I finished up 42 days to fit last week.  I’m still continuing with the changes I made in my diet and adding to my exercise/strength training.

So, here are my stats:

I’ve lost a total of 10 pounds.
I’ve lost one inch in my arms, eight inches in my waist, four inches in my hips, and four and half inches in my thighs.

I’m technically down a size.  Although I don’t have any real capris that I can wear or flattering skirts so, for now, until they fall off, I’m staying in the size I was in when I started this journey.  Except in tops,  some of my tops are nice and loose so I can wear the next size down.

I have somewhere around two months to lose ten more pounds.  So, I’m soldiering on.  After the cruise, I am hoping to continue on track with losing weight (counting whatever I gain on the cruise if the food is really good :).

So off we go.  Two days cycling and one day of high intensity interval training (10 reps of 1 minute stairs with a 40 second recovery) and three days strength training.  I’m trying to increase my cycling to 30 minutes but the humidity makes my body protest.  Still, I was able to get 3 miles in to 20 minutes when I cycled by myself.  Obviously when I have a bike partner (my amazing daughter), I go a tad slower.  I’d love to see 4 miles in 20 minutes but I think that will take a bit of time.

I’m well aware that a plateau could happen at any time and I’m prepping myself by planning out other exercises or how many more I will do.  I’m not too worried about it and will cross that hurdle if I come to it.  My strength training will be easy to add more circuits to and I can always swap a cycling day for more HIITs (even though I would miss cycling).  I can also increase my cycling time.  So, there are more options should my weight and measurements go stagnant.

So, onward and upward my friends.  Anyone else working on getting fit and staying that way?

Oh, pictures.  Opps.  Yeah, about those.  Soon.  I promise.

Yikes!  Sometimes life gets a bit crazy and I forget to update.

I’m still continuing with my exercising and diet changes.

Between the past couple of weeks, I have lost three pounds.  I was hoping for four but it’s close.  And guess what?!  I have not taken any pictures.  I do have some before to show off so hopefully, after this last week of 42 Days, I’ll have an “after.”

I have little goals that I developed in my mind (aside from wanting to be able to fit in my evening gown for the cruise in October).  I’ve almost met the first goal and then the second is the big one.  My first goal is to lose 10 pounds.  Second goal, another 10 pounds.

Aside from losing weight and inches, I have noticed a lot more changes.  I have energy. I can keep up with the kids when we are out and about.  We were walking somewhere the other day and I told Mark how awesome it felt not to be out of breath.

I’m still getting “the question” on occasion but the fact that my clothes are not tight and actually starting to have to be pulled up is a good thing and I’m not letting others remarks deter me.

We were so busy last week (and this week too) that I’ve had to work harder to watch what I eat and think ahead.  I’ve been very grateful for that.

This week is a bit of the same as the last couple of weeks.  However, the popping  my back made when I did mountain climbers made my chiropractor inform me I had to wait on doing those again.  So, I did 30 burpees (spread out of course) last night instead of two sets of 30 second mountain climbers and 2 sets of 10 burpess.  I actually didn’t mind them.

I also moved up in my hand weights.  Eight pounds is a lot to lift compared to the 5 I was using.  I’m struggling but I’m getting it.

Zoe took a nasty spill on her bike but after several days of rest, she was willing to get back on and go out with me.  We average around 3 miles in 20 minutes.  My big goal is to get 4 miles in 20 minutes.  I’ve upped the amount of cycling we do to 30 minutes so we’ll see if we can add in some more miles.

This is my last week on 42 days to fit.  After this it’s on my own to continue with the fitness and eating changes (it was on my own to begin with just following the book week by week).  I think I can do it.  I’m excited at the changes and being overall healthy for my family and husband.

I know you thought I had fallen off the bandwagon.  I haven’t. We have just been busy celebrating one of two birthdays this week.  And school.  And Lilla Rose.  And getting ready for guests.

So, here is my progress.

The HIIT was utter torture.  Really.  But well worth it because it helped me shed two pounds last week.

I love cycling!  The hills in my neighborhood are not big (okay, not in our little section) but definitely a challenge.  But, after two weeks of cycling, I can already see an improvement in my legs.  They are getting easier and, hopefully, by the end of the year, I can tackle the giant hill in the back of our subdivision (not for the faint of heart ya’ll…tell ya about that one next week).   My goal was to get 3 miles in 20 minutes.  I did it on Sunday with 3.1 miles in 20 minutes. Then it took me five minutes to go .6 miles (that were up hill on the way home…I thought I might die).  We are also blessed with two dear friends who, after a facebook plea, are offering us their bike trailers so that our whole family can enjoy biking.  I can’t wait to go out with our crew!

I stayed true to my diet restrictions (not eating three hours before bedtime has been the biggest food challenge by far).  And I even restrained from desserts until Sunday at our Family Day.  It was so worth that tiny piece of dessert I allowed myself to have.

My measurements are not changing which is hard and makes me wonder where in the world the weight is coming off.  But I love that scale o’ mine and seeing the numbers fly off is making it so much easier.

This week is more about balance in the food department.  And as far as exercise, I’m adding cardio into strength training (my legs are going to fall off, I just know it), along with HIIT one day a week and planks once a week.  I should start looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger…Only a little more jiggly.  And female.  And brunette.  Okay never mind.

And guess what, if you want to see what 42 Days to Fit is all about, head over to Amazon where you can get the ebook for 99 cents!  If you don’t have an Amazon ereader no problem.  Amazon Kindle makes apps for all sorts of electronic devices inlcuding your desktop!

So, I’ve lost .6 pounds and an inch in the thighs.  That’s it.  I knew I probably wouldn’t lose much weight.  I know that I’m building muscle so I’m a bit surprised that I haven’t actually gained.  Bigger diet changes are coming this week.

The thigh loss has got to be from our inclines that I have biked around the neighborhood this week.  I think I’ve found my cardio.  I biked three times last week (with one leading to the pool where I did a few laps).  I’m keeping track with the Runkeeper app and so far have been able to shave two minutes off my mile time.  I’m biking around 20 minutes at a time.  I’ll bump it to thirty minutes this week.  Maybe.  If my legs can stand it.  We have a few hills around the neighborhood but there are a couple of deceiving spots that look straight but are really inclined.  Pure.  Evil.

Anyway, so I’m on track with 42 Days to Fit.  Still working the diet and not too thrilled about giving up my evening snack (or just having it earlier) this week.  But I hope this will help me see inches melt away.  I love this because it’s not a fad diet but a way to change my lifestyle.

I know pictures here would be nice but I’ve forgotten to take them so I’m going to get Mark to do that tonight.  But I’m just not ready to share them quite yet.

I confess, I didn’t strictly follow the diet plan in 42 Days to Fit.  I have a couple of lemonades and the onslaught of a cold met me a moment of weakness for a coke.  And Mark’s birthday.  But I do confess, it was all in moderation.

And I didn’t gain anything.  I lost a pound and about an inch in my arms, thighs, waist and hips.  That’s a good thing.

This week starts three days of strength training and three days of cardio.  Honestly, I really enjoy the strength training.  I can feel the difference and my muscles ache the next day but I know I’m doing something.  Still trying to find my niche in the cardio arena.  Today, I was able to bike for my 20 minutes and enjoyed that much more than trying to dance or follow a video.  And then there’s the pool.  Which is a junior olympic and I’m out of breath after one measley lap.  I’ll get there though.

On a whim, I tried on “the dress” and was able to actually get a bit more over my hips.  Slow going, but we’ll get there.

Anyone else on the journey to lose and get in shape?