The Ups and Downs of Fitness

4

February 2, 2014 by CJ

I went into the first month of my 30 Day Challenges  not expecting much.  I just wanted to jump-start my exercise plans.  Get myself use to working out three days a week, was my goal and I can easily say goal accomplished!  I completed the first 30 day challenge and discovered that I absolutely adore the Firm Express workout.  I completed the first month without using weights.  My plan, as I enter month two, is to do the same workouts but with weights.  I have 3, 5, and 8 lb weights.  May seem light to you, but with the moves that I need to do in these workouts, it’s a perfect starter set for me.

As I said earlier, I just wanted to jumpstart my workout routine.  I wanted to get myself use to working out on a regular basis.  I didn’t plan on losing an inch or even a pound.  Honestly, I didn’t think it was possible without making major changes to my diet and working out a minimum of 5 days a week.  Then, Saturday morning, February 1st, I re-measured myself (first measurement was January 1st) and hopped on that dreaded scale.

Before I began measuring, I pulled out my notes from January to compare.  Starting from top to bottom I measured my neck, chest, biceps, waist, hips, thighs and calves.  Halfway through the measuring process I found myself stopping and checking the numbers all over again.  All but two places on my body lost a minimum of a quarter-inch!!  My bicep and hips went up a half-inch each (could be from poor measurements last month, who knows).  After all the measurements I did the math and dropped 1.25 inches!  Then I jumped on that stupid scale.

 

 I gained .80 lb.  😦  One minute I’m jumping for joy and the next, I’m feeling down in the dumps.  Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t expecting anything, and I do completely understand muscle weighs more than fat and that could be a reason for the weight gain.  But DANG!!!  That is why I hate the stupid scale.

Now that we are into February, I’m pumped up and excited for this month’s challenge.  No meat!  Well, I am eating fish, but that’s it.  I told my family that they can eat whatever they want, but I will not be buying the usual ground turkey and chicken that have been staples in our diet.  They are free to pick up what they want from the store and cook whatever they may desire.  I will be preparing dinner for the family, meat-less dinners.  My goal this month is to find a few recipes that my family loves.  I hope to be able to add a meat free day and a seafood day into our dinner rotations.  I’m very excited for this challenge.