Day 22: Home Workout Motivation
Today is Day 22 of the Home Office Workout Challenge. (<– If you'd like to join us, please do. We’ll be repeating the same series of exercises for one more week, so you can jump right in.)
* RESULTS MAY VARY THIS MONTH *
Some of you have mentioned to me in private that you're not seeing weight loss results yet from the workouts. Let me tell you how my body responds as it might help you to understand and stay motivated through the process.
I actually EXPAND before I start to slim down. What I mean, is that I get bigger before I start to melt off fat.
My body type tends to build muscle very quickly, and it holds fat. I have hypothyroid (actually post-partum thyroiditis which turned into hypothyroid) and have taken meds for it for about 7 years, which also doesn't help with metabolism.
First of all, if I just do cardio with no resistance training/weights, nothing happens. Cardio alone doesn't work for me as far as losing any weight. I can walk 10 hours/day and still not get to where I want to be. All I'd get out of that is another blown knee. So, I have to do resistance or it's just ineffective for me.
So, this is what happens to me when I start an exercise program that includes resistance/weights.
I start a weight program.
I begin building and strengthening muscles UNDER my … fat. (gross and too much info, sorry)
This results in my jeans getting tighter and my scale increasing (yes, my weight goes up), and my measurements usually do slightly, too. (At this point, my husband hides the tape measure so I don't get discouraged by this and so he doesn't have to see me cry.)
So, at that point, I feel stronger, but am about ready to give up because I don't LOOK any different.
The muscle continues to build, which then finally jump-starts my metabolism into burning more fat 24-hours/day (yes, even when sitting on my butt working) than it did before I started the exercise program.
Then, overnight, the fat starts to melt off and I finally drop the inches.
My point is that people do the same thing in both exercise and in business — we quit after we've done the sweat and hard work, but RIGHT BEFORE we see results. So, I challenge you to stay off the scale and just trust in the fact that you're growing stronger, getting more productive, gaining focus, getting rid of stress in a healthier manner, and that the fat loss will be the result, but possibly not as quickly as you'd hoped.
Although, for some, like my mother — she has started slimming down already and, if I didn't love her, I'd probably have to say ugly things about her right now about keeping the good genes and passing on the bad ones. 😉
So, please continue because I care about each of you and also, totally selfishly, I also need your support. So, no, you can't quit. Keep focusing on how much easier the exercises are getting and just wait — the fat loss will happen for each of us, at its own pace, but it will happen.
Please check in below with your thoughts. 🙂
Oh, and here's a video that Scott did about Hypothyroid, for anyone else who may be in the same boat:
Ready to Get In Better Shape, and Get More Done During the Day so you Can Make More Money?
When you're ready to join the Fat Loss Quickie program, click on the graphic below.
It’s only $20 for all of your quickie workout videos, a personal trainer who you can ask questions here, plus my awesome community of kick-butt marketers sweating with you and cheering you on.
Please post your updates or I'll track you down on Twitter!
Let’s find 10 minutes every day to get healthier so we can enjoy the LIFESTYLE that we’re working towards.
((hugs)) to all.
Nicole
PS. If you haven’t listened to my interview with Scott Tousignant yet, here it is: Interview with Scott: Achieve More in your Business
Note: You can follow all posts by keeping an eye on the Computer Butt category to the right.
Judi
September 21, 2009 at 7:59 amGood Morning Nichole! I have to chime in here. I am one of those people who has not lost any weight yet but …. I have muscle tone in my arms and legs that wasn’t there before. My husband, which I only see on webcam, noticed my jeans were loser. What is more important than that number on the scale is the inches and the muscles. Muscles weigh more than fat and will eventually help you lose even more weight. So I am ok with more muscles. Isn’t too bad that I am flexing those muscles in my brain more as well!
Off to another great week!
Nicole
September 21, 2009 at 10:24 amHere’s to another great week! Congrats on hubby noticing! 🙂
Nicole
September 21, 2009 at 10:22 amHey guys. I wrote the post above on Saturday and had it prescheduled to post today.
I’ve got to tell you that I think the Squat-Off Challenge really boosted my metabolism, because over the weekend, I noticed some results all of a sudden. Perhaps it was hopping up and doing squats every hour? My metabolism never had a chance to settle back into sluggish mode.
Anyway, I wanted to give these tips for helping boost the effectiveness of your Quickies (and Scott please jump in with more) –
1. Do one quickie in the morning (or go on a walk first thing) to get your metabolism revved up.
2. Spread your two quickies apart during the day.
3. Every hour, get up from your desk and do any one of your favorite quickie exercises for a minute just to get your body confused and ignite your metabolism.
