Fat Ticker Friday Week #4

This week would have been quite a bore if not for the hundred pushups challenge. I didn’t go to the gym last Saturday because of a headache. How could I run when the throbbing pain increases even if I walk?

Sunday: I went and did my usual cardio training with high intensity interval in the treadmill. Strength training triceps, biceps, chest and legs.

Monday: Errands. No gym. Week 3, Day 1 of hundred pushups challenge. For the first time in my life, I did 15 consecutive pushups.

Tuesday: Cardio and strength training back and shoulders.

Wednesday: Caught in heavy traffic. Too late to go to gym. Week 3, Day 2 of the hundred pushups challenge.

Thursday: Twice the gym time to make up for the days I missed.

For the hundred pushups challenge, today I will be on Week 3, Day 3! Who knew I could survive this far? This week had been really tough but I am so surprised to be able to pull out an act like 16 pushups in one go. I even had my daughter count my pushups so it was fun.

Since starting the program, it’s just now that I really felt the burn in my arms and what do you know, in my abdomen, too!

Friday: Week 3, Day 3 program: 20, 15, 15, 12, 16+ with 120 seconds rest in between the sets. Twenty!! I’ll do it, do it, do it! 

*****

Thoughts on weight loss.

Weight loss and fat loss are two different things. People trying to lose weight should concentrate on losing the fat weight so the weighing scale is not an accurate source of information to judge whether one is successful in their fitness/weight loss program. We should take into consideration, the body fat percentage.

Take for example, two women both weighing 70 kilos, same height. Woman #1 has 35% body fat percentage and Woman #2 has 20%. That means,

Woman #1: 70 x 35% = 24.5 kilos of fat, 45.5 kilos muscle mass

Woman #2: 70 x 20% = 14 kilos of fat, 56 kilos of muscle mass

Muscle is heavier than fat is a misconception. A pound is a pound. Muscle just takes up lesser space than fat, that’s all. A balloon containing 1 lb of muscle is smaller than a balloon containing 1 lb. of fat. So it means that even both women have the same weight, woman #2 will look leaner because her body fat percentage is lower.

My point? I still weigh a lot than I expected. I thought the weight will disappear easily but it’s not the case. I now weigh 150 lbs/68 kilos (just 4 lbs. lost in 4 weeks) but much leaner looking than when I was weighing the same and not exercising years ago. I even lost the “wings” in my back. You know those, ugly fat sticking out the back under the bra.

This summer of me is almost over and I am pretty sure I am not of the big losers (of weight that is) but it’s ok. I am happy with my body more than ever and I am committed to exercise regularly. I know people will not see me as being the fittest but that’s just because they didn’t see me in my fattest. 

See other weight loss stories at Baby Tea Leaves.

100 Pushup Challenge: Week 2, Day 3

Just because I have skipped posting about the hundred pushups challenge doesn’t mean I have missed out on it. Today’s the end of my 2nd week challenge and I was able to do 5 sets of 5, 5, 4, 4, 10 pushups, in that order with 60 seconds break between the sets. Day 3 says 120 seconds break but I wanted it done and over with.

After a while, I did my exhaustion test, a requirement before proceeding to Week 3. I managed 16 pushups in good form! That is 4 times than what I did during the first initial test at the beginning of the program!

So on Tuesday I will start with Week 3, Day 1 and what awaits me is 5 sets of 15, 12, 12, 10, 15+ of pushups. I’m bracing myself! 

Fat Ticker Friday Week #3

This week was really crap, fitness wise, I mean. I went to the gym last Saturday and all went well. I went home with a clearer and stronger motivation to be on track but hey, motherly duties called.

On Sunday, my darling daughter got really sick and has to be rushed to emergency at 4 am due to an asthma attack. We were then advised by the doctor to take her to the clinic for nebulizer every six hours - that would be morning, before I go to work, noon (my husband had to take off from work) and night after our work. Meaning? No gym time for me for 5 long days. Wow, do I feel these fat cells growing again!

Last Thursday when the babe had settled, I went to the gym again and did all the weight training I missed for the entire week: shoulders, chest, abs, back and legs and got a very sore butt and thighs the next day. Man, when will I be accustomed to lunges and squats!?

I weighed myself on Thursday afternoon with eyes half-open, ready to admit defeat but hey, I lost 2 pounds. I guess the sleepless nights and throttling to the hospital carrying a heavy kid did it.

Anyhow, I hope to be back to my fitness routine, starting tomorrow. I just don’t feel as good as when I’m exercising. This  is not about losing weight anymore, it’s about feeling better and more alive!

Fat Ticker Friday Week #2

Just when I thought I’d take a revenge this week, the dreaded monthlies came. But I have read that it’s ok to exercise even during that time of the month so I tried.

Saturday, June 28, 2008 - Personal errands; no gym.

Sunday, June 30, 2008 - I went to the gym after 4 days of not going. I thought I’ll not survive HIIT but I did and in fact, I feel lighter while running compared to the past days. I guess that’s because I’ve allowed my body to rest and now I have all the energy to start anew.

Cardio - High Intensity Interval Training on the treadmill with incline for 30 minutes.

Strength Training - 3 muscle groups Chest, Abs and Arms

Monday, June 30, 2008 - abdominal pains, can’t exercise. But I did my initial test to the hundred pushup challenge and started Week 1, Day 1 program.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008 - Back to the gym with cardio for 30 minutes and strength training for shoulders and forearms and abs. Also included walking lunges and squats with weight.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - Cardio for 30 minutes and strength training for chest despite the muscle pain because of yesterday’s leg work.  I was surprised I was still able to run/brisk walk on a steep incline. Performed Week 1, Day 2 of the hundred pushup challenge.

Thursday, July 3, 2008 - Cardio for 30 minutes and strength training. I am still sore all over.

Friday, July 4, 2008 - Rest (no gym). Performed Week 1, Day 3 of the hundred pushup challenge.

TOTAL DAYS OF WORKOUT: 5 days

Weigh-in: 1 lb. lost

100 Pushup Challenge: Week 1, Day 2

I’m in my 2nd day since starting the challenge and the program looks like this:

I follow the first column because of the result of the initial test in which I only managed 4 pushups in acceptable form.

Day 2 is still very manageable since I was able to manage 4 from the start. I don’t feel any pain in my arms or anywhere. I’ll be going to the gym again tomorrow despite the pain in my legs and butt. I always feel like this after any leg exercise like lunges, walking lunges or squats (all with 10 lbs of weight in each hand) but it’s worth it, after the pain is gone, I feel my legs are stronger and lighter when I run.

100 Pushup Challenge: Week 1, Day 1

I did the initial test last night and I am so humbled. I only managed 4 decent forms, which makes me belong in the lowest rank to start the program.

This is my pushup program for Week 1, Day 1 with a 60-second rest between each level:

• Level 1: 2
• Level 2: 2
• Level 3: 2
• Level 4: 2
• Level 5: max or at least 3

I’ve done it without any problems, then I’ll take a rest for today (although I’m headed to the gym later). Looking forward to tomorrow’s routine! 

One Hundred Pushup Challenge

Shhhh, hear that? 

Those are sounds of laughter from my younger siblings. They know me well, so yes, they have the right to laugh.

Seriously now… I’ve always admired people who can do pushups without looking like they are dying afterwards and I’m one of the many who’ll look asphyxiated after performing one measly pushup. So. Not. Cool.

I found a gem this morning at Karin’s Surfer Sunday post.

The One Hundred Push up Challenge is a 6 week training program aimed to make you sustain and perform 100 pushups at the end. My first thought was, “no way!” but after reviewing the complete program, was shifted to being a little bit motivated “hmm, I can do this!”. I said only a LITTLE but I’m going to try this, just in time for the Summer of Me challenge.

