Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Trimming the fat, and my journey (gulp) in photos

Last night I got some fabulous news: I've lost 1.4% body fat since January.  I have a big green Post-It on my bulletin board that shows my weight and body fat percentage for every 3 months, beginning with January 3, 2011, which is when I got really, really serious about making a lifestyle change.  In one year and almost 3 months, I've lost a total of 5.1% body fat, which may not sound like a lot but is actually quite significant.

And, if you look at this chart from the American Council on Exercise (ACE), it shows that I've jumped from the "Average" category to the "Athletes" category. ARE YOU EVEN KIDDING ME?!"  It is SO unbelievably surreal to type that.  Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd ever be associated with the word "athlete" in ANY capacity whatsoever.  It's just SO bizarre and nutso, but in a very, very good way.

I was so astonished after seeing this chart that I Googled "body fat percentage women" and "body fat percentage women athletes" and came across this little ditty on www.livestrong.com: "If you are interested in fine-tuning your body composition for fitness or athletic purposes, your perfect range is different from the normal range. For a female that is looking toward fitness, 21 to 24 percent body fat is ideal. If a female is looking to be as athletic as possible, 14 to 20 percent body fat is perfect."  Did I just read the word "perfect"?  I MUST be dreaming.

This amazing, awe-inspiring discovery aside, I still have a long way to go on my journey.  My journey isn't all about looking good in a bikini, it's about becoming strong, having lots of energy and setting myself up to avoid health issues in my later years.  Let's face it...those later years will be here before we know it.  I want to become a better, faster, more efficient runner.  I want to have the energy to keep up with my son who never stops moving unless he's asleep.  I want to walk into a store and buy clothes based on what I like, not based on what might cover my problem areas.  I want to feel confident in my own skin.  Is that too much to ask??  I think not - it just takes a lot of work.  For me, it takes 6 days a week of intense exercise, and I usually take a walk or do some type of active recovery on my rest day.  Are the results worth the effort?  Abso-freakin-lutely.

I was looking through some old pictures the other day, and came upon a few that made me cringe.  Much as I hesitate to post unflattering pics of myself, these are a testament to how far I've come in my journey to be fit, and a good personal motivator to continue on that journey towards my goals.  The first picture I'm sharing with you was taken just days before I became pregnant with my son, because in my mind, everything prior to that is a different chapter in my life.  Hell, it's a whole different book.  I hope that you'll continue on my journey with me, and be my cheerleader along the way, because sometimes it takes a village to build a strong mama.  Say the word and I'll do the same for you.  So come with me!  We got this.


7/26/08 - Just before I became pregnant with my son
5/15/09 - He was just 1 month and 12 days old

8/31/09 - Almost 5 months after giving birth to this lil' cutie.  I made good use of that jogging stroller the summer & fall after he was born!

4/13/10 - Was pretty psyched to fit into those shorts again
7/25/10 - This pic looks like a Cosmo magazine "don't"!  My weight used to fluctuate so much.


11/9/10 - Lost a bit of weight & bought these new jeans







4/24/11 - Had trained for a half marathon Jan-Mar, and drastically changed my eating habits in March.  Donated the new jeans I bought in the fall to Goodwill & was able to buy a size smaller in these shorts!

8/9/11- Hadn't fit into this dress since 2006.  It used to be form fitting but it's baggy on me now.

9/3/11 - Zooma half marathon training kickoff!

11/2/11 - 9 or 10 weeks into training

2/15/12 - 1 month out from the Publix Georgia Half Marathon

3/28/12 - 10 days after the half marathon & feeling confident enough to actually take a pic like this! 
My goal.  Slowly but surely, I'm getting there!

2 comments:

  1. Those abs! You look great Callie, very inspirational! -Lisa

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  2. I'm not even sure where to start. Congrats... Inspiring... Wow, just wow!

    Un. Be. Lievable!!!

    So proud of you!

    Now you just need to motivate me to get off the couch! :) PS - Did you get my text message? I had my body fat tested yesterday. Not athlete... but not obese. *sigh*

    Keep up the great work!!!

    xo Stephanie

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