Feb 8

90 Day Fitness Challenge

Published in Widowism by chefswidow

As of Monday, I started a 90 day fitness challenge at my gym. Jeebus help me.

After baby #2 I had an extremely hard time losing the baby weight. So hard, I gained more weight. By the time Biggie Smalls was two, I was overweight and unhappy. When I got invited to attend the Oscars last year, I made it my mission to lose all those extra lbs. While I did lose close to 25 lbs. I didn’t feel fit. I still don’t feel fit:

Still jigglier w/ more jelly than I’d like, but definitely not as unhappy as I once was.

I’m still not satisfied with the way I look and when the 90 Day Fitness Challenge presented itself at my gym, I knew it was time for a body revolution. This time around my goal is simply NOT to lose weight. My goal is to sculpt and tone my body into the body I have always wanted. My goal is to be able to do a cartwheel in 6 inch thigh high boots when I’m 53 without breaking a sweat(you go Madge!). For reals though, my goal is to get into the best shape I’ve ever been in. Bikini shape or as the Chef calls it, nude beach shape. To reach my goal I have a plan for the next 90 days that includes the following:

Workout 6 days a week.
Limited/No drinking.
No bread. Bread is my food downfall. The Italian in me wants to eat bread with every meal. The skinny muscular girl in me knows that eating bread is taking steps back. So for 90 days, no bread.
Stalking Pinterest for fitness ideas or blogs.
Bikram Yoga at least once a week.
No diet, but watching my food & caloric intake daily.
Cardio at least three times a week, minimum of an hour.

While I don’t have a nutritionist or a trainer, I know I’m lucky because I have you. I am writing (and posting my jelly picture) to hold myself accountable for my progress and to also ask for your help. I am open to any and all suggestions of how to attain my goal of getting into the best shape of my life. Workout plans, iPhone apps, menu ideas, or anything that has helped you on your fitness journey would be a gift to me throughout my 90 day fitness challenge. I would love to hear your success stories or any inspiration you can throw my way. I know I have a long, tough road ahead but with your love and support, I’ve all but got it in the bag.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 4:30 pm and is filed under Widowism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Alex on February 8th, 2012 4:37 pm

I enjoy various types of muscle confusion workouts. Meaning, do not do the same routine exercise wise week to week or even day to day. I say this because your body plateaus and you don’t build or sculpt muscle as quick as possible. Thus, the various patterns of workouts you establish the better for your body. For example if you do squats one workout, do lunges with dumbbells the next time when targeting your quads. It’s the same muscle worked out in different ways & it helps. Good luck Amelia!

Emily on February 8th, 2012 4:38 pm

So inspirational!! Good luck. I’ve been using Pinterest for inspiration as well, you can check out my board here…

http://pinterest.com/emily_gremily/resolutions/

Candis on February 8th, 2012 4:52 pm

I just downloaded myfitnesspal app . Counts calories and workouts. Seems useful. Good luck!

Amanda @ Clue Into CLE on February 8th, 2012 4:53 pm

Much to my chagrin, alcohol is apparently my body’s biggest factor when it comes to weight gain and loss. So I’ve been trying to cut it out/extremely limit it over the next 3 months. It’s difficult, but I tried researching some non-alcoholic cocktails that I can order when I’m out (if you find any you like, please share!). And at very special occasions, I treat myself to a glass of wine or non-beer type drink (because beer really wreaks havoc with my weight).

Also, limiting heavy (especially creamy) sauces on my food has helped a lot in the past.

Final piece of advice – if you’re don’t immediately see the results you are expecting, don’t let it squash your motivation. Every body reacts differently and no matter what success you find, you’ll do great!

Huge thumbs up on doing this — seeing posts like this are motivation for myself to keep up what I’m doing to live healthier.

Kelly on February 8th, 2012 4:58 pm

Good luck! You can do it!

kakaty on February 8th, 2012 9:11 pm

You’re awesome, A! I would reccomend LOTS of strength training, and not on machines. Get in with those free weights and pump it. Does LTF still have the dumbell class? Take it and go HEAVY. You’ll get cardo AND burn way more calories. Also, research Tabata training or HIIT training workouts to use on the cardio equipment, again, much better bang for your buck (there are apps for both these workouts). Good luck – you’re gonna rock it!

Robin on February 9th, 2012 12:02 am

We absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind publishing a post or elaborating on a lot of the subjects you write related to here. Again, awesome blog!

Managed Chaos on February 9th, 2012 8:28 am

You are all things amazing…and I know you will OWN this 90 day challenge.

I agree with Kate, incorporate heavy weights/circuit training into your regimen. I’ve had the best results in toning my body with this style of workout. Even more so than when I played volleyball in college (and was supposedly in the best shape of my life).

I’m starting my own re-dedication to getting fit (but cannot seem to summon the bravery to post my before image like you have). Here’s hoping we get the results we’re both looking for.

Valerie on February 9th, 2012 11:27 am

You are on the right track. I am/was exactly the same way… right down to the second kid and where my body was at that time. And I love to eat and drink. So I started running a couple of years ago. I’ve done half marathons, but if you looked at me, you wouldn’t believe that I am a runner who runs at a decent pace.

The belly is a lot of work.. it is where I gain and hold everything. I am currently training for the Cleveland Full, and right now, I am running 20-30 miles per week- while everything else is tightening up, my stomach is slowly changing. So my advice to you is what others are saying, cardio is good, but you need the weight and cross training in there too. Not sure how old you are, but I am in my mid/late 30′s. Had I been doing this same amount of work in my late 20′s, early 30′s, I’d have had a banging body by now. It’s just much harder for us women, especially as we get older.

In 5-6 weeks, I have lost about 13 lbs, around 1-2 week. The missing puzzle piece for me, other than the cross training, is tracking my food. Intake is my biggest issue. I cut the booze to weekends only. And I log everything on My Fitness Pal. It is a free app you can get for your phone and you can do it through the website as well. You put in your weight and what you want to lose, and it give you a daily caloric intake based on that. You log everything you eat as well as any exercise. It has a great bar code scanner on the iphone app that lets me just scan foods as well.

I highly recommend My Fitness Pal. I even have a group of friends on there with whom I share my food diary and progress. It’s a great way to not only be accountable, but also, I have to say, it is really shocking when you first start- as you think about what and how much you consume each day, it is often too much. It helps you with that and also helps you make better choices.

Good luck!

Dave on February 9th, 2012 12:19 pm

It’s amazing that you put yourself out there like this. Good luck in your journey, I’m sure you’ll be successful! I look forward to following your progress along the way.

Blog The New Black on February 9th, 2012 4:16 pm

Bravo to you for putting your jiggly photo up!! I’m also working on loosing weight and toning… its hard work. Its frustrating, but every time the scale moves I feel more and more motivated! Good luck!!

Aunt Alison on February 9th, 2012 5:26 pm

35 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking. Can be a protein shake or whatever so long as you watch the carbs and fats. xoxo

Angie on February 9th, 2012 6:15 pm

Hey! Good for you! I was 170 lost 45 pounds two years ago and now teach fitness classes at ride and workout and do training at fitclevelabd from my own experiance and i did it completely on my own its what you eat when you eat and train hard, you have to find something you truly love to do active wise spinning,runnig, jump,step, whatever it is and life weights! I cannot stress enough that in order tone up you gotta lift and no five pound dumbells either! I did cardio when i first lost the weight and then started lifting weights and wish i would of started lifting earlier in my weight loss i have great tips pointers email me if you would
Like! Your goin tO get bombed with so much information stick one plan make small changes every week and challenge yourself! Goodluck amelia!!

Angie on February 9th, 2012 6:19 pm

stealing from Managed Chaos “You are all things amazing…and I know you will OWN this 90 day challenge.” Hear. Hear. You can do it.

Michelle v on February 9th, 2012 8:03 pm

Good for you! I am certainly no expert, but I too have the post baby #2 lbs and this is what’s been working for me: watching what I eat and stay smart. Most of the time I follow south beach. Limit breads ( my weakness too) lots of quinoa, Shakeology in the morning, no eating past 7 (kitchen closed!) work out when I can. And know that abs are made in the kitchen. Also, maybe start a cleanse. I’m doing one right now, same one Daphne did on The Chew. One week in and I’m very happy with it. Not a way of like, but great kick-start. Go get ‘em!

Wendy A. on February 9th, 2012 10:09 pm

You’re a brave lady. I hope you start to feel as good as you already look!

Crystal @EatDrinkCleveland on February 9th, 2012 11:45 pm

Seriously, you look awesome! We are our own worst critics. I applaud you for wanting to be even hotter – you go girl! I always hear that girls should do weights – they create muscles which burn more fat. Talk to Kimberly (McCune Gibson) – I’m sure she has some tricks up her sleeve after those ass kicking Fat Chef workouts.

sherry on February 10th, 2012 10:00 am

Good luck!!! I’m sure you’ll succeed. Just a couple of recommendations — don’t limit yourself to Bikram — maybe some powerful flow yoga classes, too, so you’re getting a variety of poses in and not just the same ones over and over. Even some yin yoga is great when you’re completely exhausted. Check out Yogaglo.com, my new yoga addiction. One other thing, I start every day (before eating anything) with juice of one lemon squeezed into a glass of hot water with a few dashes of cayenne pepper and a couple of small drops of organic grade b maple syrup — it’s beneficial in so many ways. See website attached. The article is just about the lemon. I added the cayenne and maple syrup for the added boost of their benefits.

Jackie B. on February 10th, 2012 2:06 pm

The open door invite to my Pilates studio can be cashed in anytime! I know it’s kind of a hike to the southwest side, but bring the kids and I can show you some techniques to get more from your strength training while they play. You can teach me some cooking techniques in return. Good luck!