My Revolt Fitness 12 Week Results

Does anyone else find it hard to believe it has been over 12 weeks since I started Revolt?

It has been quite the journey. I have learned so much about myself along the way. I've learned that I actually do love fitness and working out. I've learned that exercise is the best stress reliever. I've learned that there is no better way to eat than clean; nothing will make me feel better. Most importantly, I've learned that I am truly as strong as I allow myself to be. I'd be lying if I didn't say that this program has changed me completely. And I don't just mean because of the loss of fat from my body and the muscle I have gained. I've learned to take charge of my health.

Here's where I started:

Chest: 36 around bust
Waist: 29 smallest part
Hips: 36 above butt
Thigh: L 24 / R 24.5
Calf: L 14.25 / R 14
Bicep: L10 / R 10 ;  L flexed 10.5 / R flexed 11

Weight: 140 lbs
Body Fat: 26.6%

And this is where I am now:

Chest: 34.5 around bust
Waist: 26.5 smallest part
Hips: 34 above butt
Thigh: L 21 / R 21
Calf: L13 / R 13
Bicep: L 9.25  / R 9.25 ; L flexed 10 / R flexed 10.25

Weight: 130 lbs
Body Fat: 19.8%

Here is my progress so far (excluding before pictures), side by side, for easier viewing:

Well I wasn't expecting to get this far in 12 weeks. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to see results at all. And full disclosure, I am feeling very bloated and crampy today (thanks period) and didn't even want to take these pictures because of that. Even bloated, the difference and the progress is noticeable. It is not a perfect body. It is not my 'dream body.' But it is my body; I like it! I worked hard for it, and will continue to take care of it.

Now, I may be done with the 12 weeks I signed up to blog about, but this is definitely not an end for me. I still have so many goals to reach! And I am certainly not done with Revolt. I love the program and see myself integrating so many of it's aspects into my daily life, for life. Most certainly the food, as I've never felt better eating any other way. I would just like to get back to a more strict plant-based diet. I may expand my workouts a bit, too. I do plan on still sharing my progress with you from time to time, don't you fret. Fitness has become a passion and such a huge part of my life that it is bound to happen :)

Remember, you can sign up for a free week of Revolt and try it all for yourself! And a monthly membership is only $10, or a full year for $50! For such an all inclusive, supportive program, you really can't get a better deal.

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

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Learning to Trust Myself: A Quick Revolt Check-In Week 8

I am going to leave this Revolt check-in pretty short, as I am already late in posting it and will be posting an update for week 9 at the end of the week (with more progress pictures!). But I did still wanted to touch base real quick and let you know how I'm feeling.

^An old picture, I know, but it seemed fitting. And this wasn't too long ago but my arms already look thinner/more toned!^

Last week you may remember me not feeling too excited or motivated about Revolt or workouts in general. I'm happy to say my fitness mood is much better as of late. How did I accomplish this? I gave myself a frakkin break. I think I had all these expectations that as I continued with Revolt and once I reached a certain level things would suddenly be easy. That I wouldn't really have to work at it is as much. That I would be stronger, and thus better able to do everything. And yes, my endurance has improved exponentially and I am a million times stronger than when I began. But guess what? It is still hard work. And that is how it should be. I should always be pushing myself; there is always room for improvement. I mean, seriously, it isn't called a workout for nothing.

You may also remember last week that I am not going to post measurements anymore. I am going to stick to that, as I am not even taking them anymore. I will post my final measurements after 12 weeks, and I will include progress pictures from time to time. But I do not feel comfortable sharing measurements anymore for the reason that I became obsessive over them. I'd weigh myself multiple time a day, everyday, and stare at myself in the mirror before a shower nitpicking every little thing I still wanted to change. Which is ridiculous! Because I was seeing great results. Healthy results. I've been learning how to live healthier, but I've really got to learn how to think healthy too. I want a positive body image just as much as a super awesome strong toned body!

