Be the Change 18-Week Challenge Goals

Goal #1:
Prepare for body building competition on October 3, 2009.

Specifically, at the end of these 18 weeks, I am at least 22% BF having at least a 27.5" waist and 38" hips. Measurements will be taken by tape measure and by using http://www.linear-software.com/online.html, the BF% will be calculated. I will use Jan's SS to ensure that I am on track, my meals will be posted in my blog for the day no later than noon the next day (taking into account how busy I am at work). I am currently at 35% BF, 34" waist, and 40.5" hips.

Plan of Action
Planning all meals for the week on Sunday.
Packing meals each night for the next day.
Drinking at least 128oz (1 gallon) a day of water.
Performing 6 workouts as planned by my trainer. 1 rest day a week.
Eating meal plan as provided by trainer.

Obstacles
Not planning.
Not following the plan.
Cheating when not allowed to.
Injury.
Overtraining.

Goal #2:
Work on my relationship with God by reading the daily selection from the "Two Year Daily Reading and Prayer Bible". Each selection has an Old Testament and a New Testament passage starting with Genesis and Matthew. By the end of the 18 weeks I will have read 126 days of passages from the Daily Bible.

Plan of Action
Read and reflect on the passages selected for each day in the Daily Bible.
Praying.

Obstacles
Not planning.
Tiredness.
Not having time.

I started the challenge on January 1, 2009 and will complete it on May 6, 2009.

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Progress
Goal 1: Body Fat at 22%, Waist @ 27.5", Hips @ 38"

• Meal plan was received on 1/1 and groceries obtained on 1/3.
• Meals are planned for 1/4 thru 1/10 and will officially start on 1/4.
• Workouts performed on 1/1 (legs/shoulders/calves/abs), 1/2 (back/bis) & 1/3 (chest/tris/abs). Rest day will be Monday and Wednesday due to appointments for my daughter.
• A gallon of water drank each day.
  

Goal 2: Work on relationship with God

• Read day 1 on 1/1, 2 on 1/2 & 3 on 1/3
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39 Weeks

I didn't think I could be more sore than I was yesterday. Wellllll, I was very wrong. My calves are actually sore to the touch! I tried to use a heating pad on my calves as suggested by Michelle to see if that would help the soreness. Nope, no dice. I'm sure that they'll be better in the morning (boy, do I hope! :D)

I did abs (hanging, v-ups with 5 lbs between the knees, obliques and figure 8's with a medicine ball) and chest/tris with Joe. I increased weight on the incline dumbbell press, the cable flys, the close hand press, and the overhead extensions. All the others stayed the same. I had a headache today (because of the drizzly weather) so I didn't have as much energy as I usually do. I was amazed that I was able to increase at all.

Tomorrow is legs/shoulders again. As I said before, I hope the soreness is much better in the morning. I also start the new diet. I put everything into Excel for the next two weeks. I went to the store and picked up the items that I needed for the menu. There's not going to be a whole lot of variety but since I like simplicity, I'm sure it'll be okay. I did find some No Salt salt so I'm very happy!

I am doing the "Be the Change" 18 week challenge over at Transformation.com. I will be tracking my progress against my goals for this challenge here on my blog. For today only, I've created another blog entry to record the goals and the progress to date.

I get my daughter back from her dad tomorrow! YAY! I am so excited about getting her back! I've REALLY missed that kid!

39 Weeks, 1 Day

Oh My Gosh! I cannot BELIEVE how sore I am today. My calves, my butt, my abs, my traps and just about everything in between! EVERYTHING is SO SORE!

Especially my calves... I don't normally work them specifically and definitely not with weights. Yesterday, in the shoulders/traps/calves class, we did four different exercises: one leg calf raises w/o weight, seated calf raises (feet on 3 45 lb plates, barbell w/ 50 lbs on knees), calf raises on the hack squat machine w/ a 2x4 piece of wood and 90 lbs, and calf raises on the smith machine with 50 lbs on a 2x4 piece of wood!

I had to get up to go to the bathroom at like 2:30 a.m. When I put my feet on the floor I knew I was in trouble. I had to wait a moment before I could stand up. Then I had to wait AGAIN while my calves stretched out enough to let me walk. Sitting on the toilet was another little slice of heaven I had to endure. Then, oh joy, I had to do the reverse to get back in bed. Oh, then when I woke up at 8:30 and started to stretch, forgetting, of course, the 2:30 a.m. joy, started to stretch. I flexed my feet and had to groan, loudly! I decided to not do that again! I had to repeat what I did at 2:30 to get up. It was major fun trying to put my pants on!

I did go do my back/bis workout today. Rachael and Steve (trainers at the gym) came over and asked me how I was doing and I just glared at them. They laughed and said I ought to do some cardio to work off some of the lactic acid. So, after getting my back and bis done and not breaking any records by a long shot, I went over and got on the dreadmill for 20 minutes and walked. After I was done, I had some special fun stepping down from the dreadmill. It sure didn't feel like the walk did anything!

