Finding the Fit Girl Within

Skinny Jeans Experiment 2009

2009-11-08T17:22:00.001-08:00

These are new pants from a friend. They are size 13 (low-rise!), but still a little more snug on the legs than i would like, mostly due to the seaming and pocket details of the pants. I've only lost about a kilogram so far (in 3 weeks), but I'm trying not to let that get me down.

I Can't Believe I'm Posting This!

2009-11-03T01:42:00.000-08:00

This is my tracker for the Skinny Jeans Challenge. We are currently in the 2nd week of the challenge and my goal is to lose 5kgs by December 31st. So far...I have lost 0.5kgs. Not the loss I was hoping for in the first week, but it's better than the gain I was expecting with all the Mac and Oreos I have been allowing my stressed self to be "indulging" in.

Skinny Jeans Experiment 2009

2009-10-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

I was told about the Skinny Jeans Experiment over at Sweet Shoppe Designs (digital scrapbooking) by a friend from Tracy's CT. I signed up for it yesterday, and although I have not been offically added to the list and given the private forum link yet, I am starting today, as it is the 25th (im a day ahead in japan). As my final goals are not "due" until March, when I will go back home to Canada, it can't hurt to have a little extra motivation.

Although i've already had success in dropping about 2 pants sizes in the last 10 months, I still have a goal to be in a size 10 by March/April. I'll use these pictures as a starting reference point.

The Perfect Kit!

2009-10-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

This layout was created with a new kit that I am VERY excited about! I've been looking for the perfect feminine workout/fitness type kit for the past year and the brilliant minds of Tracy at Trixie Scraps Designs and Golden Girls Digital Designs released it on Friday! It's called Work It and it's available at ScrapMatters!

So You Think You Can Run?

2009-10-21T03:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I already know i'm a pretty poor runner. I did cross country team when I was in Jr. High school and used to run for fitness while I was training in Martial Arts. But tonight I decided to go for a run around my neighbourhood. When I came back, I mapped it out using Google Maps and it turned out to be around 3.8kms or 2.35 miles in total. I managed to run the first mile without stopping (which i will take as a huge victory!) and managed to walk only about half of what was left. Losing 50lbs really does help a person feel lighter and feel like they can do more with their body. I'm so happy with my run tonight, that I think i will do it again!

Oct 21 - 2.35miles/35mins (terrible time I know! But I'll work on it!)

Little Update

2009-10-20T00:48:00.000-07:00

68 kgs

Slow and Steady...

2009-10-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

Slowly i'm finding life returning to a managable pace. I also find myself sick with some kind of cold virus that has given me a fever and a nasty cough for the weekend! As for my weightloss, I have been around 68kgs for the last couple of weeks. That means only 10 more kgs to go to reach my goal! I should add that I also hope to do some toning and strength training, so I may find that number changing, depending on what my body will do with the extra muscle.

As I keep losing weight, im finding it hard to keep clothes that still fit! I bought new linen pants this spring, and they FALL off now!! I am hoping to make it through the winter, then start over in the Spring with a whole new wardrobe!!

Need a Kick in the Butt!

2009-09-06T03:03:00.000-07:00

I have not posted in a while, I know. But I have not really been doing so well on this journey recently. I've been really stressed with being away from home while there are some difficult health issues happening with my family. I find myself eating when i'm not hungry and worse, eating junk food! In the past few weeks i've had potato chips, Wendy's, soda, chicken nuggets and pizza!! My body feels it, but I feel stressed.

Because i'm aware of what is happening, i'm trying to counter some of it, by keeping my hands busy (knitting, handquilting, etc...) and changing my routine (like going back to having evening tea time like i used to enjoy as a uni student). Also, since the weather is getting cooler, I hope to find the energy to go for a walk/jog in the early evenings after work.

Starting Fresh

2009-08-24T16:49:00.000-07:00

Normally I would be starting my day with a cup of coffee (anyone who knows me knows I LOVE coffee!) and some sort of breakfast food (I'm not really a breakfast person, but i'm trying to change that!). But for today (and possibly tomorrow) I will be cleansing and fasting with a juice diet. After last week's diaster of "kid-friendly" camp foods (including deep-fried shrimp, potatoe patties, french fries and chicken), and foods with a lot of extra salt, my body came home bloated and unhappy! I had stomach aches after almost every meal and resorted to Pepsi to keep me going for the long 18 hour days.
This week, I am trying the Hollywood 48 hour Miracle Diet. I am not doing this because I think it will lead to permanent weight-loss, I know it won't. I don't really even care about what number I temporarily drop on the scales. I read some of the health benefits that include giving the body a break and "free time" to tackle some of the toxins that are built up in the body. After reading the symptoms of toxicity, I realize that I have many of them. I'm not sure if I can keep it up for the entire 48 hours, but I will certainly try. As a youth I often did the 30-Famine Fundraiser and didn't even allow myself juice, only water and tea. Of course, if I feel sick or something strange, I will most certainly eat something. I have fruit and soybeans ready in the fridge, just in case. I am interested to see if I will feel rejuvenated or just hungry, after this is finished on Thursday morning.

August Update

2009-08-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

73 kgs

July Weight Loss Update - 75.5kgs

2009-08-03T03:11:00.000-07:00

CT Appreciation Kit 2009

February & March Weight Loss Updates

2009-08-03T03:09:00.000-07:00

Kit from Danielle Corbitt

November 2008 - 85kgs

2009-08-03T03:07:00.000-07:00

Kit from Digiscrapalicious @ Faithsisters

Finding the Fit Girl Within...

2009-08-03T02:09:00.000-07:00

I know she's in there, I just need to awaken her and bring her out to the forefront of my life! I wanted to start this blog as a way to document my own personal fitness and weight loss journey, but also as a way to encourage and support other women who are on a similar path.

I started my journey when I was just 7 years old. I was begging my dad to buy me a cute little bikini bathing suit for the summer, but he said, "no, you're too fat to wear that". I didn't know I was fat at the time (and really I wasn't), but it was quite the shock to a child to hear that kind of comment from my father. I did the next logical thing - I decided to become "un-fat". My seven year old self recognized that fat people must be fat because they eat alot. So I decided I would mostly stop eating. I stopped eating breakfast, I threw my lunches away when I got to school, and I picked at my dinners. I lost weight and made my stomach shrink. About a year later, my family found out what I was doing and made me stop - by forcing me to eat meals. I gained a lot of weight and stayed overweight until I was about 13, when the cycle started again.

Finally in high school, I had gained some independence and started making friends and building confidence. I started working out at the local YMCA, and spending my free time playing beach soccer, rock climbing and dancing. I felt so good and healthy. I lost weight, gained muscle tone, and suprised several of my peers at our graduation pool party - because I actually looked good!

In university, stress got to me. I broke up with my first boyfriend, and was too depressed to go to the gym. Slowly, the weight came back. I started to date another guy, but things didn't get better, because all we did was eat together! We would bake cookies, and eat them. We would go out to restaurants and ice cream places or stay in with hot fudge sundaes and popcorn! I gained a massive amount of weight before breaking up 6 months later.

Luckily, when I arrived back in school that fall, I was ready for action. I wasn't going to wallow in self pity. I started working out at the gym 1 or 2 hours a day, and taking 3 martial arts classes a week. In a few months, my ex-boyfriend's father barely recognized me! I was looking good (and healthy!). This time, it lasted only a year. I started dating another young man, similar to my last boyfriend, in that, mostly our activities centered around food somehow, and I didn't have as much time to be in the gym. I kept up with karate, but even that had slowed down, because I had night classes to take at university and couldn't take the karate classes as often as I wanted. I gained again. And I kept on gaining for 3 more years until I reached about 200lbs, my heaviest yet.

About a year and a half ago (JANUARY 2008), I was released from a very stressful job. I was relying on McDonalds to get me through most evenings because I was either too tired or too frustrated to cook dinner for myself. When I left that position, I weighed 88kgs (193.6lbs) and I was really unhappy with the way I looked.

I wanted to change that. I started looking after what I was eating. I started cooking more from scratch and relying less on take-out and convenience foods. In the first month, just with a few very simple changes, I weighed about 85.5 (188.1lbs). I stayed there until Fall 2008, when I joined CURVES near my home. I didn't always go very often, but by MARCH 2009 I was down to 80.5 kgs (177.1 lbs). I worked out hard and really watched my diet for the next 4-6 weeks and got down to 77kgs (169.4 lbs) with the help of Sparkpeople.com.

As of AUGUST 2009, my current weight is 73kgs (160.6lbs)

I have a goal weight of 58kgs (127.6lbs) to be reached through exercise and watching what I eat. I have recently joined a new karate class 3 times a week and I enjoy yoga at home.

I know there are women out there who are like me, so I hope to connect with them and support and encourage each other to be healthy, fit women!