lauren farmer

Lose 15 lbs. in 1 MONTH!!

Could be the title of some lame article in a weight-loss magazine, but in fact it’s what happened to me in January. Or perhaps what I made happen, is more accurate. 

Shoot me if this ever becomes a weight-loss blog, but I do just want to share this in case you might be looking for a little motivation. 

I joined a gym (an awesome one! Virgin Active, if you’re in AUS or UK, check it out…) back in November. Started seeing a trainer, working out a couple of times of week, fake-trying to make better eating decisions but really, wasn’t getting anywhere with it. Was about to add this time to the many, many times that I’ve failed at mustering up the proper motivation to actually shed some poundage. 

But then! Something changed at the beginning of the year. Not exactly a resolution, but a mental shift. I felt ready to actually commit, like 100%. It also helped that I had a few friends who were determined to do the same so we all jumped on this bandwagon together.

Anyway, fessed up to my trainer that I actually wasn’t making any headway and could we re-evaluate my goals, which we did. First goal: lose 15 lbs in 13 weeks, by the time I make my (hopefully triumphant) return to New York. I actually ended up hitting that goal this morning, in a little over 4 weeks. 

Hey turns out they are right when they say you need to eat less and work out more. WHO KNEW. Here’s what I’ve done, full-well knowing that it’s different for everyone, and what might be working (for now) for me, might not work for you. 

5-6 workouts a week (I KNOW), that’s 2-3 spin classes, a couple general cardio sessions, one strength session and another class of my choice (sometimes yoga, this past weekend it was hula hoop!). I had to get over the whole thing of, “Ughhhhhhh, am I going to the gym today?” There’s no question, it’s just how it is, I am going to the gym today.

Food wise, I cut out all breads, pasta, processed sugar and rice (miss you dearly). I only eat meats, veggies and fruits, but A LOT OF THEM. I rarely feel hungry, I actually eat a ton. I cut way back on my alcohol to a few glasses of wine a week, though admittedly I had a lot more than that this past weekend. 

I’m also using an awesome free app called myfitnesspal. It’s a food and exercise diary, which sounds totally lame, and it sort of is. But I actually really enjoy it! I plug in every single thing I eat or drink and keep an eye on how close I am getting to my daily calorie allotment. I’ll never be a freak about it, but the fact of the matter is, you have to be burning more calories than you are taking in so I’m finding this app to be a great guide. Also, it’s awesome having a few friends on there who are as serious about this as I am. I actually couldn’t do this without their continuous encouragement and accountability, so thanks, girls. 

Yeah so, I’ve reached my first goal way sooner than I thought I would so have now set the next one. I feel really great, have heaps more energy. My clothes are getting looser every day. It’s been a ton of work, all-consuming in some regards, but I actually thought it would be a whole lot harder. I’m really proud of myself, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of! 

So, there’s that. Thanks for letting me ramble.