Where Have I been???

So life just kind of happened and I have not been actively trying to lose any more weight or body fat since my last post.  I have been able to maintain my weight with very minimal effort and for 3 months I have pretty much remained at 112 without trying.  I was 112.4 on my scale yesterday morning.  My goal however has not been reached so it is back to work.  Going to do three 20-24 hour fasts a week, I have gotten back into a gym routine, which I had also gotten out of recently.  It took about 3 months to drop the first 5 lbs. and with the holidays and what not, I am expecting a fairly slow rate of loss for the next 5.  Goal is to be 107 lbs. by March 15.  Four months to lose a little over 5 pounds.  My current body fat hovers right around 29/30% on my scale at home.  Goal is to be 26.5% by then.

I will do my first Monday Measurement this coming Monday.

Monday Measurements 11 week update

So, I had company and only did a quick hop on the scales this morning.  Weight was 112.6.  I didn't measure as I haven't been going to the gym so I doubt much has changed.

However, I want to point out that even though I haven't been working out like I want to, I am still losing weight!  So much for the "You will ruin your metabolism" theory.  If after two months of regular fasting my metabolism was messed up, would I still be losing weight even though I haven't really been exercising?  I highly doubt it.  I would also like to add that I eat whatever I want.  I am not following any sort of diet, and I enjoy anything I want to eat within the parameters/times I have set for eating.

I am currently trying to do condensed window fasting which means I eat between 11 and 6 most days.  It's working for me now because Mark is out of the country, so it is just me and the kids.  I may make adjustments once he gets back and go back to alternate day fasting or something... we'll see.

Anyway, I am planning to get back to the gym this week since my cold is gone, I have no more excuses.

Monday Measurements 10 week update

Good news!! My goal for July was not to gain weight. I knew I would be gone for 18+ days, traveling a lot, eating out, social eating with family, my kitchen would be in shambles and we'd have to eat out a lot because of that. I stepped on the scale today and I actually lost a little! Woot woot. Now I need to kick this cold so I can get back to the gym!

And another milestone was reached... my body fat percentage according to MY scale (which is not accurate, but good for tracking at least) was 29.9%. This is the first time it has ever registered below 30%. Triple woot!

Bicep 10.5 (-.75)

Chest 34.5 (-2.5)

2" above navel: 27.0(-2)

AT navel: 29 (-2.0)

2" below navel: 31.0 (aka the muffin top!) (-2.5)

Hips: 35.0 (-1.0)

Upper thigh: 19.0 (-2.0)

Mid thigh: 17.0 (-2.0)

Top of knee: 13

Calf 11.75

Weight: 113.6

Body fat %: 29.9

A very quick update (8 weeks)

After two weeks of no gym time and 10 days in Arkansas with lots of fast food stops, I came home expecting to have gained a little weight back, but I weighed in this morning at 114.4.  WAHOO!

I am not able to get to the gym every day now that Mark is home, but I have been 3 times in the 6 days we have been home.  Not too bad.

We leave Friday for a week in VA.  If I can just hold steady until after that I will be happy!

Crazy

With Mark coming home and all of us going to AR together for his retirement ceremony I have been unable to make it to the gym since last Thursday!

Also the whole month of July will be crazy with traveling and all that we have going on.  Right now instead of doing 24 hour fasts I have switched over to condensed window fasting.  I think this is going to be easier to do while we are traveling and vacationing.  My goal is not really to LOSE weight in July, but hopefully not to gain any back.  I will hit it hard again in August after life settles down.

Exercise Log 6/30/11

Today I did 30 minutes of cardio and some stretching.  Took it easy after yesterday's class since I was still pretty sore.

Exercise Log 6/29/11

Today was "Power" class.  I was still a bit sore from a few too many lunges/squats yesterday, but it wasn't too bad.  Some parts of me are clearly getting stronger and some parts, well, I still can't believe how weak they are!

