You’ve gone this long without exercising, so why start now? Because you can get your life back, that’s why! Don’t ever make the excuse that you’re too overweight or too out of shape to exercise. Don’t let your weight keep you from exercising.

Someday all you’ll have to light the way will be a single ray of hope, and that will be enough.

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Using the Scale To Track Weight Loss

Using a scale to track your weight loss journey can be frustrating and misleading,.  Your weight fluctuates daily based on hydration levels, food consumption and the time of day you weigh yourself.  Several methods that don't involve the use of a scale can track weight loss reliably.  You can measure your waistline with an old fashioned measuring tape and use photographs and clothing to monitor loss of body fat during your diet or exercise program.

MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS

Step 1:  Pull a flexible measuring tape snugly around your waist to determine its circumference.  Measure your progress in the mornings every other week.

Step 2:  Record the date and measurement in your journal.  Review past measurements to ensure weight loss and adjust accordingly.

Step 3:  Measure the thickness of your skin folds by grasping one of your abdominal skin rolls between your fingers and then pinching it between the calipers.  Do this in the mornings, once every month.

Step 4:  Record these numbers and the date measurements were taken in your journal.  Reductions in your waist circumference and skin fold measurements mean you are losing weight.

PICTURE COMPARISONS

Step 1:  Take weekly pictures of yourself in a swimsuit or form fitting workout gear.  Use the same or very similar outfit for each picture.

Step 2:  Line up the pictures next to each other in order of first to last to compare your progress.

Step 3:  If your body does not appear to change over the course of a few weeks, reevaluate your diet and exercise program.  Make necessary changes and continue tracking progress.

CHOOSE CLOTHING FOR COMFORT

Step 1:  Wear the same size clothes while trying to lose weight.  The clothes will become loose when weight loss occurs.

Step 2:  Wait to buy new clothes until you reach your weight loss goal.  For significant weight loss, purchase new outfits periodically.

Step 3:  Reward yourself with a new wardrobe once you reach your ideal weight.

THINGS YOU'LL NEED

Tape measure

Camera

Clothes

Body fat calipers

Journal

REFERENCES

U.S. National Library of Medicine:  Medicine Weight Loss Unintentional Healthy People 2020: Nutrition and Weight Status British Medical Association:  Waist Circumference as a Measure for Indicating Need for Weight Management 

International Association for the Study of Obesity:  Changes in Measurements of Body Fat Distribution Accompanying Weight Change

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:  Healthy Weight 

American Diabetes Association:  Healthy Weight Loss

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: The Practical Guide Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults

If I could only have one wish I would wish for you to see you for you, and then you will know how one of a kind and special you are.

Monthly Workout

FINE TUNED BABES MONTHLY WORKOUT

Day 1 Squat Challenge

30 squats

20 min walk/jog/run

Day 2 AB & Squat Challenge

50 squats

15 sit ups

5 crunches

5 leg raises

10 sec plank

Day 3 AB & Squat Challenge

75 squats

20 sit ups

8 crunches

8 leg raises

12 sec plank

20 min walk/jog/run

Day 4 AB & Squat Challenge

60 squats

25 sit ups

10 crunches

10 leg raises

15 sec plank

20 min walk/jog/run

Day 5 Rest Day

  

Day 6 AB & Squat Challenge

60 squats

30 sit ups

12 crunches

12 leg raises

20 sec plank

20 min walk/jog/run

Day 7 AB & Squat Challenge

90 squats

35 sit ups

15 crunches

15 leg raises

25 sec plank

20 min walk/jog/run

Day 8 AB & Squat Challenge

50 squats

40 sit ups

20 crunches

20 leg raises

30 sec planks

20 min walk/jog/run

Day 9 AB & Squat Challenge

45 squats

45 sit ups

30 crunches

30 leg raises

35 sec planks

20 min walk/jog/run

Day 10 Rest Day

Day 11 AB & Squat Challenge

120 Squats

45 Sit-ups

30 Crunches

30 Leg Raises

35 Sec Plank

30 min Walk/Jog/Run

Day 12 AB & Squat Challenge

40 Squats

50 Sit-ups

50 Crunches

30 Leg Raises

38 Sec Plank

30 min Walk/Jog/Run

Day 13 AB & Squat Challenge

75 Squats

55 Sit-ups

65 Crunches

33 Leg Raises

42 Sec Plank

30 min Walk/Jog/Run

Day 14 AB & Squat Challenge

50 Squats

60 Sit-Ups

75 Crunches

40 Leg Raises

50 Sec Plank

30 min Walk/Jog/Run

Day 15 Rest Day

  

