Week 2 Results

Jeff and I are 16 days into our 12 week diet and exercise program. Amazingly enough we both have remained really dedicated to the diet. I'm actually very surprised about how dedicated Jeff has been. He usually has a bit of a problem in committing to things like this. Not now. He follows the rules to a T! Sometimes I have the urge to cheat just a little, but I can't let him win. I guess the buddy system does work.

So basically we eat small meals every 2.5 hours. Each meal we have something specific to eat in a specified amount. It has actually been nice to just have everything put together each day, and not have to worry about what to go grab for lunch, or what to take out for dinner. In addition to the diet, we have to exercise. Right now we both have a weight workout that takes about 1 hour. We are supposed to do that 3 days a week, and then for cardio we go on walks (I know, lame, but that's all we're supposed to do right now) for 35 mins (this week-it started at 25 mins-even lamer!). I have been very good about getting my workouts in. My mom has been an integral part because there have been a couple of days when I've had to extend her nannying duties at work into nannying duties at night while I run to the gym. Thanks mom! Jeff hasn't done so well with the exercise. He's only done one weight workout since we started. That means he's missed 5. And guess what. Yup. He's still getting just as good of results as me. Stupid boy make-up/metabolism/chemistry.

Our results as of 2 weeks:

Ashley: I've lost 4.82 lbs of pure fat! I've maintained my lean body mass, and have lost 2% body fat (the goal is 1% per week). I can tell that I've lost the weight too. My belly is getting a lot smaller. I was so happy to be able to fit into one of my nice pair of jeans this week. My butt hasn't seen those things in nearly a year!

Jeff: He's lost 5 lbs of pure fat, and has remained even on lean body mass as well. He's actually doing a program where he should be building lean, but since someone doesn't workout...

There are times when being on the diet isn't so fun - barbecues, pizza parties, restaurants, etc. (yes, all things I've had challenge me this week). Today Jeff and I were walking around the grocery store, and every desert-type item was calling our names. We were so desperate for a treat. We walked out to the parking lot, and we could smell something good from one of the restaurants near by. Jeff looks at me and says, "Do you know what that is Ash?" I'm thinking chicken, hamburgers, I don't know, and he says "That's flavor." Ha, ha! The diet really isn't that bad, but we haven't had a good home cooked meal (like roast and potatoes or a nice steak---mmmm...red meat.....) in what seems like an eternity. The results keep me going though.

We both feel better than we have in a long time. Jeff told me the other day that he feels better "internally" than he has in years. I've noticed that suddenly my sleep deprivation isn't such a burden. I've been staying up really late each night (something I need to stop), getting up with Kaeden once, and then getting up again real early to get ready for work, and I'm surviving. For some reason I get a second wind of energy during the hours of 10:30-12:00 each night. Go figure.

I hope we can keep up the results. If I reach a plateau, I think my ability to mentally stick with this so perfectly will be rattled. Can you imagine fighting the urge to eat "good" food all week long only to go in and find out nothing has changed? I hope that doesn't happen. If it does, I'll leave my trainers office and probably hit a Mexican food joint ASAP. The greasier the better!