People have called me brave to chronicle such a personal weight-loss journey.
I’m not brave. I’m selfish. In December I was so freaked out about my increased weight that I knew I had to do something drastic. But I also knew I lacked the discipline to lose the weight and get fit on my own. I understood that the only way to ensure my success was to trick myself into getting there.
I vowed to stick to my nutrition and workout plans directed by Matthew Lister at Align Private Training. No matter what. No end in sight.
Then I made my personal commitment pathologically public.
Lucky for me I own this website and have access to a lot of “eyeballs,” as we say in the biz. Have I told you lately that A News Cafe.com averages anywhere from 50,000 to 60,000 unique monthly visitors?
Yes, that is a lot of witnesses readers.
That’s how I’ve “so bravely” continued to hold my own feet to the nutrition-and-fitness fire. Likewise, I have published photos of myself here on A News Cafe.com that are so humiliating that in at least one case, when the photo was originally posted on Facebook by someone (thanks a lot, btw) last year, I begged her to remove it.
I still can’t explain it, but that same “thing” that clicked in my head that made me commit to getting healthy for reals coincided with the same drive that prompted me to post some of my all-time most unflattering photos.
I guess I reached the point where I didn’t give a squirt anymore about what anyone thought.
Or at least that’s what I thought.
At the bottom of this column you’ll see a slideshow of the second set of pictures taken last week by the super-talented photojournalist Brad Garrison. We met another lifetime ago when we both worked at that same newspaper. He was also my wedding photographer for that searing crash-and-burn marriage. That’s another reason why I love that Brad’s the one chronicling this more uplifting life story. Plus, I trust him completely.
And then I saw Brad’s latest batch of photos from last week’s shoot. It could have been classified as a quasi-religious experience because “oh my God!” was probably my most frequent reaction to each photo.
With that in mind, I actually contacted Brad and gave a lengthy boring explanation about why I didn’t feel comfortable using some of the photos (please, if you don’t mind).
I told him I wasn’t as brave as I thought; that I must be a more vain person than I’d thought, too.
I said I was OK with looking like I really am for the photos, but I didn’t want shots that made me look fatter than I really am. I offered this explanation because, after a career of working with photojournalists, I know that their top priority is to get the best shot that tells the most accurate story. Their goal is not necessarily for the most flattering photo.
I knew that about photojournalists when I asked Brad to shoot these monthly progress photos.
So, upon further reflection, I’m using all the photos, except one. Maybe someday I’ll show you that one, too.
Here’s one I originally planned to leave out, but changed my mind and left it in.
This is a plank. Doni hates these almost as much as she hates the air bike. Photo by Brad Garrison.
Brad’s photo shows me doing one of those dreaded 1-minute planks. I know a minute doesn’t sound like much, but go ahead, assume that (prayerful) position I’m doing above, and see how long you can hold it.
And, by the way, when Matthew has me “do” a plank. It’s never just one plank. Usually it’s part of a circuit of other grueling activities for three or or four or five sets. Seriously, it’s sometimes hard for me to not see these workouts as something in the torture family.
See the timer on the floor in front of me? Matthew put it there, probably so I would quit yelling out every few seconds, “COME ON! HOW MUCH LONGER?!”
As he’s told me more than once, he’s not able to bend time. If it’s a 60-second plank, it’s a 60-second plank. Let’s do it!
“You’ve got this. You’re half way there.”
HALF WAY THERE? HALF WAY TO HELL!
But the main reason I disliked that photo was I was afraid that you’d think that the fabric hanging down from my shirt was where my stomach was. It’s not. Honest. That’s just my shirt hanging down. Really.
Another photo I almost kept from you was this one, of me against the wall doing ball lifts. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down …
Again, that looks easy. Do not be fooled. That sweet little yellow ball is actually filled with some kind of lead or something. It’s weighted.
That’s not a profile shot any woman wants. Not flattering. Not future-boyfriend bait. I’m sweating. I’m straining. I’m puffing. And I have that unlovely chin/neck thing going on.
Can you feel the burn? Lift this cute little weighted ball up, then down, then up, then down. Over and over. And over. Photo by Brad Garrison.
This is how I’d prefer you think of me, in this photo below from my train-trip column. The thing is, I’ve lost a few pounds since my snow-train photo, though it’s hard to believe in the ball-to-the-wall photo, above.
So, there you have it. Another month’s worth of progress photos.
Here are the three-months’ worth of comparison photos. The first photos were taken by Matthew Lister in December. The January and February photos were taken by Brad Garrison.
Next week I will have been working out Matthew Lister at Align for three months. Honestly, it feels as if it’s been more like a year. Or even more.
When I started this program the hardest part for me was sticking to the food plan. It took me probably a solid month to get the sugar/carb monkey off my back.
Now, almost three months later, I have the food thing under control. I cannot believe I’m the same person whose typical bedtime snack was routinely ice cream topped with some kind of a homemade sauce (I can make a silky chocolate fudge sauce from scratch in less than 5 minutes).
Now, I swear to you, I look forward to my yogurt/apple/nuts bedtime snack as much as I used to look forward to ice cream, or brownies and a glass of milk. I’m not kidding. I’m as shocked as you are.
However, the hardest part of this plan is now the physical part, because that Matthew, he continues to push the envelope, and he demands more and more from me physically. One week it’s working with 8 pounds, and then 10, and then 12. He’s never satisfied to just let me, or any of his clients, just hang out at whatever level we’ve reached. We’re constantly moving to a new place.
And that means more strength and fitness. And for me, more lost inches and weight.
Ready for the latest numbers? Here goes: I’ve lost 18 pounds and 16.75 inches. I’m most proud of the 5 inches lost around my belly button (waist), and the 3.25 inches from my hips.
I’m also down almost three sizes.
When it comes to my physical performance, Matthew says I have exhibited a 150-percent increase in “core movement competencies”. He says I’ve progressed through all five levels of range of motion at each joint level: shoulders, mid-back, lumbar, hips, etc.
Of course, I’m happiest about the weight-loss, followed by the strength and fitness.
But more important than both of those is how great I feel mentally.
Except when it’s time for planks. Then I feel awful. But I know they’re good for me. And I know I’ll be proud of myself for doing them. Eventually.
How about you? What do you do for yourself, even though it’s difficult?
Click here to read the rest of Doni’s series, “The Weight is Over.”
