Saturday, March 3, 2012

The Final Weigh-In

Today was the conclusion of my health club's 55 Day Weight Loss Challenge.  I joined the contest with a team with four other Sole Sisters in early January. Over the past two months, we struggled together. We celebrated together.  In the end, it was a fabulous team effort!  We lost a total of 100.2 pounds or 11.3% of our body weight.  I'm so proud of all of them!  Weight loss is not easy, but we pushed each other along nearly every single day.  I'm so grateful to my Sassy Slimming Sole Sisters (Kelli, Renee, Laura and Michelle) for helping me push past my comfort level...
I lost -24.9 pounds!
13.7% body weight

How?  It's the most frequent question people ask me through this journey.  The answer is two-fold and quite simple...  Hard Work and Dedication.  (Thanks Dolvett!)


#1 - HARD WORK 
in the gym, around the track, in the pool, on the bike...
You need to burn more calories than you consume.  And by burn, I mean sweat your ass off... not a casual jog around the park.  Several times a week, I put in two-a-days (workout in the morning and again at night) to cash in on the magical "afterburn".  The longer and harder you workout, the greater the post-exercise metabolism increase and the longer it lasts. During the final week of the weight loss challenge, I did two-a-days every. single. day.  Exhausted, but I eliminated nearly 5 lbs over a 5 day period (making up for that week-long vacation!).

To give you an idea of my workload over the Weight Loss Challenge, I kept track of my key activities.  Here's what it takes for me to lose 25 pounds in 55 days... 
Ran 250 miles
Biked 235 miles
11 Spinning classes
Swam 18,500 yds or 10.5 miles
7 Yoga sessions 
4 Elliptical sessions
Numerous circuit workouts



#2 - DEDICATION
to a healthy change in my food choices.
The biggest part of my success the last two months has been a change in my food selection. I'm a firm believer that for weight loss to last, it must be a realistic change.  I can't expect to eat separate meals from my family.  We are an old fashioned family that sits down around a table, says our prayers and eats together... every night.  So the food aspect was a big challenge for me.  No fad diets here. I'm in it for the long haul.

I focused our meals around lean protein and an assortment of fresh vegetables. I minimized carbs and switched to whole grain whenever possible. I completely cut out salt and soda. I have a sweet tooth and every afternoon, it ached. Sometimes I fulfilled it with fruit, and other times, I gave in to chocolate. The most important lesson I learned was balance and moderation. One aspect I had to balance was the checkbook.  Undeniably, eating fresh and healthy IS more expensive when you're feeding a family of four. In the long run, it's a great investment, but still a challenge of current money and time to keep fresh foods in the house.


This latest weight loss success has made me slightly nostalgic. I started my weight loss journey in the fall of 2008 when I topped the scales at (gulp)... 230 lbs.  Seriously, right?  I was miserably obese with a depression that transferred to every area of my life. At the peak of my life with two baby girls, I was falling apart at the seams.  My heart breaks when I think of the hell I put my husband and mother through. They truly are my life vests. 

I started walking, then wogging and finally running.  I quit smoking and cut down the alcohol.  It began a gradual weight loss that changed more than just the number of the scale.  Running changed my life.  I fell in love with the run and how it made me feel.  It was contagious, a healthy addiction for once. It made me a better person, a better mom, wife, daughter and friend.  This is why I write about running - it is a passion, a love, that I believe has the potential to change everyone's lives.

Then & Now...

My journey continues... Keep on Running!
xoxo

42 comments:

  1. This is beyond cool, Jess! Way to do it :) Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Seriously LOVE this post! You have totally worked it, and rocked it! Congrats on your success!! You are a total inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are a rock star & a true inspiration! Congrats on your weight loss!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congratulations to you and your team. That is a great accomplishment for all of you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congratulations! That is absolutely amazing. You worked incredibly hard for this.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Awesome Job Jess!! You look amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. my eyes misted up, sorry to be sappy, but I can so relate to your hard work and sacrifice and I am so very happy for you. You are a badass Jess

