B4L

So as a birthday present to myself I am getting in shape:) I've been there before - twice. I was also working pretty diligently on getting there again last summer and fall. But then Halloween hit. It was a Tuesday. I decided I was going to cheat a little at the Halloween party so I didn't eat much during the day. By the time I got to the party I was so hungry - I just completely lost all control and never gained it back - until April 2.

I haven't gained any of the weight back that I lost last summer, so I would say congratulations to me on maintaining and not gaining in the last 5 months. Ideally I would like to lose another 15 pounds, but I'm trying not to focus on an actual number as it makes no sense for me to do so - I've been at that number before and it was as difficult to find clothes in a size 4/6 as it is in a size 10/12. My problem areas were still my problem areas, just in a smaller size. So I'm trying to focus on being healthy and changing my lifestyle in accordance with that goal.

Working out became kind of a chore in the last 5 months. We both were doing it, but I never felt like I was getting a good enough workout - like breaking a major sweat, heart racing workout. Mostly due to the fact that our preferred methods of exercise were out of the question... Our treadmill broke last August and we can't afford to replace it (although I'm dying to do so) and it was too dark and cold to go to the stairs until recently. My in-laws bought us a recumbant exercise bike for Christmas and we were very excited about it, but we both found that we didn't feel that we got the same kind of hard workout from it. But we were diligent in exercising and lifting weights 5-6 times each week - until the flu hit.

We took a 3 week break - not a good thing:)

On Monday (April 2) Cornbread, my sister and my brother-in-law all started Body For Life. For those of you who don't know what it is I will try to summarize in bullet points:
* 12 week exercise and eating/training program
* 3 days of interval cardio workouts (20 minutes each) per week
* 3 days of weight lifting (45 minutes each) per week
* "diet" consists of 6 small meals a day - each meal has a portion of protein, a portion of carbs and at least 2 meals have a portion of vegetables. Proteins and Carbs should be from the approved list of foods (basically lean proteins and complex carbs).
* Drink 2 cups of water with each meal and before or during each workout (Thats 14 cups of water every day - I am basically in the bathroom peeing all day now - just in case you call and I don't answer the phone... that is likely where I am).
* encouraged to use protein shakes and bars as replacements for a meal or two a day
* 1 free day each week - no exercise and you can eat whatever you want, however much you want, whenever you want for the entire day

I think that is basically it. If you look on the website you can find some before and after photos that are pretty amazing. I'm not saying I'm totally buying the idea that all of those people made that kind of transformation in only 12 weeks, but I am buying the idea that within the 12 weeks you can significantly change your body for the better and your habits/lifestyle for the better. Its all a matter of sticking with it, being consistent and going to the end. At the end, then, you should be in the habit of living that way - and it should be natural to continue.

So we'll see how this turns out. I've taken my measurements and have committed to myself to not weigh myself or measure myself more than once every two weeks. I'm hoping that I will see real progress that way... Cornbread keeps reminding me that we need to take our before photos - I'm not so eager to do that, and I haven't quite decided whether or not I want to share those on the blog. On the one hand, I feel like if I post the photos I will be committed to push through to the end because I've gone "public" with my before stuff and I'll be embarassed if there is no change at the end. On the other hand, who really wants to publish photos of themselves 15 - 20 pounds overweight in a bikini for the whole world to see? But then again, if the transformation is amazing and I am truly, truly the hottest dutch girl in Chicago at the end, then why wouldn't I want to show the before and after photos? I'm still thinking about all of that... and the power of positive thinking tells me that I WILL be the hottest dutch girl in Chicago by June 23, 2007;)

I'm going to give you a bit of foreshadowing - you will not want to miss my post describing our first free day. First of all, it is going to be on Easter and we are going to Easter Brunch. Second, if this first free day is anything like the last time we did BFL (I got pregnant with Ryann in the middle, so we never completed the 12 weeks), you will be amazed at the quantity of food that I can and will consume. Just wait:)

I started a new blog to journal about the experience. If you would like to follow my progress, please feel free to do so. I'm just warning you though - you're going to be in awe of my hotness at the end of this:)