Exercise Log 6/28/11

Today I did a 5 minute warm up on the elliptical a 45 minute group circuit class followed by 15 more minutes on the elliptical.

Exercise Log 6/27/11

Yesterday was a rest day, which was good because I was still sore from "POWER" on Saturday.  Today I did "Peak 8" on the elliptical, followed by the group class "CENTERGY".  Centergy is a mix between yoga and pilates.  It is not strenuous, but I feel it balances out my workout routine.

Monday Measurements 5 week update

Bicep 10.5 (-.75)
Chest  34.5 (-2.5)
2" above navel: 27.0(-2)
AT navel: 30 (-1.5)
2" below navel: 31.5 (aka the muffin top!) (-2.0)
Hips: 35.0 (-1.0)
Upper thigh: 19.5 (-1.5)
Mid thigh: 17.0 (-2.0)
Top of knee: 13
Calf 11.75
Weight: 114.2

Fat %: 31.1 (-1.3% from last weeks reading)(I don't think my scale is accurate at all!)

You'll wreck your metabolism! (NOT!)

One of the things I hear a lot when I talk about how I am fasting intermittently is "You will wreck your metabolism doing that!".  The truth is the research does NOT support this theory!!

This study followed 16 non-obese people who fasted on alternate days for 22 days.  There was absolutely no statistically significant difference between beginning and ending metabolic rates.  From what I have read when you fast, there is initially an INCREASE in metabolism, and metabolism does not begin to drop until about 36 hours into a fast (you do not even fast that long with intermittent fasting).

Why so slow....?

Some people when they decide to lose weight can lose 2-3 lbs in the first week and easily maintain the pace of 1 lb. a week thereafter.  I as a petite woman with only about 10 lbs. to lose, have to FIGHT for ever ounce!

Here is a good article explaining why this is...

Slow Fat Loss

I did some math.  A woman my size, and age needs about 1500 calories a day to "maintain".  That is 10,500 calories a week.  Say I want to lose a pound a week, which means I need a 3500 calorie deficit.  That leaves me 7000 calories or a whopping 1000 calories a day, just to lose one stinking pound.

This is why I am loving intermittent fasting!  I fast 3 24 hour periods a week and I can actually eat like a human being instead of a bird when I do eat!  LOVE IT.

Intermittent Fasting

So I haven't talked about my fasting recently and figured it was time for an update.

I am still fasting 3 times a week from dinner to dinner.  Actually I try to eat dinner by 4pm so that the next day I don't have to fast as late into the evening.  If I am home a.k.a bored then I usually only make it until 2:30 or 3.  I have found that I am not as hungry in the mornings, so even on my eat days I usually don't have a meal until closer to 11am.

The fasting itself has gotten much easier to do, and I am able to keep up my regular exercise routine even on the days that I am not eating.  I do start to wear down as the fast nears its end.

I am pretty sure my metabolism has not been affected at all, or it may be that it has increased.  I have more energy than I have in a long time.  Next Monday makes 6 weeks since I started IF'ing.  I expect to be very close to my goal of losing 5 lbs by Mark's retirement ceremony which is July 7.

Exercise Log 6/25/11

"POWER" class again today.  I really like that class, it just might be my favorite.  Tried to take it up a notch today, now that I have an idea of what I am suppose to be doing.

Exercise Log 6/24/11

Today I did about 20 minutes of weights and then a group stretch class.  I usually enjoy the stretch class but today it STUNK. :-(   There is this one instructor that I just cannot take her style.  I am sure she is a very nice girl, but she sounds talks like a robot and she shouldn't be doing stretch or yoga or any class where you should have somewhat of a soothing/relaxing voice. LOL.

Exercise Log 6/23/11

Today I did about 45 minutes of cardio followed by 20+ minutes of some good stretching.  Yesterday's "power" class kicked my butt... literally.  I have a pain in my butt.  Guess those lunges did their job!

Exercise Log 6/21 and 6/22

Yesterday I did some cardio followed by a circuit group class.

