Hi Everyone! My name is Penny! « Member Forum Archive

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Hi Everyone! My name is Penny!

(21 posts) (7 voices)

Started 2 years ago by pmcewen
Latest reply from JackieO

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pmcewen
Member

I am new to the site and other than it being Gina's website (by the way you are awesome Gina!), I was intrigued to watch Jess' Journey. About 2 years ago I weighed in at 217lbs (5'6ft tall) so not a pretty sight, heaviest I have ever been! I became so uncomfortable with myself that I finally was able to lose the weight. My original goal was to compete in my first local figure competition. I lost 52lbs in one year. I have been at 165lbs now for a year ... so I didn't reach my figure competition goal. For some reason, it almost was exhausting after watching what I ate, I felt like I just was done trying to achieve something that I thought I would never obtain. But I could never forget my goal, so I would try and try and anytime I would lose 1 to 2lbs and see below 165, I would cheat and ruin it for myself again. Well, I still want to compete and I hope to reach my goal sometime in the spring of 2011 at a local show. I have been working with a trainer here who has been awesome and and starting 3 weeks ago, I am down 2.5lbs! And my measurments and bodyfat have also gone down. It is HARD to stick to the eating.. I hope that by logging into this forum and following Jess' Journey that I get to finally follow through with my goal, just like Jess will!!

Penny

Posted 2 years ago #
Erin
FORUM EXPERT

Welcome Penny!! With all the tools and support on this site I'm CERTAIN you will reach your goal of stepping on stage in 2011. Not only will you reach that goal but enjoy the journey all the way. That's what's so amazing about this place! You just have no idea how your world is going to open up by being a part of Gina's Fitness Network! And if FOOD is the problem, we have got the solution, for sure!!! There are SOOOOO many fantastic recipes here. Just making them will amaze you and keep you on track. And Gina has so many simple little tricks for staying on track. And of course so do all the girls on here. That's what's amazing is how everyone has something to teach. I can't tell you how much this site and connection with Gina has changed my life.

So here's to your continued success! Keep us posted. We'll be watching (well, at least reading!)

Posted 2 years ago #
Nikee
Member

Welcome Penny! I echo everything Erin mentioned. Both Erin and I are going through our 1st prep (Erin is 5 weeks out and I am 1 week out). I can honestly say the entire process has been amazing and delightful. The support on the network is fantastic and Gina is SOOOO knowledgeable.

We are really glad you joined! I look forward to following your continued progress!

Posted 2 years ago #
pmcewen
Member

Thanks Erin and Nikee!... One week out! Crazy! and 5 weeks out.. wow you guys awesome job!

I had a great day today, eating wise and a strong workout. I made Gina's zucchini bread.. yummy! I had it for breakfast, it was great!

I find it the most difficult to stay on track after I get home from work at the end of the day.. any tips?

Also, at what weight did you guys start out at before your contest prep?

Penny

Posted 2 years ago #
Your Host, Gina
Administrator

Hello Penny!!!! Welcome! First of all, thank you for your sweet words! :) I am so excited you have jumped on the network! I am so glad Jess's journey has inspired you to take things up a notch, yourself! We are all inspiring each other here and watching everyone's dreams and journeys unfold is amazing! Congratulations on your success and no biggie if you didn't make it to the stage, the stage will always be there. The goals you have set out for yourself have been attacked and will continue to unfold. I hear you, there is so much that goes into a full prep and you have to be mentally ready. You have it in you to accomplish anything, look at you and your weight loss!! Your goal is never to be forgotten and whether you step on stage or not, you will continue to go after your goal and we will help you continue to dig deep! ( we use that phrase a lot here! ;) )

Good for you, you have set mini goals and in 3 weeks, look at you, you are already well on your way!! If the eating part is the harder part for you, you have come to the right place~! We have so many creative ideas and healthy recipes, you would never know our meals are healthy and clean but they sure are, as you saw with the zucchini bread! :) You will see that there is no reason to eat any other way, we eat like Queens! :)

YOU SAID, IT, YOU WILL FOLLOW THROUGH WITH YOUR GOAL! Looking forward to watching your journey unfold!! Welcome to the site! :)

Thank you girlies for all your positive feedback and kind words ;)

late night snacking tips:
here is an article that will help you!
http://ginaaliotti.net/members/v2/?p=3151

Posted 2 years ago #
jenniferg
Member

Welcome Penny!

