Maximum Weight Loss Challenge

I promised a post about beginning stats and my Week 1 plan, so here it is.  But let’s back up a minute, first.

What exactly am I doing?  I created a “Maximum Weight Loss Rotation” full of workouts for 12 weeks.  They’re hard, and there’s a lot.  It starts off a little slow, then quickly moves to 1-2 workouts/day.  Along with this, I also purchased the Tone It Up Nutrition Plan.  I absolutely love it, and I think that it was worth the $150 I spent on it. 

I really do recommend it.  The only thing I don’t like is that most of the recipes just aren’t “me,” if that makes sense.  So I’m taking the core of the plan and adding my own spin to it.



Anyway, here’s the plan for week 1.  Week 1 includes 4 cardio workouts, and 2 full body strength workouts.  I’m using a mixture of Cathe Friedrich workouts (where I got the rotation) and Tone It Up workouts.  On strength days, I’m really supposed to do the cardio workout in the morning, and the strength workout in the afternoon, but everyone knows I’m not a morning person.  I’m lucky if I can get up a half-hour before I’m supposed to leave for work.  So right now I’m doubling up after work.  The links below will take you to a preview of the Cathe DVD’s, and to the Tone It Up page that includes the TIU cardio workout.

Cardio
Party Rockin’ Step #1
Spring Into Summer
Low Impact Circuit – Cardio Blast (Premix 1)  **doneMaking Waves Cardio

Strength
Step, Jump, and Pump Weights Only premix
Low Impact Circuit Body Sculpt Premix  **done

I did the Low Impact Circuit workouts last night. 

Now – every week, on Sunday (nights), I’ll be posting how my week went, including what I ate.  On Mondays I’ll be posting my plan for the upcoming week.  And then there will be room for other fun stuff on days in between there.    :)


Last night I used my new grill for the first time.  It was a little intimidating at first.  I live in an apartment building, and the yard that you see there is like a courtyard, so there are apartments all around me.  Kind of like a college dorm, really.  So I was worried about people watching and making fun of my non-existent grilling skills.  I made some chicken breasts for my lunches, and a couple hamburger patties.  It went well, but I had a little trouble with keeping the briquettes hot.  I think next time I’ll use more.  But I’m so excited to be able to put this in to good use this summer!  It’ll definitely come in handy when trying to prep healthy meals!

And then there are my starting stats.  Here they are.....

As of 6/18/2014
Left Arm - 12"
Right Arm - 12.5"
Upper Chest - 40"
Chest - 40"
Ribcage - 37"
Waist - 37.25"
Abs (love handles) - 43.75"
Hips - 42.5"
Left Thigh - 24.5"
Right Thigh - 24.75"

Not a pretty sight.  I still have my measurements from back in September of last year, and I've gone up everywhere, with an exception of my thighs.  My legs have always been toned.  I'm assuming from all those years of dancing.  But I have noticed they were starting to get less toned.  Can't let that happen!!

I didn't weigh myself.  I don't plan on weighing myself for a while.  Maybe once a month?  In the past, the scale has really made me lose motivation and set me up for failure, so I'm trying to stay away from it as much as I can.

That's it for today.  Happy Wednesday everyone!

Bad Blogger Award Goes To Me!

I am such a terrible blogger!  I really need to get on that "schedule" train that so many bloggers are on - you know, the ones who actually think about and schedule their posts?  Rather than just opening their Blogger and writing?  Ha!  Totally me.  I just need to get on a writing schedule I guess.  I used to be able to blog at work, but once I got this new job, it has been next to impossible to get any free time - not to mention take a lunch break!
I do plan on getting on the blog tonight and writing out my first week's meal/exercise plan of the "Maximum Weight Loss Challenge" I have going on for myself.  I wanted to do it today during my lunch break, but of course my schedule and stats and everything are all at home.  Another blogger fail.  
So for now, I thought I'd share some funny memes I've seen lately.  Enjoy!

Random

It's been a minute, so I figured it's time for an update!  I'm still here, still working (a lot), and still working at losing weight.  This whole losing weight thing seems to be a constant in my life, and I can't wait for the day that it doesn't have to be my main focus.  When I can finally be comfortable in my skin, and not constantly worry about how I look.  When I can finally just enjoy my life....and just be.
Now, I know that it doesn't come just by losing weight.  This blog is called My Inner Butterfly for a reason.  I created this blog to finally learn to love myself, regardless of how I look.  Looking inside myself and finding peace is what I want more than anything.
How do I do that?  I'm not sure yet.  I could dive in to as many self-help books I can find.  I could go to therapy.  There's lots of ways.  But going forward, this blog is going to have a lot more of that type of stuff, not just weight loss stuff.  I really do think that when we find peace within ourselves, that's when everything else just naturally happens (like weight loss).  
I really don't know where this post is going, ha.  But that's where I'm at now.  
The last few weeks I've been working on getting a plan in place.  A hard-core plan.  I was browsing the Cathe.com forums (love her!) and came across a really good thread where Cathe herself made up a maximum weight loss rotation for someone who was looking to lose as much weight as possible in 3 months.  I took the plan, and made it my own.  It's tough, but I know I can do it.  The good thing is that it starts off pretty slow, and gradually works up to working out twice per day.  
I'll be sharing the plan each week, and at the end of each week, I'll go over how well I did.  Stats and everything will come on Monday.  
Hope everyone has a great weekend!