Chalean Extreme Final Results

Three Months down.  I made it through my weight lifting circuit.  For someone who usually avoids weight lifting at all costs, that is quite an accomplishment.  I did not always do well with the nutrition portion.  Too often I splurged on cookies, cake, and candy (throw chips in there too, maybe I should just avoid all "c" words haha!  I could call them the "deadly c's" =D     ok, moving on now).  But I worked hard and I never skipped a workout.  This program revolutionized the way I thought about weight lifting.  I was used to lifting weights by doing three sets of 10 reps.  How incredibly boring is that?  This program has you lifting so heavy that you fatigue by 10-12 reps.  You don't have the strength to do three sets of 10 reps, and when you do lift a second set, it is only 3 reps and it is so slow and intense there is no possible way that you could be bored.  In essence, this program made weight lifting doable for me.  Also, the workouts were not too long.  Between 35-45 minutes in length.  The cardio workouts kicked my butt too!  I thought I was in pretty good shape until I picked up Chalean Extreme. 

The first two weeks of Chalean Extreme I was so sore I couldn't hardly walk.  Once I got over my soreness, the workout changed and I would find myself sore all over again!  I worked hard, it was mentally challenging, but I believe it payed off.  I only had weights that went up to 15 pounds so I couldn't do some of the lower body exercises to the fullest potential (especially in the push month where you are lifting so heavy you fatigue by 8-10 reps) but I still kept at it and gave it my all.  The most challenging part for me was that the scale didn't budge.  After seeing the scale go down for a year, having it suddenly stop going down was like psychological suicide.  I was in an awful state of distress and contemplated giving up several times.  So addicted to the scale and the need to see the numbers go down that I completely divorced my scale for the third month because I couldn't mentally handle it anymore.  I couldn't keep workout out as hard as I was and not visibly see the results of my hard work show up on the scale.  It was so damaging to me mentally that every week the scale didn't go down I would spiral into a pit of emotional eating which at its worst lasted a whole week.  I started the program at 153.7, and I ended the program at 151.7.  Two pounds.... Two measly pounds is all I had to show on the scale for all my hard work.  But changes were being made elsewhere in my body.  That is what I had to learn.  Becoming physically fit and getting in shape and being healthy is not just about the numbers.  It was a hard lesson to learn, but I can see the success I had in other areas.  For example:

My Results

Category                            Before                            After                                 Change
Body Fat %                          36                                 27                                       -9%
Waist                                   36 1/2"                           34"                                      -1 1/2"
Hips                                     41"                                 40"                                     -1"
Abductors                            40 3/4"                          40 1/2"                              - 1/4"
Chest                                   36 1/2"                          35"                                     - 1 1/2"
Right arm                             11 1/2"                           11 1/4"                               -1/4"
Left arm                               11 1/2"                           11 1/4"                               -1/4"
Right Thigh                           21 1/2"                           21"                                    -1/2"
Left Thigh                             21 1/2"                           21                                      -1/2"

Total number of inches lost: 5 3/4"
Not too shabby.  I do have some pictures but I just don't feel very comfortable posting them on the blog since I took them in my sports bra and swimsuit bottoms. If you know me personally and you wish to see the pictures, I will be happy to show them to you, just let me know.

Now, after a grueling three months, my foot has finally healed and I am ready to throw myself back into my beloved cardio.  But I have not forgotten the importance of strength training.  I am starting Turbo Fire, and I am going to be doing at least one strength training session a week instead of doing the cardio for that day.  I am going to focus on maintaining the muscle I have built instead of focusing on growing more muscle.  Once I reach my goal weight, I will once again turn to strength training and I will repeat Chalean Extreme.  Next time I look forward to not having to freak out that the scale is not going down. 

Gratitude Journal
Today being Mother's Day, I think it is appropriate to say that I am so very thankful to my Mom!  I am thankful for all the time, energy, and love she put into raising me from infancy to adulthood, and all the time, energy and love she continues to give and share with me.    Thank you Mom for everything that you do, have done, and continue to do every day.  I never realized exactly how much goes into being a Mom until I became one myself.  I love you Mom!