Day 16 AB & Squat Challenge

80 Squats

65 Sit-ups

85 Crunches

42 Leg Raises

55 sec Plank

30 min walk/jog/run

Day 17 AB & Squat Challenge

50 Squats

70 Sit-ups

90 Crunches

42 Leg Raises

60 sec Plank

30 min walk/jog/run

Day 18 AB & Squat Challenge

125 Squats

75 Sit-ups

100 Crunches

45 Leg Raises

65 sec Plank

30 min walk/jog/run

Day 19 AB & Squat Challenge

50 Squats

80 Sit-ups

110 Crunches

48 Leg Raises

70 sec Plank

30 min walk/jog/run

Day 20 Rest Day

Day 21 AB & Squat Challenge

145 Squats

85 Sit-ups

120 Crunches

50 Leg Raises

75 sec Plank

45 min walk/jog/run

Day 22 AB & Squat Challenge

80 Squats

90 Sit-ups

130 Crunches

52 Leg Raises

80 sec Plank

45 min walk/jog/run

Day 23 AB & Squat Challenge

40 Squats

95 Sit-ups

140 Crunches

55 Leg Raises

85 sec Plank

45 min walk/jog/run

Day 24 AB & Squat Challenge

100 Squats

100 Sit-ups

150 Crunches

58 Leg Raises

90 sec Plank

45 min walk/jog/run

Day 25 Rest Day

 Day 26 AB & Squat Challenge

75 Squats

105 sit-ups

160 Crunches

60 Leg Raises

95 sec Plank

45 min walk/jog/run

Day 27 AB & Squat Challenge

50 Squats

110 Sit-ups

170 Crunches

60 Leg Raises

100 sec Plank

45 min walk/jog/run

Day 28 AB & Squat Challenge

150 Squats

115 Sit-ups

180 Crunches

62 Leg Raises

110 sec Plank

45 min walk/jog/run

Day 29 AB & Squat Challenge

95 Squats

120 Sit-ups

190 Crunches

62 Leg Raises

115 sec Plank

45 min walk/jog/run

Day 30 Rest

Day 31 AB & Squat Challenge

175 Squats

125 Sit-ups

200 Crunches

65 Leg Raises

120 sec Plank

45 min walk/jog/run

Muffin Top

How to get rid of a muffin top...

Here are a few tips:

1.  You MUST exercise if you want to lose weight and keep it off, so do something every day, even if it’s just a 15-minute walk around the neighborhood.  Don’t say you don’t have time for exercise; you have to MAKE time.  Yes, it takes time and effort, but you’re worth it, right?

2.  Walk as much as you want, but don’t do cardio for more than 40 minutes at a time.  If you do, you risk burning muscle instead of fat.

3.  If you do strength training, use light weights and do lots of repetitions.  That’ll really help you “tone up.”

4.  Your diet will make you or break you.  You have probably learned bad eating habits over time (most people do).  That’s not your fault, but now you have to deal with it.  Make a commitment to yourself to unlearn those bad habits and re-learn better habits.

5.  Eat breakfast every day within an hour of getting up.  People who don’t are 450% more likely to be overweight.

6.  Eat six small meals or snacks per day instead of three squares per day or one big meal per day.  Your body expends energy digesting your food, so eating smaller portions more often keeps your metabolism running high because you’re constantly digesting food.

7.  Avoid these as much as possible:

-- Trans fat (any type of partially or fully hydrogenated oil)

-- High fructose corn syrup (soft drinks are LOADED with it)

-- Fast food

-- Junk food

-- White sugar, white flour, white rice, white potatoes

-- The deadly C’s (cookies, cakes, candy, chips, cola)

8.  Build your diet around these trim-body-friendly foods:

-- Nuts, any kind (almonds are best)

-- Beans/Legumes

-- Fresh vegetables (green is GREAT!!!)

-- Dairy products (as long as they’re low-fat or non-fat)

-- Eggs

-- Lean meats (fish and poultry top the list)

-- Olive oil

-- Whole grain breads/cereals/pasta

-- Fresh fruits (anything that ends in “berry” is a winner)

-- Tea (green tea or black pekoe tea)

-- Cold water or ice water (your body has to expend extra calories to heat it up)

9.  Desserts and treats are the exception, not the rule.  Having said that, however, (1) you can have a couple of pieces of chocolate every day – just don’t overdo, and (2) Allow yourself one “cheat meal” every week where you eat and drink whatever you want as long as you don’t gorge yourself.  That’ll help keep you from feeling deprived and it’ll make it easier to stick with your new healthy eating plan.

Good luck!