So now I am learning to really trust myself and my body. My workouts have improved greatly because of it. I know my strengths and when to push myself. But I also know when to give myself a little break, even if it means taking a workout easy or even pushing a workout back a day. Listening to my body will not halt or slow my progress; I wish I wasn't slow in realizing this. And I am realizing that as I have increased my fitness level, physical activity has become a normal part of my day. I am wanting to get out so much more. Don't get me wrong, I love relaxing days (or weekends) at home, but they now make me feel restless.

I hope you understand why I have made this change in my check-in posts. And I'll have some progress pictures for you at the end of this week. I hope you lovelies are all feeling happy and healthy!

P.s. The food is soooo good this week. I don't even know.

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own

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One Day at a Time: Revolt Check-In Week 7

The past few days have gone a little something like this...

Saturday: End of the week! I don't know how I made it through all those Tabatas. I should do my Revolt check-in post today...
Sunday: Okay, well, I should do that post today! I don't really want to take measurements though. Yawn.
Monday: And now it's the start of a new week; I really need to get that post in.
Tuesday: Blargh.
Wednesday: Okay...

I've been struggling a lot lately with finding motivation for workouts. It is always easy for me to stick with the food, although I did slip up just a little this weekend due to so many celebrations (oops), but I have a tendency to fall into these ruts after awhile. As you know, I suffer deeply with anxiety, but you might not know that I also suffer from depression. It is something I work at daily to control, but it does still affect every aspect of my life, sadly my health/fitness/workouts are no exception.

I'm still doing the workouts but I am not facing them from the frame of mind I would like to (how I was before). It may take me all day to convince myself that I should workout, only to then do it out of spite and not enjoy a minute of it. When I workout from a place of anger my workouts are lacking and I leave exhausted and frustrated. I'm missing that feeling of elation I use to get from Revolt workouts when I faced them all head on, as a challenge to myself, with strength and confidence.

And it is silly. Because I know that I am getting better and stronger and seeing the results I want. But there is still this part of me that feels like I haven't made any progress at all, or maybe not fast enough. I look in the mirror with disgust and hate measuring/weighing myself.

Taking each day as a new one has helped with this a bit. So has taking time to really just focus on my needs and really relaxing. I've been getting outside as much as possible. It's lovely and rainy today; I even took the dogs out and walked around in it a bit.

I've also been taking the time to really remind myself why I am doing Revolt and improving my health in the first place. I want to be strong and uninhibited about my real strengths. I want to feel capable of anything. I want to feel stronger physically so I can feel stronger mentally. I want to be healthy and fit and never afraid of participating in something active. I want to go backpacking for a week in the Sawtooths or along the Pacific coast and feel great. I want to really get into climbing. I want to feel confident in anything I wear. I want my confidence to shine through more than anything.

Because I really want to focus on how I am feeling and the reasons why I am getting fit, I may refrain from sharing measurements for a bit. I created a little motivational board for myself yesterday. Cheesy? Yes. But helpful.

stretch / inner strength / change / backpacking / kickboxing / mountain top / progress / canoeing / sweat

See more inspiration and fitness tips on my healthy body pinterest board. I hope you are all feeling strong and confident and beautiful.

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

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Healthy Eating Tips by Mary from Mary Makes Dinner

^Left picture courtesy of Brooklyn Food Experiment. All other pictures in this post courtesy of Mary Helen Leonard.^

You may remember a few weeks ago that I was kindly interviewed on Mary's blog, Mary Makes Dinner. Mary runs a lovely and delicious food blog from Austin, Texas (but I have learned she travels quite a bit!) featuring comfort food, healthy cooking, and ethnic cuisines.

Mary is a cook, writer, and culinary instructor with a rich background in food and adventure. Many worlds seem to collide in her kitchen, and her recipes seem to be inspired by such. Mary also teaches people how to make soap, scrubs, and natural skin care goodies, which you can see more of on The Natural Beauty Workshop. She is also an excellent photographer and I love glimpsing little pieces of her everyday life, in addition to recipes, over on her blog.

