Saturday, December 31, 2011

4th Quarter and Year End Results 2011

I had a slower quarter, but still managed worthy losses.

For the 4th Quarter (Oct-Dec)

LBS Lost: 18.5
Inches Lost:  16.75
Hours Exercised:  83

Year End Results:

LBS Lost: 90.5
Inches Lost:  65.25
Hours Exercised:  254.5

Here's how the inches lost broke down - measured in January, then December.  Because I carry a lot of weight in my abdomen area, I measure both my stomach (right at my belly button and then my waist, which I consider right about my flab roll!

Neck:   lost 4 inches  (18, 14)
Thigh:  lost  6 inches (28, 22)
Calf:    lost 4.75 inches (22, 17.25)
Hips:    lost 13 inches (56, 43)
Stomach:  lost 14 inches (54, 40)
Waist:  lost 7.5 inches (45.5, 38)
Chest:  lost 10 inches (51, 41)
Arm:  lost 4 inches (17, 13)
Wrist:  lost 1 inch  (7.5, 6.5)
Ankle: lost 1 inch (10, 9)


So there we have it folks.  A pretty stellar year, if I do say so myself.  I didn't make it to 199, but it will be coming soon.  I signed up for a month long Boot Camp in January (MWF).  I don't know if I'm replacing some workouts or adding this to it, but I need a little something different.

I will be lowering my exercise goal for the quarter, only because I have been killing myself this week to meet the 80 hours in a quarter.  I'm sure I'll get there again, but it was just too much pressure.  So I'm going back to 75 hours in 90 days.   It's a very doable goal.

I will be running an 8K on March 25th to end the 1st Quarter 2012, so I will start training for that soon.   I have a running goal of this year doing a 5k in under 35 minutes.  Of course I will also be training for the Avon Walk which is in June. 


Happy New Year Everyone!  May 2012 be a happy and successful year for all of you!

Jodie






























Thursday, December 29, 2011

Winding down 2011

2 days to go in this year.  This absolutely great year.   I have accomplished more this year than I ever have in terms of my health.   

I have lost 90 lbs.  I have run 3 5K races, improving my time each race.  I have moved out of plus sized clothing (for the most part).  I have lost numerous inches.  I can wrap most of our towels around me.  I have had to get rid of 99% of the clothes I had because they were too big.  My blood pressure, cholesterol are down down down!  My cycles are pretty regular.   So many good things.

I have read 21 books this year (at least - there could be more).

I am looking forward to 2012.  I don't need to really set a whole bunch of new goals because I am still progressing on the overall goals I have made.  But one goal I will do is run an 8K in March.  Everything else will just come as it comes.    I will be glad when life gets back to normal after the holidays.  I do much better in a very structured environment of time!








Sunday, December 25, 2011

My favorite Christmas moment...

Was this picture!  The hat was given to my by my daughter.  It's pink and says Hope and has the pink ribbon for breast cancer...PERFECT for the Avon Walk!  But this picture made me so happy because I saw it and thought how thin I look! I'm not thin yet, but it's amazing to me how it is.  Merry Christmas All!!




Compare this to last year Christmas:


Oh my word.  What change.  



Friday, December 23, 2011

The very best thing I did this year...

...in terms of weight loss, was to make smaller, attainable goals.  Not to look at the big picture, but to look at the smaller successes.  It has helped keep me on track and not get down on myself as much.  There hasn't been many times where I've felt "I can never make it" because all the mini goals were 20 lbs or less, which I knew I could do.  

Even in terms of exercise - having quarterly goals has kept my butt moving.  Right now, I'm a little maniac trying to meet my goal by year end, but I have a plan, and I'm going to do it!!

So if you trying to figure out a plan for next year, think about mini-goals to help you get there!  It's the best thing I did this year!



Thursday, December 22, 2011

The Towel: Part 1

I had meant to post about this a week ago, but never got around to it.

One of the goals in weight loss for me was to be able to wrap one of the gym's towels around me after a shower.  The towels are pretty small, so I needed to somehow keep two of them around me without falling down while walking through the locker room to get to my stuff.    Now, of course I could have brought my own towel from home, but it's bad enough to have to wash an extra load of work out clothes, there's NO way I'm doing towels too!

