Tuesday Week 2 of the Dax Moy 30lbs in 30 days challenge

I feel like I am going backwards with the workouts. We have one workout where we time ourselves over a series of exercises and I am almost getting slower. And I am definitely slower in our other workout today - a pyramid style one.

Good news was having some carbs today and I've loved it but actually couldn't finish my lunch (some random chicken stir fry with a bit of rice) or my dinner (salmon with lentils and some yummy roasted tomatoes and peppers). I think for me right now the hardest thing is getting the meals and snacks, exercise and sleep thing co-ordinated. Hence being here at nearly 11 pm. I'm off to bed.

Tomorrow is another day, another carb free challenge. My fridge is heaving with green veg

Tell me why...

Disappointment - no change in my weight since before I went away (Thurs am). I was really peeved cos I felt as if I had been trying really hard, especially with all the challenges of being away from home for all that time.

Then I had a complete, and disproportionate, meltdown at home, tears and all. Interestingly though I felt the diet was in part responsible, especially as I have since read a lot of the other postings on the 30 lbs in 30 days on Dax's network it did not occur to me that there was anything I was craving that would have fixed it. So I had a big hug from my 11 year old and headed off to another (fortunately only 1/2 day) conference.

With my gym kit and my snacks in my bag - a few nuts (I have decided to weigh them so I know roughly how many calories I'm getting from them), some steamed broccoli and some chicken from last night. I always feel weird getting my snacks out in that kind of situation. That said I am now beginning to find it really odd that every where you go people give you choocolate and biscuits when there is a refreshment break.

Straight from conference to Dax for another tough workout. It is so hot here today that it is really hard to put enough effort in. I partiularly found this for workout 3 this evening, reps right down. Had a fabulous meal this evening - duck breast and pak choy stir fried with a little coriander and lime. Wouldn't have thought I was on this programme at all.

And, here are the results for the week:

Weight in Lbs, measurements in inches ![week's loss in square brackets]
weight 176.5 [-2.5]
chest 36.25 [-1.25]
waist 34 [-1]
hips 41 [-1]
L thigh 25[-0.5]
R thigh 25.25 [-0.75]
L calf 15.875 [-0.125]
R calf 15.875 [-0.125]
L arm 12.5 [-1.5]
R arm 12 [-2]
TOTAL inch loss [-8.25]

I know I should be really please with the inch loss but some how 30 lbs in 30 days is not going to happen at 2 1/2 lbs a week.

After a week of daily measurements we are onto Mondays and Thursdays only now. Not sure how I feel about that. But I'm going to put my tape measure away. I fear the scales may temp me though.

Off to bath and bed.

You can find Dax at http://www.mylondonpersonaltrainer.com/

The last day of the first week

I thought I'd post before the last workout of the day so I can go soak in a bath and then go straight to bed with no "electronic stimulation". Or to be honest the temptation of reading the rest of the gang's blogs which are fun and well written.

Last night I just could not gear myself up to post. Saturday was tough, Dax has tweaked the diet and I found it incredibly hard to find anything I could eat between the hotel and the conference. I also had a really long day and only managed two workouts so was feeling fed up with myself as well.

I managed the morning workout and really improved my densities so I was delighted with that. And my inches are continuing to drip down. The record is on my daughter's laptop and I'm back at my PC so I cannot give the fine details but it is 7 and a half inches since the start of the programme. I am looking forward to a bit more coming off my bottom half but as we are exercising our whole bodies it is hardly surprising that my arms are losing it fastest - I used to exercise them the least.

Food was dull all day yesterday and today and I kept wishing I was home. Finally got back here and had a great supper of roast chicken and courgette. A real feast after the boring stuff I've eaten over the week-end.

Today's kind of the same story on workouts - I've lost the middle one but I'm home now. Ready access to great shops, Borough Market and our local Farmers Market so I can go back to enjoying eating what I'm allowed to eat and tomorrow Iget to workout at Dax's studio again which is always tough but fun.

Full breakdown of weight loss and inch loss for week 1 on the 30 lbs in 30 days programme tomorrow.

For more info check out Dax Moy's site at http://www.mylondonpersonaltrainer.com/

Day 5 - Swansea

This was one tough day. Up early and into the first workout. I was all over the shop. Some exercises improved my densities, others they went out of the window. Measurements not great - more off those old arms, not complaining but up on my waist. The bottom line was down a quarter of an inch (sniff) but actually that's 4 and 3/4 inches in 4 days of doing the 30 lbs in 30 days programme. I'm wondering whether its 30 inches in thirty days. I cannot begin to work out whether that is feasible or crazy.

The rest of the day - breakfast was easy, eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes with some grapefruit and seeds. Lunch was an awful tuna salad - the best I could manage at the conference canteen (no chance to get out to a decent supermarket). Lovely supper of grilled fish in an Italian restaurant in the marina so that cheered me up a lot.

Managed to tuck in workout 2 between the end of the conference day and supper and the third after I got home. One thing I am loving about this programme is that it is showing me that I can exercise away from home with no gym and no kit (2 glass water bottles refilled with tap water are standing in for weights) and without a huge expenditure of time.

I am also learning to pick and choose my way around a restaurant menu, there is always something that works.

So that's me for today and its not even 10.30 Hoorah and goodnight

Day 4

So this is it - my ration of late nights used up. I'm burning oil the right side of midnight but I'll keep this brief.

Great results this morning - no weight loss but another 1 and 3/4 inches. Grand total in 4 days 4 and 1/2! The most exciting thing is 1" of each upper arm. If this programme delivers serious banishment of my batwing arms I'll be thrilled to bits. I'm waiting for other parts of me to catch up but I'm sure they will.

I had my normal workout this morning with my personal trainer and my friend Janis (who is buddying me on the ED - what a great friend) so skipped the meltdown as she worked us pretty hard.

Then crazy stress packing and preparing for my conference here in Swansea (Wales). The thunderstorms promised for tomorrow have alreay arrived. Got here, tucked in the next work out. Couldn't count any of my reps so cannot even give realistic time achievements but hey ho who's counting.

Managed to feel like Sally in "When Harry met Sally" when I went down to the Brasserie for dinner - could I have the asparagus but not in tempura etc... etc.. I tricked myself into feeling better about drinking water by having fizzy water in a wine glass and plain water in the water glass. The waitress must have thought I had lost it.

Tomorow I'll have to go foraging in Swansea cos I bet the conference food will be awful. I've brought enough nuts and seeds to keep me away from sugary temptation but I will need to find some real food for my lunch.

Day 3 of Dax Moy's 30lbs in 30 days

and I'm still alive. The muscles were so sore this morning that even the warm up was agony. I am assured by Dax that this will pass. It had better, my kids are getting fed up with me asking them to pick stuff up of the floor for me. We had our first joint ED meal tonight which was great, tuna and cabbage and peas (freshly shelled by long suffering children) and I had lentils and they had roast potatoes.

I developed a vicious headache last night but managed to sleep and it cleared with the first workout today. There's a little remnant now but in all honesty I think that's more down to working late to meet a deadline.

I got another studio workout with Dax today. At one point three of us were groaning simultaneously and he was just laughing at our agony. I'm going to miss Friday's session which is a shame because he defintely drives me harder than I can drive myself.

One downside is my skin flaring up but I know that's just the detox kicking in. I just have to hang on for a couple of weeks for that to change.

Result though are good, and if this keeps up it should be a nice steady path. Another 1lb down and 1 and 1/2 inches. Hoorah

Just before bed - day 2 of Dax' 30 lbs in 30 days programme

So I feel much better about fitting the workouts and the food in today. Defintely not hungry and not missing any of my usual baddies. I had another challenge this evening when I went to a estaurant with 12 girlfriends, only one of whom already knew i was on the programme. there was a bit of "30 lbs in 30 days that cannot be good for you it much be like starvation". Doesn't feel like that from here. The muscles would love it if I stopped but I know they'll stop complaining soon and the sore head will pass too.

My measurements this morning showed a little progress which I think helped to motivate me today. They were:

177 and 1/2 lbs
Chest 37
Waist 35
Hips 41 and 3/4
Thighs: L 25 1/2 and R 26
Calves: both 16
Arms - both 13 and 3/4

Loss report - 1 and 1/2 lbs and a total of 1 and 1/4 inches. Looking forward to seeing that waist measurement change though

One day down and 29 to go

So I've got through day one. I even went to the pub and drank water - and only one person said "one glass of wine won't hurt". I'm trying to work out why I feel so committed to this, "because Dax chose me", and how to bottle that commitment and turn it into commitment for myself.

I am one of the lucky ones who made it to the studio to train with Dax today. Because I know Dax of old and because I had already done an hour of pilates and the whole mobility matrix video I decided to hold off on workout 1 til I got there. Well, it was punishing but I guess any workout Dax leads is going to be punishing. Unfortunately I cannot give you my stats for that one as I was too busy going deep pink to count reps. It also meant a real scramble to get the second two workouts in for the day after I got home and had my super healthy chicken with stir fried vegetables.

Work out number 2 was good fun - and the stats are:
Push ups 22
Squats 24
Spiderman 14 (right and left)
Russain twist 11 (right and left)
Shoulder press 23 - will need to get some weights for that one

and then the circuit assessment was 2:52

Next meal - fried eggs and a salad of avocado and tomatoes with some delicious strawberries from our garden.

And now I have to go to bed because its after Dax imposed lights out but if I don't blog today they'll be so much more tomorrow - Dax wants daily measurement updates! EEK

Before!

So here they are - the before photos!

And the measurements are:

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 179 lbs - amazing I've lost 2 lbs since signing up even though I've been indulging in a few of my favourite things before the official start tomorrow

Chest: 37 1/2"

Waist: 35" - that's a killer Dax. That's a boy's waist, my natural waist is higher and smaller. I'm trusting you that this will mean more dramatic inch loss

Hips: 42"

Thighs: L25 1/2" and R 26"

Calves: 16" and 16"

Arms: 14" and 14"

And yes I'm excited!

So this is it! I've been chosen by Dax Moy to join his Challenge - lose 30 lbs in 30 days. I am totally amazed at being chosen and feeling a mix of excitement, fear and excess of confidence, I really believe I can do this. But that's all you get from me tonight. The main challenge for tomorrow is the weigh-in, getting before photos uploaded and planning my shopping for Monday.