Isn't she just swell? I've asked Mary to share with us today some of her healthy eating tips. These tips are designed to make healthy eating a little more effortless. See the tips she's created just for us below:

Five Tips for Healthy Eating:

1. Submit to your cravings. One thing that makes eating healthy particularly challenging is mastering your desires. It's natural for your body and mind to crave. Rather than denying these instincts, try to find a healthy way to indulge them. If you can't get potato chips out of your head, go for something crunchy and salty, like roasted kale and sea salt. If it's fat you crave, treat yourself to a fresh avocado. A sweet tooth can be satisfied with fresh fruit or sweet root vegetables, like yams or beets. They key is to focus on satisfying a craving for a particular flavor or texture instead of a specific kind of food.

2. Keep things simple. While it's wonderful to dish up a really challenging dish every now and then, keeping your everyday meals easy and un-fussy will help keep you on track. I live off of rice bowls, burritos, sandwiches, and salads. Experiment with different seasoning techniques to mix things up. A few combinations I really love are: soy sauce, garlic, and ginger | chili pepper and lime juice | thyme, sage, and lemon.

3. Plan ahead. Make things easy for yourself by prepping veggies, grains, and proteins ahead of time. Chop veggies, rinse beans, marinate tofu, and cook rice or quinoa when you have some downtime. Then, when meal time comes, you can quickly satisfy your hunger with a simple, hearty meal by assembling the healthy components in your fridge.

4. Embrace routine. Breakfast and lunch are great opportunities for repetition. When you find something that you love, stick to it. Morning rituals, like sprouted raisin bread, organic yogurt, or green juice can help establish a healthy rhythm for your body. Lunch foods can be made in a large batch and eaten all week. (Think soups, chili, and salads.) Having your lunch ready to go makes it easier to avoid the lunchtime takeout trap.

5. Don't over-think it. We can sometimes feel pressured to keep up with the latest trends and fads. It's important to remember that there is no perfect diet. What works wonders for another person might just not work for you, and that's OK. If you don't like a certain veggie, don't force it. Instead, spend your energy finding healthy things that you actually like. Once you find it, eat it. It's as simple as that.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes for simple, everyday eating:

1. Marinated Tofu
2. Chipotle Sweet Potato and Spinach Tacos
3. Black Bean Soup
4. Yaki Onigiri
5. Red Curry Sweet Potato Soup
6. Bell Pepper Quinoa Salad

Thank you for stopping by today, Mary. I love your tips; they are ones I am trying to instill daily in my kitchen. Be sure to check out Mary's favorite simple recipes (those tasty pictures up above I am drooling over) and the rest of her site too. Those incredible recipes have no end.

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I am Super Intelligent: Revolt Check-In Week 6

I am a few days late with my Revolt check-in this week, but I promise I have a good excuse. But first, let me clarify that the title of the post I am Super Intelligent, is completely drenched in so much sarcasm. I have discovered that I have been doing something so terribly wrong, and it may have affected the results I post here about Revolt. Let me explain; I include every week in my updates body fat percentages. To get this number I take millimeter measurements of my fat at four locations on my body (tricep, bicep, scapula, iliac crest) and using those numbers I then use an online calculator to determine my body fat percentage. It isn't completely accurate, but it is consistent and gives me a really good idea of the progress I am making.

^ the calipers I use^

Well, guys, I have been using my calipers all wrong. I am so embarrassed. I finally realized I had been making a mistake when I went to take Will's measurements for him on Saturday (yes he is doing Revolt with me! Yippee!). As I'm taking Will's measurements I realize I had a problem; for some reason my calipers would not allow you to take any measurements lower than 6 mm. Will is very thin and this will not do. So I say, maybe I can remove the zero marker, that should let me take a smaller measurement. The zero marker just adds bulk. And so, I try to remove it and well, you see the little marker there on the caliper in the image above? The marker at zero? It moves. It frakkin moves. This whole time I thought it was simply a marker for zero and non-moving, I had been taking my measurements as such:

Luckily, I have been consistently measuring wrong. So even though my measurements are incorrect, they are all incorrect by a certain amount. This means I can go back and fix my mistakes, taking my degree of error in to account, and calculate all of the correct measurements. I will go back as far as my very first post to update the measurements. This will take a bit of time (the math is easy, but I have to update all of the graphics for all of my posts) so I am just including pictures as a testament to my progress (in this week's post). I'll update with my correct measurements soon!