Today I did some cardio followed by the Power class.

I am still fasting 3 days a week for about 22-23 hours.  I rarely make it the full 24 hours before eating.  I probably could if I was busy, but most often I am just at home.

I am losing weight and feel great and that is what matters most.

Exercise Log 6/20/11

Today I did 15 minutes of cardio followed by the "Centergy" class which is a pilates/yoga combo.  Not too strenous, but still difficult.

Monday Measurements 4 week update

Bicep 10.5 (-.75)
Chest  35 (-2)
2" above navel: 27.0(-2)
AT navel: 31 (-.5)
2" below navel: 32 (aka the muffin top!) (-1.5)
Hips: 35.5 (-.5)
Upper thigh: 20 (-.5)
Mid thigh: 17.5 (-1.5)
Top of knee: 13
Calf 11.75
Weight: 114.6

Fat %: 32.4 (+1.5% from last weeks reading)

Exercise Log June 17/18

Yesterday I did the Rush Power class again and this morning I thought I would give Zumba a try.  That was funny.  This girl does not have a speck of rhythm and I just cannot coordinate that many body parts in a way that gives me a good workout.  I quit 30 minutes in and went and did about 20 more minutes on the cardio machines.

Exercise Log 6/16/11

Today I did 30 minutes of cardio (including peak 8) and a lot of stretching.

Exercise Log 6/15/11

Today I went to another group class.  It's called "Power" and you use weights to work each muscle group. I am clearly a weakling compared to most of my fellow classmates!  Need to get stronger!!

June 13/14 Exercise Log

Yesterday I did 25 minutes of moderate intensity cardio and some weights.  Nothing major since I worked out pretty hard on Sunday.

Today I did a group circuit class.  I like the group classes a lot, and circuit is a great total workout.

Monday Measurements 3 week update

It's been 3 weeks since I started my plan and here are today's measurements.  It's hard to know if you are measuring in the same exact place and the same exact way each time... but there is a definite downward trend so that is good.  My weight was up from last week which I totally expected since I think last weeks reading was way off.  I am not too focused on weight though, and I can see a difference in my mid section so that's what matters.  

All the differences are from my original measurements not from week to week.

Bicep 10.5 (-.75)
Chest  35 (-2)
2" above navel: 27.5 (-1.5)
AT navel: 31 (-.5)
2" below navel: 32 (aka the muffin top!) (-1.5)
Hips: 35.5 (-.5)
Upper thigh: 20 (-.5)
Mid thigh: 17.75 (-1.25)
Top of knee: 13
Calf 11.75

Fat %: 30.9 (-1% from last weeks reading)

Exercise Log 6/12/11

No exercise yesterday, too wore out after Friday's trip to Dollywood.

Today I did a little bit of everything... the Peak 8 on the elliptical, followed by working each major muscle group on a weight machine, followed by 15 minutes on the recumbent bike.

Fasting from right after dinner tonight until dinner tomorrow, and tomorrow morning is a weigh-in measurement check.  Regardless of what the scale says, I see a real difference in my waist (I actually have one... haha!) and am happy with my progress thus far.

Exercise Log 6/10/11

Didn't make it to the gym yesterday but I did walk all over Dollywood for 7 hours pushing 2 kids in a double stroller.  And I climbed to the top of the Slidewinder with Nikki at least 5 times, so I am counting it as a workout. :-)

Exercise Log 6/9/11

Did a 50 minute group strength training class today.  I am starting to see small changes in my body.

Peak 8 exercise.

Went to the gym today and did the peak 8 routine followed by 15 minutes of steady state cardio.  I do this on the elliptical because when I try it on the recumbent bike my glutes tighten up and it becomes very uncomfortable.

In a nutshell peak 8 is a 3 minute warm up, followed by 8 intervals of max intensity cardio/recovery  The max intensity should last for 15-30 seconds followed by recovery of 90 seconds.  So basically all out for 15-30 seconds at minutes 3,5,7,9,11,13,15, and 17.

Exercise Log 6/7/11

Hit the gym for some weights today.  Whole body work out.  Felt great!

Exercise Log 6/6/11

I didn't get to the gym at all over the weekend but I went today for a very quick workout.  I tried to do HIIT in the "peak 8" format.  3 minutes of warm up followed by 8 intervals of 30 seconds high intensity/90 seconds recovery, followed by a 2 min cool down.  So only about 20 minutes of actual exercise, but it is suppose to be even better than a much longer workout of just steady state cardio.

Monday Measurements: 2 Week Update

So, it has been two weeks since I started my quest to abolish the muffin top.  Here are today's stats.

Bicep 10.75 (-.5)
Chest  36 (-1)
2" above navel: 27.5 (-1.5)
AT navel: 31.0 (-.5)
2" below navel: 32 (aka the muffin top!) (-1.5)
Hips: 36
Upper thigh: 20..25 (-.25)
Mid thigh: 17.75 (-1.25)
Top of knee: 13
Calf 11.75

Weight: 114.0 (down 3.5)
Fat %: 31.9

That weight was kind of low compared to weights I had been getting all week, so I stepped on the scale a couple more times and got the same thing... so we'll go with it, but I won't be surprised if next weeks drop is just a little or none at all.  I also don't believe the fat % to be totally accurate but am just using it for tracking purposes.

Exercise Log 6/3/11

Today I tried a new group class at the gym called RUSH power.  It works each muscle group using weights but in a group setting and with music.  The first class has a steep learning curve, but I can see myself getting a lot out of it once I know what I am doing.  Loved it.

Today was a fast day until dinner.  Luke babysat while I had a night to myself so I ate at an Asian Buffet nearby. YUM.  I forgot to mention on the last fast day that I have stopped getting afternoon headaches! YAY.

Fasting Cuts Risk for Heart Disease and Diabetes - Diabetes Health

Fasting Cuts Risk for Heart Disease and Diabetes - Diabetes Health

Exercise Log 6/2/11

Tonight we all went to the gym and I did an hour of yoga.  I haven't done an "easy" class in a while and it felt good to stretch.  I will likely pay for it tomorrow with a sore back... I need to do it more often apparently so my back doesn't complain every time!

Tomorrow is a fast day.... then I am going out to eat somewhere while Luke babysits.  He is in desperate need of cash, and I don't mind the time to myself.  Where shall I eat, that is the question!?

So many good reasons to IF...

I am finding out that for me there are so many good reasons to adopt the IF lifestyle rather than a bunch of man-made rules about what I should and shouldn't eat.  I am going to make a list of the ones I can think of...

1.   It's a convenient way to lose weight

2.   I gain an extra hour or so in my day on fast days.

3.   It's bound to cut a few bucks off the food budget

4.   Practicing self-control is good for me

5.   No counting calories, or carbs, or protein, or anything else for that matter!

6.   It's incredibly simple and flexible.  I just pick the fast days and I fast. Easy Peasy.

7.   Food tastes soooo good when you are really hungry

8.   No food is off limits. 

9.   Research on the health benefits is overwhelmingly positive

10. There is absolutely NO guilt over enjoying my food!

Fast Day #5

I am settling into a routine where Monday, Wednesday and Friday are fast days.  While it is technically suppose to be a 24 hour fast sometimes I break it at the 22 or 23 hour mark, which is fine, there are no hard and fast rules.

Went to the gym today and had a good workout of both cardio and weights.  Still sore from yesterday's circuit class.

I am hoping to be down 5 lbs. by July 7 which is Mark's retirement ceremony.  5 lbs may not sound like much to most people but when you are only 4' 11.5" tall and 117 ish lbs. it really is quite a bit.  So 5 weeks to lose 5lbs...  wish me luck. :-)

Exercise Log 5/31/11

Back to the gym today after four days off... did a circuit training group class and loved it.  A good workout.  Ate dinner at 4:30 and tomorrow is a fast day.

