I'm Terribly sorry that I haven't been posting as frequently as I had hoped.. But For those that follow me on twitter/instagram know how busy I am with school, family and life..
I wanted to update you all on the END of my 12 week body transformation..
just in case you are new to my blog.
Here are links:
- WEEK 1 :: HERE
- WEEK 2 :: HERE
- WEEK 3 :: HERE
- WEEK 4 :: HERE
- WEEK 5-8 :: HERE
I didn't do weeks 9-12 because my workouts, I was already posting them daily and it would be too redundant.. but I am planning on doing a final video - just to have it so people can refer to it later (and for those that are not subbed to my blog and only my Youtube will find it useful).
But I originally started out (after I had my 3rd baby) at a whopping 154lbs.. I was breastfeeding so this also probably had quite a bit to do with my weight lol.
My Final Weight on July 22, 2012! :) Total of 22.2lbs Lost
Previous pregnancies:
- 1st pregnancy (a lot of medical complications): Gained nearly 65lbs and had to have a c-section with my first baby because her heart was not strong enough to survive a natural delivery and the doctors did not want to chance it. After I had my first daughter - I Did NOT work out at all.. it wasn't until she was 1 years old that I started to lose weight (naturally, because I never worked out - but I still had a terrible c-section gut) but of course I got knocked up as soon as I slimmed down (My First Baby & 2nd Baby are about 19 Months apart)
- 2nd pregnancy - Gained about 50lbs had her naturally - VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section):: I literally had no medication for her because she came so fast.
After my 2nd pregnancy, It wasn't until She was about almost two years old that I started working out.. I also lost over 20lbs and was at my pre-pregnancy weight.. (i was so happy to be wearing size 3 again) and then I got knocked up again LOL!
- 3rd pregnancy: Gained 35-40lbs and was exercising throughout my whole pregnancy (very proud of myself for that) Which enabled me to bounce back faster. I started working out exactly at 6 weeks post partum and that is when I entered the Elite Ambition Challenge on Bodybuilding.com (See WEEK 1 blog post)
And Here are my pictures (Both Before & After.. Side by side for comparison!)
Back -- Before & After
Side -- Before and After
Front -- Before And After
Here is my Final Essay on the Elite Ambition Challenge
- The Question Was How did you accomplish your goal, and what was your diet and training like.
I am so proud to say that I have completed my first (definitely not last!) 12 week weight loss challenge! I never thought in a million years, I would have been able to finish this challenge, especially since I just had my 3rd baby. I will admit to having some doubts in the beginning because I didn't believe in myself. But from the support of my family, friends and Dymatize Bodygroup - I was able to rise up and finish, with vitality. Seeing others make tremendous progress was extremely empowering and just knowing I was not alone in this challenge was what I needed for motivation.
I have always been self concious about how I looked, but really never did anything to change it. I had many excuses, some of which were that I was too busy, too tired and just no time for myself because I was busy taking care of everyone else.
So after having my 3rd baby, I found the Dymatize Elite Ambition challenge and decided that's just what I needed. I needed a fresh start, something to push me along the way to not only find myself - but give me a jump start into a healthier me. I learned that it's okay to put myself first sometimes! In order for me to love others, I needed to learn to love myself. I decided that now was a better time then ever to lose weight and get back into shape, not only for myself, but for my children. If I wanted to lead by example, I knew I had to start now.
How I accomplished My Goal?
Discipline and Consistency throughout the whole 12 weeks. I knew what I wanted and it was just a matter of putting in the hard work to get it. I have been consistent with my diet and training and loved seeing results every week. Knowing that my hard work was definitely showing, this pushed me to work harder especially because I had just delivered my 3rd baby.
My Diet:
Because I was breastfeeding, I couldn't take any supplements, so I really relied on just hard work and my diet to push me through.
I used a combination of intense training, caloric deficit and consistency to lose 22lbs in 12 weeks. This was my first time ever trying to lose a large amount of weight in such short amount of time. For me to lose 1-2lbs a week, with a little trial and error, found my caloric intake range to be about 1500.
Breakdown of an average day:
8:00AM:
- Wheat Bread (1 serving = 2 slices): 150 cal, 30g carbs, 2g fat, 4g protein
- Hazelnut Spread: 100 cal, 11g carbs, 6g fat, 2g protein
OR
- Oatmeal - Apples & Cinnamon: 130 cal, 27g carbs, 2g fat, 3g protein
10:00AM:
- Wheat Bread (1 serving = 2 slices): 150 cal, 30g carbs, 2g fat, 4g protein
- Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast (1 serving = 2 oz): 50 cal, 2g carbs, 1g fat, 4g protein
12:00PM:
- Turkey Beef & Egg Omelet:
- 4oz ground turkey: 150 cal, 0g carbs, 7g fat, 22g protein
- 2 Large Eggs: 160 cal, 0g carbs, 9g fat, 15g protein
- 2 cups bistro salad: 20 cal, 4g carbs, 0g fat, 1g protein
OR
- Pastrami Sandwhich:
- White Bread(1 serving = 2 slices): 150 cal, 30g carbs, 2g fat, 4g protein
- Pastrami (1 serving = 7 slices): 60 cal, 0 carbs, 1g fat, 4g protein +
2:00PM:
- Protein Powder (1 Scoop): 130cal, 15g carbs, 16g fat, 24g protein
- Organic Baby Carrots (3oz): 35 cal, 9g carb, 0g fat, 1g protein
4:00PM:
- 6oz Salmon: 340 cal, 0g carb, 22g fat, 37g protein
6:00PM:
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese + 8 oz mixed fruit: 119 cal, 12g carbs, 2g fat , 14g protein
- Protein Powder (1 Scoop): 130cal, 15g carbs, 16g fat, 24g protein
Approximate:
- Calories: 1499
- Carbs: 128
- Fat: 83
- Protein: 152
My Workout Routine:
The days I go to the gym vary, as I juggle my schedule based on child care, school, and family time.
Day 1: Chest/Back
Day 2: Legs/Arms
Day 3: Back/shoulders
Day 4: REST
Day 5: Legs/Arms
Day 6: Back/Chest
Day 7: REST
I have shown great perserverance and dedication throughout the whole challenge even through the stressors of being a nursing student, wife and mother. I have inspired my family, friends and even strangers that now follow my blog, twitter and facebook pages to live a healthier lifestyle. This challenge has given me the confidence I needed to propel myself into greater things. This is only the beginning and I'm only looking forward to see how much more my body can transform.
Thank you Team Dymatize for your support and life changing experience! I want to thank my husband, for his motivation and support, as well as our children for giving me a reason to push through to the end even when I wanted to give up, and also my friends and family for the encouragement.
I definitely plan to keep this momentum rolling because this is only the beginning!
I am going to keep my eyes peeled on bodybuilding.com in hopes they'll have another transformation challenge soon.. I think another 3 months and I'll be golden! :)
Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey.. like I said - this is only the beginning and you'll be seeing more from me!
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