That's okay, I burned some calories and I know the DOMS mean that I am building some beautiful, lean muscle. It's just a little slice of heaven trying to get up from being seated, to attempt to walk once getting up, and going to the bathroom. Whoo hoo! :D

Oh, yeah, almost forgot to mention that Rachael gave me the "Fat Burner Meal Plan for Contest - Phase 1". She said that I will be on this diet for a while since I am so far out from my comp. So, it is as follows:

M1: 1 protein, 1 complex carb, 1 simple carb
M2: 1 protein, 1 simple carb
M3: 1 protein, 1 complex carb, 1 simple carb
M4: 1 protein, 1 simple carb
M5: 1 protein, 1 complex carb
M6: 1 protein, 2 simple carbs

Proteins: pick one (grilled, boiled, poached, broiled),
-- 3 - 4 oz Chicken breast, Turkey breast, fish, lean beef
-- 8 oz fat free milk
-- 6 egg whites
-- Protein shake

Complex Carbs: pick one; 3/4cup
-- old fashioned quaker oats oatmeal (can add splenda, cinnamon)
-- rice
-- potato
-- sweet potato
-- Special K cereal

Simple Carbs: pic one, 1/2 cup
-- fruit - medium size, no bananas
--veggies (raw, steamed, grilled or boiled) - no beans (except green & pole), peas or corn

NOTES:
-- Eat 2.5 hours prior to workouts: 1 protein, 1 simple carb
-- Eat immediately after workout: 1 protein, 1 complex carb, 1 simple carb
-- Fruits in the 1st 3 meals, veggies in last 3 meals
-- NO salt, sugar, sodium, fat, condiments including mustard, mayo, ketchup or other condiments

Ok. The hardest part of this meal plan is going to be "NO SALT"! WHAT?! I LOVE salt. I can't eat meat, potatoes or rice without salt. They give suggestions such as no sodium Spike, no sodium Mrs. Dash, vinegar, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon olive oil. This is going to be very challenging for me but if I wanna win, I'm going to have to do what it takes. Am I a winner? YES!

Happy New Year! (39 Weeks, 2 Days)

Well, today is January 1, 2009. There were a couple of things I wanted to do to bring in the New Year: 1. be healthier than I was last year on this day and 2. my house be cleaner than it was last year on this day. I did both. Last year I weighed 50 lbs more than I do now and I'm lifting heavier than I did last year. My cholesterol, blood pressure and other health factors are in the normal range or better (my doctor in August during my physical said that if she didn't know better she'd think I was 24!) Now, for the house being cleaner... And it is! I deep cleaned the kitchen, the office, the hall closets (2 of 'em), the master bedroom and master bath, the living room. The only room that is left is Aimee's and we will get that when she gets back from her dad's. So, I met both and I'm really happy about that!

I stayed up to watch the ball drop last night and to text both Aimee and her dad with Happy New Year wishes. I also read some because I was keyed up. So I ended up going to sleep around 12:45.

My alarm went off at 8:15 and I so didn't want to get up but I did anyway because I promised Michelle that I would be at the gym for her leg class this morning. There ended up being 3 of us finishing (1 girl left early). But, boy oh boy am I gonna be SO sore tonight and tomorrow.. We did 10 exercises: leg press, body master (you stand up on the machine and put one leg on a roller and push back, it works your tush), leg extensions, leg curls, squats, split squats, single leg presses, straight leg dead lifts, lunges on a slanted bench and walking lunges forward and backward. 5 sets of 10 each! I did a personal best on the leg press of 470lbs!

I plan to go back at 2 to do shoulders/traps/calves and 3 to do abs. I'm sure I will be a walking ball of pain about this time tomorrow!

I'm looking forward to what this year will bring. I never thought that I would EVER compete in a bodybuilding competition but here I am training for one. I know it is still a ways off but I'm not a quitter - I do to what I commit. I may question why I'm putting myself through this so I have to remember what the goal is and that goal is to be in the best shape of my life and walking away with 1st! The only way someone is going to beat me is if they out work me!

My new motto: From Fat to Fab in 2 years (NOTE: I was 276 in September of 2007, my comp is October 2009)

Here's to a wonderful, prosperous and happy year!

39 Weeks, 3 days

Well, nothing too spectacular happened today. I got the BF to help me clean half of the living room. I still have the other half to do (half of that is mine and the other half is his. I'm going to get my side done tomorrow because I'm not going to workout - maybe go for a walk at most.

Tonight I did Chest/Tris and had a tough time getting through it. I was going to do legs/shoulders but Rachel & Michelle (trainers at the gym) convinced me to take Michelle's leg class on New Year's day from 9 to 11 a.m. I may also come back and do the shoulders/traps class at 3 p.m. At any rate, I want to be fresh for the marathon session with her. In a weird way, I'm looking forward to the workout!

Tonight, I really didn't have any energy - may have a lot to do with the fact that I'm not eating like I should. When I say not eating like I should, I'm saying I'm eating crap! I'm working on getting back on the wagon very hard by the 4th.

I have a dental appointment in the morning - not looking forward to that. Then I will do my side of the last half of the living room and catalogue the DVDs piled up in my bedroom.

