Weight Loss Challenge – Week 1 Results

For those who are visiting for the first time, I started a Weight Loss Challenge on Wednesday, January 16, 2008. My goal is to lose 40 pounds of fat this year, so I decided to start off with aerobic breathing exercises for 1 week. I was especially motivated after reading Steffi Power’s amazing testimonial.

I know I said I would post videos with demonstration and such, but this past week has been crazy. I just started a new job and am still adjusting to the new schedule. I haven’t had more then 4 hours sleep a night since starting and as I type this I wish I were in bed. *sigh* Please bare with me. In the meantime checkout “Be a Loser” but Greer Childers or Rashelle Haines’ Life Lift for more information.

Results of Week 1:

• Weight: 197 lbs.
• Chest: 42.5″
• Waist: 34.75″
• Hip: 46″
• Left Bicep: 12.25″
• Left Thigh: 27.25?

As you can see in comparison to my beginning stats, the only area where I lost inches was around my waist. I was hoping for more inch lost, but I think this is promising considering I made absolutely no diet change whatsoever. I wonder how many inches I’d lose if in addition to not skipping meals, I made healthier food choices.

I had a tough time finding exact spots for the measurement of my chest, bicep and thighs, so I kept the measurement the same. For this reason, I’ve decided that in the future, I will measure upper abs, waist, middle abs and hips.

Here are some disclaimers, tips and lessons learned about aerobic breathing:

Aerobic breathing is NOT for everyone

If you have glaucoma, uncontrollable high blood pressure or are pregnant, find another type of exercise. Part of the breathing requires holding your breath for a few seconds, so you can only imagine the pressure that would cause.

Do the best you can

Although it’s good to aim for 40 breaths a day, start off doing what you can. If 15 breaths is all you can do, that’s all good. Try adding 5 breaths a day until you reach 4o. If you push yourself too hard, you could end up like me – burnt out. I started off hyped up about doing 40 breaths and would double or triple the next day if I didn’t meet my goal the day before. The problem with this when first starting is that you can end up not enjoying the process by working too hard. Too much at first can also cause some dizziness or nausea .. almost the way you would feel if you decided to go for an hour run on your first day of jogging.

Stay hydrated

After my 1 week trial I now understand why it’s important to stay hydrated: you will get very thirsty after doing the aerobic breathing exercises. Apparently, the body is taking in more oxygen, and requires more fluid, much the same way you’d need fluids after a nice jog.

Get plenty of rest the night before

If you’re like me and do your exercises in the morning, it’s important to get plenty of rest the night before. As mentioned earlier, I haven’t had a full night sleep since starting my new job. As a result, I find that I get winded and have a tough time completing my sets. Some have said that doing the breathing exercises energize them , but I get the opposite effect. I get really relaxed after a set, so imagine 5 sets after only a couple of hours of sleep. Can we say “Nappy Time”?

Stay Motivated

Ok, this is a to be continued section, because I am still trying to figure this part out. Like I said before, I have burnt myself out a bit, so this morning I decided to give myself a break. I will most likely do my breathing exercises after work, but a break is good if you need it.

For now, I think the best motivator is results. In my case, I tried this for 1 week, made no change to my diet and lost almost an inch around my waist. My pants also fit looser and I feel a tighter in my chest area. Not bad, huh?

My goals for week 2:

1. Get more sleep
2. Make healthier food choices
3. Increase my water intake
4. Make a demo video

Till next time.