Lose the Dough
About
So, my 30th birthday is right around the corner. Some people bug-out about turning 30, but I’m really looking forward to it. Entering a new decade is sort of like turning over a new leaf.
I want to enter my 30’s as my healthiest self and looking my best, so I’ve decided to embark on a 5-month journey to get myself in tip-top shape. I’ve named this challenge: Lose the Dough for the Big 3-0.
Ok, so the name is little corny, but I think it describes my current situation pretty well. It’s not like I need to lose weight, but since our wedding well over a year ago, I’ve put on a few pounds– nothing major, but I still feel a little “doughy.” Remember how ripped I looked back in July 2008!?! I worked hard for that body, but slowly and surely, the post-wedding pounds have caught up with me. It’s no big deal, but now I want to lose the “dough” for one of the most important birthdays of my life.
With the help of my good friends at Healthworks, I plan to lose the dough and document everyday of my journey from January 19 to June 19, 2010 (my 30th birthday). I’ll keep you updated with my progress and share my daily eats, workouts, and insights into a 5-month shape-up challenge. Through this journey, I hope to tone-up and look great for my 30th, but I also want to show my readers that these changes don’t happen overnight. If you’ve read my weight loss story, you know that it look me an entire year to lose 25 pounds. Permanent changes to my lifestyle helped me lose the weight and keep it off for 5+ years now.
Lose the Dough for the Big 3-0 may seem like a “diet” since it’s timeframe spans just 5 months, but I don’t view it this way at all. Of course, I hope to lose a few pounds and shape-up, but I want the changes that I make to stick with me longer than just those 5 months. Basically, my 30th birthday was the perfect excuse for me to step-it-up with living a healthy lifestyle!
If you want to embark on a similar journey to “lose the dough” (for a special occasion or even bikini season), I’d love to have you join me! I know there are quite a few 1980 babies out there, too! 
I officially begin the challenge next Tuesday, January 19th, exactly 5 months from my 30th birthday. I’m having my measurements and “before” photo taken at Healthworks later this morning and I’ll reveal my “game plan” for the 5-month challenge next Monday– the day before the official start. If you’d like to join in, you have one week to get yourself organized (i.e. take measurements, set up a game plan, etc.). If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me!
Wish me luck! I need all the support and encouragement I can get!
Goals
I spent quite awhile thinking about my goals for Lose the Dough. With a long-term challenge like this, I’ve been tempted to make a whole slew of life-changing goals in order to “lose the dough.” But, trying to achieve these aspirations all at once might be a bit overwhelming for me– how and where would I focus my attention? Plus, if I don’t see results, I’ll probably get frustrated and want to quit. Instead, I’’ve split my goals into two categories: measurable and non-measurable/lifestyle changes.
Measurable goals, like losing 5 pounds, are great and I understand why they are important. But, what about the goals that I want to incorporate into my lifestyle for good, like adding more veggies to my meals? Of course, I could put a number on this goal, like “eat X servings of vegetables everyday,” but I just don’t work that way. I have a much more laid-back approach to food!
So, I came to this conclusion: if I am going to make long-lasting changes in my life, they need to make sense for my current lifestyle. I don’t want to totally change how I live. I just want to enhance my life by incorporating new healthy habits that work best for me. (I can always reassess my goals down the road.) I think some of my lifestyle goals will be just as (or even more) important to my success than the ones I can measure.
My diet, fitness, and balance goals.
Game Plan
Read my detailed game plan here!
Progress
January 11, 2010
- Weight: 132 pounds
- Body Fat: 22.9%
- BMI: 22.7
- Waist: 27 inches
- Abdomen: 28.25 inches
- Hips: 37.25 inches
- Waist to Hip Ratio: 0.72
February 16, 2010
- Weight: 129.8 pounds
- Body Fat: 21.0%
- BMI: 22.2
- Waist: 26.25 inches
- Abdomen: 27.5 inches
- Hips: 36.75 inches
March 15, 2010
- Weight: 130.0 pounds
- Body Fat: 21.5%
- BMI: 22.3
(We forgot to take my measurements! Oops! 
Next time!)
