15 Pounds Lost in Less Than 3 Months!

Week 11: 15 Pounds Lost in Less Than 3 Months!

I started this experiment 11 weeks ago, but the purpose was not for weight loss. However, I hoped weight loss would be an added bonus. For the last few years, my weight has gradually crept up as my thyroid became unknowingly worse.

I would gain 5 pounds over a year, and it wouldn’t all come off with healthy eating and exercise. I’ve always done consistent exercise, although it was often 4 days per week instead of 6 after I retired from competitive ice dancing.

Now that I’m working out 6 days per week and eating a healthy gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free vegetarian diet, the weight feels like it’s been dropping off! I didn’t need to lose weight for health reasons as my weight was still very much in the healthy range, but I did want to get back to my dancer’s weight. At my dancer’s weight, I feel the most toned and myself.

Over the past few years, though, I’ve really made peace with myself. It’s been a blessing in disguise to deal with my thyroid and weight fluctuating because I really feel it’s not what weight you are but the healthy lifestyle you’re living that’s important.

I began to just focus on being healthy. I felt that regardless of what my body decided to do with my exercise and nutrition, it was better to just let it happen rather than stressing about it. So, as the outcome, I feel happy as long as I’m healthy. I do, however, believe we all have our own ideal weight that we feel our best at.

For my 6-month nutrition and fitness experiment, I haven’t been counting calories or keeping a food log. I just eat when I’m hungry, drink a lot of water, and try to get enough sleep. By exercising and eating healthily, my weight loss happened very naturally.

Read on below to find out how my week went.

Sunday, February 3rd:

I’m feeling better today and although my stomach is still recovering from my one-day stomach flu, it’s not completely back to normal. Today I rested most of the day and stayed in except to get my nails done with my mom and Chea. Getting our nails done when are all together is one of our favorite things to do!

In the evening, my dad, Tom, and I went for a lovely walk around our local park. It was great to get my circulation going and get some light exercise in.

Day 71 complete and starting to get better!

Monday, February 4th:

My parents went back to Colorado Springs this afternoon. It was so wonderful to have them visit! In the evening after work, Tom and I went for a great hour-long walk! I’m doing lighter exercise as my stomach is still a little funny and I don’t feel it would handle the jumping in TurboFire yet.

Day 72 complete. Walks are a lovely type of exercise!

Tuesday, February 5th:

Today I started my day of with a TurboFire Fire 45 EZ Class + 10 minutes full-body stretching on the Power Plate. It was great to get back to my TurboFire workouts! I’m also happy it was only 2 days that I had to replace TurboFire workouts with walks.

Day 73 complete and back to TurboFire workouts!

Wednesday, February 6th:

This is week 8 of TurboFire, and the workouts are shorter and a little easier than the normal weeks. Today the workout was a Core 20 Class and Stretch 40 Class. I typically replace the Stretch 40 Class with a walk. Today I did the walk and am doing the Core 20 Class tomorrow. I work until 8:15pm on Wednesdays, and I like to do my workout in my morning break. If I don’t fit it in, then I tend to combine the workouts and do extra on Thursday. My stomach is feeling back to normal!

Day 74 complete and back to normal!

Thursday, February 7th:

Today I did my TurboFire workouts which were Core 20 Class + Fire 30 Class + Foam Rolling + 10 minutes of full-body stretching on the Power Plate.

Day 75 complete. I did my double workouts for recovery week!

Friday, February 8th:

I made today my rest day for workouts instead of Saturday this week. On Saturday, I have a break where I can go to the Kroc gym. I’m feeling great and healthy!

Day 76 complete and rest day for workouts!

Saturday, February 9th:

I worked my normal schedule and then went to the Kroc gym where I did my physical therapy workout. I always enjoy this workout as it puts my body in good alignment, and my full body feels worked as well as lengthened afterwards!

Day 77 complete. It’s the weekend!

I’m happy to tell you I’ve lost 15 pounds since my first week of this experiment! It’s been less than 3 months, and for me to lose 15 pounds so quickly is awesome! I’m back to my dancer’s weight and body! I feel great … for me this is my ideal body weight!

The sugar-free part is really what made the difference for me as well as being consistent. I’ve lost some weight with just gluten-free or dairy-free in the past but it was usually only a few pounds.  I’m very pleased to have achieved my ideal weight while I’m the first half of the experiment because now my body can work on maintaining my ideal weight.

I’m also the happiest about the fact that my photos show my muscle definition way more than before! Even when I was at my dancer’s weight in the past, my back didn’t look that muscular. Now, I can see much more definition, and the chiseled looks are becoming more a part of my body. I also feel stronger than in the past!!! I can’t wait to see what else happens from this experiment!

Yay! I’ve completed my 11th week out of 26 weeks!

Note: Even though I always had a slim figure, I’ve felt pressure to stay thin for ice dancing. I always stayed thin in a healthy way while competing and didn’t develop any eating disorders. But it’s nice now to work on maintaining my ideal weight for me versus for a sport. For more information about females and body image, see my mom’s posts at Raising Figure Skaters: Help Our Daughters Have Healthy Body Images and Help Our Daughters Have Healthy Body Images: The Saga Continues.

Note: The photo at the top of this post was taken when Tom and I took a Valentine’s Day trip to L.A.! We visited Rodeo Drive, and Tom took the photo of me there! 🙂

Be sure to check out my original 6-Month Nutrition and Fitness Experiment post for a list of all my posts and recipes!