The Results

Weight: -4 kg
Chest: +0.5 cm
R Bicep: -0.8 cm
L Bicep: -0.5 cm
Waist: -3 cm
Hips: -6.3 cm
Right Thigh: -2.2 cm
Left Thigh: -3 cm
Right Calf: -2.7 cm
Left Calf: -3 cm
Body Fat%: -3.6%

My Body Fat % was done by me using 3 point skinfold. This is how I did it at the start of the challenge and to make it comparable I didn't use the one I did at the gym.

If you look at my stats from the beginning of this yearat the start of the Michelle Bridges Challenge.

Weight: -7.2 kg
Chest: -2 cm
Waist: -12.5 cm
Hips: -13.3 cm
Right Thigh: -7.2 cm
Left Thigh: -7.5 cm

WTF????

Yesterday I got my body fat measured at my gym. Now, I didn't get this done at all last time so I have no way of comparing where I'm sitting now as opposed to then. I honestly find it hard to find the time to get these sort of things done. I also want to add that I had it done at the place I do my Fitbox using the gadget where they stick an electrode onto your foot and wrist (bioelectrical impedance??) a couple of months ago and the result was 17%. I didn't go back to her this time because it was difficult for us to get a time that suited both of us, instead I went to my normal gym which has the added bonus of being complimentary for members.

I noticed as I was getting changed to go last night that I was looking very soft, my abs had all but disappeared and Vera was nowhere to be seen. I'm not sure if it was because I had a late smoko due to having a parent-teacher interview in the afternoon. This time my percentage was measured using skinfolds. I know I should have gone to the other place as it was going to be like comparing apples to oranges but then isn't it all just working out body fat - I didn't think there would that much of a difference. Imagine my face when she calculated it out to be 22%!! She double-checked her numbers with one of the gadgety things where you hold onto it and press a button which confirmed her number. Of course my leg measurement was quite high, especially when compared to other competitors at the gym. FUCKING LEGS! I was so upset. I mean, if you look at the charts 22% is not 'very lean', it's not even 'lean', it IS 'average'. I can't be 'AVERAGE' when I get up on stage!!!!! And I only have 3 weeks to go! As far as meltdowns go, is was fairly minor. I got my training done even if I was in robot mode and even got to go to Body Balance after for a bit of stretching and meditation. I had a bit of a sook when I got home and then weighed and prepped my meals for today even though I wanted to eat my weight in chocolate. I figure that getting this measurement done is just another tool but, like the scales, it is not the be all. I'll just keep on slogging away and see how I go. On a bright note, my weight is sitting at 47.7 kg. Yay!

Comparisons

I was just looking back to 2005 and comparing my measurements with the start of my second Body Blitz. Of course, they most probably weren't taken in exactly the same place but it is interesting to compare.

2005:

Weight: 50.0 kg
Chest: 76.2
Waist (at bellybutton): 68 cm
Hips: 93.6 cm
Thigh: 53 cm

2010:

Weight: 51.3 kg
Chest: 76.5 cm
Waist (at bellybutton): 67 cm
Hips: 94 cm
Right Thigh: 51 cm
Left Thigh: 52 cm

I'm in a very similar place - a little bit heavier but also smaller in most areas with exception of my hips (mind you 0.4 cm is pretty insignificant). Does that mean I have gained some muscle? I'll have to have a look through my old paperwork and see how it compares to 12 weeks with Liz.

Results

Here are the overall measurement and fitness test results:

Weight: -3.2 kg
Chest: -2.5 cm
Waist: -9.5 cm
Hips: -7 cm
Right Thigh: -5 cm
Left Thigh: -4.5 cm
Time trial: -40 sec
Push Ups: +9
Wall sit: +2:45
Ab stage: =
Sit and reach: +3

I have to admit I was hoping for a little bit better results but at the same time I didn't exactly flog myself and wasn't too strict with my diet so I guess it is a reflection of what I did. I'm not complaining though as this was never about going crazy ... it was about getting back on track with eating well and training hard. Besides, I'm back into my skinny jeans comfortably ... next goal is my Billabong skirt.

Week 10 Weigh In

A typical Wednesday - 100 g up from Friday's weight but on the plus side it is only 100 g, it could have been so much worse. As we are nearing the end of the 12wbt I started to head into the 'shoulda, coulda, woulda, didn't' territory. You know when you say to yourself that you coulda reached your goal, you shoulda stuck to the diet, you woulda done more training but you didn't. At the moment I am 1.8 kg away from my 3 month goal, I seem to be losing around 100 or so gram per week and at that rate I won't reach my goal in two weeks. In reality, does it really matter? I am fitting into my fave jeans again, my workout pants fit me comfortably and more importantly I'm feeling fit and healthy. Ultimately, that is what it's all about.

Week 8 Weigh in and Measurements

I have put in Saturday's weight this week as it's TTOM and I've had a bit of bloating. I'm sure it will drop down again by the end of the week. Overall results (since the start of the 12 weeks) are:

Weight: -2.5 kg
Chest: -2 cm
Waist: -6.5 cm
Hips: -6 cm
Right Thigh: -4 cm
Left Thigh: -3.5 cm
Time trial: -20 sec
Push ups: +7 (all boy pushups this time)
Wall sit: +2 min 15 sec
Abs: = (I'm at the highest level so nowhere to go)
Sit and reach: +2 cm

I was a little disappointed with the monthly results but I really don't have much to lose and therefore can't expect massive changes. It looks a bit more impressive when you look at the overall stats.

Weigh In Week 7

I have been totally zen about the whole weight thing. My weight has been sitting around the 52.5 kg mark for the last few weeks and I have been content. I am enjoying my exercise and loving eating relatively clean. I have been feeling great and no number on the scale would bring me down. Until today. I went to bed with a rumbling tummy last night and instead of eating I talked myself out of it as it was weigh in day. What an idiot! So today I'm tired and hungry and the scales have not moved for the third week in a row, it was not fucking worth it. I'm not in this to starve myself! I should have listened to my body and had something. Why did I let that little voice talk me into not eating for fear I might jeopardise a weigh-in. I should have told her to fuck off. This is a lifestyle thing for me, not a competition to see if I can lose the most weight. I've been to 46 kg for comp and I don't want to get back to being that lean unless I'm competing. Time to give myself an uppercut and get back to finding that balance.

Week 6 Weigh-In

No loss so far this week but I'm having to hitch my work pants up constantly so that's a pretty good sign. I can't believe we are at the halfway mark, it's going waaaaay too quickly. Maintenance scares me, I feel like I need that push from being in a challenge or training with a trainer even if it is on-line. I have found in the past that even when I set myself some goals when I'm by myself I don't seem to achieve it. I need to figure a way around that whether it be setting myself some lifting goals or the like.

Week 5 Summary

This week has been a struggle. I'm not sure if it's because it's the end of term and we are all plain, old worn out but I've had to dig deep. I had a sleep-in this morning and feel so much better for it. On the positive side I got all my prescribed workouts in and diet has been okay - even though I had a Dagwood Dog at the Harbour Festival last night (pretty gross really, I don't why I bothered). The funny thing is my weight is down this morning.

As usual when I'm tired, Lucy, the inner-labrador, has been sniffing around wanting to be fed. I've had to put her on a leash and work hard not to raid the kid's Easter Eggs (or any other junk that we have). The challenge for me is to not let her out this weekend as that's the hardest time for me. I do so well through the week only to let loose on the weekend. I'm not going to be a saint, I will allow myself Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns but I'm not going to eat for the sake of eating.

Have a great Easter everyone!

Weigh In and Measurement Day

This week there was a drop of 200 g which means there has been a loss of 1.6 kg in 4 weeks. I'm expecting a whoosh this week as TTOM has arrived. I'm very happy with my measurements. The overall results are:

Weight: -1.6 kg
Chest: -2 cm :o(
Waist: -4.5 cm
Hips: -3.5 cm
Right Thigh: -3 cm
Left Thigh: -2 cm

Fitness Test:

Time Trial: =
Pushups: +1 (but did boy pushups)
Wall Sit: =
Ab Stage: =
Sit and Reach: +1

I was a little sore from yesterday's weights so I think if I were fresher my wall sit could have improved. I'm already doing advanced abs so there is no room for improvement there.

Overall I'm pretty happy.

Week 2 Weigh In

Last week I lost 700 g this week I gained 600 g. I am retaining so much fluid it’s incredible. I think there are a few contributing factors here:

1. I went to a party on the weekend and while I didn’t go crazy I relaxed with my eating and drinking. By the end of the night I had to take my shoes off due to my feet being that swollen. In saying that, my life is not stopping because of this challenge.
2. I am eating more carbs than what I’m used to. I’m going to stick to the plan because I’m interested in seeing how my body copes and I would like to see if it stabilizes.
3. It is so humid here.
4. I haven’t drunk enough water.

At the end of the day I’m not too stressed about it.

