FitWatch » Suzanne’s Weight Loss Journey

Fat Loss Challenge – Week 3 Weigh-in and Measurements

Suzanne — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:55:08 +0000

Not a bad week, all things considered. Most people would be very happy with a gain in lean body mass. And I am happy about it, believe me! But I need to keep an eye on the fat gain. Granted, a gain of .1lbs is tinyl — it’s the pattern it could represent that’s the problem. If bad eating habits are creeping in, I need to nip it in the bud. Bad eating habits tend to grow — along with your waistline! That’s why a feedback loop is so important.

My exercise habits are spot on; nothing to worry about there. But I haven’t been tracking my food, and no matter how busy I think I am, I’m going to have to buckle down and do it. And now that I think about it, it’ll be a great way to test the new features of the tracker. The one I’m most excited about is the ability to put your food into meal categories. And since I’m a huge fan of eating smaller meals more frequently, it’s interesting to see how many calories I eat per meal. Check out my calories per meal calculator, in the meantime.)

Starting Measurements
Date: Monday, October 12th, 2009
Weight: 138lbs
Thighs: 22 1/2″
Hips: 37 3/4″
Waist: 29 3/4″″
Body Fat %: 18.80% (6.66mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 112.1lbs (I want to see this go up or stay the same)
Fat Weight: 25.9lbs (I want to see this go down)

Week 1 Measurements (difference from previous week in parentheses)
Date: Monday, October 19th, 2009
Weight: 136.6lbs (-1.4lbs)
Thighs: 22 1/2″ (same)
Hips: 37 1/2″ (-1/4″)
Waist: 29 1/2″ (-1/4″)
Body Fat %: 18.27% (6mm)* (-.52%, -.7mm)
Lean Body Mass: 111.6lbs (-.4lbs)
Fat Weight: 25lbs (-.9lbs)

Week 2 Measurements (difference from previous week in parentheses)
Date: Monday, October 26th, 2009
Weight: 136.2lbs (-.4lbs)
Thighs: 22 1/4″ (-1/4″)
Hips: 37 1/2″ (same)
Waist: 29 1/2″ (same)
Body Fat %: 17.75% (5.3mm)* (-.53%, -.6mm)
Lean Body Mass: 112lbs (.4lbs)
Fat Weight: 24.2lbs (-.8lbs)

Week 3 Measurements (difference from previous week in parentheses)
Date: Monday, November 2nd, 2009
Weight: 137lbs (+.8lbs)
Thighs: 22 1/4″ (same)
Hips: 37 1/2″ (same)
Waist: 29 1/2″ (same)
Body Fat %: 17.75% (5.6mm)* (same%, +.3mm) (the bf% is the same because the chart changes at increments of .5)
Lean Body Mass: 112.7lbs (+.7lbs)
Fat Weight: 24.3lbs (+.1lbs)

Difference From Start to End of Week 3
Weight: -1lbs
Thighs: -1/4″
Hips: -1/4″
Waist: -1/4″
Body Fat %: -1.05% (-1.0mm)*
Lean Body Mass: +.6lbs
Fat Weight: -1.6lbs

* I’m using the Accu-Measure calipers. You can use my body fat percentage calculator if you don’t have calipers.)

How are you doing? Do you track your weigh-ins and measurements? Do you track your body fat?

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Fat Loss Challenge – Week 2 Weigh-in and Measurements

Suzanne — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:03:00 +0000

I’m sitting here, early Monday morning, a little flabbergasted. When I woke up this morning and realized it was a weigh-in day, I started composing my blog post in my head while I was still in bed trying to wake up. Meaning, before I even weighed-in! Even though I did well food-wise last week, I knew the results would be off because we had friends over for supper on Saturday night. And, well, you know how that goes, right? Wine, appetizer, wine, meat and vegetables, dessert, another small slice of dessert, coffee. I was motivated to eat well and exercise hard on Sunday, believe me. (Cardio Coach 7 was brutal…but in a good way… heh heh.)

I know how my body usually reacts to a week-end like that, but it surprised me this morning. I do believe my body is turning into a fat-burning machine. It finally “gets” what I want it do!

