I have always been a chubby little kid growing up. I loved eating and hated exercising for long as I can remember. Most people would shed the childhood chubbiness once they got older, but that was not me. I continued to carry a few extra pounds throughout of my teenage and young adult years, and that is until I turned 40!
Fast forward to today. I am 47 years old, and I am more than a few pounds overweight. Besides my weight, my cholesterol and blood sugar levels are both elevated. I started to experience chest pains a few weeks ago and that really freaked me out. So, as I stood in the hot shower yesterday morning, contemplating whether if I should buy some new summer clothes to fit my ever-expanding body, I came to a decision that I need to change my lifestyle, not my wardrobe.
I am starting a 90-day challenge today to take back my health! The clock starts on May 11, 2020 and it will end on August 9, 2020.
What are my fitness goals?
Weight: lose 15 lbs
Body fat: Lose 5%
What are my measurements?
Day 1 – May 11, 2020
- Weight: 200 lbs
- Body Fat: 43%
- Neck: 15″
- Chest: 43.6″
- Waist: 39.5″
- Hips: 44.1″
- Left arm: 11.5″
- Right arm: 11.5″
- Left thigh: 28″
- Right thigh: 28″
- Left Calf: 17.2″
- Right Calf: 17.2″
I will monitor my weight and body fat daily and take my measurements every 30 days. I will do a 30-day stats update on June 11th, July 11th and Aug 9th.
What will I eat?
I don’t want to label what I eat as Keto, Whole 30, Paleo, Atkins etc., I just want to eat more healthy and clean meals. I am not going to deprive myself of dumplings, roast duck, pizza, sushi, pasta, cheese or ice cream, but I will practice moderation when I eat these calorie dense foods.
I will follow a 16:8 intermittent fasting eating schedule, and I will allow myself one “cure my cravings” meal every week. I will track my caloric intake along with macros every day.
I know that my body tends to add more muscles and shred more fat if I eat a moderate to low carbohydrate and higher protein diet. Therefore, my goal is to come as close to this macro split as possible:
How do I plan to work out?
I used to be great at working out 6 – 7 times a week, but I have been really struggling lately. I have good intentions each time I start, but I seem to throw in the towel after 3 days. During the next 90 days, I am going to give myself some flexibility. I will work out 5 – 6 times per week, and each workout will be 30 – 45 minutes.
I am not going to restrict myself to certain types of workouts. I can spin, walk, do Tae Bo, strength train, bike, dance, yoga or more. As long as I get my heart pumping for 30 – 45 minutes 5 – 6 times a week, then mission is accomplished.
How do I keep track?
I am going to document this journey on my blog EVERY DAY! Yes, I said it. I am going to blog EVERY DAY during the next 90 days to hold myself accountable and to track my progress.
I will also upload some photos of what I ate along with calorie and macros information throughout this journey.
What tools will I be using?
- Tanita BC-533 InnerScan Body Composition Monitor to track weight, body fat % and muscle mass
- MyFitnessPal to track food, calories and macros
- Fitbit Blaze to track workouts
Now that I have laid out all the goals and guidelines for this challenge, it is time to start! I will check back in tomorrow to let you know how I did on my first day.
Looking forward to following your journey, Amy! You got this! ❤️