What makes this challenge tick? Pushups gives the body a good total workout, strengthens your arms, chest, legs, insert anything you want here___. Most importantly, you can do pushups anytime and anywhere because it doesn’t require any gym membership and extra equipment.

The challenge takes you to train 3 days a week for six weeks. You’ll have to take an initial test to see your fitness level it’s doable, right in the comfort of my home.

So without much further ado, I’m starting the challenge today. Anyone wants to join the fun?
Oh, don’t smirk now, this is going to be fun, really! (If possitivity burns a lot of calories, I’d be so slim right now!!)

Fat Ticker Friday Week #1

This is my first Fat Ticker Friday since I joined the challenge over at Christie’s Baby Tea Leaves.

How did I do this week? Well, not bad but also not what I hoped it to be. Due to my daughter getting sick early in the week, I wasn’t able to go the gym for three days and only done push-ups and ab work at home. I only went to the gym for 3 times this week. Then I had errands missed those after-run glow over the weekend.

However, I am still eating sensibly - a thing that I don’t dread at all. It has rubbed on me since the beginning of this year when I decided to change my lifestyle.

Oh and my weighing scale broke down - not because I was too heavy! LOL. It’s made in China, that’s why. Oops. Seriously, I thought the battery died down and I replaced it only for find out it’s kaput, garbage stuff now. I can only rely on the gym weighing scale which I loathe by the way because it seems that I am heavy there than at home?

Strange stuff.

Speaking of weighing scale, I plan to buy a weighing scale that displays body fat percentage also since relying on a weighing scale that only shows body mass is disputed by fitness gurus. It lies. Real weight loss is fat loss and the only way to find out if what you have lost is fat and not the essential for revved-up metabolism lean muscle (think about burning calories while sleeping, baby!) is through a bioelectrical impedance scale/body fat scale (showing fat percentage), skin fold calipers or underwater weighing. Knowing one’s body fat is important.

Weight: (still) 152 lbs.

I hope next week is better!

I’m signing up for the challenge

There’s a hip weight loss challenge going on over at Baby Tea Leaves and I am joining by declaring that this summer is THE SUMMER OF ME!

So, today, I’ll be shameless and share my weight story (someday I’ll share my big girl photo too):

Many years ago when I was growing up in the Philippines, we only had basic food and I never had problems with my weight. We only have cakes and ice cream on birthdays, Christmas and New Year. My parents stuffed all six of us with mainly vegetables and fruit so we were all healthy, agile and trim. We did not carry extra tires around our waists nor suffered tooth decay from eating too many chocolates.

OFF TO JAPAN!

I came to Japan in October 1996 weighing 49 kilos (108 lbs). I stand 5 feet and 4 inches (160 cms) and 20 years old. Oh dear, I really thought weight-wise, I’d stay that way forever but as soon as my undisciplined self touched down in my dormitory room, my eating habits abruptly changed and I was consuming too many calories. I was not alarmed even with the 3 kilo increase in my weight in just 6 months! That time I thought it was temporary but now I know that it was denial. I was blinded by the new found luxurious life than I had way back home. I had my own money through monthly stipend as a scholar and finally able to buy anything I want, any time. I would go shopping and watch TV or study with a junk food beside me. I drank sodas and sweet juices instead of water, I ate a lot of McDonalds. I was eating my way to destruction and did not care because I had youth on my side. Young people don’t get fat, don’t they? At least that’s what I was thinking. How stupid of me!

There were times when I get some realization and would go to a nearby gym to sweat it out. I lost some weight but never got back to the old 108 lbs and I wasn’t able to wear the clothes I brought home from home again. With the money I had, I kept on buying new ones, with bigger sizes every time.

I was weighing 60 kilos (132 lbs) when I graduated in 2001. I was unstoppable - and because I am naturally photogenic, (yeah you’re allowed to laugh, go on) I still felt beautiful even when I am heavy.

PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH

Then pregnancy and child birth came. I gained 20 kilos (44 lbs.) more and looked only short of a full term cow. I weighed a whooping 80 kilos (176 lbs.) a week before I gave birth. I felt so huge because I was as heavy as my father.

