Workout Motivation: Fitness Progress Video Footage

I decided to video my fitness progress instead of snapping pics this time…

I figured it was better for documenting where I’m at and evaluating what I need to work on most. I like this method! You should try it, too. But too bad my hair is a hot mess. That’s what happens when I kick my own ass in a training session. Check out the progress footage:

My thoughts? Definitely gotta take it to next level on arm and leg development. Go on and film your own progress for a little self-evaluation!

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Before and After Weight Loss: My Latest Progress Pictures!

New progress pictures for ya! My weight loss and body transformation is on a roll, baby. I’ve got HUGE smiles over here. These pics are better than I could have hoped for. I’m much leaner than I was a few months ago. I made some tweaks my diet by identifying opportunities to eat cleaner, and reduced my greedy indulgences to once per week and celebratory occasions only.

My weight right now is 153 pounds on the dot. Several months ago I made a commitment to strength training on a consistent basis. It’s definitely accelerated my weight loss and is ushering me into the lean body shape I want. Now it’s time to go clothes shopping gain. At the moment I look like a hobo on liquid crack in my outfits. I need some smaller clothes.

My stomach area has the signature loose-skin-and-stretch-marks look that comes from getting knocked up multiple times and birthing 4 gremlin-children. Whatevs. So getting back to those greedy indulgences… I accomplished this latest round of progress while taking Thanksgiving and Christmas head on. I enjoyed 7 larges slices of sweet potato pie on Thanksgiving weekend. And around Christmastime? There was a carb-fest featuring warm bread(s) with melted buttery goodness, a plate of fried food, a host of tasty chocolates, and that special tenderhearted moment when I inhaled of 6 slices of cake in one sitting. You know I had to gnaw on some cake. I disclose this greediness to you to show that even a few incidents of overeating can’t stop you from losing weight when clean eating and diligence with your fitness is your primary focus.

And will ya look at that. My back fat is gone! Finally. In the months to come, my goal is to continue getting lean in my lower abdominal area and focus on building more muscle. So whatcha think of my progress? Not too shabby for a 40-year-old bitty with 4 kids, right?

If you’re not taking progress pictures, start right away. It can honestly be a little bit uncomfortable or even downright discouraging to snap those “before” pics, but you’ll be glad you have ‘em once you start whittling down the weight and can look back on progress pics to see how far you’ve come.

Upcoming in my next post: It’s a new workout targeting the core, so watch out for it get ready to rock those abs. BOOM!

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Here’s My January 2012 Progress Picture. Have You Snapped Yours Yet?

It’s time for some photographic accountability! Last month I encouraged YOU to rely more on periodic photo-taking to gauge your fitness progress instead of the numbers on the scale. I previously scheduled myself for a January 2012 progress pic, so here it is! My next picture is scheduled for April 2012. How about you?

Personal Observations On My Progress Pic

1) The more weight I lose in my mid-section, the looser and wrinkly my stomach skin gets (can anyone else relate?). I can literally grab a small handful of skin on the lowest part of my belly. It’s not tight. And thanks to 4 pregnancies, my stomach skin also hangs a bit when I do planks and push-ups. In light of Hannah’s tummy tuck journey, I’m keeping that open as a future possibility for myself as well. I don’t need a tummy tuck to make myself feel beautiful and confident (because I already do) — I just consider the tummy tuck an optional aesthetic enhancement. It’s kind of like plucking that reoccurring woman-whisker outta my chin — that’s a bit of optional enhancement I believe in.

2) I’ve successfully kept the bod tight since the last progress picture in October 2011. This is solid proof that you can enjoy some greediness in your life and still stay on track. Because my ass was surely greedy all month long in December. Holla!

3) Diets in Review just published an article about me: True Weight Loss Story: Mother of 4 Not Too Busy to Lose 30 Pounds. Check it out and learn more about my weight loss journey from the beginning, including my transition into clean eating.

So remember this: Pictures don’t lie. Get on the progress picture bandwagon and make your next “before & after” picture comparison ROCK! There’s just something about knowing you have an upcoming picture that makes you get up off your booty cheeks and work hard. Stay accountable and don’t you dare make excuses.

XOXO,

Josie

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Before and After Photo Evidence: Scheduling Progress Pictures is a Powerful Fitness Tool

Interesting, huh? I’m in better shape now as a mom of 4 kids than I was back then with only 3 kids. I’m looking forward to my next scheduled progress picture in January 2012.

Measuring my progress on the scale has been barely useful. I’m gaining muscle, so the damn scale is moving downward like molasses even though I’m rapidly getting leaner. Pictures, on the other hand, pretty much tell the complete story. My plan in the New Year is to snap a picture of myself every 3 months to gauge my progress.

Taking periodic photos has been more encouraging and inspiring and “I’m gonna get up today and kick my own ass” motivating than any weight loss proof I might see on the scale. The idea of knowing I have an upcoming progress photo also proves helpful at keeping excess foodstuffs out of my food trap and motivates me to keep pushing hardcore through my workouts.

…because who wants a crappy progress picture, right? The camera will back up and prove all your hard work (or lack thereof).

If you’re serious about doing things right in 2012, pull out those big ballz of yours and commit to relying less on the scale and leaning more on periodic progress pictures to stay accountable and show the world (or just yourself) that you’re no fitness slug.

Now excuse me. I be needing a glass of wine, dammit.

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My Progress Pic: This Is What I look Like Today!

I forced Health-hater Husband to snap this pic at 6am this morn. He was grumpy as hell.

So this is what I look like right now. Whatcha think? Not too shabby for a woman who birthed four child-spawns? I actually desire to get knocked up again, but husband said “hell no”. Eh, he’s right. I could potentially become a first time grandmom in 8-12 years anyway (because Greedy Kid #1 is already 18-years-old).

Besides my early morning rat’s nest hair-do, darkness under the eyeball and ashy knees (can I borrow some lotion, please?), I’m pretty happy with the way I look. Well, I’m downplaying it actually. I am FREAKING STOKED!!!

I haven’t gone for a run or lifted weights in a long while. I accomplished my current fitness state through bodyweight exercises, plyometrics, Shakeology, plenty of water, and a clean diet, while still enjoying the occasional weekly splurge on something like pizza, cake, pancakes, etc. EXCEPT for stuff like white flour pasta, a bunch of sugary-sh!t, and soda. I don’t eat that crap. I keep packaged foods & restaurant foods to an extreme minimum.

I still have some fatty parts showing around my stomachs areas, but mostly in my thighs. The thighs is a genetics thing for me. My next round of fitness bad-ass-ness will have a big focus on weight training with compound movements. The mission at this point is to continue to get lean while focusing on muscle development in my legs. That way, when the rest of the thigh-fat melts, my leg muscles will be swaggin’ like ka-POW! 

Ya feelin’ me?

You guys, continue to work hard and stay consistent with your workouts. I never thought I’d get to a point where I be happy with my body, especially after looking like this before I got started with my fitness journey. As you may have heard me mention, I’m working on videoing my personal workouts. That’ll be rolling out soon and I’m excited to be sharing it with you. Watch for it so we can workout together!

Now getting back to YOU. It is possible. You can do it. You just have to want it really bad. Let that desire fuel you and push you and take you to where you want to be. There will be days when you feel like it’s not working; like your hard work isn’t making a difference; like you should just quit instead and (try) to live happily ever after where you’re at right now.

But ohhh, you keep at it. You just wait and see. I dare you to keep…kicking…ass.

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Finish It Monday: Prune Away The Unfruitful Things For More Growth And Progress

prune

1. trim or weed out unwanted or unnecessary things

2. cut off or cut out for the purpose of improving growth

3. do away with, terminate or eliminate

You gotta prune away the things that don’t matter; the things that waste time and get in the way of you achieving your goals. Those time wasting activities and bad habits. The things that don’t contribute to your growth, but instead, hold you back, keep you down and prevent you from getting what you want; the things ‘n stuff that distract and prevent you from making consistent, goal oriented moves.

Don’t cleave to the unfruitful things in your life. It’s holding you back. So get rid of it.

Josie’s “to prune away” List

Up late, past 11:30pm. Because it causes me to have a sub-par, next day workout.Wasting way too much time on celebrity gossip websites (yeah, I do that). It’s a distraction. My time could be better spent.B!tching and whining about stuff completely out of my control (like dealing with incompetent people and situations that “aren’t fair”). It’s a waste of time to keep complaining; a distraction that drains my positive spirit and makes me to lose focus.

Now it’s your turn.

But don’t just write a list and forget about it. Make like a gardener and start pruning away the “dead” things in your life right now.

To all of my Finish What You Started Challengers: You earn one bonus star for every dead ‘n idle activity you successfully keep pruned all week long. Stay in it, guys! This Challenge is NOT over yet. You’ve got things to accomplish. If you’ve allowed your challenge goals to fall by the wayside, jump back in right now. Re-starts, do-overs and picking up where you left off is totally encourage. But quitting is NEVER allowed.

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