April 23, 2010
- Weight: 131.8 pounds
- Body Fat: 21.2%
- BMI: 22.7
- Waist: 26.5 inches
- Abdomen: 28 inches
- Hips: 38 inches
May 17, 2010
- Weight: 131.4 pounds
- Body Fat: 21.2%
- BMI: 22.2
- Weight: 131 pounds
- Body Fat: 21.2%
- BMI: 22.2
- Waist: 25.75 inches
- Abdomen: 28 inches
- Hips: 37 inches
Fitness
General Plan of Attack
Sunday: Cardio
Monday: Body Pump + cardio
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Cardio and/or yoga
Thursday: Body Pump + cardio
Friday: Off
Saturday: Full body strength training
Workouts
June 13 – 19
Sunday: Body Pump
Monday: 45-minutes elliptical
Tuesday: 6 mile walk/run
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 30 min. elliptical + Gravity
Friday: 40 min. elliptical
Saturday: 4-mile run + 30 min. elliptical
June 6 – 12
Sunday: Off
Monday: Body Pump + 60-minute walk
Tuesday: 50-minute spinning class
Wednesday: 45-minutes elliptical
Thursday: 45-minute treadmill workout
Friday: Body Pump
Saturday: Off
May 30 – June 5
Sunday: Off
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 35 min. elliptical
Wednesday: 3-mile run
Thursday: Bootcamp
Friday: 30-minute run
Saturday: 3-mile run-walk
May 23 – 29
Sunday: 35 min. elliptical
Monday: 50 min. elliptical
Tuesday: 4 mile walk + Body Pump
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Body Pump
Friday: Off
Saturday: 5-mile run
May 16 – 22
Sunday: 6.91-mile walk
Monday: 50-minute elliptical + 15 abs/stretching
Tuesday: Body Pump
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Spinning
Friday: 4-mile walk
Saturday: Off
May 9 – 15
Sunday: 60-minute walk
Monday: Body Pump
Tuesday: 45-minute walk
Wednesday: 45-minute walk
Thursday: Gravity
Friday: 3.5-mile walk
Saturday: 3.75-mile walk
May 2 – 8
Sunday: Off
Monday: 45 minutes elliptical
Tuesday: Body Pump
Wednesday: 45-minute walk/run
Thursday: Body Pump
Friday: 3-mile walk
Saturday: Body Pump
April 25 – May 1
Sunday: 3-mile run + 0.5 mile walk
Monday: 45 minutes elliptical
Tuesday: Yoga + Body Pump
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Body Pump
Friday: 60-minute walk
Saturday: Off
April 18 – 24
Sunday: Body Pump
Monday: 30-minute walk
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: 30 min. run + 10 min. walk + 20 min. elliptical
Thursday: Body Pump
Friday: 35 minutes elliptical + BURN class
Saturday: Body Pump
April 11-17
Sunday: 4.5 mile run
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Body Pump
Thursday: 60 minutes elliptical
Friday: 60-minute walk
Saturday: Off
April 4- 10
Sunday: Body Pump
Monday: 3.89-mile walk
Tuesday: 3-mile run + Body Pump
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 55 minutes elliptical
Friday: Body Pump
Saturday: Off
March 28 – April 3
Sunday: 5 mile run (45:10)
Monday: 3 mile run (27:00) + 25 min. elliptical
Tuesday: Body Pump
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Body Pump
Friday: 60-minutes elliptical
Saturday: Off
March 21-27
Sunday: Off
Monday: 30 min. elliptical + 2.75 mile run
Tuesday: Body Pump
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Body Pump
Friday: 3 mile run + 30 min. elliptical
Saturday: Body Pump
March 14-20
Sunday: 5k race
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Sick
Thursday: 60-minute walk
Friday: Body Pump
Saturday: 4.25 mile run
March 7 – 13
Sunday: 3-mile run
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 3-mile run + Body Pump
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 20 min. yoga + Body Pump
Friday: Off
Saturday: 45 min. elliptical
February 28 – March 6
Sunday: Body Pump
Monday: 3.53-mile run + 30 min. elliptical
Tuesday: Body Pump
Wednesday: 50 minutes elliptical
Thursday: Body Pump
Friday: Off
Saturday: Body Pump
February 21 – 27
Sunday: Off
Monday: Body Pump
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Body Pump
Friday: Off
Saturday: BURN
February 14 – 20
Sunday: Off
Monday: Body Pump
Tuesday: 3.5-mile run
Wednesday: Moving!
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: 5-mile run
February 7 – 13
Sunday: Off
Monday: Physique 57 Express
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 5.5-mile run
Friday: Off
Saturday: 3.3-mile run
January 31 – February 6
Sunday: 45-minute Treadmill Workout
Monday: Body Pump
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Physique 57
Thursday: Body Pump + 3-mile run
Friday: Off
Saturday: 6-mile run
January 24 – 30
Sunday: Off
Monday: Body Pump + 45 min. elliptical
Tuesday: 30-minute treadmill workout + 15 min. elliptical
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Off
Friday: Physique 57
Saturday: 35 min. elliptical + Gravity class
January 18 – 23
Sunday: Off
Monday: Body Pump + 30 min. elliptical
Tuesday: 60-minute Rolling Hills
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Body Pump + 40 min. elliptical
Friday: Off
Saturday: 30-Minute Quickie Treadmill Run