Here are my starting measurements, plus last week’s and this morning’s weigh-in:

Starting Measurements
Date: Monday, October 12th, 2009
Weight: 138lbs
Thighs: 22 1/2″
Hips: 37 3/4″
Waist: 29 3/4″″
Body Fat %: 18.80% (6.66mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 112.1lbs (I want to see this go up or stay the same)
Fat Weight: 25.9lbs (I want to see this go down)

Difference From Start to End of Week 2
Weight: -1.8lbs
Thighs: -1/4″
Hips: -1/4″
Waist: -1/4″
Body Fat %: -1.05% (-1.33mm)*
Lean Body Mass: -.1lbs (I’d rather see this number go up,but I’ll take only a .1lb loss!)
Fat Weight: -1.7lbs

* I’m using the Accu-Measure calipers. You can use my body fat percentage calculator if you don’t have calipers.)

Summary

Wow, that last number (1.7lbs of fat gone) is great to see! And I thought I was imagining things this week, but it seemed like my thighs were rubbing together a little bit less. Turns out I wasn’t imagining things. (Thighs that don’t rub together — now there’s a goal!!)

I think the cycling of higher calorie days with lower calorie days (still staying within a calorie deficit) are paying off. Couple that with the exercise I do, all the strength I’m gaining, and my body is just revving!

I missed a few workouts last week but I’m back at it this week. That’s the thing, if you miss some workouts or have an off day food-wise, don’t let it spiral out of control. Get back at it the next day. You’re only one meal and one workout away from getting back on track!

How was your week?

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Fat Loss Challenge – Week 1 Weigh-in and Measurements

Suzanne — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:46:30 +0000

Had some great results this week! And I reached my body fat goal from my last challenge (where I missed by just a small percentage). One thing about goals and deadlines: I’m reading The Body Fat Solution by Tom Venuto (review coming once I finish the book). In it, he talks about setting your goals in pen and your deadline in pencil. In other words, your goal is fixed but the deadline can be a bit more flexible. Not that you shouldn’t be focused on the deadline, but sometimes we underestimate how long something will take.

Last week was stressful work-wise, but I made myself take long walks during the day to alleviate the stress. I didn’t specifically count calories in the tracker, but I stuck to foods where I know the calorie count. I did go with lower calories for two days and then a “refeed” on the third day. This method seems to be working well! But I did lose some lean body mass — hopefully, not too much of that was muscle.

Workouts were spot on (3 days weight training, plus cardio, plus 1 hike, and 5 X 1.4 mile walks).

Feeling great! Here are my measurements:

Week 1 Measurements (difference in parantheses)
Date: Monday, October 19th, 2009
Weight: 136.6lbs (-1.4lbs)
Thighs: 22 1/2″ (same)
Hips: 37 1/2″ (-1/4″)
Waist: 29 1/2″ (-1/4″)
Body Fat %: 18.27% (6mm)* (-.53%, -.6mm)
Lean Body Mass: 111.6lbs (-.4lbs)
Fat Weight: 25lbs (-.9lbs)

* I’m using the Accu-Measure calipers. You can use my body fat percentage calculator if you don’t have calipers.)

I lost almost 1lb of fat (whoohoo!), but dropped almost half a pound of lean body mass. I’m hoping that’s not all muscle. I’ll keep an eye on my lean body mass weight.

On a related note, if you didn’t see the announcement on Facebook, I’ve decided to go for my ACE (American Council on Exercise) Fitness Trainer Certification next year! After that, I’m going for the Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant certification.

How are you doing?

If you want to stay up-to-date on what I’m doing, you can follow me a few ways:

Starting Measurements and Fat Loss Goals

Suzanne — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:45:30 +0000

I took a break from exercise and calorie counting after ending my last 12 week challenge (see the final results here). I didn’t go overboard and overindulge myself. I found I kept pretty much to plan, except for a bit of extra chocolate and bit of extra wine. The big difference was no exercise. But I did walk, got in 1 heavy Cardio Coach session (Volume 6) and one 7.7 (4.75 mile) hike.

As for my fat loss goal, it’s harder to lose the fat as you get lower down in body fat. I’m assuming I may not be able to achieve a .5% average of body fat percentage loss per week, so I’m going to be a bit conservative in my goal. But I could be wrong and make my way down even further!

So, without further ado, my fat loss goals and starting measurements for this 9 week challenge:

Goal: I am feeling strong and light on my feet at 16.70% body fat or less by December 13th, 2009.
Starting Measurements
Date: Monday, October 12th, 2009
Weight: 138lbs
Thighs: 22 1/2″
Hips: 37 3/4″
Waist: 29 3/4″″
Body Fat %: 18.80% (6.66mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 112.1lbs (I want to see this go up or stay the same)
Fat Weight: 25.9lbs (I want to see this go down)

* I’m using the Accu-Measure calipers. You can use my body fat percentage calculator if you don’t have calipers.)

