17 Pounds Later and Feeling Fabulous

You heard me right, BlogWorld, I have lost 17 pounds in 12 weeks! I've always been a pretty healthy weight, but my Puerto Rican genes finally kicked in about 2 years ago and I slowly started getting the curves I DIDN'T want. I tried all kinds of different diets, work out routines, etc. and nothing worked for me. Even before the wedding, you'd think I would have busted my butt to look good, but I just had no motivation to do it. It wasn't until after Jeremy & I got married and he was working out out regularly, and I was cooking healthy meals for him, that I finally looked in the mirror, got fed up with what my body was turning into, got off my butt, and started hitting the gym! With help and A LOT of encouragement from my wonderful husband (and some over the phone workout counseling from my figurative competative cousin) I worked my butt off and made my goal! (see the end of this blog for my workout breakdowns)

When they say working out and eating better is all you have to do to lose weight, they are so right! (whoever "they" are, lol) I worked out 4 days a week (at 4:30am. Yes, you heard me right. It's the only free time before work!) and even on my off days I tried to ride the stationary bike for about 15-20 minutes. I wasn't on any special diet, however, I did count my calories for 2 weeks to give myself an idea of what I was putting in my body and WOW I'm so glad I did that! I thought I was eating healthy and come to find out I was taking in almost 2,000 calories a day!!! I was able to knock that down to about 1,200 per day and was still getting the proper nourishment AND was full. Water is a biggie, too. I made sure to drink about 60-80 ounces of water per day. I finally figured out if I wanted that volcano taco from Taco Bell I could, however I would have to ride the bike for 5 more minutes to burn off its calories!

I also did have the "aid" of supplements (see below). After my phone counseling session with my cousin, Jeremy & I made a trip to Vitamin Shoppe (I seriously never thought I would spend money on supplements!). I got some chocolate protein (which I have within 20 minutes after my workouts), BCAA when I wake up & before my workout, Glutamine (which helps your body retain its current muscle and aids in burning off fat) in the morning & before bed, Arginine (which helps the blood flow during your workout) before my workout, and a daily vitamin. Crazy, right?


Anywho, as a goal bonus, Jeremy let me go on a shopping spree when I made my goal (which I gladly did with my mom) and I got TONS of amazing clothes, since none of my other clothes fit me. It was great girl time and I love not only the way I look, but the way I feel (and my husband can't seem to get enough of me these days ;} )

Hope this helps with anyone out there trying to get back in shape! It's all about how you feel.

Happy Sweating!

Jessica's Work Out:
Day 1: Abs & Back

• 5 minutes jog (tredmil)
• Lat Pulls (use long bar on cables, pull down behind neck)-15 reps of 30lbs (x2)
• Seated Row (machine)-15 reps of 20 (x2)
• Ab Machine (machine)-15, 35 (x2)
• Leg Raises (hard to explain: where you stand on a "stand" and support yourself with your arms while you raise your legs or just do another Ab machine)-15 (x2)
• 5 minutes Eliptical (2.5min forwards, 2.5min backwards)
• Back-ups (another hard to explain: where you lean forward on this "stand" and lean back to work lower back or just do another back machine)-15 (x2)
Plank-30sec (x2)
Shrugs with Dumbells-15 reps of 5lbs (x2)
5 minutes stationary bike

Day 2: Legs---"Superset" means to alternate

• 5 minutes tredmil
• Leg Extensions (machine)-15, 40 (x2) superset with curl
  
• Leg Curl (machine)-15, 35 (x2) superset with ext
• Hip Add (machine)-20, 60 (x2) superset with Add
  
• Hip Abd (machine)-15, 50 (x2) superset with Abd
• 1 Leg leg press (do the normal leg press, but do one leg at a time, not together)-15, 60 (x2)
• Calf Raises (machine)-15, 90 (x2)
• 5 minutes bike

Day 3: Chest & Shoulder

• 5 minutes tredmill
• Incline Press (machine)-15, 15 (x2)
• Lat Raises (machine)-15, 10 (x2)
• Dumbell on bench (lay on bench and raise arms above chest)-15, 10 (x2)
• 5 minutes Elip
• Standing Dumbell military (on balance) (stand on a balancer and raise arms above head)-15, 5 (x2)
• Chest Flies (machine)-15, 25 (x2)
• Front Raises with dumbell-15, 10 (x2)
• 5 minutes bike

Day 4: Arms

• Arm Curl (machine)-15, 15 (x2) superset with ext
  
• Arm Ext (machine)-15, 30 (x2) superset with curl
• Cable Curls (use bar with cables and pull up)-10, 20 (x2) superset with pushdown
• Tricep pushdown (use rope with cables and pull down)-10, 30 (x2) superset with curl
• 5 minutes Elip
• Dumbell Curls (balance) (stand on balancer and curl)-15, 5 (x2)
• Tricep Kickback (lean on bench and kickback one arm per set to work tricep)-15, 5 (x2)
• 5 minutes bike

*Each week, up your cardio by 1 minute a piece and up your weights. By week 3 or 4, try to start switching things up a bit!