I'm really, really, really looking forward to the New Year. This next year is going to be life changing for me. Just a year ago I was weighing 276 lbs and in just under a year I will be competing in my first body building competition. That just blows my mind! I'm going to be in the best shape of my life!

9 Months (39 Weeks), 4 days

Toda was a really interesting day (NOT!) The BF came back over to my house an dwe watched a couple of movies and T.V. We also played with the dog.

I went to the grocery store and bought groceries for the next two weeks. At the checkout, I put the 35lb bag of dog food up on the belt, the 25lb bag of cat food up on the belt, the two boxes of 15lb kitty litter up on the belt and then after the had been scanned back into the buggy. The cashier and bagger (both female, one overweight) both commented on how I was handling the bags as well as all the healthy food. Since my BF loves beer, I also had to show my driver's license with my fat picture on it. The cashier did a double take and showed it to the bagger. They asked me what I did to lose the weight and how much I had lost. I told them really quickly what I did and how much and as there was someone in line behind me I left them with their mouths hanging open! I am so thrilled to be able to share my story like that.

Joe, my trainer, tells everyone he can at the gym how much I've lost and also tells them about the fact that I'm training for a BB comp and how much I'm lifting! So, I get into conversations on a fairly regular basis about BFL and what it has done for me and how it has changed my life.

Well, today was back/bis today and I wasn't really feeling it but I did it any. I stayed in the high/low range that Joe set for me for each of the exercises. He doesn't want me to make new highs unless he's there to make sure I'm using proper form. He likes to pile on the weights to see how I do with it. I'm hoping that my low back tweak from the marathon squats session on Saturday is better by Wednesday when I do legs again. If not, I'll just leave the squats off or go light on the weights.

Tonight, I cleaned out the book case in my room of all the workout videos that I will never do as well as the books that I've read. So, I have a couple of boxes (in addition to all the other stuff I've cleaned out the last serveral days) to give to either Goodwill or the Salvation Army... Probably Goodwill since they are near where I go to the dentist. Yeah, I have a dental appointment on Wednesday... Nothing like ringing in the New Year with a dental cleaning! Whoo Ha!

9 Months, 6 Days

OMG! I am SO unbelievably sore today. My triceps, chest, abs and traps are all sore from the workout yesterday. I didn't sleep well last night because I couldn't move! Every time I'd move I'd wake up because of the soreness. I'd go back to sleep then my hands or leg would go to sleep which necessitated my needing to move. THEN, my stomach started acting up from the ugly eating of the last several days. I finally got up at 11:00 (I went to bed at 12:30 a.m.) and I have a headache! YEESH!

I did go workout with Joe today. Since it was legs/shoulders day, he decided to see what I could do on squats today. I did super sets with shoulders... Following is what I did:

Squats (alternated first 3 sets with Military Dumbbell Press Shoulders, Last 3 sets with Side Lateral Shoulders):
Set 1, 10 reps, 95lbs
Set 2, 10 reps, 115 lbs
Set 3, 8 reps, 135 lbs
Set 4, 8 reps, 155 lbs
Set 5, 8 reps, 185 lbs
Set 6, 8 reps, 205 lbs
Set 7, 2 reps, 225 lbs (tweaked the back on rep 2 so I stopped)

Military Dumbbell Press:
Set 1, 15 reps, 10 lbs
Set 2, 15 reps, 10 lbs
Set 3, 15 reps, 10 lbs

Side Laterals:
Set 1, 15 reps, 8 lbs
Set 2, 15 reps, 8 lbs
Set 3, 15 reps, 8 lbs

Step ups (bench with 6 risers, alternated with Rear Delts):
Set 1, 10 reps each leg, 40 lbs
Set 2, 10 reps each leg, 50 lbs
Set 3, 10 reps each leg, 50 lbs (added another riser)

Rear Delts:
Set 1, 15 reps, 10 lbs
Set 2, 15 reps, 10 lbs
Set 3, 15 reps, 10 lbs

Leg extensions (lighter weight, higher reps, alternated with Frontal Shoulders and Lying Leg Curls):
Set 1, 15 reps, 80 lbs
Set 2, 12 reps, 80 lbs
Set 3, 12 reps, 80 lbs

Frontal Shoulders:
Set 1, 15 reps, 8 lbs
Set 2, 15 reps, 8 lbs
Set 3, 15 reps, 8 lbs

Lying Leg Curls (lighter weight, higher reps)
Set 1, 15 reps, 60 lbs
Set 2, 15 reps, 60 lbs
Set 3, 15 reps, 60 lbs

On the last two sets of squats I got dizzy after I finished the set and then got goosebumps. That was a weird feeling. I got goosebumps doing the step ups, during and after each of the sets. I also got them doing the frontal shoulders. On top of that I would leave a puddle of sweat everywhere I'd sit or stand! Joe was really happy with my workout today - he said the goosebumps were an indication that I had gone into an anabolic state and that was really good! He's happy so I'm happy!

I'm going to go get started on cleaning the office - that is if I can move! :D