Drop a dress size in a month challenge

Phoenyx

Phoenyx

Step away from the cake..
As a lifetime dieter, I love the start of a new month! (even better when the month starts on a Monday, but let's not go there!). Actually, there's research that suggests Thursday is the most successful day to start a diet...

Anyway, back to the point. I've been hovering on the 11 st / 12 st borderline for a while, so I thought this month I'd try and take my focus away from weight and aim to drop a dress size in a month. I'll follow a diet plan (calorie counting and eating clean), an exercise plan (weights 3 x weekly, cardio 3 x weekly, 1 rest day), weigh and measure myself today, then not again for 30 days. I've also picked out a size 14 pair of jeans. The size 16 equivalent fit me now, but the 14s don't. So my ultimate goal is to fit into these by the end of the month.

I'll post details of the diet and exercise plan I'm following later, and I'm also going to try and post my weekly exercise goals on here in advance, and my planned food for the following day as one of my big downfalls is planning!

I'm determined to do this, so feel free to join me! Or just come along and support. Would be appreciated!

Start weight 12 st 2. / 30 day goal: anything in the 11s
Body fat: 37.7% / 30 day goal under 37%
Jeans size: comfortable 16 / 30 day goal into 14s
5k time: 31.12 / 30 day goal sub 30 mins
 
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Good luck sweetheart! I'm sure you will succeed, and it shows you are really determined as you are sharing your journey with us! With your exercise goals I quite expect you will be impressed with your results! Those jeans will look fab!!
 
Today was good. i'm following this plan: http://www.coachcalorie.com/how-to-lose-10-pounds-in-a-month/, and for me, that basically means the following rules for me:

1. Drink 3 litres water a day
2. No cheat meals in the 30 days (one exception for my birthday on 10 November...I'm allowing myself a slice of cake!)
3. 1.25g protein per lb lean body mass = 132g spaced through meals c. 25g per meal
4. 5 evenly spaced meals
5. 0.5g carbs per lb of body weight in post training meal only (53g)
6. 1 piece fruit in first meal of day on training days
7. 10-12 x lbs as calories 1720-2064
8. 3 x resistance, 3 x cardio a week.

Today I only drank 1.5 litres, and didn't manage all the meals, but I ate a lot yesterday, so I'm not hungry.

Day 1/30

B - 2 eggs, 1 egg white scrambled with green pepper & courgette
L - 235g cottage cheese, 100g smoked salmon
S - medium latte
S - protein shake & banana post workout
T - 160g lamb steak with mixed stir fry veg, 25g mixed nuts

Cals: 1800
Protein: 165g (was surprised how high this was!)
Carbs: 80g

Exercise: 45 min run (8 x 1 min hill sprints with jogging in between), 15 min Ab ripper x DVD
609 cals burned according to HRM.

Might get this moved in to diaries if no one is joining me!
 
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Phoenyx said:
Today was good. i'm following this plan: http://www.coachcalorie.com/how-to-lose-10-pounds-in-a-month/, and for me, that basically means the following rules for me:

1. Drink 3 litres water a day
2. No cheat meals in the 30 days (one exception for my birthday on 10 November...I'm allowing myself a slice of cake!)
3. 1.25g protein per lb lean body mass = 132g spaced through meals c. 25g per meal
4. 5 evenly spaced meals
5. 0.5g carbs per lb of body weight in post training meal only (53g)
6. 1 piece fruit in first meal of day on training days
7. 10-12 x lbs as calories 1720-2064
8. 3 x resistance, 3 x cardio a week.

Today I only drank 1.5 litres, and didn't manage all the meals, but I ate a lot yesterday, so I'm not hungry.

B - 2 eggs, 1 egg white scrambled with green pepper & courgette
L - 235g cottage cheese, 100g smoked salmon
S - medium latte
S - protein shake & banana post workout
T - 160g lamb steak with mixed stir fry veg

Cals: 1600
Protein: 160g (was surprised how high this was!)
Carbs: 74g

Exercise: 45 min run (8 x 1 min hill sprints with jogging in between), 15 min Ab ripper x DVD
609 cals burned according to HRM.

Might get this moved in to diaries if no one is joining me!
Click to expand...

Keep the thread going I'm keen to see how you go and even though I'm following Calorie counting plan I might steal a few rules from your plan to kickstart my last 10lb x
 
So I said I'd post my exercise plan for the week to help me stick to it...

Thurs - sprint intervals, Ab ripper DVD (DONE!)
Fri - P90X chest and back DVD (52 mins)(DONE!)
Sat - park run 5k, Ab ripper DVD (DONE!)
Sun - p90x arms & shoulders DVD (60 mins) (DONE!)
Mon - cardio recovery DVD or run (DONE - ran 40 mins)
Tues - p90x legs DVD (DONE)
Wed - rest (DONE)
 
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I've been visiting family this weekend, so a little less control of food than I'd like, but I held strong, and stuck to the main rules I'd set myself - in particular no cheats (until next sat, anyway!)

Friday:

This was a mixed up day because my plans had to change last minute.

