Today marks the 2 week point after my final weigh-in of the 6 Week Challenge at The Camp Transformation Center. No more required trips to the Camp 5 days a week to check in and be counted, no more diet restrictions, no more weekly weigh-in’s. I’m officially on my own. So, how am I doing?
I still go five days a week. I still do additional cardio when I can, I try for three times a week. I admit, I’ve had a few “cheats” like, whole wheat tortilla chicken wraps, I put organic butter on my camp-approved protein pancakes and I’ve had, on average, one cup of decaf coffee a day using unsweetened almond milk with a drop of stevia. I’ve made pizza… with whole wheat crust and sauce made only from hearty, healthy veggies like spinach, kale, carrots, summer squash and heirloom tomatoes using vegan, almond-based (non soy) cheese and I DID give in to a few spoonfuls of ice cream the other day, but otherwise, I’m sticking pretty closely to the program diet with occasional variations and additions.
I bought a 21 Day Detox system that provided me with a ton of fantastic recipes to incorporate that are all VERY high in lean protein, low in bad fats, full of healthy fat and lots of greens. I make at least one dish from this program a day, as I can afford to, because it’s pretty pricey to follow it to the letter.
My measurements in inches at the time of my final weigh in were:
Hips- 39
Waist- 27
Chest- 35
Arms- 11
Thighs- 21
My measurements in inches at the time of my FIRST weigh in were:
Hips- 42.5
Waist- 32
Chest- 37
Arms- 12.8
Thighs- 22.5
My measurements in inches NOW, are:
Hips- 38.8
Waist- 28
Chest- 36
Arms- 11
Thighs- 20
I’ve continued to lose, albeit slowly, in my hips. Yay! I gained an inch in my waist. Boo!! But that’s okay, I’m adjusting this week to accommodate and I will be taking an abdominal clinic in August that should help me learn to maintain a lean core more effectively. They also say that once you have a c-section, it’s like a daily struggle NOT to have a little pooch, but I’m pretty sure I can find a way to work that out. I gained an inch in my chest- Yay! Yes, I’m not upset about that, it means my milk has come rushing back in since the end of the program. I was a little worried, it was a big “touch and go” there for a few days with my son telling me, “mom, that one is all gone, maybe the other one has some?” So, since the end of the program and the reintroduction of fats and complex carbs, the milk has come back full strength and I’m totally not going to complain about that because my under-bust measurement is exactly the same as it was on the final weigh in day, which has been equal to my waist measurement, 28 inches, which means I’m only gaining inches back in my boobies. So, NO sadness from me on that one! My arms are maintaining at 11 inches around and getting stronger every day, while my thighs are still shrinking! Woo!
I have gained 6 pounds. The final weigh in was just over 114 and my weight this morning was 120. I’m nearly certain most of this weight is in my chest, some extra water weight and the rest is that stubborn inch in my tummy, but overall I’m not complaining. My clothes still fit better than ever before, I’m stronger than I’ve been in years, I’ve made new friends, I can climb a flight of stairs without even blinking and I can crouch down, almost to the floor and put my 22 pound, almost two year old in her swing while she sleeps without dropping or waking her because I’m too unstable to hold her steady. (Thanks to what I call the “75 ways to do a squat” leg days every Tuesday and Thursday)
I have also gained strength of will. I continue to successfully eat on or near the program every day. I still get up at 5am, five times a week to get in there at the 6am class. I STILL have not yet been back to Starbucks since the day before my first weigh in. That’s 57 days in case you’re counting! That is a record for me, even when I was pregnant and had gestational diabetes I still went to Starbucks and got sugar free, decaf mochas.
I also don’t think about food *quite* as much as I did a few weeks ago and I’m learning to substitute the bad for tasty GOOD instead. The mad cravings for doughnuts, crackers and chocolate syrup have been replaced by my desire to find new, better ways to come up with “treats” that don’t hurt my family’s bodies. I’ve attempted cauliflower pizza crust, vegan blueberry muffins, I made “spaghetti” with spaghetti squash instead of pasta. I made vegan breakfast bars with crushed almonds, chopped walnuts and chopped cranberries mixed with puree’d pumpkin and some oats and I am snacking on asparagus and celery during the day instead of chips or whatever random carb happens to be wandering around my kitchen.
I still make alot of things that aren’t very good for you, but now, I’m less likely to eat it. I take my chocolate protein powder, add crushed ice, a few strawberries and unsweetened almond milk , then blend it into an amazing chocolate strawberry shake when everyone else is eating ice cream or those amazing chocolate chip & peanut butter cookies I made last night and I curb my craving for cereal by eating a handful of walnuts instead.
I am active on the program facebook page, helping new challengers, doing my best to inspire them and encourage them. Helping them reach their goals helps me stay on track with my own.
So what are my goals? I realized a few days ago that I didn’t have a goal after the challenge was over. After a few days of thinking about it, I came up with a few;
Gain strength- I am ALWAYS going to want to do this, so it’s an easy one
Learn to cook CLEAN and green- teach my family that it’s not boring to do that
Gain confidence to say NO to bad food in other places -I really don’t need cake just because it’s someone’s birthday
Inspire others through my success- which means I have to continuously BE successful!
Be Catwoman and Lara Croft next year at ComicCon San Diego – I’ve never been willing to do this because I never believed I had the figure for it.
Participate in a zombie run and maybe even eventually, a mud run.
Go to the beach in a REAL bathing suit- not board shorts – I haven’t had a “real” bathing suit in 17 years.
I think I will leave it at that for now… don’t want to get too ahead of myself. The bottom line, is I am happy. I am still working. This program – the 6 Week Challenge… is NOT over in 6 weeks. It is a lifestyle change, a constant battle against society’s bad habits that would LOVE for us to become Wall-E, “lunch in a cup” drones scooting along in our little hover chairs and I am actively doing my absolute best to NEVER conform to that, and through that will power, teach my family that they don’t need to, either.
So that’s where I’m at. I continue to be a work in progress and I’m enjoying every moment of it!
The Cautious Mom 