49 Days of Progress

I entered Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat Holiday Challenge on November 20, 2011 and finished today (January 8, 2012). The challenge was a body composition change challenge, and the winners (to be picked within this month) are those that changed their body fat the most within the 49 days of the challenge. We kept a weekly record of weight and body fat % measurements and took pictures on Day 1 and Day 49.

While a lot of my friends were either gaining weight or struggling to stay the same over the holidays, I am proud to say that I have lost weight, lost inches, lost body fat, and totally changed my body in just 49 days from the week before Thanksgiving until now. And I did NOT ever deprive myself. I ate Thanksgiving dinner, I ate Christmas dinner, I ate Christmas fudge and cookies...but I logged everything here on MFP and I worked out 4-5 days a week. I lift heavy and do cardio...we need both in balance. I won't listen to anyone who says differently! I am proud to be able to squat and deadlift more than my body weight, and bench press just slightly under my body weight (but I am still working on losing my body weight, lol! 9 pounds down since mid November isn't too shabby!) I eat sensibly between my BMR and TDEE, preferably at about 75% of my TDEE (which is what my diary is set to). I am not afraid of carbs or fat at all. I eat high protein, so of course those stats look "low" but I am simply eating more protein not cutting anything out on purpose.

These pictures are my official entry photos into the contest that I posted earlier today on the Inner Circle. I went from 32% body fat according to the Navy Method down to 27% and I lost 7.7 pounds of pure fat. I believe my body fat % is honestly lower because I measured it with calipers around 23%. However, we have to use the same method all the way through for the contest, and I started with Navy. Either way, I am no longer calling myself skinny fat! After just 49 days, this is what happens...and I am not going to stop until I reach my ultimate goals...16% body fat, size 2 clothes, and able to squat 175 pounds and do 10+ unassisted pull-ups. I don't care what I weigh! I do NOT care. These pictures below are just 6 measly pounds different!!! So the scale? Bah! Don't matter. I can't wait to see what I look like in May...or in October when I go on a Caribbean cruise with my husband. :bigsmile: