Updates

Well I had better write something else Amber's going to think this is a free run!

I've obviously been in the process of moving - moving jobs, moving state, moving house etc... I've been based in 4 different towns in the last
Month while this challenge was 'active' , staying in about 7 different places. So thats my excuse for silence....

As for the challenge, it's definitely a slow start for me. I am not going the wrong way, which is a start, but I haven't lost anything worth a mention as yet.

There is time though, and hope! I spent about 2 hours gardening in the Queensland heat today, and still went for a walk after! doesn't sound like much, but I've got to start somewhere.

I'm also going to be living on a construction camp for most of the duration of the competition, which should give menthe advantage- it's set working hours, a free gym membership, and you don't have to waste time doing all those boring 'chores' like cooking your own meals or making you own bed- somebody does that for you!

So I figure that out of ire boredom I'll end up working out (if nothing else).

Anyway, in case you can't tell I'm tying from my iPad and my fingers are too fat for the keys, so I'll spare anyone more grammatical punishment, and sign off for the night!

Testing...1...2...3...!

I hijacked Amber's account, and gave myself permissions to post directly from my account, so just a quick test to see if it works - then more to come!

Progress Pic #2 - Amber

Well, I had originally planned to post my scale pictures every Monday. But as you can see from the picture below, I wasn't in a rush to post these not so thrilling results!

I have no explanation for how the heck I gained a pound in a week, especially considering how hard I worked.  I am careful about weighing myself at the same time on Monday's. So I can't blame time of day as the source of the problem. Hopefully, this was just a fluke (water weight, slight muscle gain, etc). It just seems a bit soon to see the numbers so out of whack.

Other than that shocker on Monday, I am still on track with my eating and workout regimen. And I weigh myself daily anyway. With the exception of the picture above, I've consistently been experiencing weight decline. 

Either way, I've got a grand head start on my competitor Daniel who is still busy settling into his new digs on the East Coast. 

Progress Pic – Amber

Here’s a scale shot to prove my starting number (Yes, it’s higher than what I originally said. Let’s just say that August wasn’t a very progressive month for me!)

(I am 151.2 pounds, or 68.6 kilograms)

I also took some before body shots. But I'm too shy to show them without the after pictures to compare against!

I plan to weigh in and report on progress every Monday evening.

And we’re off! – Amber’s Plan

Hello there again world. Today marks the first day of my 5-month weight loss competition with Daniel. As promised, here’s a rundown of my plan for a successful fitness challenge.      

Exercise

As I’m sure you all know, the smaller you are, the harder it is to continue to lose weight. To lose the first 20 pounds, I relied simply on consistency and routine – wake up, go to work, come home, work out, sleep, wake up, go to work, etc. Unless injured or sick, I worked out 6 days a week for 30 minutes to an hour and a half. As I became more fit, I pumped up the workouts. But it was mainly to combat boredom.

To lose the next 20 pounds, I’m adding intensity (i.e. lots and lots of cardio). I plan to perform at least an hour of exercise for a minimum of 6 days a week. Although, it is likely I will do some form of exercise everyday.

Sunday – Running - 30 minutes, Tennis practice

Monday – Lower/Upper body weight training, Brisk walking - 30 minutes

Tuesday – Tennis lesson (1 ½ hours)

Wednesday – Running – 30 minutes

Thursday – Lower/Upper body weight training, Brisk walking - 30 minutes

Friday – Running – 30 minutes

Saturday – Lower/Upper body weight training, Brisk walking - 30 minutes

(I am recovering from a shin splint injury on my right leg. So my schedule is much lighter than what I can usually handle. But over the next 2 to 3 weeks, I’ll be gradually intensifying the workout schedule until I’m confident that I won’t risk further injury with rigorous training.)

Diet

Honestly, I hate to call my eating plan a “diet” because it’s more a way of life. Diet implies fad. A shortcut or quick fix or temporary solution. I’ve worked really hard to adjust my mentality towards food and nutrition and the eating habits that I’ve developed are something that I will follow for life. In fact, I follow the Body for Life plan (www.bodyforlife.com).

It’s so easy to follow, ensures that you’re getting proper nutrition, and allows food lovers like me to indulge every now and then. I have 6 meals a day, each one a balance of healthy carbs and lean protein. Once a week, I allow myself to indulge in my favorite foods that aren’t so good for me. This isn’t meant to be an opportunity to binge. You should always consume in moderation. But it is meant to be a controlled way to address cravings without compromising all your progress. Also, it’s a way to prevent your body from going into starvation mode and storing extra fat to combat the reduced calorie consumption.

Given the difficulties that I’m going to face trying to lose more weight, I also count calories. I have an iPhone app where I log my daily meals and workouts to track my net calorie intake. For now, I’m going to keep the daily net calorie intake to a max of 1,200 (I consume between 1600 and 1800 calories and burn the rest through exercise). The app calculates the food calories. I have a Polar heart rate monitor that I use to help me determine how many calories I burn through exercise.

So that’s it! It’s tough I know. But I’m going to set myself up for success by eliminating anything that could be used as an excuse for deviating from the plan. I always preplan my meals. I never stock the pantry with things I shouldn’t be eating. And I don’t waste time (schedule, schedule, schedule!).

I haven’t weighed less than 140 pounds since before puberty. So this will be very interesting.

Let the games begin!