Visual Aid

I marked off the start of each week on a calendar and added in a decreasing body fat percentage every three weeks or so. This will give me smaller targets/goals to aim for. I put it up right where I can see it from my desk.

If you want to stay up-to-date on what I’m doing, you can follow me a few ways:

Fat Loss Challenge – Getting Ready For the Challenge

Suzanne — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:44:00 +0000

This is the start of a brand new challenge after finishing my last 12 week challenge (from July 12th to October 5th). I’ve got a lot of momentum now, so I have a bit less preparation to do. If you want to read a more detailed post on getting ready for a weight loss challenge, read this post.

Some of you may note, I’m calling it a “fat loss” challenge. I know a lot of people focus on weight, but, to me, it’s all about losing body fat. I don’t want to lose weight, if it means losing muscle. But I’ll kiss that fat good-bye without a second thought!

During my last challenge, even though I was aiming for a lower body fat, my main focus was getting back the strength I had lost from having a broken wrist. I focused on a calorie deficit of eating around 1700 calories day and followed a 50%/30%/20% carb/protein/fat ratio, but found I did better at around 40%/40%/20%.

Something else I noticed in the last week is that I did drop fat a bit more quickly if I go down to 1500 calories a day, but there was some loss of lean body mass, too. To that end, I’m going to see if I can tweak the fat loss without losing muscle by going moderate carb on most days, adding in 2 high carb days (carb reloading) and doing a zigzag of low(er) calorie days mixed with higher calorie days. In other words, not go more than two days at 1500-1600 calories. The other days would be 1700-1800.

Keep in mind, YOUR calorie deficit may be different than mine! Use this calorie deficit calculator to determine your own numbers.

The carb reload and zigzag ideas come from what I consider my ‘fat loss bible’: Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto. (Full disclosure here because this more of a personal blog: I’m an affiliate of Tom’s book, meaning I get a commission if somebody buys through my affiliate link. That’s how FitWatch makes money on the rest of the site, through ads and commissions. But, hand on my heart, I think Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is one of the best fat loss books out there. It’s solid, no-nonsense fat loss information and Tom guides you through the whole way. It’s not for someone who wants a quick fix or for someone who doesn’t like to read — it’s over 300 pages!)

If you want to check it out, here are two links. One goes directly to his site (no commissions for me) and the other one would give me a commission if you bought it. Totally up to you!

Non-Affiliate link: Burn the Fat , Feed the Muscle
Affiliate link: Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

The sales page may seem a bit “hypy” — but Tom delivers!

Here’s the moderate carb template I’m going to be following:

The menu template for the low or moderate carbohydrate diet

(from Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle)
Meal 1:
Lean Protein, Starchy carb (large serving)
Meal 2:
Lean Protein, Starchy carb (large serving)
Meal 3:
Lean Protein, Starchy carb (small serving or none), Fibrous carb (vegetable/salad)
Meal 4:
Lean Protein, Fibrous carb (vegetable/salad), essential fat
Meal 5
Lean Protein, Fibrous carb (vegetable/salad), essential fat
Meal 6
Lean Protein, Fibrous carb (vegetable/salad)

This week, I’m going to see how I feel doing this:

Monday: 1700-1800 calories, moderate carb, weight training
Tuesday: 1500-1600 calories, moderate carb, cardio
Wednesday: 1700-1800 calories, high carb (50% carb/30% protein/20% fat), weight training
Thursday: 1500-1600 calories, moderate carb, cardio
Friday: 1700-1800 calories, moderate carb, weight training
Saturday: 1500-1600, moderate carb, rest or active rest
Sunday: 1500-1600, moderate carb, rest or active rest

It might seem complicated at first, but all it takes is a bit of planning. It’s not a technique recommended for beginners, necessarily. I already have a pretty good idea of what to eat, etc.

Next up, my initial weigh-in and measurements.

Weight Loss Challenge – End of Week 12 – Last Weigh-In and Measurements

Suzanne — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:08:40 +0000

Hard to believe that 12 weeks have gone by! I started this challenge on July 13th — crazy, isn’t it, starting a weight loss challenge in the middle of summer.

So, first things first: I didn’t quite make my body fat percentage goal. My goal was 18.27% and I ended up at 18.80%. I’m off by half a percent… but I’ll take it! Ha!