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jess you are so freaking amazing!! I need your motivation & drive to get my pounds off!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. You're amazing Jess and such an inspiration! Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulations Jess. It is so powerful to see what a huge change running has made in your life. What a great example you are being for your girls! Keep it up, you have done an awesome job, mama!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congrats, thanks for the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congratulations! You look great, and I'm sure feel so much better about yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congrats to you!! Thanks fir sharing, great blog!! You are truely an inpiation to me!! Thanks again and way to go!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Congrats Jess! You look amazing but more than that, I love to see you write about running as your PASSION. That's the key!!
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Congrats Jess. You did a lot of hard work to get where you are at. Way to go girl. However I do have a question. Like you I do the long work outs and have also done twice a days and it worked I got to where I wanted. But what I cant seem to conquer is I can only do that for so long and than I just get plain burnt out. I don't know how to keep it going. Every time I get to where I want I end gaining back some because I don't have anymore energy to give and my eating habits start to suck again. Can you tell that I'm in that place right now. So for me I'm trying find that balance, so that I dont get burnt out so fast. I keep telling myself it ok to do 1 hr instead of 2 to 3 hrs a day as long as I'm eating healthy. Maybe I just need to add some different kind of workouts so I don't get so tired of doing the same thing. Maybe I just answered my own question. Spring is upon us maybe I can challenge myself to do alot of different things, besides always hitting the gym and running. I know there is alot of other exercises I can do outside. If you have any ideas for different workouts please let me know. The gym I'm at doesn't have spinning, which I would love to try. I'm normally not one to put to much of myself out there, but as you can see it is really starting to get to me. Thanks for sharing and listening.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jess, You Rock!! Thank you for confirming what I try to tell myself. The weight will come off. Hard work and dedication win in the long run! You look great!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow! Way to go on the weightloss! Keep up the great work!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Congrats to you! What an inspiration!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Congrats Jess on your awesome 2012 so far! It sounds like you've taken a number of difficult steps toward health, and you're doing great:)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great job on the weight loss challenge!! That's awesome! I find the same difficulties with food and you've reminded me to call that sports nutritionist on Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great work Jess, your dedication is inspiring!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Congratulations that is awesome. Keep up the great work!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Congratulations Jess! You must be so proud of yourself!! Your story is so inspiring!

    ReplyDelete
  24. You look awesome! I lost 80 lbs a couple years ago and after my wedding, unfortunately put close to 40 back on. So I am back to losing rather than maintenance and it is tough. But people like you are so inspiring and remind me that I can do it (again).

    ReplyDelete
  25. Congrats on the hard work and your resulting weight loss!

    ReplyDelete
  26. way to go! You've definitely inspired me!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Congratulations, Jess, you really have changed your life! And what a good role model for your family too.

    ReplyDelete
  28. You are so awesome!!!!!!! Seriously, great job!!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Congratulations Jess! That's awesome! Good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Great job! You did AMAZING!!! :) Yessss!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Congratulations!!!!! Great job on your loss!!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Woot Woot! Way to go! Awesome job!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Awe-some! And congrats and Way To Go!

    ReplyDelete
  34. WOW Jess! Congratulations! What an incredible achievement. Thanks for sharing how you did it - very inspirational. That little quote about losing weight in the kitchen is sooo true!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. That is STUPENDOUS progress!! Wonderful job!

    ReplyDelete
  36. love it and that is so awesome...way to reach those goals and push for more! you are SO right and this blog post says it all...you MUST put in to get results...sweat, sweat and more sweat! brilliantly put. I didn't realize you had such a weight loss journey from 2008...amazing accomplishment and you are indeed, an inspiration!!! by the way, I hope you'll allow me to share this post on my blog?

    ReplyDelete
  37. Awesome job! Running has def changed my life too... I just recently posted bout it too. :) keep up the great work. You inspire!

    ReplyDelete
  38. This is so amazing! You rock rock rock! Very nicely done.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I know realize why I love your blog and follow you on Facebook- we are one in the same someways. In spring of 2009, I joined my first health club in nearly 5 years at that point. I started at 250lbs! fast forward 9 months, I had only lost 20 lbs, but found myself pregnant with our fourth child. Fast forward another 9 long painfu months- and out comes Olivia! Now I am 230 lbs and determined!
    In March of 2011 I bought a jogging stroller and the app "couch to 5k". Fast foward one whole year- I am now 168lbs, running 5 miles, weight lifting, zumba, boot camps, and eating a responsible healthy 1500 calories daily!
    It is am amazing journey! Keep blogging and working on the best you yet!
    Melissa Madorma
    madmamaof4.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  40. you are AWESOME girl!!! great job!!!

    ReplyDelete
  41. What an amazing journey! Congrats!

    Lisa @ Lisa Runs for Cupcakes

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your feedback and comments!