My upper arms are one of the banes of my existence, and at age 56 it's unlikely I can turn them around too much. But I can definitely tone them and will be working on it. Belly in the side view speaks for itself. And the middle thickness also speaks (and is) volumes, including verifying what I blogged about a few months back about how my body now distributes weight in the middle - classic apple. Thing is, I used to be a pear, and would read about how the body weight distribution can shift postmenopausally. I didn't believe it, but the truth is self evident. Finally - girlfriend needs some new bras. 'Nuff said.Perfect 10 Goals:
1. Lose 20 pounds - I was 201.7 Monday. Wednesday I was 198.1. Today's weight is 201.5. Ouch. I've had several salt heavy meals in the last 2 days, though no bingeing or bad overeating. I could even feel the puffiness before I stepped on the scale and when I saw the number, my first thought was that I couldn't possibly post the real number. But there it is. Honesty. At least I'm down .2 lbs rather than up.
2. Do 30 minutes cardio daily 6x/week. I managed about 20 minutes of very slow cardio (stationary biking at PT and walking) 4 times. Not enough. The knee feels good this morning (best yet), so I can improve on this starting today.
3. 15 minutes 5 days/week meditating/sitting quietly with no noise or reading material. Did this 3 times. Not good enough, any my chaotic mind feels it.
4. Write down my food each day. Started out good - 3 days worth, then fizzled out.
Not good enough.
5. Post weight weekly - done. 100%! And I told the truth. Along with posting the pictures - I'm feeling pretty exposed and vulnerable. Not a bad thing. I fervently desire to have a better week to report next Friday, and to be visibly different in the February 5th photos (smaller, of course!).
6. Post at least one line daily on this blog 7 days a week. I added this on Monday, and have been successful except did the Wednesday post 2 1/2 hours into Thursday morning at 2:30 a.m. Guilt must have wakened me!
Pretty lukewarm results for week one, but being 100% honest is huge for me. It would be easy to post better achievements, yet would hurt no one but me. I really want to do this - if I didn't you would be looking at my doughy proportions and reading of a .2 pound loss over 5 days. Believe me, next week will be better.
Finally, something no one knows about me: I've wanted to be a therapist/counselor for a long time, and still consider going back to school for it. I love listening to people, and helping them explore their lives if they want to do that. The only thing that keeps me from going back to school now (I've actually been accepted into a Counseling Psychology program at a local university) is that I'd have to take out student loans to pay for it. Not sure that I want to go in BIG debt to make a career change at my age - but if it unfolds somehow...we'll see.
I'm committed to a better week, and a sexier picture in February!! (tee hee)
Thanks for the comment! This will be a better week for both of us. I can't wait til next week so hear about your update! We can DO it!
ReplyDelete-Kara
I think you accomplished what this challenge is about - being honest and trying reach those goals. Next week will just be better!
ReplyDeleteWell done on week 1! It's only when we set these goals and look back on the interim achievements that we really know which areas of our journey need addressing. Don't be too hard on yourself!
ReplyDeleteWish my pics looked like yours, btw... ;o)
Writing this down and admitting where you suceeded and where you could have done better is a big part of this challenge. Brave lady posting your pictures!
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting on my blog. I have read both Lisa See books. I preferred Snow Flower but very much enjoyed Shanghai Girls. Both great reads.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be delighted with yourself for posting those pictures. Your AFTER pictures will have something to compare themselves to.
Going back to school - that's a tough call.
Writing things down and being aware of your progress v/s where you want to be is a big step. I think you are doing great on your goals.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for posting the pictures. I'm contemplating taking some new nudies (and not posting them) to see the difference, if any. Well I know it's all in the upper area since my pants still really aren't any looser 30 lbs later.
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ReplyDeleteI feel your pain about your upper arms--and mine are worse than yours! (You'll have to take my word for it, no pics ;) )
ReplyDeleteAnd you know, I don't see a damn thing wrong with your bra, the girls look uplifted and perky to me--own 'em & be proud.
Finally, having studied a bit of psychology myself, may I make a suggestion?
Perhaps you might try in your weekly update to focus on your successes and take a sec to think about what helped you achieve on the days you did so you can repeat it. And think through what happened on the days you didn't instead of just judging yourself harshly with "not good enough." Then you'd set up the next week with a strategy. Think that might feel bettter?
Seems like it might help you move forward a bit more optimistically instead of logging the week as a failure. Feeling like you failed doesn't make you want to keep trying (or it doesn't me anyway).