The IF Life

This is a great primer on the benefits of intermittent fasting and the research is cited at the bottom of the page.

The IF Life

Monday Measurements: One Week Update

My weight this morning was 117.4 lbs.  I also started my period last night and you will see that the measurement at my navel actually went up.  THANKS bloating. My leg measurements went down a bit in a couple places.  Not sure if it is just because of how I measured or an actual decrease.  I don't think weekly measurements will tell much until I actually get SEVERAL weeks behind me.

Bicep 11.25
Chest  36.25
2" above navel: 29
AT navel: 33.0
2" below navel: 33.5 (aka the muffin top!)
Hips: 36
Upper thigh: 20.5
Mid thigh: 18
Top of knee: 13
Calf 11.75

Fast Day #3

I have decided to fast up to 3 twenty four hour periods in a week depending on my schedule and plans.  Since it is a holiday weekend and Mark and Katie are here and Mark's sister and her family will be too, I have decided to fast 3 days this week and enjoy the weekend without guilt!

So fast day #3 will end in about an hour with a date with my hubby to a local asian buffet.  Today was not as bad as the other two in terms of hunger... perhaps because I have been really busy, but I still got the afternoon headache.  It's not a bad headache but it is a dull ache that comes about 1pm each fast day.  Hoping it is temporary.  :-)

I probably won't get to the gym today or again until Monday, but that is the whole point of this new lifestyle... you get to go with the flow of your plans, schedule and life... all without guilt.  YEAH.

Exercise Log 5/26/11

Super busy day today and I almost didn't make it to the gym.  Pulled it together after the littles were in bed and did a 25 minute workout on the elliptical of fairly high intensity.  Then stretched and a cool down, followed by a soak in the hot tub, a visit to the steam room.  NICE.  Tomorrow is another fast day.

Exercise Log 5/25/11

Today is another fasting day for me.  Just like Monday it really wasn't that hard.  The most discomfort was the passing hunger pain and a slight afternoon headache.  We eat dinner early so I just broke the fast with our typical Wednesday dinner... Little Caesar's Pizza.

Even though I was fasting I still had a really good workout... 2 minute warm-up on the recline bike followed by 8 minutes of the following intervals: 15seconds of 100% effort and 45 seconds of rest
I have decided to do my HIGH intensity intervals on the bike because I think it is nearly impossible to get hurt on it!  No slipping and falling when I am pedaling like a crazy woman.  But I prefer the elliptical so after those intervals I switched to the elliptical for 22 minutes of steady state cardio followed by 3 rounds of one minute medium high intenstity intervals and one minute of low intensity.  All together it was 40 minutes of cardio followed by some good stretching.  Surprisingly I did not feel that my fasted state affected my energy level during the workout at all.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Until 4 days ago I had never really heard of intermittent fasting, so I am by no means an expert.  However, I have been doing a lot of reading and I think this is a pretty accurate "primer".

Intermittent fasting means to go without food, eat normally, go without food again on some sort of regular basis.  The three most popular ways (and there is no "right" way, it's whatever fits your personality, goals and lifestyle) are Alternate Day Fasting, the 24 hour fast 1-2x a week, and the condensed window fast.

Alternate day fasting is just that, you eat every other day, and consequently you fast every other day. For this purpose a day = 24 hours.  So you eat for 24 hours and you fast for 24 hours.  You would probably still be eating something every day.  If you want to know more link to the youtube video.

The 24 hour fast 1-2 x a week is outlined best in Brad Pilon's (check out his blog!) e-book Eat Stop Eat.  You can pick any 24 hour window for your fast.  I prefer to start my fast after dinner and complete my fast with dinner the following night, but again, it is whatever works best for you.