Regardless of the fact that I have be using some poor calculations, you can definitely see the progress I am making. A new uprising of Revolt started this week, and our workouts got an update; we are doing Tabatas! Tabatas, in case you don't know are a form of high intensity interval training founded in Japan by Izumi Tabata. For instance, you would preform an exercise all out at the highest intensity you can manage for 20 seconds and follow with a 10 second rest. You then repeat this high intensity/rest for 8 rounds. I love them, I mean I hate them and want to die while doing them, but I love them. I found my chest muscles this week when we had to do push-up tabatas. I don't think my pecs have ever really been sore. That is the thing I am most excited about, building up my upper body strength. I can squat for hours, but push-ups make me want to lay face down on my yoga mat. The upper body sadly gets a bit neglected by women but I am happy to say I am no longer afraid of working it hard! I'm so excited to continue Tabatas and Revolt and see all that my body can do!

Well, you know that I mentioned that Will is now doing Revolt with me. I should also mention that he is tiny. Will has seen how much I enjoy and am benefiting from the program that he wanted to join in. For him, it is more about learning a healthier lifestyle, and embracing a fit lifestyle that is so structured. Will has always enjoyed active things such as hiking, soccer, rock climbing, and long boarding, but he doesn't always have time to get and enjoy those activities. The thing he likes most about the program is how simple it is. He loves having meals already planned out and quick exercises to do after work. If anything, Will is hoping to get back into shape and gain some muscle mass and weight from participating in Revolt. Since upping his protein intake he has already gained 5 pounds! Woot!

Here are some pictures I took this weekend, after his first week of Revolt, so you can get an idea of where he is starting from.

See, he's just a tiny thing. In the future, Will will be posting his thoughts on the program here in my weekly progress posts in addition to my own.

Time to go workout! :)

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

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My Poor Butt: Revolt Check-In Week 5

Happy June everyone! Is anyone else freaking out that is June already? It's just hard to come to terms with the fact that we're already six months into 2013. It's really starting to feel like summer. It is almost Will's birthday. It has almost been a year now that we've been living in Boise, which is the biggest thing I'm really trying to wrap my head around. It seems like just yesterday we were stuffing our car and a trailer full of things for the drive down here, but at the same time it feels like no time has passed at all.

For once in my life, I can say I am ready and excited for the summer. You guys all know how much I hate the heat (and Boise summer's has no lack of it), but I am feeling fit and happy and ready to be outside exploring. I'm hoping we'll be able to take a longer camping trip at some point this summer; to really get out and relax and enjoy nature.

Revolt this week just about killed me. Or at least my rear-end. This is an extreme exaggeration, but do you want to hear a funny story? So, normally a week of Revolt exercises includes 3 days of cardio, 1 day of lower body sculpting, and 1 day of upper body sculpting (just not in that order). Well, Nichole was super lovely and had some extra awesome fat burning cardio blast workouts planned for us all this week to kick us into gear for the June 3rd uprising (wanna join me?!) that starts Monday. The workouts were great! But I had shut myself away from the internet for the weekend and was unaware of this change of plans. Also, I usually take a break on Saturday because Saturdays are my most busy days and it is easier for me to do my last cardio video/exercise on Sunday instead. I did this this week, and then decided to switch my Monday and Tuesday workouts too, making Monday's workout an intense lower body sculpting day. Well, Tuesday when I got back on the internet, I found out Monday was suppose to be a rest day! Since then I've been doing cardio blast type workouts all week. My poor little behind; all of those workouts were jam-packed with lunges and squat after squat. It has been quite a killer workout, and now I am getting a bit off a break. Even sitting down hurts :( But! I think you can see from my results this week that these intense workouts that kicked my butt (literally) were well worth it. Look at the change in my hip measurements:

My butt is feeling a little firmer and a little smaller too. I'm excited to start the next uprising on Monday. If any of you are interested in Revolt, you can always leave a comment or email me with questions!