4. Increase your weights. (I think I can increase mine on some of the exercises already, but not on others.)
And, reward yourself for ANY improvements in strength, focus, productivity, and improved mood. Pat yourself on the back!
((hugs)) and high fives to all.
Nicole
Lisa Marie Mary
September 21, 2009 at 10:55 am{{Hugz}} and HIGH FIVES right back atcha!! 😉
Scott Tousignant - Fat Loss Quickie
September 21, 2009 at 1:17 pmYou got it Nicole. I definitely recommend that you break your quickies up not just for the metabolic effect, but because it will give you two mental boosts throughout the day as well.
You should definitely get up for at least a couple minutes each hour and walk around just to get your blood flowing. It’s incredibly unhealthy to sit at your desk for extended periods of time and very poor for your circulation. It can lead to joint problems as well.
Always focus on progress. You can either increase the weight, decrease your rest, or do more reps. If you don’t progress from week to week in at least one of those categories you can’t expect your body to progress either.
Note: The true effort and intensity that you can dish out is mucho grande bigger than you can imagine. Test your true limits.
Erica Cosminsky
September 21, 2009 at 8:01 pmAwesome suggestions.
Lisa Marie Mary
September 21, 2009 at 10:19 amMornin’ ya’ll!! Just did the first official FLQ video number one! Joined officially on Friday – but, saved it till today since I caught that bug. Did the ball parts on the floor.
Kevin "Mr Ebay" Johnson
September 21, 2009 at 12:37 pmDid my Quick Workout and Cardio this morning!!!
Scott Tousignant - Fat Loss Quickie
September 21, 2009 at 1:42 pmThis post made me incredibly happy Nicole. I appreciate you sharing it. And by the way… don’t feel shy to tell me if you don’t think something is working for you… Let me know, it’s the only way that I can truly help you to the best of my abilities. I’m a big boy. I can handle any comments or concerns 😉 But most important… I want to help you.
Ok, so this topic is something that has come up very frequently throughout my personal training career. Some people can just think of losing weight and it melts off them. Others experience the average 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss per week. And others… well they are like you Nicole… and trust me there are several hundred thousand people just like this… if not way more.
You nailed it Nicole. So many people quit just before great results were about to happen. I love the analogy of a seed breaking through the earth. It can be a battle, but once it breaks through it flourishes, and it actually becomes stronger when it’s faced with challenges such as wind or several days of drought.
I have had hundreds of clients who experienced no results on the scale during the first 8 weeks. Yet they were looking better, feeling better, they were managing their businesses better, they were having more fun with their family, and so much more.
Even though they were succeeding in all these areas they were still ready to give up because the scale didn’t budge.
And then something miraculous happened the following week… they would drop 3, 5, 7 pounds. And then the momentum would just keep rolling and the fat would melt off them.
Some people it took 12 weeks and for some people the scale results started after 8 weeks but it wasn’t so rapid. It would just be the 1 to 2 pounds per week, which still made them very happy and it became consistent.
It’s during times like these that you need to reflect on the successes that you have achieved and look at the entire impact that it’s had on your life. Otherwise, what happens when you reach your goal of losing 20 pounds… do you stop because you reached that goal? If not, why would you keep going?
Ask yourself, Why did I start the Fat Loss Quickie program? Was it to drop a lot of weight? Or was it because it’s a balanced approach that suits your lifestyle, that meets your needs, that has a positive impact on your business and life.
For me, fat loss is a secondary benefit. It’s a great benefit, but it’s not the reason why I workout or eat well.
That’s been the way that I advertise Fat Loss Quickie to be. It’s a balanced approach, helping you transform your business, fitness, and life.
I could offer crash course diets and have you doing some crazy unrealistic workout program… but would you stick with it? Would you experience long term success?
That’s what I want you to achieve. This isn’t a one shot deal. You are embracing a new lifestyle that you can actually stick with, enjoy, and notice the impact that it has on all areas of your life.
You are doing something truly amazing right now. You are making the time for YOU and everyone else and everything else, benefits as a result of this.
You are doing better than you think. Congratulate yourself for your consistency, your efforts, and the example that you are showing for your fellow work-at-home-moms and dads.
Yes, there have been many members who have been releasing 2, 3, 5, and 6 pounds per week… but you should never compare yourself to others. You are your own measuring stick and only you can define what success means to you.
You really do ROCK! Keep up the incredible effort and continued success will keep knocking on your door.
I’m here to support you every way possible. Let me know how I can best serve you and help you push through these challenging moments.
Just think… when you are celebrating your big successes, you will be looking back at this very moment as a crossroad where you chose the path least followed which led to the treasure you’ve been seeking.