The "condensed window fast" is where you choose certain hours during the day to eat and you do not eat outside that eating window.  The smaller the eating window the bigger the benefits.  The largest eating window should be no more than 8  hours.  I actually did this for 40 days this year,  I did not eat before 10am or after 6pm.  I lost about 5 lbs in those 40 days.  I don't prefer the condensed eating window because I find that it leaves me hungry for some part of every day.  And it is too restrictive for my lifestyle.  But if it works for you then there is nothing wrong with it.

In the coming days I will post about the health benefits (other than weight loss) of intermittent fasting.

Exercise

Since my goal is to lose the muffin top and lower my body fat by about 10 percentage points, I am taking a rather aggressive approach to exercise.  My plan will look something like this

Day 1:  HIIT
Day 2:  Weights and regular cardio
Day 3:  Group class of choice
Day 4:  Regular interval training/Cardio or HIIT if I am feeling up to it.
Day 5:  Weights and regular cardio
Day 6:  Group Class of choice
Day 7: Rest

I will try to post my exercise daily but here is the catch up for this week

Saturday: Regular Cardio and weights
Sunday: HIIT
Monday: Regular Cardio/ 30 minutes of group class (Fast day)
Tuesday: Weights and regular Cardio

In the future I am going to link to research, articles, blogs etc. that talk about Intermittent Fasting and High Intensity Interval Training.  Hope you will find them as interesting as I have!

In the Beginning...

Renee was 40 years old, weighed 117 lbs and had 31.6% body fat. (The body fat is taken from my home scale which was 3% higher than the reading I got when I had a coaching session at the gym.  I am going to use my home measurement because I can track up or down progress wether it is totally accurate or not)

Measurements:

Bicep 11.25
Chest  37
2" above navel: 29
AT navel: 31.5
2" below navel: 33.5 (aka the muffin top!)
Hips: 36
Upper thigh: 21
Mid thigh: 19
Top of knee: 13
Calf 11.75

Next measurements in one week!

Time to get serious...

I am a "healthy" weight.  5 ft tall and 117 lbs.

I thought if I could lose 5 lbs or so all would be good.  Then I made a mistake.

I bought a body fat scale.  Even giving room for error my body fat is pretty close to 30%.  They have a name for people like me.  (NOT "mom").  It's called normal weight obesity.  Basically it means that I have the same risks for type 2 diabetes and heart disease as your typically obese person.   This realization has caused me to become a little more serious about changing my body composition for the better.  I am not really focusing on weight as much as getting my body fat in the healthy range.

So as soon as we moved to our new house I got a gym membership.  I worked out often for 6 weeks and didn't lose a pound.  You see, I love to work out, but I hate to diet.  I hate the rules, the preparing, the figuring the shoulds and should nots.   I want to have the occasional "BAD" food without being led to believe that I am eating toxic waste.  I don't really want to think about food a whole lot at all.

I started researching how I could lose body fat without being obsessive compulsive about my diet.  (Don't get me wrong... I know that healthy choices NEED to make up the majority of my diet... I just don't buy the bunk that we need to eat perfectly all the time to be healthy.)  I came up with a plan of exercise and eating that I think is going to be the answer for ME.  This is the plan that I feel can work as it suits MY personality, and what I believe I can maintain as a lifestyle.

I am planning to do High Intensity Interval training workouts on the elliptical every 4-5 days along with weight training 2-3 times a week.  I am also going to adopt an eating lifestyle called Intermittent Fasting. I first learned about it from a guy named Brad Pilon who wrote a book called Eat Stop Eat.  He has a blog and some youtube videos too.  The plan is to fast for 24 hours (over 2 days) once or twice a week.  I will do twice a week at first and cut back to once a week as I get closer to my health goal.  You can pick any 24 hour block you want, but for me dinner to dinner works best.

I am currently on hour 22 of my first 24 hour fast.  I even went to the gym today for some light aerobic exercise and a half hour of yoga/pilates.   I felt GREAT working out and my hunger has not been too crazy.  I have a slight headache which I attribute to no caffeine yet today.

I hope to use my blog to chart my progress and keep me focused and accountable.  NEXT POST... beginning stats and measurements.