Day 2/30

B (post work out) 50g oats made with 2 scoops protein shake
L chicken & bacon salad, black coffee
S 70g almonds, coffee with cream
D chicken stir fry (no starch carbs)
S - 2 scoops protein shake with water

Exercise: P90X chest & back workout (60 mins)


Saturday

Day 3/30

S - banana (pre run)
B - 35g porridge oats, 1 scoop protein shake, takeaway hot chocolate (post workout carbs!!!)
L - cottage cheese, 2 boiled eggs, mixed salad
S - mixed nuts (too many, maybe 100g)
T - roast chicken, green beans, carrots

Exercise: 5 km parkrun (time: 31.12 :) ) with a 12 min jog to get there and a 20 min walk back.
 
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And that brings me on to today:

Day 4/30

B - fry up! 2 eggs, 1 egg white, 3 rashers bacon, large mushroom (cooked in oil)
L - 70g almonds, coffee with a splash of soya milk (driving home)
S - post workout protein shake (2 scoops) and banana
T - mackerel fillet, roasted veg, spinach, 150g full fat Greek yoghurt with 1 tsp honey

Cals 1812
Carbs 79g
Protein 113g

Exercise: p90x arms & shoulders, Ab ripper x (1 hr 15 mins), 30 min walk


A few things I need to do to improve my eating:
- find snacks that aren't nuts or protein shakes! I'm going to make a list.
- limit the amount of nuts I eat as they're a domino food for me - I can't stop at a few.
- introduce other sources of healthy fats e.g. Avocados

And now I know I can run a 5k in 31.12, my next goal will be to run it in under 30 mins. I'll add that to my list of November goals and run parkrun again at the beginning of December :)
 
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Day 5/30

A good day today. Back to work and 2 people commented on my weight loss!

B - protein shake (2 scoops, banana, water), coffee with cream
L - salad with smoked salmon, cottage cheese, half an avocado and lots of leaves, small handful of almonds
S - banana, coffee & cream
D - massive pork chop, butternut squash and sweet potato mashed with olive oil, broccoli

Cals 2133
Carbs 108g
Protein 120g

Exercise 40 min run with 3 hill sprints
25 min walk with heavy bags!
 
Day 6/30

This is probably the longest I've gone without weighing myself in years!

AM exercise: p90x legs and back DVD (60 mins)

B - 2 scoops protein shake mixed with water, banana

L - salad leaves, 3 boiled eggs, tbsp cottage cheese, 1/2 avocado

S - cappuccino

T - thick cut pork chop, mixed green veg (inc peas) with mint and butter, 2 scoops protein shake made into hot choc

Cals 1969
Carbs 67g
Protein 147g

Waitrose cafe have got cinnamon swirls in, one of my favourite cakes of all time...I had a hard time resisting one when I went in for a coffee, but I'm glad I did. May have to avoid going in the cafe if I'm feeling weak!
 
Doing great :) u should b so proud of yourself x
 
Day 7 / 30

A week! Yay! A difficult day today and because I've been working until now (1am :( ) I'm going to be knackered tomorrow as well, which never makes it easy, but hey-ho.

Rest day today, so no exercise.

Food:

B - forgot my breakfast this morning, left it at home by mistake, so had my lunch instead! Chicken breast, banana
S - handful of brazil nuts and almonds
L - chicken breast, feta, mixed salad leaves, cherry tomatoes
S - cappuccino
T - 2 fresh tuna steaks, roasted veg, Greek yoghurt

Cals 1589 (a little under, but it was a rest day)
Carbs 65g
Protein 185g!!!!!!
 
Day 8 / 30

Still here! My legs ache today, they ached already from doing P90x legs a couple of days ago, and I hammered them at the end of a run today, so i am struggling to get up the stairs!

Exercise: AM p90x chest, back and biceps (60 mins) - a new DVD for me, v hard - introduced one arm press ups, I had no hope!
PM 25 min gentle run followed by 25 mins harder.

B - protein shake made with 2 scoops vanilla shake, 250ml coconut water, banana
S - lots of nuts (too many - I was hungry all morning so had 3 handfuls)
L - salad leaves, smoked salmon, feta, balsamic vinegar, Americano with a dash of milk
T - chicken leg & breast with skin, mashed butternut squash & sweet potato with olive oil, broccoli

Cals so far (may eat more as I did nearly 2 hrs exercise today) 1796
Carbs 104g
Protein 140g
 
Day 9 / 30

Exercise (AM) p90x core synergistics (60 mins) picked this because I had to work out earlier than usual (5am) and after my double session yesterday I felt fatigued. It was still hard though, and I had lots of twinges, particularly in my elbow and hamstring. I took it easy.

B porridge with 2 scoops protein shake
S 200g cottage cheese
L 2/3 tub tomato & Wensleydale soup
S 2 scoops protein powder
T steak, grilled veg, glass of red wine

Cals 1750
Carbs 72g
Protein 160g
 
Phoenyx said:
Happy birthday to me!

1/3 (10 days) of the way through the challenge and I snuck a peak at the scales

Weight 11.13, down 3lbs, yay!
Bodyfat 36% down 1.7% - double yay!
Click to expand...

Happy birthday! And well done x
 
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