Well last week a towel wrapped around me.  I still needed a second towel because there was one small triangular spot that didn't quite get covered, but all I had to do was hold the other towel in my hand in front of me.  No fear that the towels were going to fall down on my way through the room!  It was awesome.   In this coming year, I hope to get to The Towel: Part 2 - where I don't even need a second towel to hold in front of me!

Awesomeness!






Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Sometimes it is good to be ashamed...

I'm not talking about being ashamed of being fat or eating cookies (which I still have not) but of being ashamed of thoughts I've had or judgements I've made.  They come so easily.

The other day in my Body Pump class I was behind a woman who put on the bare minimum for every exercise, including squats, which is supposed to be your highest weight.  So she lifted 5 lbs for every muscle group.  I often find myself annoyed with people who just phone it in at the gym.  These folks come, but they don't conquer.  It bugged me all class, as she's squatting to 5 lbs and I'm squatting with 35 lbs knowing that I can even do more than that.

But today a friend of mine that I take Shbam with was in the class with me.  She told me she hadn't done pump in  about a year.  She asked me about another class that I take and how tough it is on chest muscles.  In our conversation I learned she had a double mastectomy last year because she carries the breast cancer gene and has an 80% chance of getting it.  With three small children she decided she would rather go radical now and not be sick later.   She says that with that and the reconstructive surgery there wasn't anything there to be able to build bigger muscles.   Well folks, I felt ashamed at my judgement of the person the other day after this heartbreaking talk with my friend.

Now I'm sure my friend is not the norm and that all the women who put the least amount of weight on their barbells are not breast cancer survivors.   But it did make me stop and remind myself that everybody has a story.  Sure, some people go in and do the bare minimum, but others might have injury, might not know what they are supposed to be doing and are too afraid to ask, might be pregnant, or might be a recovering cancer patient. 

While my heart was saddened by my friends story, I was even more glad that I decided to do the Avon 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer.  Now I know 5 people personally affected by the disease.    I know I posted this before, but I will keep posting about it.  If you'd like to donate, you can click on the box in the upper right hand corner of the blog home page.  $5, $50, $500....it all matters!  Thank you to the many of you who have  committed to sponsoring me in the walk and those who have done so already!  The blog community is great.  If you could even give me a shout out on your own blog pages about the walk that would be so awesome.  You never know who might be touched to give to this great cause.










Monday, December 19, 2011

Two Days Cookie Free...

Seriously, this shouldn't even be a post, but ever since last Tuesday, I've been a cookie maniac.  Lots of cookies, ever day, hence the Sabatoge post from Thursday. 

However, I am two days cookie sober.  I made 4 dozen today and didn't even lick the icing off the spoon.  I have had 2 very clean eating days.  My plan is still to wait until New Years Eve to get on the scale.  I've started to doubt that I can have clean days until then.  Of course on Christmas we will have our traditional goose dinner,  but why am I doubting the rest of it?  Because I've had some bad days and I am having a defeatist attitude.  What the heck?  I've got to cut this out.  I surely have no intention of gaining back this almost 90 lbs.  It's December...the toughest month of the year for emotional eaters!   

I'm adding work outs this next week to try to meet my exercise goal for this quarter, so that might mean 2 hours a day of exercise.  That's a good thing.  Today I'm even doing a triple (because I'm a little crazy and I miss my gym buddies).

There are now only 12 days left to this cold dreary month...Bring on the New Year!!!


Thursday, December 15, 2011

Must. Stop. Sabotaging...

I have had the worst 3 eating days in the last 9 months.  And I know it's because I'm pushing over a new hurdle.  I'm back on the train today though and I did exercise throughout my crazy eating.   It's all December Dreariness setting in.. I need sun! 

Keep on keeping on....


Monday, December 12, 2011

19 days ....

That's it....that's all there is left to 2011.    My goal for this year was met...I had wanted to be 212 by 2012 and I made them.  I have the small goal now of being under 200 by the end of the year.  I'm close but I've been struggling a little bit these past days.   Part of it is the holiday season of course, but I think the other part of it is the number problem that many of us have.

I've read and experienced how when we get to a certain number we stall...out of fear, boredom, resignation...I'm not sure what.    So I'm there.   And I have vowed that I will not step on the scale until December 31st, so hopefully I will surpass that 200 number without spending all my time thinking about it.  I do not want my mind games to trip me up.  I look good, I feel good, and I am going to get through this.    So if you don't see my weight updated for the next 19 days, worry not....I'm not giving up.  I just need to get over this hill so I can continue with my progress!

