my baby belly!!! Like I mentioned in previous posts, and as you can tell from all my new PRs, I am becoming a faster runner - as well as one who doesn't suffer from as much hip pain as before!

Anyway, it's been quite a journey. Here are my results from the 12-week challenge, starting on 2/14/2013, ending 4/29/2013 (Note: I am 5' 1" tall):

Starting Weight: 137.2 lbs / Ending Weight: 126.8 lbs (-10.4 lb, 7.58% loss)

Starting Measurements / Ending Measurements:

Chest: 35" / 33.5" (-1.5")

Waist: 30" / 29" (-1")

Hips: 38" / 37" (-1")

Thigh: 23" / 21.5" (-1.5")

Right Arm Flexed: 11.75" / 12" (+0.25")

I came in 8th out of 32 participants! I was surprised to be a part of the top 10! Woohoo! Thanks so much to Tiffany for the challenge and motivating me to lose the weight! :) I feel great, look great and I am just SO DAMN PROUD of myself for accomplishing this!

So what's next? I plan to maintain this weight loss, maybe try to lose a bit more. I want to get stronger and gain more muscle! I'm already signed up for another fitness challenge, oddly enough organized by another Tiffany! I'm going to be pushing myself pretty hard again this time. I can't wait!