P.S. I did 40 big girl x push-ups yesterday! My arms and chest are getting infinitely stronger.

P.P.S. Will is going to be joining my in my journey with Revolt! Look for some thoughts from him in next weeks post.

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

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Revolt Check-In: End of Week 4

Things have busy and fun over here, hence my lack of posts this weekend. So, excuse me while I try to squeeze in a little Revolt progress post for you, lovelies.

It has been a month now since my start with Revolt, and things are always just more and more wonderful. Revolt, and fitness in general, is slowly becoming a natural part of my day. I no longer have to talk my self into workouts; in fact, I am experiencing the opposite. On rests days I feel incredibly anxious and restless. I have discovered that exercise is something my body really enjoys and now craves. I'm excited to be changing my lifestyle not only into something that is good for me, but something that will last for the rest of my life. I know I've still a ways to go until my goals are reached but I've never felt better than I do now.

I didn't loose any weight this week (again), but don't let that fool you. I have a feeling that now I've lost some initial weight, the weight loss will be slow coming. Especially since I don't have much to lose. And I'm still definitely seeing results. I'm keeping this in perspective and focusing on the fat loss, as well as my improving strength. My push ups are getting so much better, and my endurance is through the roof! I think I am going to add in some running at least once a week (perhaps on Wednesday's rest day) now to my training; I'm hoping to run a 10k in August with my mom!

image source: tribesports

I also decided to start this plank challenge this week, as part of my warm up, and was surprised that I could already hold for a minute, easily. Woo hoo, ab strength! This challenge should be fun.

How are things with you and your personal fitness lately? Are you doing Revolt? How has it been for you? If you're not, you can check it out more here and sign-up for a free week/kickstart!

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

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Today is a bit Grey

It's cool, grey, cloudy and threatening rain outside today. I can't complain too much; I appreciate a break from the sun and the heat occasionally.

No, it's not the weather that is bothering me today, but the fact that I am feeling a little under the weather. Actually, I've been feeling off all week. It's as if someone has reached in and jumbled my whole schedule and left me the mess. I haven't been sleeping well, I have quite a few projects I can't seem to get done, and all my perfectly organized things seem a troubled mess.

My terrible allergies are finally living up to their reputation and are catching up to me. I've also had a migraine  and nausea since waking up yesterday. My plans for today include napping, drinking tea, reading my book, wearing a cozy sweater and the cool comfy pants my sister got in Jordan, maybe (a huge maybe) catching up on the workout I missed while feeling sick yesterday, a walk with my pups, updating a few things around the blog, and transporting some plants to better homes. Today I'm just trying to take things easy and give myself a rest; it is hard to do when you feel like there are a million and one things you should be doing instead.

I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully fully rested, to share a little recipe with you. Until then, lovelies, take care of yourselves.  

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Revolt Check-In: End of Week 3

It's the end of my third week today with the program and I'm here again to update you on how well I am doing with Revolt. I am seeing such great results already that I just had to include a picture with today's post. Plus this means you get to see my awesome farmer's tan, lucky you.

I'm proud of how far I have come so far, and of how hard I am working. I just had to show off a bit. Will was looking at my before pictures yesterday and commented how different I looked already, and so I looked back, too, and I have to agree. Now of course, the both of us obviously see me every day, so changes are easy for us to spot. Let me know if you can see a difference! My week three photos are below, and I included the before pictures (taken 4/29/13) just below that for your convenience.

