My 12 Week Fitness Challenge Final Results

I just completed my first 12 week fitness challenge. This is the first time that I used an online nutrition planner which was really awesome! It allowed me to see if I reached my daily goal for all of my nutrients. It also allowed me to see which foods that I normally eat are really good or bad for me. It is still amazing to me that due to my current height, weight, age and activity level that I need to consume between 2000 to 2200 calories / day just to lose weight! There are so many people that aren’t even eating enough calories let alone eating the right things.

I want to share the most important thing that I learned during this time. Our bodies are very similar to our relationships with our spouses and our children. We need to find their love language to communicate effectively with them. We also need to find our love language for our bodies. I’ve been tweaking my diet and fitness plans for years and still learning new things about MY body. It takes time to learn to work with our hubbies and kids and that changes over time just like our bodies change over time. What you did 3 years ago might not work for your body today.

I see fitness as a journey to learn my body even though I may not get the right answers for some time but each and every physical body is so different. I can’t base my success or my journey on everyone else’s flat belly results. What I can do is go that extra mile, like try the elimination diet to see which foods have the most negative effect on my body.  You have to figure out YOUR body’s love language to be most effective in your weight loss efforts.

I have also embraced that the scale doesn’t tell the whole story. I’ve lost so many inches and gone down 2 dress sizes but I tend to gain muscle really fast. This muscle gain really shows on the scale. I have seen great results but this is just the beginning. I can’t wait to see my flat belly results by the end of this year since I have found the best fitness plan for this target area.

I have had the busiest year of my life but yet have found the most amount of energy due to focusing on my fitness and health goals. It’s been fun to watch my kids exercise with me and ask me why I’m doing so many exercises.  This is instilling a great value in their lives just as we give them other moral values. Ok on to my initial and final stats!

3-Jan-09			27-Mar-09
AGE:	35		AGE:	35
HEIGHT:	5′10″		HEIGHT:	5′10″
WEIGHT:	188 lbs		WEIGHT:	186 lbs	-2
SIZE:	14		SIZE:	10	-2
Belly:	36 in		Belly:	32	-4
HIPS:	41 in		HIPS:	39	-2
BUST:	38 in		BUST:	36	-2
ARMS:	12 in each		ARMS:	11 in each	-2
THIGHS:	23 in each		THIGHS:	22 in each	-2

Total Loss -2 lbs -12 inches!

These were my goals back in January:

My Goals: To get rid of my belly fat (YUCK!). I used to have a perfect flat belly before kids and I want it back. My arms and thighs used to be very toned (even with kids) so I want my toned, chiseled arms and thighs back. It’s hard to say what that weight loss goal is but I will keep at it until I reach my flat belly and toned arms and thighs. I see the most progress (2 months on my own and 1 month with FYM) on my back and the back of my thighs. I used to have 3 rolls of fat on my back and a lot more cellulite on my thighs. I don’t know what I’m doing to get the most progress in those areas but I want some progress in my BELLY!!! LOL

I initially started my weight loss journey in March 2008 and I started out at 200 lbs. As you can see, I started to lose the most amount of weight in the beginning and the most amount of inches during my fitness challenge. The loss of 2 lbs in 12 weeks was actually a fluctuation throughout the entire time.

I had a hard time consistently intaking the high amount of calories that I needed on a daily basis. I am more encouraged that I actually met my goals which wasn’t based on the scale. I lost 4 inches in my belly! WOOHOO! This is an incredible start to an even greater journey. My arm definition is coming back, my thighs have slimmed down and are in now in a position to develop muscle definition again.  I plan to take a 2 week break (my body does better with weight loss after breaks) and jump right back into another 12 week challenge!

I also have to add that I have seen more results with my belly fat in 3 months with Quick Mom Workouts than my 3 years with Curves! These results also stem from working out less time with only 15 minutes a day for 6 days/week! Here are the key factors that I believe are the reasons:

1. Change of my workout every 4 weeks
2. Online Nutrition Planner with FYM
3. Club FYM support forum
4. Interval Training
5. Eating every 3-4 hours

Go for your weight loss goals and I’ll report back the awesome results from my next fitness challenge!

Naomi Trower AKA
FatLossMama

Pomegranate Green Tea…YUM!

I have an online health store and there is a new product of iced green teas with several different flavors. My mouth fell to the ground when I saw that the Pomegranate Green Tea flavor has zero calories and zero sugar! WOW! I hate drinking my calories so this is a must try new drink for me.

I plan to order a box of 12 for $24 and I’m willing to mail out a bottle (free of charge) for those of you that would like to try a bottle as well. I know that when I see zero calories and zero sugar, I’m thinking to myself.. it has to taste disgusting…Well we can find out together. Just comment below and I’ll send you a separate email to get your address to mail off your bottle.

I am only going to buy the Pomegranate Green Tea flavor for now and then I will buy another flavor and offer the same deal here at www.fatlossbyeatingwhatuwant.com.  Here is more of a description and nutritional information.

We have combined the sweet, tart, bold flavor of Pomegranate with green tea. Irresistible, cool refreshing drink. Both great antioxidants, Pomegranate Green Tea is a refreshing choice anytime of the year. Try it as a morning pick-me-up or after a power workout..Tastes great and is good for you. That is a powerful combination. Choose regular Iced Green Tea, Iced Peach Green Tea and Ice Green Tea with Lemonade.  Be sure to comment the other flavors that you would like to try as well!

Nutritional Information

Naomi Trower AKA
FatLossMama

3 Fat Loss Motivation Boosters

WOOHOO! I’m in my 12th week of my fitness challenge! I need some motivation to finish out this week with a BANG! I decided to post what some of my friends are doing to motivate them in these final days. I will also share some motivation boosters that will get you started with your fitness plan.

“I am going to eat clean this week: no sugar or anything that comes out of a box, can ,or jar”

“I will just eat fruits ,veggies and protein”

“I am going to add an extra interval workout”

“I will drink more water this week”

“I am going to get plenty of sleep”

“I will have some me time”

“I am going to finish strong and positive about what I have accomplished”

These are all awesome and I’m also incorporating some of these as well this week as my fitness challenge comes to a close. Ohh I’m dreading my after pictures. I know there will be results but I’m the type of person that wants to see DRASTIC results right away. In my heart I know this is a process.  I can’t expect everything to change in 12 weeks for what took 8 years to build over time after the birth of my 2 children. Here are some other great motivators for you to get your bottom in gear.

Pictures – Find a current picture of yourself and then find an old picture of you at your ideal weight. Place both pictures on your mirror for you to look at every morning and DON’T GET DEPRESSED! Get motivated and work towards your goal.

Set Your Goal – this is where the mindset of Napoleon Hill comes into play with his

6 Ways to Turn Your Desires Into Gold

1. Fix in your mind the exact weight goal that you desire and write it down
2. Determine what you expect to give as a service as result of receiving your desire
3. Specify exact date to accomplish your weight goal that you desire
4. Create definite plan for carrying out your desire
5. Write a clear concise statement that includes the details of steps 1-4.
6. Read written statement 2X daily (morning and night)
See and feel yourself in possession of your goal

Support Group – one of the best ways to stay motivated is to have a few friends join with you. I currently have 3 local friends that are in the fitness challenge with me. I see them 3-4 times a week and it has been great to hold each other accountable and encourage each other along the way. That’s also one of the most positive aspects of Holly Rigsby’s fitness plan is her Club FYM support group. I can ask my fitness questions and concerns and get a response very quickly.

Use this tips to get you motivated to take action for your life and health today!

Naomi Trower AKA
FatLossMama

What Is Interval Training Anyway?

I have just started to integrate interval training into my fitness plan although I have been an athlete all of my life. My current fitness coach, Holly Rigsby, has really shown me the benefits of short burst resistance training combined with interval training. I have already seen amazing results in a short amount of time.

True Intervals are simply brief, high intensity periods of exercise (where you work out as intensely as you can for your fitness level) alternated with active recovery periods, where you slow down just long enough to catch your breath. Typically this takes place in no more than 10-15 minutes.

I just finished an interval training set which consisted of:

2 minutes of warmup – moving side to side
1 minute of jumping squats at a high intensity
1 minute if recovery movement – moving side to side
1 minute of high knees (running in place but make sure my knees hit my palms at waist level)
1 minute of recovery movement – moving side to side
1 minute of jump rope at a high intensity

Repeat this 1 minute set again, cool down for 3 minutes for a total of a 15 minute workout. It’s also great to change your interval workouts so your body doesn’t plateau. This type of intensity is known for jump starting your metabolism. Here are a few interval training exercises that I alternate with on a daily basis:

Interval Training Options

Jumping Jacks
Jumping Squats
Jump Rope
Sprints – need to go outside for this one
Mountain Climbers
High Knees
Bottom Kickers – running in place but your feet kick your bottom

Even if you don’t have 15 minutes, there is a 4 minute interval that will bring you results due to the intensity called Tabatas. Here is a video of my fitness coach, showing you how to properly get results:

- You will alternate between 20 secs of work and 10 secs of rest
- You will perform this 30 sec interval 8x for 4 total minutes

Holly chose to alternate between DB swings and Mountain Climbers…working at an intensity that matches her fitness level.

Naomi Trower AKA
FatLossMama
QuickMomWorkouts
Club FYM

5 Tips to Boost Your Energy

I have been amazed at the amount of energy that I’ve had for the past several months. I know that part of it is due to the 12 week fitness challenge that I’m involved in at the moment. Exercise is really a huge component for your energy source. Most people think, “Exercise will make me tired!”

The exact opposite is true, however, because lack of energy has a lot to do with a sluggish, inactive system. Here are the top energy deflaters and my tips include finding resolutions to these problems:

Lack of Sleep
Inconsistent Eating Times
Food Sensitivies
Lack of Water
Toxic Relationships

1. Get more sleep – it’s amazing how many studies show that lack of sleep is a top reason for lack of energy and weight loss.

2. Eat every 3 hours – your body needs fuel and goes into starvation mode (stores more fat) when you don’t eat at consistent intervals.

3. Natural Detox – we eat so many processed foods that it’s hard to tell which foods actually have an adverse effect on our body. See this article for more info on natural detox.

4. Drink More Water – this helps to flush out the toxins in our bodies.

5. Avoid Toxic Relationships – this can be so emotionally draining so make every effort to surround yourself with positive people.

There are so many more that could be added to this list but these are the top 5 that are helping me the most at the moment. Let me know what is your most effective energy booster strategy..

Naomi Trower AKA
FatLossMama

Natural Detox – The Elimination Diet

Wow, I’m currently reading this Elimination Diet article by Dax Moy and it is not for the faint of heart! You have to be seriously disciplined to take part in this, however it is very inexpensive compared to a lot of cleansing and detox products on the market today.

I have recently heard of Isagenix and almost fell out of my chair when I saw the product cost. I think I can handle the less expensive route. The Elimination Diet is very similar to what we do as moms when we introduce our young infants to new foods. We try 1 certain food for 3-4 days to see if there is a negative reaction. Then we continually add 1 new food to find out if our babies have an allergic reaction.

The Elimination Diet is done in the reverse order. We give up certain foods for 30 days and then gradually one by one introduce them back into our diet to ascertain which foods have the most negative effects on our bodies.

The Elimination Diet takes a lot of planning as well. It requires getting rid of certain foods from your refrigerator and pantry. Then it requires stocking your kitchen with items that are part of the detox process. There are certain things that my kids will have to have so that just means that I have to be more disciplined.

Here is The Banned List for 30 days:

Alcohol – your body has to work really hard to get rid of this toxin.
**My thoughts – this is an easy one for me. I’m not a big alcoholic drinker anyway.

Caffeine – wears out the body’s energy producing glands and your body cries out for sugary foods.
**My thoughts – this is easy for me too. I don’t drink tea, coffee, or sodas but there are others that are HARD!

Dairy – (only eggs, butter and live yogurt are allowed) – due to being very heavily processed and pasteurized. These processes kill all of the enzymes needed to properly digest them so your body has to work overtime to digest dairy.
**My thoughts – this isn’t too hard for me. I don’t drink a lot of milk but I love cereal. It’s not hard for me to cut it out though.

Red Meat – (unless it’s organic) due to the high levels of hormones to fatten them quickly.
**My thoughts – my favorite meats are salmon, tuna and tilapia so this one isn’t hard for me.

Sugar – incuding white, brown, beet, molasses, honey, fructose, maltose, dextrose, corn sugar.
**My thoughts – Wow sugar is in everything! This one will be really hard. I tend to be a salty lover but ice cream is one of my biggest weaknesses.

Wheat & Gluten – wheat is not “bad” but it is often indigestible and includes wheat bread, cakes, pies, biscuits and some soups and sauces have gluten added as thickeners.
**My thoughts – this one will be really hard for me as this is in many food products and I love bread!

Processed Food – nothing pre-cooked, pre-baked or packaged in any way for ‘long life’.
**My thoughts – this one can be challenging as I like quite a few pre-cooked meals from Costco.

Geez, what is there left to eat, you ask? Here is a starting list:

Dairy	Meat	Vegetables	Fruit	Fish
Eggs	Beef	Asparagus	Orange	Haddock
Raw Butter	Chicken	Broccoli	Grapefruit	Mackerel
Live Yogurt	Turkey	Cauliflower	Banana	Salmon
	Lamb	Cabbage	Pear	Tuna
	Bison	Green Beans	Kiwi
	Venison	Mushrooms	Strawberries
	Duck	Celery	Plums
		Carrots	Blueberries
		Corn on Cob	Rasperries
		Sweet Potatoes	Cherries
		Tomatoes	Apple
		Spinach	Lemon
		Lettuce	Lime
		Brussel Sprouts	Avocado
		Peppers	Blackberries
	Dairy Sub	Grains	Nuts & Seeds
	Rice Milk	Brown Rice	Walnut
	Almond Milk	Millet	Pumpkin
	Rice Milk	Quinoa	Sesame
		Buckwheat	Sunflower
		Teff	Hazelnut

Final Tips:

Drink at least 1 liter of water for every 50 lbs of bodyweight.
This helps to flush out the toxins. Add natural sea salt to
prevent many bathroom trips.
Eat Protein at every meal
Eat every 3 hours
No microwave ovens during the 30 days as they change
the composition of foods that you eat.

Days 1 & 2 Empty your cupboards and fridge as well as stock up on needed items.

Days 3 – 30 Don’t eat anything from the banned list. All or nothing no cheats!

Days 30 plus – introduce 1 food at a time back into your diet for 3 days and if you notice anything negative like bloating, cramps, gas, diarrhea, headaches or weight increase, then you should remove it from your diet completely.

Naomi Trower AKA
FatLossMama