Well, this morning is officially one week from the beginning of the Firm program. I wasn’t planning on weighing myself for another whole week, but I decided to jump on the scale this morning anyways. I lost 4 pounds! That is exactly the motivation I needed to keep going this week!
I was feeling a little bummed with myself before that because I seriously made some bad eating decisions this week, and I crapped out on my last workout. The ones earlier in the week that I pooped out on was because I was too tired or couldn’t keep up, but on Friday night, I got halfway through and just shut it off. I didn’t like myself for doing that, but I’m not beating myself up over it. My head was just not in a good place on Friday night because I had just found out that one of my cousin’s has a very large tumor, and she’s very young. I at least attempted to stick with the program, and that’s what’s important. In the end, I chose to shut it off, go for a drive and attend to my mental health over the physical.

But it’s a brand new week! Hi-Def Sculpt today.

I want to let all of you guys know about a great website out there. It’s called the Hundred Day Head Start. It was started with the premise that there is no reason to wait until New Year’s Day to start your weightloss attempts. The big re-launch was on Sunday, September 23rd, officially 100 days before New Year’s. But if you missed it, don’t feel like you can’t jump in. The whole point is to get started, and you’ll be in good company!! I started my weight loss attempt on the 23rd, but it wasn’t with the intention of joining the Hundred Day Head Start… I think it was just fate!
If you need a little more support, too, go check out the boards, and let us know where you’re starting, and what you’re doing to get to your goal.

Yesterday was a round of Hi-Def Sculpt Express, with weights. I made it through the whole thing (it was only 25 minutes) and I felt like I was really working my muscles! Tonight was Cardio Party again. I know it’s only the second time with that particular DVD, but so far I just don’t like it. I did as much as I could, but it’s more than not being able to keep up. 2/5ths of the video is dance-type moves, and I just don’t have that coordination, or capability really. I do what I can, and try to keep moving. There were a few times that I stopped and rested a minute, and I skipped the last section, again. But it was better than the first time, so little bit at a time. That’s the only way to go, right? Right.

I’m afraid the food is going to sabotage my progress this week though. I’ve taken my lunch the last several days, but dinner has been not so good for me. Got to get that under control.

I somehow got a day behind on posting about the Firm here. I started with Hi-Def Sculpt on Sunday, Cardio Party was on Monday, and yesterday was a day to rest. I’ll have to check the little calendar before I start tonight, but I *think* Hi-Def Sculpt express w/ weights is scheduled.

Anyways. Cardio Party. HA!! Can you hear me laughing all the way over there? I sooo could not keep up! This really showed me just how far I have to go. I don’t have the necessary coordination for this tape, but I’ll keep slugging through it. I kept finding that by the time I’d figure out the move they were doing, they’d moved on to something else. I did poop out a little early on this DVD cause the last section was all salsa/latin dance inspired moves… I was tired, I couldn’t keep up, and I couldn’t even figure out what I was supposed to be doing!! Still not very sore from this, but I’m sure it’s coming!

Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up a little better/hang in there a little longer next time this DVD comes into rotation.

The first workout in the Firm plan (they give you a suggested rotation) is the Hi-Def Sculpt. Let me tell you, the Firm is going to kick my ass. I didn’t use the weights since they suggest you not use them in the beginning, especially if you’ve not been working out, and I was still dying. I knew it was going to be promising when the warm up was wearing me out! I can definitely tell that I have a long way to go.

The downfall of doing exercise in my living room is the cats. They were interested, but leaving me alone for most of it, but once I got to the on the floor exercise, Pudge decided he needed attention. A good thing I wasn’t using the weights because he kept getting in the way, and he’d have a sore noggin right now!

I’m scared to see how sore I’m going to be from this. Maybe not tomorrow, but by the end of this week? Yikes! Next is Cardio Party… should be interesting!

So now we know where I’m starting… what’s the plan to make a change? I’m starting with exercise. I ordered the Firm’s TransFIRMation system, and I’m going to start there. They promise recognizable results in just 10 workouts, so I’ll be putting that to the test.

It comes with 4 different exercise DVDs, and a set of fully customizable weights.

I borrowed my mom’s measuring tape since mine seems to have gone MIA, and I got all my measurements. Did you know it’s really hard to take your own measurements? LOL I’ll measure again in two weeks after the 10 workouts to see what has or hasn’t changed.

I’ll be adding dietary changes into the mix eventually, but I am going to do one thing at a time. I’m not sure I can make the whole overhaul at once and not risk giving up too quickly.

This is the point where I take very deep breaths. I took the traditional “before” pictures so that both you and I could see exactly where I’m starting from. It’s been a bit of a slap in the face because while I know I’m overweight, part of me didn’t believe it was that bad. I’m very tempted to keep these pictures to myself, but that hasn’t served me well in the past, so it’s time to change that.

Deep breaths… here at the before pictures.

Front:

Back:

Side:

And the proof of my weight:

Ignoring the dirty scale, and scary toenails, the number is 239. Two Hundred and Thirty Nine Pounds. Oh my god. That’s the highest it has ever been, EVER. I never thought I would see that number on the scale. Obviously, something has to change.

And just in case you are wondering, those pictures were taken on September 22, 2007. You can tell they weren’t taken before that because I just got my hair cut short on the 20th!

I’m sure most of you are coming from my main blog, Footprints on the Moon, but for those of you who aren’t, the basics: My name is Jennifer, and I’m 24. I’m single, with no kids, just two very spoiled cats. I have a degree in English, and I’m currently working as an administrative assistant for a security company. And I’m overweight.
The last two really go hand in hand. I’ve always been overweight… I think the last time I was thin, I was about 6 years old. But ever since I started working in my current position, the problem has only gotten worse. I am stuck sitting at desk all day long, except for when I get to go to lunch. I now weigh twenty pounds MORE than when I first decided to start dieting in January of this year. That’s not okay.
I live on the second floor of an apartment building, and just bringing in my groceries leaves me tired and out of breath. I am already at risk of diabetes simply from my family history, and my weight only puts me at higher risk. That scares me. Not to mention that it just plain makes me unhappy. I don’t like to be in pictures, I don’t like to see myself in the mirror. I don’t like the way clothes fit me, and it really makes it difficult to have any self esteem.

I’ve decided, enough is enough. I’m going to make a change, and I’m hoping that having you along for the ride will give me the accountability that has been missing in my previous attempts.