I didn’t re-read my original goals daily, which I know would have helped even more. Amazingly enough, the daily soy does seem to have helped my hot flashes; I am drinking more water. But I haven’t been taking my omega-3 pills — although I do eat salmon once or twice a week, so that’s good.

What I’m most happy about is regaining the strength I lost when I broke my wrist back in December. I’ve been weight training 3 times a week (the majority of time) and doing my Cardio Coach twice a week. That has paid off in spades! My body is so much stronger than it was 12 weeks ago! Quite the difference!

Here are the final stats for these past two weeks (including pics):

Starting Measurements
Date: Sunday, July 12, 2009
Weight: 138.8lbs
Thighs: 22 1/2″
Hips: 38 1/2″
Waist: 30 1/4″
Body Fat %: 22.30% (10mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 107.8lbs
Fat Weight: 31lbs

End of Week 12
Date: Monday,October 5, 2009
Weight: 136.6lbs
Thighs: 22 1/2
Hips: 37 3/4″
Waist: 3/4″
Body Fat %: 18.80% (6.6mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 110.9lbs
Fat Weight: 25.7lbs

Difference between Start and Finish
Weight: -2.2lbs
Thighs: same
Hips: 3/4″
Waist: 29 1/2″
Body Fat %: -3.5% (-3.4mm)*
Lean Body Mass: +3.1lbs
Fat Weight: -5.3lbs

Keep in mind, these measurements are only as good as the person taking the measurements! I try to be consistent, taking the measurements at the same time and under the same circumstances.

The numbers to be looking at is that even though I technically only “lost 2.2lbs”, the Accu-Measure says I lost 5.3lbs of body fat and gained 3.1lbs of lean body mass.

I took some before and after pics — I have to say I don’t notice much of a difference, but I can tell you I do see a difference when looking in the mirror and in how my clothes are fitting (even went down a jean size!).

Okay, vanity be damned! Here are the pics…

Before / After – Side View

Changes I can see:

My derriere (to be polite): It’s definitely much rounder, to me, especially the bottom part. Instead of sagging down, it’s slowly lifting up. Those squats and lunges have been paying off!
My chest (again, to be polite): Lost some in that area and I’m every so thankful!
My belly: you have to look closely. It’s just slightly less round/sticking out.

I don’t think it’s noticeable in these photos, but I find my upper arms are smaller — and I’m seeing more definition.

(Here’s a larger photo, if you really want to look more closely.)

Before / After – Side View

Changes I can see:

My waist seems to be less flabby; not as much muffin top. My hips seem to be a tiny bit smaller. But my legs seem bigger. In a way, that doesn’t surprise me: my legs have gotten much stronger, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they got a bit bigger.

(Here’s a larger photo, if you really want to look more closely. Do you really??)

And just for kicks, here’s me at my heaviest. This is circa early 90′s, at around 165lbs (the scale said 160bls, but I know that darn thing was always off by 5lbs!). Terrible glasses and I was going through a blonde phase (hey, we learn from our mistakes, right?). But, wow, I think my ankles were killer!

And It Ain’t Over Till the Fit Lady Sings!

I’m on a roll now! Got my strength back and my motivation is there. It’s on to the next fat loss goal! I’m going to take a week off; give my body a rest weight training-wise (but I’ll still do some cardio and walking).

I’ll take the time to decide on some new goals and do it all over again. This next phase will be shorter – 8 or 9 weeks — which will bring me close to the Christmas holidays. Then, another 12 week challenge starting January 1st, where I want to get into the best shape of my life.

These past few years, I’ve been dealing with a lot of injuries. But I’m feeling really good right now; those injuries are all in the past. I’m looking forward to being really fit and the feeling of strength and energy that brings!

Weigh Loss Challenge – Week 11 – Weigh-in and Measurements – 1 Week Left

Suzanne — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:25:35 +0000

Things are still going pretty well. I’m down to the home stretch with just one week left before final measurements!

Here are my stats for the end of Week 11 (beginning with my starting measurements):

Starting Measurements
Date: Sunday, July 12, 2009
Weight: 138.8lbs
Thighs: 22 1/2″
Hips: 38 1/2″
Waist: 30 1/4″
Body Fat %: 22.30% (10mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 107.8lbs
Fat Weight: 31lbs

End of Week 11 (difference from Week 10 in parentheses)
Date: Monday, September 28, 2009
Weight: 137.2lbs (-.8lbs)
Thighs: 22 1/2 (+1/3″)
Hips: 37 1/2″ (-1/4″)
Waist: 29 3/4″ (same)
Body Fat %: 18.60% (-.2%) (6.3mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 111.7lbs (-.4lbs)
Fat Weight: 25.5lbs (-.4lbs)

* I’m using the Accu-Measure calipers. You can use my body fat percentage calculator if you don’t have calipers.)

Lost a bit of fat, lost a bit of lean body mass. I know that last week I had a carb overload week-end, so that probably effect last week’s weight.

One more week until final measurements! I’m thisclose to my (first) fat loss goal!

If you want to stay up-to-date on what I’m doing, you can follow me a few ways:

Weight Loss Challenge – End of Week 10 – Almost at Body Fat Percentage Goal

Suzanne — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:39:29 +0000

Wow! I still have 2 weeks to go and I’m almost at my fat loss goal! During Week 8 and Week 9 of my challenge, I gained a bit of fat (had a sore lower back, so I didn’t exercise Week 8. And a pasta-filled weekend didn’t help me at the end of Week 9).

I was pretty sure that my carb-overload weekend threw off my Week 9 weigh-in and measurements last Monday — and I was right. I weighed myself and took some measurements mid-week, on Thursday, and couldn’t believe the results. It’s as if my body had shifted gears! I went from 139.6lbs (63.3kg) on the Monday down to 137.4lbs (62.3kg) on Thursday. Body fat % went from 20.8% to 19.30%!

This week’s measurements saw even more of a drop. The interesting thing is that my tape measurements aren’t moving too much. I’m hoping this is due to some muscle gain — I’m definitely much stronger than when I started this challenge back in July!

Here are my stats for the end of Week 10 (beginning with my starting measurements):

Starting Measurements
Date: Sunday, July 12, 2009
Weight: 138.8lbs
Thighs: 22 1/2″
Hips: 38 1/2″
Waist: 30 1/4″
Body Fat %: 22.30% (10mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 107.8lbs
Fat Weight: 31lbs

End of Week 10 (difference from Week 9 in parentheses)
Date: Monday, September 21, 2009
Weight: 138lbs (-1.6lbs)
Thighs: 22 1/3 (-1/4″)
Hips: 37 3/4″ (same)
Waist: 29 3/4″ (-1/4″)
Body Fat %: 18.80% (-2%) (6.6mm)* (I’m guessing the big difference is due to my carb overload weekend)
Lean Body Mass: 112.1lbs (+1.5lbs)
Fat Weight: 25.9lbs (-3.1lbs)

* I’m using the Accu-Measure calipers. You can use my body fat percentage calculator if you don’t have calipers.)

My body fat percentage goal is 18.27%. That’s half a percentage point of where I am now. Very doable in 2 weeks. What I’d like to do is reach it at Week 11 and pass it Week 12.

Seeing results like this is very motivating!

If you want to stay up-to-date on what I’m doing, you can follow me a few ways:

Weight Loss Challenge – End of Week 9 – Weigh-in and Measurements – Not Losing But Happy

Suzanne — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:29:24 +0000

Oof! I did well in Week 9, exercise- and calorie-wise, keeping my calories to around 1700 a day — except for the weekend! It was one of the last nice days of summer and we headed out to an outdoor terrace for supper on Saturday. (Wine and Chicken Pad Thai.) And then Sunday was a pasta supper — need I say more?

I had weighed myself for fun during the week and know I was doing well. My weekend bad habits (temporarily) ruined that! It’s not that I ate a ton of pasta and gained tons of fat, but some overeating — especially when it comes to pasta — just causes me to gain weight that usually goes away after a couple of days, as long as I get back to my good eating habits!

(Just a quick aside: has anybody tried Miracle Noodles? I became an affiliate and just ordered the angel hair noodles. It’s a zero-calorie substitute for pasta (pure fiber). I’ll let you know how it tastes!)

I knew my Monday weigh-in wouldn’t be great… and I was right!

Before we get to the details, let me say this: I haven’t been losing the past two weeks, but you know what? I’m still pretty happy, because I am feeling G-R-E-A-T and I’ve been making progress in other ways.

I went hiking last weekend and was able to tackle some steeper parts much more easily than a couple of months ago.
I’ve increased the lowest resistance level on my elliptical machine from 4 to 5. Resistance 5 is now my “warm up” mode.
My 10lb dumbbells feel super-light when I pick them up.
Got back my upper body strength after losing strength when I broke my wrist last December.
Reaching up to get things on higher shelves is much easier.
My clothes are fitting me better.
More energy!

