8 Week Countdown to NYE – Wrapped Up!

(My progress, week to week, can be found linked at the bottom of this page)

I learned something really important this time around – NEVER make weight loss goals over the holidays.  Good lord, I don’t know what I was thinking.  I got over-confident and thought that I could keep my weight loss going when… I’m in maintenance mode.  So crazy!  I started at 140.0 pounds (but was 141.4 pounds just the day before) and ended up at 143.0 pounds – a gain of 3 pounds.  BUT – I went from 22.9% body fat to 21.9%, a drop of 1% points and that equated to LOSING 0.75 pounds of fat and gaining 2.25 pounds of muscle and/or water.  I think I gained a combo of both.

My physique looks different from when I started this challenge, a challenge focusing on PiYo.  I did lose some in inches in places that are hard for me to lose them, and my arms, shoulders, back, and abs got a lot stronger, a lot more defined.

So… I’m happy!  No one likes seeing the scale go UP, but as long as the body fat goes down, I need to learn to live with it.  At the end of the day, fat was lost, muscle was gained, and the important parts were toned up.  Oh – and my butt firmed up, and I trimmed down my worst spot, the saddle bag on my right hip that I call my “fat pocket.”  It doesn’t look great, but it is visibly better.  So, I keep working at it.  HA!

Summary

• Goals for the 8 Weeks:
  • Finish on 12/31/2015 SAFELY in the 130’s (meaning a couple of weeks prior to 12/31 weighing in in the 137-139 range)
    • Did not meet AT ALL.  I got so close at the 4 week mark, but then things got personally tough here and I lost my focus
  • I’d really, REALLY love to see a body fat percentage in the 21% range again on my handheld body fat monitor
    • Goal MET – 21.9% at the end and was as low as 21.1%, but mostly hovered at 21.4% until the end
  • I want to see major changes in my physique since I’m so dedicated to PiYo
    • Goal MET
  • Complete 5+ hours a week of dedicated exercise
    • Goal MET
    • I averaged over 7 hours of exercise a week – 7 hours and 4 minutes a week!
  • Run 20-25 miles a week on average
    • Not met AT ALL
    • Moving the treadmill has been a problem that will be resolved in the next few weeks
  • Complete the full PiYo 8 week program
    • Goal MET – I did all 48 workouts and didn’t skip a single one!
  • Supplement my fitness with at least 2 BOD (bea.chbo.dy on dem.and) workouts a week
    • Goal MET
  • Stay within daily net calorie goal of 1390 calories at least 5 days a week
    • Goal met until the last two weeks

  Starting/Ending Statistics

  • Starting Weight (11/11/2015):  140 pounds
    • Finished at 143.0 pounds on 12/31/2015
    • Gained 3 pounds
  • Body Fat %:  22.9% with the handheld (22.2% with calipers, 22.8% with the Tan.ita scale)
    • Finished at 21.9% on 12/31/2015
    • Lost a full percentage point
    • Converted fat to muscle, losing 0.75 pounds of fat and gaining 2.25 pounds of water and muscle
  • BMI:  21.9
    • Finished at 22.4

  Starting (11/11/2015)/Ending (12/31/2015) Measurements:

  • Natural Waist: 27.5 inches
    • Finished at 27.0 inches
    • Lost 0.5 inches
  • Belly Button: 32 inches
    • Finished at 31.5 inches
    • Lost 0.5 inches
  • Hips:  35.5 inches
    • Finished at 35.5 inches
    • No gain or loss of inches
  • Chest:  33.5 inches
    • Finished at 32.5 inches
    • Lost 1.0 inches
  • Leg (Left):  19 inches
    • Forgot to measure
  • Arm (Left):  11 inches
    • Forgot to measure

Before and After Photos

Left photos are before, right are after.  All are flexed abs.