After I gave birth, I only lost 5% of that weight, to think that my daughter weighed 3.5 kilos and all that placenta and water inside me! I know I vowed to be back in my old form, whatever that was but I was breastfeeding without restrictions so I can’t really diet. I had constant hunger pangs in the middle of the night which was pacified by whole fat creamy milk and white bread or donuts. Jeez, I can almost pull all my hair out now recalling what I put into my mouth during those times. *shiver*

RELOCATION TO DUBAI

January 2007, we left Japan, the land of glutinous and high-caloric rice and yummy tempuras and relocated to Dubai, United Arab Emirates because of my work. I work 6 days a week, sitting in front of the computer for more than 8 hours per day. Yeah, good guess. My butt size has increased tremendously because of that. I had a sedentary lifestyle but because we only had the car 10 months after relocation and I was taking the bus to and from work, I did not gain weight. However, I am still envious of seeing fit people and cry inside dressing rooms.

FINDING MOTIVATION

On August this year, that is, barely a month and a half from now, is my brother’s wedding. It is a grand affair - everyone will be there to scrutinize my size. My brother and his girlfriend are a very handsome fit couple and all of my family members are. It’s a sure bet they’ll comment on my weight. So I have made it a motivation to change my lifestyle in the hope to change the way I look. I started exercising since New Year rolled by going to the nearby park to jog. However little, I made progress. Then I finally took the commitment to enlist in the gym last March 30, 2008.

GYM STARTS

So as not to waste my gym trips which cost me time away from my daughter, I loaded myself with information. I have found out that it takes 3,500 calories to burn a mere ounce of fat! The calorie deficit can either be achieved by diet (cutting on the caloric intake) or exercise or better, both.

My exercise routine are as follows: cardio - running on the treadmill for at least 30 minutes followed by strength training one or two muscle groups per day. I love the internet! It is full of helpful resources. Seek and you shall find. I track my diet and grab some exercises at Spark People, get my strength training routine at Free Trainers and load up on information at Shape Fit and Intense Workout.

I go there 4-5 times a week. I watch the food I ate, limit rice intake to one meal per day (lunch) and switched to whole wheat version of breads.

WEIGHT LOSS

For the first time in years, I saw my weight go down! Starting weight was 160 lbs. and because I carefully monitored my diet and religiously followed my exercise, I saw that I was steadily losing one pound of weight per week. Not bad! I lost 8 pounds in 8 weeks.

Then I hit the dreaded plateau.

It’s been almost three weeks now that I’ve been exercising and dieting (not starving myself but eating balanced meals with portion control) yet the scale won’t budge since the last weight loss register. I scoured information in the net like crazy.

So many articles were written about weight loss plateaus, the causes and what to do with them. My weight did not decrease not because I’m not losing any of it but because I was gaining lean muscle and muscle is heavier than fat, although it consumes less space. Strange and complicated as it may sound, I have not lost any weight in three weeks but my clothes have become more loose. I dropped a clothing size and never felt better.

GOALS

I weigh 152 pounds today and have a goal of at least 140. Goals have to be realistic, hey. I am incorporating weight training so I don’t know how much I’m going to lose in this challenge though I know somehow, this body’s gotta shrink. 130 pounds would make me happy but losing more than 1-2 pounds per week is unhealthy and not good for the body! The slower you take the weight off, the higher the chances you’ll keep them off. And besides,

I did not get gain all this weight overnight so there’s no way I’m going to lose it the next day!

Regular exercise. Proper nutrition. Motivation and a clear cut goal will take me to success.

who would have thought I’d miss the gym

I had not been going to the gym for four days now. Right when I’ve been planning to go back, with a vengeance, physically I can’t. The for-women-only-monthly thing has attacked leaving me incapacitated to work out.

Bummer.

I can’t workout at this time of the month because I usually have severe abdominal pain, bloating and headache. I’ll be back in three/four days. I miss my alone time in the gym already!