Journey from 189 to 152. Cardio and lifting. PICS!

hannah_ryann

Hey, yall. I've been so inspired by the success stories on here I thought I'd go ahead and share my own success story in the making. I'll start off by saying i'm 12 pounds from goal weight but at this point, the number on the scale is only one tool I use to gauge my progress with getting fit. I started my journey at 189.5 pounds on January 14th and dropped 25 pounds throughout the course of 4 months without doing much cardio. I flirted with running but wasn't doing it on a consistent basis. I took a 2 month break from everything and got back up to 170 pounds. Then I decided to get serious about running and started training for my first ever 5k race in October. I dropped down from 170 to about 158 with a routine based heavily on running 10-12 miles per week and eating at a deficit. About two weeks before my 5k, I started incorporating weight training and shifted from cardio to lifting. I've only lost about 5 pounds between the end of September and now but lifting has transformed my body in ways that cardio never could.

The following pics show my progress from the very beginning of my journey until now.

Stats:
Age: 23
Height: 5'3
SW: 189.5
CW: 152.6
GW: 140

April 2012 (no idea how much I weighed. Didn't step on a scale)


October 2012 (again, no idea how much I weighed. could be as high as 200)


January 2013 (189 pounds)



July 2013 (170 pounds)


July 2013 (165 pounds)


August 2013 (163 pounds)


September 9 (160 pounds)


September 20 (157 pounds)


The above progress pictures are a result of eating at a deficit and running. Following pics reflect my shift to lifting

October 9 (155 pounds)


October 24 (156 pounds)


November 1 (157 pounds)


November 6 (154 pounds)


November 9- progress since August (152 pounds)


November 21 (155.6 pounds)


November 21 progress on arms (155.6 pounds)


Hope my journey can shed some light on what lifting can do for body composition. Cardio has its place in fitness but I'm a firm believer that lifting can give results that cardio can't touch. Hopefully I'll be posting my goal weight success story before too long.

BJC78

Love love love this!!! Great job ????????????

adioschubs

You look awesome!

Searching44

:happy: Amazing!!!!:bigsmile:

Great job!:drinker:

togmo

Great job. It feels great to know you have worked hard and even greater to notice the changes.

I too am doing something similar, largely burning calories with cardio and changing my body composition and appearnce by lifting. I should be taking more pics though, I don't see the changes as easily in a mirror because they are slow to happen.

Keep up the great work!

retirehappy

Wow that back picture is textbook material. You are rocking it.

hannah_ryann

Thanks, yall! I'm so glad I've taken pictures along the way because the changes aren't always reflected in the scale number.

Butttttt speaking of the scale, I'm down to 152.4 today which is my lowest weight in my adult life lol

dawnmcneil10

I love seeing your progress, you show exactly what cardio and strength training can do. Great job! As someone else said above, the back picture really has the most impact. Keep rocking it and congrats on hitting your lowest weight so far.

mrsamanda86

Great success! The difference is amazing, you look awesome

MityMax96

Great job, you look awesome!!

Keep it going.

The pics are great to have, because you can look back and see where you were at, and where you currently are.....cause looking in the mirror all the time, you don't notice those changes.

lknjohnson

Way to go!! You look Great!!

Sphyk1

Very nicely done!

burninup

This is SO motivational!! Congrats!!!

WillLift4Tats

Wow, your progress is amazing! Are you following a specific lifting plan? I just recently order New Rules through Amazon and I'm excited to receive it and get started

jdaley90

LOVE LOVE LOVE! great job!!!!! keep it up!

hlandry6

You look amazing. I don't think you even look close to weighing 152. Keep up the great work!

Phoenix_Warrior

You look great! Lifting is my exercise of choice, too Keep up the awesome work!

hannah_ryann

Wow, your progress is amazing! Are you following a specific lifting plan? I just recently order New Rules through Amazon and I'm excited to receive it and get started

I have the book as well! I need to dig it out and look through it again.

I'm doing 3-4 days a week of an upper/lower split. Example

Monday and Thurdsay: legs
Back Squats
135x10
155x7
175x5
195x3
200x1 is my max

Sumo deadlifts
135x10
155x7
165x5
175x4
200x1 is my max

Walking lunges
3 sets of 20
with 45, 50, 55 pound barbell on my back

Goblet Squats
50x10
65x7
80x5

Sometimes I'll do barbell hip thrusts
85x10
90x10
90x10

Wednesday (and sometimes saturday or sunday): Arms and cardio

Bench Press
65x10
75x7
85x5
100x3
115x1 is my max

Incline Bench press
45x10
55x7
65x5
75x3
100x1 is my max. I'm weak on this lift compared to other areas

Bent over barbell rows
60x10
65x7
70x5
75x3

Standing barbell rows
45x10
50x7
55x5
55x3

Barbell shoulder press
45x10
50x7
55x5
60x3

Dumbell tricep extention
15x10
20x10
25x10

Dumbell tricep skull crushers
20x10
25x10
30x10

Incline dumbell fly
15x10
20x10
20x10 again, my chest is weak so this area lacks compared to my overall lifts

Then I'll do 15-20 minutes of running on arm days because I don't burn as many calories lifting arms as I do legs and I want my burns to be comparable to leg day burns

geekyjock76

Your August to November side progress photos demonstrate remarkable change in shape and body composition. Keep it up - you look stunning.

MstngSammy

You look amazing. I don't think you even look close to weighing 152. Keep up the great work!

I absolutely agree. Going by numbers on the scale and what people THINK it should look like....you look as if you weigh a lot less. Amazing results. Congrats!

Holly_Roman_Empire

Your stomach! Just...WOW!!! I just started lifting again and I can't wait to have results like you!

Nishi2013

YOU ROCK GIRL!!!!

haroon_awan

Selfies for the win!

blcgrace

Great work! Do you see the difference between cardio vs. cardio + weight training?

hannah_ryann

Great work! Do you see the difference between cardio vs. cardio + weight training?

HELL YES! lol cardio and weight training together are a superb combination. I'm definitely more
focused on weight training right now but I think it's important to keep cardio in the mix so I don't lose my
running fitness when next spring comes around.

rachelkharr

Wow That is amazing!! I wish I had a good routine for lifting, Too bad I don't even know where to start

Sweetchar417

Wow That is amazing!! I wish I had a good routine for lifting, Too bad I don't even know where to start

Super impressive and certainly a motivator for me. I started a lifting routine but after a few months I wasn't seeing any progress (I know I should stick with it) but I feel like I'm so clueless. I'm also 5'3" but there is no way my body will look that amazing 30 pounds from now.

laurenellenmarie

Thank you for posting this! really.

klynnshuck

Awesome job!

Care76

You look awesome! Great transformation. I just started stronglifts 5x5. It is super simple for starting and not overwhelming for me. I hope i see results like yours. :-)

luisalg14

Fantastic!!