It’s worth it. You’re worth it.
Scott Tousignant
Angie (Losing It and Loving It)
September 21, 2009 at 1:45 pmDid my first FLQ workout today and I will be doing both together in the morning. A few nights during the week hubs and I hit the gym and we do early morning spin classes on Sat. and Sun. Not sure where I’ll fit the FLQ’s in on the weekend or if I’ll just do them M-F since we have hour long spin rides on the weekends. Decisions decisions because I can’t overdo it which I have been known to do *wink*
Scott Tousignant - Fat Loss Quickie
September 21, 2009 at 1:53 pmHey Angie… only do the FLQ workouts M-F
Rest is key to your success. You need to allow your body to repair and rebuild itself.
If you don’t rest all that you are doing is continuously breaking your body down. That can place a lot of stress on your body and stress plays a big role in depositing fat around your belly and making it difficult to lose weight.
Spinning will be a great addition to the FLQ program on the weekends.
What do you do at the gym at night?
Erica Cosminsky
September 21, 2009 at 8:14 pmNicole, I am so glad you put today’s post out there.
I lost 11 lbs in the first 2 weeks we were doing this and I believe that it was only because I needed to get off my butt so badly. But last Wednesday and Thursday I went to put on my jeans and noticed that they didn’t fit right. I kind of think I had the same thing (the muscle under the fat going on.) I think you are right on track with all your observations because the fit fine this morning.
I got my workout and my cardio in right after the accountability call and then found out that my dad had some Bowflex adjustable weights that he doesn’t use. I’m off to write my goals.
Hope you all had a good weekend.
Nicole
September 21, 2009 at 9:16 pmI’m so glad that you shared, Erica. 🙂
Don’t forget about the effects of hormones, too. My weight fluctuates a LOT throughout the month, in different areas of my body. And, that’s all I’ll say about that. You may want to track your “fat” days on a calendar.
VERY proud of us all!
Erica Cosminsky
September 21, 2009 at 11:37 pmYou know I never thought about that! Today is TMI day I guess. I have an IUD and don’t have to deal with that monthly stuff so I forget about it.
Nicole
September 21, 2009 at 9:23 pmGot my workout done. Busy work day so I owe you all 2 cardios tomorrow and I WILL deliver. 🙂
((hugs)) to all!
The Mom
September 21, 2009 at 9:38 pmI earned my slug bona fides today…
What a day. I slugged around in my pj’s most of the day, working only on what I absolutely needed to do, then sliding over to Nicole’s to slug around some more to the tune of about 12 ounces of wine. I am so busted! Bad food all day, no exercise, no shower, and wine…
Whew! I’d better get to bed and start all over again tomorrow! What the heck happened today? Oh well… everybody needs a really d-o-w-n day once in a while. Even my cats were slugs.
I’ll check in tomorrow with a whole new level of zen… I’m counting on it!
(Maybe it’s the 350 squats???… messed with my head a bit. I don’t know. Okay Scarlett… Tomorrow is another day.)
Erica Cosminsky
September 21, 2009 at 11:38 pmYou weren’t the only one! I think Scott gave his cold some how.
Arika
September 22, 2009 at 7:52 amYou’re right we all need our down time! I was a bit slow yesterday too. Hurt my shoulder in the morning quickie so I skipped the cardio part yesterday.
However, today is a whole new day and I’m thinking the good night’s sleep last night did me good bc it doesn’t hurt at all now.
It’s time to get back on the horse and ride! Let’s get this!
Scott Tousignant - Fat Loss Quickie
September 22, 2009 at 8:01 amWe definitely all need our down time. I’m wiped out and exhausted from this stinking sinus and throat infection and there’s no way that I would want to push myself through a workout and nor should I.
During yesterday’s Fat Loss Quickie accountability call I mentioned that the person who wins the Transformation Contest isn’t going to be someone who didn’t miss a workout, ate nothing but incredibly healthy foods, only worked 4 hour days and spent loads of time with the family every single day, and stayed completely focused on their business tasks each and every day.
Nope… not one of us is going to get through the next 84 days perfectly. We’re all going to have some down time and that is not something to be looked down upon.
It’s all a part of this fun journey.
I love your outlook Patti, “I’ll check in tomorrow with a whole new level of zen… I’m counting on it!”
That is absolutely awesome!
Love you all
Meredith
September 22, 2009 at 11:13 amOh yes… I know all about the working your butt off scale doesn’t move at all. Then… it does.
I’m at the point now where I don’t lose weight at all – but I love resistance and cardio and it makes me feel happy (weight loss or not).
That being said… I know I need to work on the food part…then the scale will move (at least for me)