Starting Measurements
Date: Sunday, July 12, 2009
Weight: 138.8lbs
Thighs: 22 1/2″
Hips: 38 1/2″
Waist: 30 1/4″
Body Fat %: 22.30% (10mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 107.8lbs
Fat Weight: 31lbs

End of Week 9 (difference from Week 8 in parentheses)
Date: Monday, September 14, 2009
Weight: 139.6lbs (+.6lbs)
Thighs: 22 3/4″ (+1/4″)
Hips: 37 3/4″ (same)
Waist: 30″ (same”)
Body Fat %: 20.80% (+ .5%) (8.5mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 110.6 (- .3lbs) (Not a good thing! You don’t want to lose Lean Body Mass, if it’s muscle that you’re losing)
Fat Weight: 29lbs (+ .7lbs) (Boo! Hiss! LOL!)

* I’m using the Accu-Measure calipers. You can use my body fat percentage calculator if you don’t have calipers.)

I’ve got 3 weeks left, so it’s time to get even more serious. I know I can clean up my diet a bit more, so that’s what I’ll be looking at.

How have been doing? What are some of the improvements/changes you’ve seen?

If you want to stay up-to-date on what I’m doing, you can follow me a few ways:

Weight Loss Challenge – End of Week 8 – Weigh-in and Measurements

Suzanne — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:47:02 +0000

Because of my sore lower back (oh, and did I mention my plantar fasciitis acting up at the end of the week??), I did not get a lot of exercise this past week. And, boy, does it show in this week’s weigh-in and measurements!

Putting aside the fat gain/lean body mass loss, I’m feeling pretty good! My injuries/soreness are getting better and this morning I started Stage 2 of New Rules of Lifting. It was great to start some new exercises — and a lot of them are more difficult variations of the ones I’ve been doing. If you’ve been using the same workout routines for awhile, you need to SHAKE THINGS UP! Not just because of exercise boredom, but also because your body adapts to what you’ve been doing.

One example of change: I was doing regular squats, but now I’m doing front squats. Love em! Another examples is instead of regular lunges, I’m doing a lunge with my rear foot slightly elevated. You wouldn’t think it would make much of a difference… but it does!

Here’s my end of Week 8 measurements:

Starting Measurements
Date: Sunday, July 12, 2009
Weight: 138.8lbs
Thighs: 22 1/2″
Hips: 38 1/2″
Waist: 30 1/4″
Body Fat %: 22.30% (10mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 107.8lbs
Fat Weight: 31lbs

End of Week 7
Date: Monday, August 31st, 2009
Weight: 140lbs (+2.2lbs)
Thighs: 22 1/2″ (same)
Hips: 38″ (- 1/2″)
Waist: 30″ (- 1/4″)
Body Fat %: 19.80% (-2.5%) (7.3mm – avg. of 3 readings of 6mm, 8mm, 8mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 112.3 (+ .4.5lbs) (This is a GOOD thing! Although I’m guessing it’s not all muscle. I overate a lot over the week-end!)
Fat Weight: 27.7lbs (-3.3lbs) (Yay!)

End of Week 8 (different from Week 7 in parentheses)
Date: Monday, September 7, 2009
Weight: 139.2lbs (-.8lbs)
Thighs: 22 1/2″ (same)
Hips: 37 3/4″ (- 1/4″)
Waist: 30″ (same — it actually seemed to be just under 30″ — but I decided to stick with 30″)
Body Fat %: 20.30% (+ .5%) (8mm)*
Lean Body Mass: 110.9 (- 1.4lbs) (Not a good thing! You don’t want to lose Lean Body Mass, if it’s muscle that you’re losing)
Fat Weight: 28.3lbs (+ .6lbs) (Boo! Hiss! LOL!)

* I’m using the Accu-Measure calipers. You can use my body fat percentage calculator if you don’t have calipers.)

Overall, I’m still ahead of the game, but I definitely don’t want to see results like these next week. Since I wasn’t exercising, I could have lowered my calories — but, dang, I just find going below 1600 calories makes me feel too hungry. I supposed I could have tried going to 1500 but eating more protein and fat, and see if that satisfied me. Something to think about for next time… But hopefully there won’t be a next time.

If you want to stay up-to-date on what I’m doing, you can follow me a few ways: