14 posts tagged “vox fitness challenge”

Can you believe it?? 12 weeks and here we are. Things have been going well for me this past week. I set and then nearly reached my goal of a 3 pound weight loss. I say nearly, I was .3 off, but I'm willing to cut myself a break. I just hope I can maintain that 3 pound loss after the weekend. Seems to be my biggest cheating time - naturally.

But overall, I feel really great about who I am and how I've changed over the past 12 weeks!

• Not only have I realized that I need a healthier lifestyle, I've started one.
• I've established good exercise and eating habits.
  
• I have a personal trainer and I've lost 8 pounds since I started that 2 weeks ago.
• I've realized that making healthy decisions isn't a sacrifice per se, but is more of a privilege as I continue to get fit.
• Being the size I want to be is a reality and this time I'm going to reach it!

Would I be interested in another challenge? Well......OF COURSE! Except, I can't promise that I'll post every week as I'd like to focus on posting other things as well so my blog has a wide variety of posts and my hoodies don't abandon me all together. I know I can do that and post every week to the VFC, but as life has picked up I find that I don't always have as much time as I'd like and this tends to fill both my VFC obligations as well as my hood obligations and sometimes I even find myself booooring. However, that doesn't mean I won't be checking in and reporting to the group how I'm doing. I'd love to have a continuous network here on Vox. So Foxsy - if you start up another round, count me in!

So I guess the real question is - did I reach my goal that I set for myself 12 long weeks ago?

Not really - not if you want to look at the numbers I gave you. But now that I've started working with a personal trainer, I know it's going to happen. But I am down 8 pounds that I had when I first started and my pants are starting to need the constant pull up motion...which is good too! Sometimes, I suppose it isn't just about the numbers, it's about how you feel too. So how can I be minus 8 pounds and still have the same measurements? I dunno - I've never understood myself, but I know I'm making improvements. The face is thinning a bit and you can actually see my collar bones a bit. Woohoo! When I make some drastic changes - I'll be sure to give you all the updates in a vain "Look at me!" post.

So if you can stand to wait just a few more weeks, then we can celebrate my transformations as I'm still working away to be the me I want to be! Thanks to all my hoodies and my VFC peeps who continued to encourage me all along the way. Cheers to you all!

Wowza - talk about a lazy bum. That's me, except I've only been lazy in the blog department! It's Week 11, but it feels like it's been ages since my last blog...oh wait, that's because it has been ages. Suppose I should check in the group to make sure that we're not secretly on Week 12, but once again...LAZY!

Anywhooo, since we last spoke, I got a personal trainer! He's fantastic - he motivates, he talks to me about my eating habits, tells me what I can do to improve, lets me know that I'm doing great...the whole enchilada and since we've started I've lots 5 pounds! 5! Count 'em! And we're not talking about Maggie's old school weight loss where I'd lose 'em and then put them back on again. We're talking, kept 'em off for a week! Another 6 pounds and I'll be at the weight I was when I entered college - whoa! Haven't been at that point in a long time - 6 years, yikes! But that's not even my goal.

My goal is a 20 pound weight loss. I actually feel good about this and I feel like this is something I can really do. I knew I could do it before, but I was just stuck. Getting a PT was exactly what I needed. I'm not only held accountable to me, but also to the PT. I love it and D has been really supportive and helping me eat better. I like feeling healthy, I like this whole weight loss thing and for the first time in a long time - I feel like I'm really going to do it. I'm really going to be fit. Who knows - maybe I'll buy my first bikini EVAR!

heh - maybe not, no need to get ahead of myself.

I know VFC is about to wrap up in a week, but to me it just feels like I'm finally starting. Don't worry - I won't bore any of you with my fitness excitement past the 12 weeks, but don't be surprised if you get an omg, look at me post. It's bound to happen, but in the mean time I'm keeping my eye on the prize!

Get fit, get fit, get fit! Keep on truckin' peeps!

Okay, so I missed out on posting for Week 9, but it wasn't because I was too busy slacking. I did okay last week and went to the gym several times. But Week 10 is off to an even better start as D and I have started going to the gym together as well. Cool, cool - I hear you say, but the best part is that I've decided to take that financial plunge into the world of personal training.

I'm going to do it for the simple reason that I need the motivation AND I want to get fit. The fitness challenge has been great in helping me to see that there is such a thing as great fitness goals, but that I might also need someone to push me even further - not only in exercise, but watching what I eat as well.

I'm deciding to take the plunge today and when I go to the gym later this evening, I'll sign up and hand over the keys! Erm, well sort of. You get the point :) I figured since I'm turning 24 tomorrow that there's no better way to celebrate my life than dedicating it to being healthy. Happy early birfday to moi!