Results Are In

I finally went back to the doctor after my blood tests to see why I'm tired all the time. The results show that I'm in perfect health. Iron, thyroid, blood sugar all smack bang in the middle. Cholesterol is fantastic - there is a lot to be said about healthy living. So my issues are not medical so now its time to look at lifestyle. I'm hoping to make some changes in the near future but the ball is in someone else's court. Sometimes I think it would be easier if it were medical.

The kidlets have been away this week so I had the opportunity to ride to work a couple of times which was fabulous. I enjoy it so much and wish I could do it more often. Its funny because I'm shattered afterwards - its so different to riding my spin bike - and I have to make sure I have a bite to eat once I get to work otherwise I'm fried for a bit.

Not much else happening apart from getting ready for Christmas.

Down

I have taken some more progress photos but have yet to post them. I haven't done so for a couple of reasons. The first is that I've exceeded my download limit for the month and have been throttled back so it would take forever for me to download them and secondly, I'm disappointed in them. This is no reflection on my training as I feel great and have much more energy than I ever have. I feel leaner and my clothes are getting looser. My photos did show all that but I think I was expecting to go "Wow!" and I didn't. I guess you see the photos in the magazines of the 12 week body blitz with their fantastic transformations and I haven't seen this in myself. In saying that, I am not doing a body blitz, my goal is more long term and its not about losing weight but totally transforming my body. It will take time for me to gain the muscle I need to compete, I need to keep training hard and to be patient.

Its Missy T's birthday tomorrow. I opted out of baking a cake for Kindy for today and bought one instead. As I go to the gym on a Tuesday evening I really didn't want to get home and have to bake. Every now and then us Mums have to take that Superwoman cape off.

Lost .... 1kg!

Yay! Finally some progress. I weighed myself at the gym yesterday and have finally lost 1 kg. Results have been a bit harder to achieve this time around but I am blaming my lack of restraint with regard to food. I'm continuing to train well and have changed my program slightly to give my body a bit of a shock. I think its working as I am a little sore.

Starting again

Its been a while since I last posted but life got in the way. I ended my last challenge on the 26/11/05 with the following results:

Weight: 48kg
Chest: 75 cm
Waist: 60 cm
Around navel: 65 cm
Calves: 35.5 cm
Arms: 24 cm
Thighs: 50 cm
Hips: 90.5 cm
Fody Fat: 19.3%

Now that Christmas and New Year are out of the way its time to get serious. I'm back filling out my training and food diary every day and putting my all into weight training again.

Here's my starting stats:

Weight: 49 kg
Chest: 72 cm
Waist: 60 cm
Around navel: 64.5 cm
Calves: 35 cm
Arms: 24 cm
Thighs: 51.5 cm
Hips: 92 cm
Fody Fat: 19.3%

Eating has been fairly clean but Malcolm has to learn that coleslaw is not really considered a salad in my eyes! Anyway, 1 week is almost over 11 more to go!

Week 4

I'm feeling very refreshed from our camping trip, it was so nice to get away for a bit. I took along my Gymstick and fit in a few workouts (and, boy, was I sore afterwards) but did very little cardio and ate whatever I wanted but, what the hell, I was on holidays, right? I managed to lose about 300g so go figure!

Diet still not perfect but I blame that on PMT. I trained shoulders, back and biceps so far this week and have been walking a couple of times as well as Body Attack last night so hopefully that will burn off the chocolate I have been indulging in!

Stats for this week are:

Weight: 48.7kg
Chest: 73.2cm
Waist: 60.1cm
Around navel: 66cm
Calves: 36cm
Arms: 24cm
Thighs: 52cm
Hips: 92cm
BF: 21%

Week 2

I haven't been able to post for a couple of weeks. Busy training and the usual hectic schedule. Training is going really well, I have been able to get to Body Attack a couple of times this week as well as Balance Friday night. Eats are not so good, I have been so hungry (which usually happens when I up the cardio) but unfortunately I have been craving sweets :( I think I need to plan a bit better and have some nice things in the cupboard to treat myself. Anyway here are the stats thus far:

Weight = 49 kg (-1 kg)
Chest = 76.5 cm (+0.3 cm)
Waist = 62.2 cm (at the smallest part) (+0.9 cm)
Waist (around navel) = 67.5 cm (-0.5 cm)
Calves = 36 cm (=)
Arms = 24 cm (=)
Thighs = 52.5 cm (-0.5 cm)
Hips = 92.7 cm (-0.9 cm)
Body Fat = 21% (-1%)

My waist circumference has increased a little but I'm not too worried as I have had some bloating in the last few weeks. Its great being a woman, isn't it?