They are small, subtle changes really. My waistline has decreased a bit each week. My belly looks flatter, at least from the front. I am noticing my butt slowly lifting. I am starting to get a teeny tiny gap between my thighs. And I'm beginning to see definition everywhere. I even think my face looks thinner! But I must say I am feeling a million times better than I look. And how I feel is so much more important than noticeable physical changes. My arms are getting much stronger; I can do ten whole, real push-ups! Mt. Climbers have become so easy peasy. I can run around the block, or even a mile without feeling like death. My pants are getting loose in the waist, and I might just be able to squeeze into an old pair of really really skinny jeans!

The food is still just fantastic. I love it! And I love having it all planned out for me; it leaves no room for excuses. Plus it is so good, I want to eat it and not much else. In fact, Revolt should come with a disclaimer. I'm starting to dislike a lot of foods I once enjoyed, that were maybe not too good for me. For instance, today is my free day, so I can eat what I want freely. I went to have a doughnut hole with my coffee this morning and had to spit it out! It was disgusting. Way way way too sweet. And later today I tried some cheddar cheese with some rice crackers, and that cheese straight up tasted like butter. Gross. I'm not minding these changes is food preferences too much :) Clean eating is treating me so well.

Here are this weeks stats:

I am nowhere near done, but I am more and more near where I want to be with each and every week. I'm starting to envision what my body will feel and look like when I reach my goals, and I can't wait.

Here's to a happy and healthier me! Join me for the June 3rd uprising!?

P.S. A free kickstart begins on Monday if you are interested in Revolt, but want to test things out a bit, first. The kickstart includes access to a 50 page guide, 1 week of videos, 1 week of workouts (3 levels), and 1 week of a meal plan (6 cal levels).

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own. 

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Revolt Check-In: End of Week Two

I am a little late with this check-in due to a camping trip this weekend. But it has been another successful week with Revolt. I mean, look, I even took my yoga mat camping with me. If that doesn't say dedication, I don't know what does. In all truthfulness, I didn't use it too much; I got plenty of exercise canoeing around an entire lake two days in a row. But I will say that I am loving how Revolt is making me feel. I feel infinitely stronger than I did two weeks ago. And I'm even starting to look forward to my workouts! That is something I have never experienced before. And I still can't stop raving about the food. Cutting out sugar and most gluten has really done my sensitive tummy and body good.

Before I share the results with you, I want to mention something important. Don't get caught up in my weight. Because I am not. I don't like weighing myself and I am only doing so now as a reference for my readers. You may notice that I gained a pound this week, it happens. I added carbs back into my diet after the detox week and I've also gained a significant amount of muscle mass. Please pay more attention to the the inch measurements I have taken and also the changes in body fat. After all, I am not too concerned about losing weight, but I am about losing some fat.

Now, on to the results!

Things that feel great this week:

1. I am really starting to see definition in my quads/thighs. All those squats sure pay off.
2. Also noticing my butt lifting. Again, squats.
3. My arms changed drastically this week! Or so it seems to me. I'm sure all that paddling around the lake this weekend has something to do with it. I feel so strong and I love it.
4. I can also see some little baby upper abs showing up! I know the rest are just hiding under that belly fat!
5. My jeans are getting looser in the waist, but are getting a little snug in the thigh. Woo hoo, fit body!

Things that feel not so great this week:

1. Something I was eating this week was really making my gut a bit angry and as a result I was a little bloated. I need to figure out what it was!
2. I hurt my knee a bit from landing funny while climbing over some logs when we were camping. I just have to remember to be easy on it for a bit.
3. I got a bad sun burn. This has nothing to do with Revolt, I'm just really mad about it (because I tried so hard not to sun burn).

For more posts from bloggers doing Revolt click this image:

Disclaimer: I was chosen as a Revolt Fitness Program blogger and received free membership to try the fitness program. All pictures and results are real and my own. All opinions expressed are my own.

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