I'll be sure to post another update later in the week since I flaked on Week 9's updates.

Carry on Voxy fitness peeps! Keep on truckin'!

Wowzas....Week 8?! I'm not sure I've ever been committed to anything like this for this long. Kudos to me! Of course, I was hanging out my kudos on Week 3. Heh. Anywhooooo, this week has been aggravating in terms of the VFC. I got back to NC on Monday and have been good about working out and even really pushing myself, but I was sorely disappointed today when I stepped on the scale and discovered I had gained 5 pounds. WTF?? 5 pounds?? I thought being healthy meant dropping pounds and people...this isn't a matter of 'muscle weighs more than fat'.

Ugh! Grr. Argh! If one thing good has come out of this week, it's that I'm finally willing to accept what Cranky, Foxsy, and EWQ were telling me the other week about being on a plateau and that I really needed to change up my work out. It's highlighted a serious problem and one that's driving me nuts. I'm even willing to commit to the financial plunge of a personal trainer. Okay, so they are relatively affordable and worth it...but who likes to admit that they need to pay someone to help them lose weight? Well, I guess that is what Jenny Craig does...whatever. I'm doing it. My mind is made up. I just have to work out the kinks and then it's do or die. Eeem...okay not do or die, but do or keep on getting fat.

I also realized that for the past 4 years I haven't really lost weight and only maintained. I'm not sure why it took me so long to see this or the fact that I was not happy with it. Waaah! Okay, so apparently I'm really whiny this week. Carry on - I know I will be!

Week 7 already? Well, we all know what that means...time to recommit. Per Foxsy's request, I've decided to continue in my Vox Fitness Challenge and to recommit to the program. It still makes me excited to get up and work out all for the goal of myself but also for the goals set within the group. While this week I haven't seen any major changes, I have been able to continue M maintenance as I'm not at home and immersed in my normal routine.

This week, I've been able to focus on on actually eating healthy and the whole concept of not overeating. I love to eat so that's been important to help fall into a pattern in terms of eating habits. Ab crunches, tennis rounds, and nature walks have been on the agenda this past week and I have definitely enjoyed them. More than anything, I've liked changing up the fitness routine - this way I'll be really excited to go back to the norm next week at home.

Nothing much to report until I get back into a heavy fitness routine, so I'll save all my crazy updates until then. Until next time my Voxy fitness peeps!

Wow...nearly forgot what week it was. The weeks keep flying by and especially since I finally feel like I've found a workout that really works for me. I can't be 100% sure that I'm getting the all-time greatest work-out ever, but I feel like I get things accomplished. When I'm at home it's consisting of 40 min cardio and strength training using a balance ball, bosu ball, and resistance bands. I find that I'm preferring these much more than actual machines. Now that I'm off visiting friends again, I've bought a balance ball to take with me to use at my friends house. I'm lacking the cardio element, but I am getting my heart rate up with the workouts that came with the balance ball.

I miss the cardio, but to make up for it D and I play tennis on Tuesdays for an hour. We've decided to make this a weekly habit - I like that for the simple reason that it changes up the workout routines. Things are going well this week and while I don't particularly feel like I'm shedding serious inches, I do feel more fit. I guess that's more important?

I remember when I started the VFC, I stated that I didn't actually think I'd make progress other than improving how I actually felt about myself. I said this not to be pessimistic, but to be realistic. For awhile now, I've just plateaued and I can't break the wall to get to my goal. I just maintain. I think it's going to take a major life change or at least a dedication to a personal trainer. While I could do that at home, I don't think I'd get the most out of it until I'm more settled in one place. Somehow that feels like an excuse too. I'm not sure if I'll go through with the personal trainer at home, even though it wouldn't be a bad thing to treat myself to it. Bah - well, I'm okay with maintaining at this point as I'm still healthier than I was a year ago (physically, mentally, and emotionally). BUT, if anyone has any ideas on how to get past this wall of mine. I'm all ears.

6 weeks down. 6 to go! Keep it up VFC peeps! :) 

Wow, what happened to Week 4? I mean, I behaved - went to the gym, watched what I was eating, and didn't cheat too much. Okay, so I just ate a candy bar but I was really craving sweets. I thought it best to give in once as opposed to eating everything else under the sun to satisfy that one craving. No measurements have been taken, I'll go down that path later this week.

If we're being honest then I think this week will be a tough one because I'm already not feeling it. Not that I'm anti-exercise this week, but I don't feel like me. I feel....out of place. Maybe Monday will bring me back to myself, but I'm not holding my breath. I just keep staring at the screen and everything I want to say, I feel isn't important or that it shouldn't be said.

