The Beginning..

Sorry it has taken me some time to get this posted. It has been a very interesting last week. I graduated! I officially hold 2 bachelor's degrees, one from Michigan State University in Dietetics (Nutrition) my second bachelors is in Nursing from Detroit Mercy. As some of you may know, the work is not done yet. I have to sit for my state board licensing exam, which will hopefully be sometime in March. So along with wedding planning & weight loss, I'll also be studying for that exam. These next 12 weeks will be long & stressful, but I hope for positive outcomes!!

& now, the moment we've all been waiting for! (Not me as much, putting my body measurements is not something I've been looking forward to, but I've read that it will help motivate me to shrink my inches down!)

For some personal motivation, I looked back at my measurements from February 2010 as well as some from September. I've made a lot of progress and it makes me very happy and I feel great.

In February of 2010, my measurements were as follows:

Chest= 32

Waist (high)= 24

Waist (low)= 27

Hips= 37

Thigh (high)= 20

Thigh (low)= 18

Calf= 18

Arm= 13

Body fat %= 26.9

September:

Chest= 30.5

Waist (high)= 24

Waist (low)= 26.5

Hips= 36

Thigh (high)= 21

Thigh (low)= 17.5

Calf= 12

Arm= 10

Body fat %= 20.7

Challenge Measurements!

Chest= 30

Waist (high)= 24

Waist (low)= 26

Hips= 35.5

Thigh (high)= 20

Thigh (low)= 18

Calf= 12

Arm= 10

Body fat %= 19.7

I feel that my biggest accomplishment is my body fat percentage. I'm currently at 19.7% body fat. According to Jillian Michaels, Making the Cut, 21-24% body fat is "fit" for women, 16-20% is athletic & 12-15% is elite. Just some numbers. My goal at the end of this 12 week journey will be to fall between the 12-15%.

Also, for support, motivation & encouragement, My fiance, Drew, will be embarking on a fitness challenge of his own. His challenge, P90X, 90 grueling days. Drew & I will be working side by side during the next 12 weeks. While our work out schedules will be different and our routines somewhat similar, we will be following the same diets & eating the same meals. This will be such a help. Since August, I have been logging my food; limiting my carbs & increasing my protein. If any of you know Drew, limiting food of any sorts at any time, is a struggle. That boy can eat! Going out to restaurants and planning meals was difficult, and oh, so tempting. I found myself eating things I knew I should not have and planning for my cheat days to be on the weekends with him when I knew We would probably grab a bite to eat out, or be cooking a hearty meal for a Sunday Dinner. Not that any of that was his fault, but its much easier to cook for 2 then it is 1 and it's much easier to justify 8 $ for a cheeseburger or tacos the 8$ for a lettuce wedge...

I'm looking forward to the additional support from him as we both will become carb starved and sweet craved these next few weeks!

WHAT'S NEXT:

Before Photos, the meal plan, & wedding favors...

213 days to go!