Sunday FUNday: Week 14 Review

Not only is it the end of week 14, but it’s the end of Phase 3 — about a quarter of the way through the program and time for skinfold measurements as well as photos and weight and tape measurements. The numbers are all in the books, for better or worse, but I still find it hard to believe that I’m this far into it.

I’ve got my turkey in the oven — I’m really hoping this turns into awesome jerky because it’s easy and so much cheaper than buying it already made. So far it’s looking like it’s working, at least.

So, with the end of a phase here, for your reading pleasure it’s an expanded recap:

Measurements:
Let’s run the numbers…

I’ve lost 5.8 pounds from the beginning of the program, 8 pounds if you go from the highest weight I’ve been during the past 3 months — I gained a little over two pounds the first few weeks of Lean Eating.
I’ve lost 10.4″ in total. A little over 2″ from my chest (I’m looking forward to my sports bras not feeling like painfully tight corsets!), 2″ from my waist and 2.5″ from my hips. Not too shabby.
And I’m down 30.1mm in total skinfold measurements, which equates to about a 4% drop in body fat.

So – I’m pretty pleased with my progress, especially since the first few weeks went in the wrong direction. I feel like I’m on a roll and I just need to keep making good decisions — and a lot of anecdotal evidence shows that people start making huge gains (well, losses, I suppose) after about 3 months. Bring it on!

Workouts:

Still kicking butt in this regard. I’m pushing heavier weights, the core workouts aren’t as awful as they used to be (who am I kidding, of course they are) and I’m starting to feel stronger and more in charge of my own body. With the weather turning cold I haven’t been running as much as I want to, but I’ll get back into that. I just need to overcome the mental block of being cold for the first part of the run — I hate that part and it keeps me from heading outside even though once I get going I enjoy running in the cold much more than the heat.

A look at my accumulated
green checkmarks!

Habits:

The last two weeks have been planning meals and I’ve done a pretty good job at this. I like being in control and this fits perfectly with my personality — not only that, but the whole habit is an easy way for me to earn my gold stars (okay, green checkmarks) and that’s a huge positive reinforcement for me.

End of Quarter Thoughts:

This process has been much more of a mental overhaul rather than strictly just changing my eating/workout habits. The cornerstone habits — eat slowly and eat only to 80% full — have fundamentally changed the way I think about meals. It’s rare that I eat to the point of feeling sick — it’s been a matter of learning to listen to my body and taking a moment before eating and asking myself whether I’m actually hungry or just bored/emotional/cranky.

All in all, the program has been a good thing. The information isn’t anything I didn’t already know, but it’s forcing me to do the mental work needed to really make lifestyle changes that will stick around long past the year end of the program.

Habit Log:

Weeks 1-2: Fish oil and probiotic
Weeks 3-4: Eating slowly
Weeks 5-6: Stop eating at 80% full
Weeks 7-8: Lean protein with every meal
Weeks 9-10: 5 servings of vegetables a day
Weeks 11-12: Make smart carb choices
Weeks 13-14: Plan Meals