Blah, blah, blah - on with week 5.

Catch ya on the flip side.

Sooooooo, yeah. Week 4 - woohoo! I've been behaving - eating properly and working out, but it's been a struggle. Well, not the food part, just the working out part. I've been good on what has been passing the lips and haven't really slipped up too much. Even when I did 'slip up' it was purposefully done and it was anticipated in earlier daily caloric intake. Meaning, I knew I was going out for beer and wings with my Dad, so I had a low calorie lunch and brekky.

I guess the struggle has come from me just not being in the mood this week. I feel sleepy and am having those moments of blah-girliness. Foxsy posted about it last week I think so I won't, but it has just sucked my energy dry. I'd rather sleep, but I know I'd feel better for working out. I've missed two days at the gym, but that still leaves me three successful workouts, which still isn't bad so I'm not going to be too hard on myself. So what, I didn't work out 5 days this week - 3 is better than none. I'd only be disappointed if I managed a measly 1 or 2 days.

I suppose I just feel discouraged this week. I know I didn't behave last week and I paid for it as I feel all blobby still. I know I'm doing well to get back on track but I want results now dammit! I'm behaving, why can't my body take cue and fall in line? I won't lie, some days I think to myself...really Maggie? What are you doing? It's cool that you're working out and all and that's all fine and dandy, but do you really think that you're going to reach your goal of either a.) a 36 inch waist or b.) being a size 10? <--which was ultimate goal set in post two of VFC.

Blaaaaaah. Don't worry fitness peeps, this is only a passing phase and I'll be all gung-ho again sometime. In the mean-time, I'm just going to keep on trucking my lardy bum to the gym and at least hold up my end of the bargain and wait for my body to follow suit.

I'm back, baby!

At the advice of Foxsy, I didn't totally give up on Week 3 and accept that I was going to be a fatty, but I will still admit that I didn't do nearly as much fitness challenging as I had hoped (both originally and even after re-evaluating). In order to make up for this blunder, I have decided to tack on Week 3 at the end and conveniently make it Week 13. I know I'll feel better about it instead of knowing that a better part of that week went to waste in terms of exercise.

Not to worry though, as it is time to focus on Week 4! So far, so good! I'm back to the gym and back to counting calories. Things are good so far and I plan on definitely keeping up the good work this week. I'm even going to treat myself to an extra day at the gym - to help make up for last week's fatty errors.

I obviously didn't make any progress from last week, but I already knew that would happen. I did put on a pound or two, but as you know I'm not counting pounds...well, not really. I haven't measured myself, because I'm giving myself a week before I get down on myself about missing out on last week. Also! I'm pre pre-planning my workouts for the next time I'm away. I'm going to go ahead and write them out so it's not a matter of not having time to plan. I'll plan while I can and implement when the time comes. I've also decided that I'm just going to have to stick to a morning regiment as I know that I just don't have motivation to exercise in the evenings. As much as I like sleeping in - that will just have to wait for the weekends. Mornings work best and they're going to work best while I'm away from home as well! There's no need for an out of sight, out of mind philosophy as I'm always thinking about the challenge and I even feel bad when I goof, but know that I'm not making up Week 3 for you guys - I'm re-doing it for me. I owe myself that much!

Week 4 - here I come! Woohoo!

It's official - I have no sense of discipline when it comes to Week 3. It's hump day and I haven't even crunchity crunch crunched once. *sigh*

I blame friends and the lack of motivation there is to workout when there are much more fun things to be done. On the bright side, I'm not stuffing my face an exorbitant amount; however, I still feel a little blobby due to the lack of exercise. This just goes to show that exercise really does do my body good! But I already kind of knew that.  :) Come on Week 4, which promises to contain lots of early mornings sweating out that blobbity blob feeling.

In order to pick up my spirits a bit, here is a feel good tip for the week. It's simple, it's easy, it works wonders!

Smile.
Smile with confidence.
Smile like you know something clever.
Smile and make people wonder why you're so happy.
Just smile.

Smiles are contagious and not only will you feel better for the action itself, you'll look better too. Need proof? Look at yourself in the mirror - don't you just look and feel better with a smile? Plus it's free and easy to do. I won't give you any crap statistics on how it takes more muscles to frown - blah, blah, blah. Just give it a try. There really is no such thing as smiling too much. If you need help getting started, just let me know. Naturally, I'm happy to help! :)

The best part about this feel good tip - it's FREE? I bet you can't help but smile now!