Sunday, March 13, 2011

Weight loss vs. Getting Fit

Pop quiz for you…which Kristen weighted less:

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2008 - May 2011- March

so what did you guess.. 2008 or 2011?  The answer is later in this post! ( I have to keep you interested!)

In 2008 I lost about 50 pounds from Jan-June.  I stopped eating junk, and a lot of carbs and about 5 times a week a walked on my t’mill.  I would jog a bit but it was mostly speed walking.  I didn’t do anything to increase my strength.  I simply lost weight.

In 2010-2011 I changed everything.  No processed foods, more fruits and veggies, more active.  my workouts are interval training, high intensity!  its cardio, its strength training and more!  I have gained so much strength – this week I did 45 pushups from the toes..I couldn’t even do that in high school.  Last weekend I ran 3 miles in 33 minutes and honestly I have had worse workouts (burpee ladder 20-1).  56 pounds and from a size 20-12 on average.

So do you want the answer to the quiz?  Guess what I weight about the same within about 3 pounds of each other..Seriously. 

I feel the difference is in 2008 I loss weight and in 2010-2011 I am getting fit and healthy.  If I ate like I did in 2008 I would drop more on the scale but its so easy to gain back that way.  I need to keep doing it the right way.

Lets look at those photos again:

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Then Now

So to sum it up…if you are feeling great, losing weigh/inches and succeed on physical achievements then enjoy it.  Don’t let a metal object with number that sits on a cold bath room floor define your level of success.  Step back and look at the whole photo.

*As a side note, I am sorry the mirror was not cleaned before photos were taken but emma loves to give the mirror baby kisses.  And dang it the rest of the house was clean..it’s a give and take in my life!

6 comments:

Fru said...

Thank you so much for this post! I've been fighting what the scale says even though I KNOW I'm smaller than I was this time last year! You rock!

Ellie said...

Wow, thats really interesting that you weighed almost the same because you look as if you lost at least 15lbs.

Thank you for the post, really helps illustrate the whole "muscle weighs more then fat" thing.

Anonymous said...

This is a great post. I need to add some strength training b/c I know it will helpe become more fit. To me it is about being fit, not just a weight number. Your pictures say it all.

Kelly said...

That is incredible. You know, sculpting/strength training is so important. You look about 20 lbs. less in the 2nd picture.

Manderz said...

I would never had guessed there was only a 3lb difference in those photos!! I wish I took my measurements when I started my WLJ. Lately people have been asking me if I've lost more weight (which I havent). Must be losing inches !

Biz said...

I wish more people had your attitude - our WW meeting this past week was about having non-scale victories - like managing diabetes, running a mile straight without stopping, and not worrying what the scale says at one point in time. Great job!