May 2014 Challenges

If you follow my blog at all, you would know that I like to set goals and challenge myself to do a variety of things. As April ends and May begins, I find myself completing my first 5k (May 3rd) as well as closing out my "Lose 30 in 90" challenge (May 12th).

On Facebook, I follow a handful of awesome pages that help motivate me and help keep my workouts interested so I don't get bored and fall off the wagon. May's big challenge, MELT YOUR MUFFIN TOP comes from The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. I am very excited for this one! You can find out more information about that challenge here.

Since May is National Bike Month, I will be getting off of the treadmill and onto the stationery bike.I will be BIKING MY ASS OFF! I've challenged myself to bike 200 miles in the month and this breaks down to 50 miles per week and 10 miles per day in the gym.

Since I have been focused on lifting weights and building/toning my muscles, I have also been dealing with the tightness and soreness that comes the day after. I will be focusing on stretching and rolling to find the best way to relieve the aches and pains.

April has been a blast, but I am definitely looking forward to what May has to offer while on this road from Fat 2 Fit!

Weigh In Wednesday 4/23/14

 4/16/14 weight: 273.8

4/16/14 BMI: 41.6

Current weight: 272.3

Current BMI: 41.4

WEEKLY LBS. LOST: 1.5

Weekly % of body weight lost: .55%

Weekly BMI decrease: 0.2

Starting Weight: 305.5

Starting BMI: 46.4

TOTAL LBS. LOST: 33.2

Total % of body weight lost: 10.87%

COUNTDOWN TO MY FIRST 5K: 10 DAYS!

#TastyTuesday 4/22/14

#TastyTuesday 4/22/14 - Turkey Avocado BLT Wrap 

(hold the T for me)

374 calories, 34.7g protein

Ingredients:

Flatout brand wrap, Light Spinach (90 cal., 9g protein)

1/2 small avocado (72 cal., 1.5g protein)

2 slices Oscar Meyer Turkey Bacon (70 cal., 4g protein)

1/4 c. Publix 2% milk shredded cheddar cheese (80 cal., 7g protein)

2 oz. Boar's Head Ovengold Turkey (60 cal., 13g protein)

4 leaves Romaine lettuce (2 cal., .2g protein)

Construction:

Prepare the wrap to fill it with awesomeness! 

Cut avocado in half and remove pit, scoop out one half and spread it on the wrap. Layer on cooked turkey bacon.

Add shredded cheddar, and turkey. Add on lettuce of choice and tomatoes if you wish. Roll up and enjoy!

Add shredded cheddar, and turkey. Add on lettuce of choice and tomatoes if you wish. Roll up and enjoy! 

Weigh In Wednesday 4/16/14

As usual, late with the blog post, but here are the results from Wednesday's weigh in!

 4/9/14 weight: 275.8

4/9/14 BMI: 41.9

Current weight: 273.8

Current BMI: 41.6

WEEKLY LBS. LOST: 2

Weekly % of body weight lost: .73%

Weekly BMI decrease: 0.3

Starting Weight: 305.5

Starting BMI: 46.4

TOTAL LBS. LOST: 31.7

Total % of body weight lost: 10.38%

Dinner under 500 calories - Pulled Pork with Coleslaw

Pulled Pork Sandwich with Coleslaw and Baked Sweet Potato (440 calories, as pictured)

Pulled Pork

5 lb. pork butt

1 can beef broth (I used Publix brand)

1 small yellow onion, cut into quarters

1/3 cup BBQ sauce ( I used Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce)

1/3 cup water

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut pork butt in half and rub with salt and pepper.

Place in slow cooker and pour can beef broth over top and put onions in broth and on top of pork.

Mix BBQ sauce and water together and pour over top of pork.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Shred with fork and serve.

Serving size: 3 oz., 186 calories

I served it on Peppridge Farms Whole Wheat Hamburger bun (130 calories) with a tsp. of spicy mustard (5 calories)

Coleslaw

2/3 package coleslaw blend (I used Publix brand)

2 tablespoons extra light mayonaise (I used Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil)

1/4 low fat milk (I used Publix 2%)

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar (I used Splenda blend)

1 teaspoon salt (I used Morton's Light Salt)

Whisk mayonaise, milk, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and salt together and mix with the coleslaw blend and allow to cool 2 hours to overnight. 

Serving size: 1/2 cup, 16 calories

Calorie content will vary depending on ingredients you use!  The family and I enjoyed this meal alot! 

Disappointing Achievements

Disappointing achievements... sounds like an oxy moron, right? However, in this case, it's an absolute truth.

I have become too reliant on the scale to measure my success on the road to fitness. When I started, I challenged myself to lose 30 pounds in 90 days and I've just about accomplished that. I found myself 2 days shy of the 60 day mark and .30 pounds away from achieving the 30 pound goal. As I continued my regular routine of watching caloric intake and burning the calories away in the gym, I weighed in on the 60th day and found that the scale DID. NOT. BUDGE. Of course, I was a little disappointed. I even waited another day and weighed again, thinking it may have been water or something. The same number read on the scale. At this point I'm upset.

I'm still trying to figure out why I was upset about this. My goal was 30 pounds in 90 days NOT 60 days. The fact that I was so close with 30 days to go should feel awesome!

The funny thing is that I am seeing the results in other ways and still allowing the scale to dictate my success. What about change in pant size? What about the inches lost? What about the muscle built?

Over the course of the 60 days, I have dropped about 2 1/2 pant sizes. I've also had a significant loss of inches over my entire body.

Neck: 1/2 inch
Waist: 4 1/2 inches
Hips: 4 inches
Thighs: 3 inches
Calves: 1 inch
Arms: 3 inches
Bust: 3 inches
Abdomen: 6 inches
TOTAL INCHES LOST: 25

I have had to remind myself that MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT!!!

Since I've added strength training to my gym routine, I have started to build muscle as I burn off the fat. Each couple of days or so I am increases the amount of weight used or the number of repetitions. I'm sure this has had an impact on my weight as well.

Bottom line is - DON'T RELY ON THE SCALE TO TRACK YOUR PROGRESS. THERE ARE SO MANY MORE THINGS TO CONSIDER!

Weigh In Wednesday 4/9/14

Totally missed posting this on Wednesday, but as they say, better late than never.

MINE

 4/2/14 weight: 278

4/2/14 BMI: 42.3

Current weight: 275.8

Current BMI: 41.9

WEEKLY LBS. LOST: 2.2

Weekly % of body weight lost: .08%

Weekly BMI decrease: 0.4

Starting Weight: 305.5

Starting BMI: 46.4

TOTAL LBS. LOST: 29.7

Total % of body weight lost: 9.80%

MY BFF

4/2/14 weight: 172.6

Current weight: 171.8

WEEKLY LBS. LOST:  0.8 lb.

Weigh In Wednesday 4/2/14

Wednesday Weigh-In

MINE

 3/26/14 weight: 280.6

3/26/14 BMI: 42.7

Current weight: 278

Current BMI: 42.3

WEEKLY LBS. LOST: 2.6

Weekly % of body weight lost: 1.01%

Weekly BMI decrease: 0.4

Starting Weight: 305.5

Starting BMI: 46.4

TOTAL LBS. LOST: 27.5

Total % of body weight lost: 9.10%

MY BFF

3/17/14 weight: 171.2

Current weight: 172.6

WEEKLY LBS. LOST:  1.4 lb. GAIN