Before the Pain

So, here are the stats before the pain started, along with photos. I'm telling you, if you have an aversion to fat chics, look away. I've blotted out my face because I'd like to maintain some level of anonymity here. I'm sure if someone really wanted to know who I was, they'd be able to figure it out. I mean, don't they do that sort of thing on NCIS and Law and Order?

Anyway - this is me. I realized that I don't even have any shorts to pose in. That's how far I've fallen. My summer wardrobe consists of capris and tee shirts. I'm too ashamed to show off my legs. And I won't wear tank tops in public because I think my arms are too fat.

For my readers at "Doin' It Halfway", pretend there are pictures of a chubby girl here.

Here are my measurements. I'm not so much hovering at 200 pounds like I thought. I've gained weight. But, at least it will be coming off soon!

Weight: 210.8 (yikes)
Body Fat: 45.9% (really!?)
Chest: 43" (the best part of being fat is having big boobs!)
Waist: 47.5"
Hips 49"
Right Thigh (six inches above knee): 24"
Left Thigh (six inches above knee): 24.5"
Right Arm: 13"
Left Arm: 13"

I'm kind of feeling like the people on Biggest Loser when they are surprised by the stats. I guess I am too, a little bit. I'm the biggest I've ever been, but I know what happened to get me here. And I know what I have to do to reach my goals. It won't be easy, but it has to be better than what I've been living with for the past five years.

So, hubs and I started yesterday. And I must say that I am sore all over. But, I feel good because I'm doing something to change it all.

The first workout is back and arms, then a fifteen minute workout on the abs. Oh ... my ... gosh. I couldn't finish the abs because everything else hurt so much. And sweat? Yowsers. Sweat I did. But, at least I finished the arms and back. I felt pretty proud of my chubby self to be able to get through the workout.

The second workout, which I just finished about an hour ago is called Plyometrics which is some kind of jumping and squatting form of torture. I probably made it through 75% of the workout. Sometimes, and this has happened to me in the past too, when I work my quads a lot, I get very faint and feel like I might pass out. That happened tonight. So my goal for the next time I do this workout is to be able to stay standing through the workout.

So, that's it for my first two days. Now that I've worked all of the major muscle groups, I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to chase my kids around very well tomorrow. But, at least I've started, and at least I'm still doing it. Tomorrow's another day.

Darn you Amazon.com and your efficiency!

So, the P90X DVDs came in the mail today. I know that my husband will be itchin' to get started, but I'm pretty sure that I want to wait a little bit.

But then again, why wait? Isn't waiting (a.k.a. procrastinating) the very thing that got me here in the first place?

Well, since hubs is at a dinner meeting tonight, I can probably get away with waiting at least one more day. So, I'll tell you a little bit about myself then.

I'm a mom of three preschoolers (age 5,3, and 1). I have never considered myself thin . . . and certainly never considered myself athletic. I'm 5'6" and hovering around 200 pounds. It might be more now, since we've been living in a hotel for three weeks, eating out practically every day, and lacking access to a scale. We just moved from one extreme part of the country to another part. I know no one here, but I'm excited for this new chapter in our lives.

I haven't liked my body for a very long time. In fact, my weight and my overall appearance has been a concern of mine for over half my life. It began in high school and has followed me through college, marriage, seven moves, and three pregnancies. So, here I am, heavier than I ever have been, and flabbier too. I think my chin is starting to grow a twin. And if my ankles cease being and become cankles, I'll just die.

I gained a bunch of weight with each baby I had. And I never had time to lose that weight before getting pregnant again. To my defense, I was either pregnant or breas feeding for five years straight. On a side note, don't you hate those women who are back in their pre-pregnancy clothes a month or two after having their babies? I have a sister who is like that. She's my best friend, but I just want punch her when she complains about losing that last five pounds. But, she's dedicated to working out every single day. She takes care of herself. So, even though I hate that she's still thin, and I'm not, I can't say that it's all in the genes. She works hard to be as healthy as she is.

I've jokingly told my friends that I'm the girl that makes them feel better about themselves. They can say, "Well at least I'm not as big as she is."

Well, I want to feel better about myself. And I'm not pregnant OR breastfeeding and am done with that part of my life. I want to take the pictures of myself these last few years, and look at them saying, "Well, at least I'm not as fat as the girl in this picture!" The truth is that what I am now (this overweight chic writing to you about trying to lose weight) took a long time to create. I don't worry myself about what I eat (mostly, because I really like to eat). I'm not too dedicated to working out regularly (I could give you 867 excuses why, but I won't).

So, that's what this is all about. Changing those habits that got me to where I am. In the process, I also want to teach my children that drive-thru food isn't the only option, or they'll be where I'm at in twenty some odd years.

So, it's a journey. It's a process. It's equal parts perspiration, healthy mastication, determination, dedication, education, and transformation. It's being me, but a better me. And, a sexier me. A sexier me who feels comfortable enough to wear a two piece on the beach. Yeah. That's the girl you're going to get to meet at the end of all this.

So, yes. Before pictures will be taken tonight. And be posted tomorrow. Hmmmmm . . .

Mentally preparing myself to mentally prepare myself

So, after watching the P90X infomercial this weekend on some random cable channel, hubs and I decided that we're going to do this thing.

I have been googling this program, trying to find people who have done this to find out if a fat chic like me can actually do this and have decent results. I've found former self-proclaimed couch potatoes who have had exceptional results, but they are mostly men. And all us fat girls out there know about men and weight loss. I haven't seen many ladies like me, with a significant amount of weight to lose, who have tried this program. I'm not really expecting to have the results of the hard bodied men and women on the commercial. I'm fairly skeptical. But, in the next three months, what do I have to lose but the belly fat and excess weight?

So, I'm going to document this journey for the whole world to watch. I'll put before, during and after pictures up for all to see. If this thing works, then maybe it will help someone else. Maybe some other thirty-something mom with baby (and then some) weight to lose will stumble upon my blog and figure that she can do it. Or she'll see that it's not worth her time and pick something else.

In tandem, I will be following the Nutritional Plan that comes along with the program. I assume(though I won't know for sure until it arrives) that it is similar to the South Beach diet. I've been researching and planning on doing South Beach for a few weeks now.

So, I've dressed my blog in black, because, after all black is slimming. It's been the prevailing color in my wardrobe of late. Since I'm on the completely opposite spectrum as an emo or goth teenager, it's time to remedy that.

I will be doing the fitness test in the next few days. We ordered it from Amazon.com, so it should be here in five to ten business days. I have a few more days to ponder this coming butt kicking that I've been needing for so long. I will tell my story and how I got here. And I'll post pictures of my belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly. Unashamed, because hopefully, in ninety days, it won't shake so much.

So, thank you for walking this road with me. I hope to make you laugh and cry and everything in between, because I'm sure I'll experience the entire spectrum of emotions in this (hopefully final) attempt to get my body back and get in the best shape of my life.