Stuff I've read says you need to try to log your activities as winning/successful ones to stay realistic and motivated. For instance if 30 min of cardio wasn't reachable, change the goal to 20 or even 15 so you are more likely to succeed and feel like a winner. Studies show that if you make the goal 20 and stop at 18 min, you mentally log as "failed"--discarding the success you've had--so set it at 15 and do 18 and feel terrific and motivated to keep going!
Just my 2 cents, hope it helps and comes out the way I mean it too. . . You seem like a winner to me!
You'll look hot just in time for Valentine's Day. But do make sure to get you some new bras! ;)
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't sound like you did too bad on week 1. At least you came out with a small loss. Good luck next week!
I think you did pretty well. DON'T despair about your arms. Once you lose fat, something like Pilates can help you tone them in a jiffy!
ReplyDeleteHere's a good video to get you started:
http://www.diet.com/videos/play/the-best-toning-pilates-moves-for-your-arms
Leslie, you may not have achieved all your goals for the week, you did make progress. I bet next week you will do even better. Don't worry about the weight - it sounds like a little water retention.
ReplyDeleteBlogland is a good place for a therapist/counselor - lots of free practice. :-)
Wow, 45 and Aspiring gave you some good advice! I don't have anything to add, except to commiserate about the postmenopausal weight shifting and the upper arms. They will get toned, thought, and you will be proud of them because of how strong they are!
ReplyDeleteI love your current pictures! I think I am going to start posting a current picture of me every month too. And you are being too hard on yourself. When I look at your pictures I see 2 strong arms that can carry in the groceries AND show love through your hugs, and 2 strong legs to get you on your walks everyday! Your doing great, just keep at it :) And I think you would make a great counsler/therapist! I've always wanted to be a physical therapist. If I could turn back time that is what I would have done.
ReplyDeleteIt does not look to me that your waist is your biggest number - ? true apple style - ?
ReplyDeleteI see that you carry on your torso (so do I). and I see that your butt/thighs are no longer classic pear.
but I do not think you have a classic apple middle. I see that yes, it is thick, but I do not think that you have the MAJOR fat tummy that most apples have.
You look fairly proportional and that might mean that it comes off fairly proportional - ?
did you take your measurements too?
If you did not, please consider it.
And you might want to take pictures of 'where' you measure - not to post for us - but so that you can remind yourself - where on arm, where you bend at side to side for waist, an inch or two below your belly button for abs, where on thigh, where on calf, where on chest.
it might be that you already have done this and even have them posted on your blog somewhere and I just didn't remember.
Have you ever done pilates?
That is one thing that I did all through my losing years and it really (REALLY) made a difference in my tone. And I think it helped my skin suck up.
try some Pilates DVD's from your library.
And a good free weights DVD will do wonders for you arms and upper body. It is often better to do a variety of sets. I like to do 3 sets of each exercise in free weights. And you can simply pause the DVD if you need to do more or less sets, or change the tempo, or can skip sections that you can't do. Pilates can be REALLY knee friendly. And if there are ones you can't do because of knees - you just fast forward.
It might be that you are already doing this and I just don't remember (sorry if that is the case)
I just recently ran across a posting of my own (from LONG ago) talking about the fact that I didn't think I could do much about my arms.
And I laughed when I just RE-saw it.
Because my arms were massive. And they aren't now.
I lost slightly more inches out of my upper arms than my thighs. and that cracks me up to no end. Who do you know that looses as much (slightly more) out of their upper arms than their thighs??? So I really do understand about not being in love with some body parts.
My middle started out as my biggest measurement and is now my smallest. And I would never have dreamed that was possible either.
Yes, there is a bit of wobble under those arms still, but I have been looking and looking at other (fit) people and I see wobble on them too.
and I also see it on my hubby and oldest - who have never had any extra weight on them and are MEN and are fit.
I think you are very brave and really facing reality in taking these pics.
and not suggesting you post them - but if I had KNOWN I was going to have a blog and it I had know how far my body would go/change - I would have taken underwear pics to start.
I am balls to the wall. And if there is a part of you that is balls to the wall too - take them and put them away so you have them for later if you want them.
I would have posted them in my 'goal posts' if I would have had them. But mostly I would like to SEE them myself. I think I remember where the fat was distributed - but seeing is a whole different thing.
you can tell by my length that this posting touched me very much. and I think it is a good indication that you are focused and have momentum.
Good going!!!
Bravo for posting the full body shots. I KNOW it is not an easy thing to do.
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