If you haven't read Thursday's post about the Avon Breast Cancer Walk, please do.  And if you are so willing, consider donating toward the cause.  A huge shout out to Hillary, Leah and Jessica, who have been willing to donate!  It amazes me often the kindness and generosity of the blogging world!





Thursday, December 8, 2011

Avon 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer - Chicago

Dear Friends and Family,
The year is not quite over, but I'm already planning a huge event for next summer

On the weekend of June 2-3, 2012 my friend Susan and I will be walking, along with thousands of other people, in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I am planning on walking a marathon and a half. (39 miles!) I will also raise at least $1,800 in donations for the cause. I'll have to spend the next few months training, fundraising, and preparing for the event. It's quite a big challenge that I've  taken on, but spending this last year losing almost 100 lbs, I know that anything is possible!

I personally know 3 people who have battled breast cancer - two are survivors in remission and one is currently battling the disease.  I have been so amazed and encouraged by these women and by the spirit and courage they showed during such a devastating illness.  So I dedicate this walk to them - Marie, Emmy and Terri.  I do this also for my girls, with a hope that maybe by the time they are adults, they won't need to fear breast cancer.

In the season of giving, would you please help to support my efforts in fundraising for this important cause by making a generous contribution? Any amount will help the cause! You can make your donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message, which will bring you right to my personal page.  All donations are tax deductible. If you'd prefer to mail a donation, please let me know and I will instruct you how to do that.

The money raised is managed and disbursed by the Avon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity with a mission to fund access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. The Avon Foundation funds both local and national organizations in five key areas: medical research; education and early detection programs; clinical care; and support services, all with a focus on the medically underserved.

You can also help me by passing this message along to others you know who may be interested in supporting me for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.  So many people have been affected by this disease, this is just my small way of giving to that community.

Thank you for your support.

With appreciation,

Jodie Pickett Fletcher
Click here to View my Personal Page

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Burpees

I took Step Class today and I pushed myself a bit.  Usually I don't put risers in, but for three or 4 songs I kept one set of risers on.  My biggest concern is injury, so I took them out when we started to do peak cardio songs.  I will not risk injury just to burn a few extra calories. 

I did one of the moves I haven't yet tried today as well, called the Burpee.  In step, it means bend down, put your hands on the step, jump back with both legs then jump both legs in and stand back up.  It's tough, but I was glad I did it!

Baby steps....that's all we need as long as we keep moving forward!!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

I Feel Pretty...

My husband had his work Christmas party on Saturday.  It was a great time- however the food was terrible!! (who serves parsnips with a company meal?)  I had my hair done at the salon and just looked (and felt) fabulous.  There was dancing - which I love - and I felt so much more confidence on the dance floor than I've ever felt before.  I haven't had the greatest eating week with all these social gatherings, but I was struck by the fact that I really felt pretty.  I'm not sure I've felt that very often in my life.    But I did, and I do more often.  Yay!  Here's a photo:





Friday, December 2, 2011

Constant Constipation and the Scale

Ah yes, time again to talk about the bathroom....but I wanted to write this post to encourage people this week because a few people had small gains.    Since maybe the summer, I have had on and off again constipation.  Basically I go a few days between #2's.  (which is so different from before when I was eating crap because then I would be going all the time).

But here's the thing.  This morning I woke up and weighed - I was 203.  Then I did my business - A LOT - after a few days of nothing) and now it is 201.  2 lbs!  2 lbs of holding on to stuff in my body.

This is why I don't worry so much if I don't see a move on the scale for a few days...only after 10 days I get a little annoyed.  It all depends on how much our bodies are holding and releasing.  This is also why I weigh every day - so I can be more aware of the fluctuations in my body.  

So if you are a little discouraged, take heart, all you may need is a trip to your local bathroom!






Thursday, December 1, 2011

Layers

Layers no longer bother me.  I used to hate layers because I felt so fat.  I would wear sweatshirts without anything under them.  Now, I often have a tank under a shirt and and always wear something under a sweater or sweatshirt.  It bothers me not!   I'm on my way....