Posted 2 years ago #
Sabrina8
Member

hey penny, and welcome!
great to have a local coach and the numbres looks good! keep the work up and you'll hit the stage someday, for sure!
just follow your dreams and reach for the stars. :-)

Posted 2 years ago #
Erin
FORUM EXPERT

Hello again Penny! Sounds like you had a great day yesterday and right on track. Isn't the zucchini loaf the best? LOVE that thing - feels so decadent for being so healthy! Hmmm...late night snacking is a problem for most I believe. Gina's article on that is very helpful. I know Nikee posted somewhere else to help herself from that she prepares her food for the next day and that keeps her busy so she doesn't think about it. I find the TV to be a real problem. I just try not to watch it often because when I do I almost always am up in about 15 minutes looking for something to eat. Not good. My nighttime treat is often the One Minute Chocolate Protein Cake: http://ginaaliotti.net/members/v2/forum/topic.php?id=403 and if you can have nut butter, all the better.

I also have an addiction to "chip" type of things so the microwave zucchini chips (http://figurejournal.blogspot.com/2010/07/big-catch-up-post.html) really help with that and I also make microwave kale chips - super easy and very healthy. And of course on Gina's plan they are FREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Those might help. At least that way you don't have to feel like you can't eat anything. You still have options! Let us know how it goes. It will get easier. I used to be a nighttime munchie person but not so much anymore!

Posted 2 years ago #
pmcewen
Member

WOW... WOW.. oh and did I say WOW? Cause WOW!

That One minute chocolate protein cake is FRICKIN AMAZING!...

Thanks everyone for welcoming me and giving some awesome ideas!!! Gina thanks for the words and the article reference, that was great.

Erin, going to be trying those zucchini chips for sure.. I will let you know how they turn out.

On my way to the gym!

Posted 2 years ago #
Erin
FORUM EXPERT

So Penny, how are those recipe coming along? And your plan? Having a good time and enjoying yourself? Just checking in with you!

Posted 2 years ago #
pmcewen
Member

Hey Erin and everyone else!

Thanks for checking in on me. Things have been crazy! I work full time as a legal assistant and my boss has a huge trial coming up, and I am taking an online course to get my Human Resources management diploma, and I am in two weddings! One of them is August 28th, and my husband is in the military and is posted away from me for one year, but he is coming to visit for 4 days (2 days before the wedding I am in!!!) So I have been studying, working late, working out, and preparing and doing stuff for my girlfriend's wedding this coming Saturday! I actually took today and ignored the world.. just to get some time to myself to relax.

The recipes are good, I tried those zucchini chips and the first time.. didn't do so well, they were kind of soggy.. so tried again and got it right the second time! They were good..

I can't wait to see my hubby on Thursday!! It should be interesting, he hasn't seen me in a month and a half and I have gone down a dress size and lost most of it in my waist and well my boobs.. which I am sure he will notice.. When I started this whole thing, I warned him about the "boob loss" that was going to happen and he told me.." I guess I will just become an ass man then!" It was a great reply!

Eating was kind of crappy lately, haven't been planning very well for prepping my food ahead of time, so I got to get that back on track, but I was thinking I should start a food log on here.. I think I will start it tomorrow.

By the way this forum is awesome for motivation and great tips etc.. it is also keeping me on track~!

I have a little story for everyone:

So I always attend the same gym around the corner from my house.. The staff there know me by name because of how often I am there.. :)

One of the girls behind the counter made a comment to me " I was watching you over the last little bit and you are getting soo strong, Penny!". After I heard that comment I was impressed that someone noticed and it made me have one of the best workouts! It was a cardio day and unlike Nikee, I DON'T enjoy cardio.. hahaha and because of that comment I ended up doing my HIIT cardio training and sweat like a beast! It was great~!

I thanked the girl behind the counter and told her that it really helped my workout! The next time I came in, this girl and one of the other staff had made me a card (using a blank piece of paper and some highlighters). They drew a picture of me on it doing my weight training and in the card it said "You are Awesome! Keep Kicking Butt!"

It was so nice.. and it has made me even more motivated to stay on track!

I look forward to posting my food log starting tomorrow! Chat soon!

Posted 2 years ago #
pmcewen
Member

Sunday August 22, 2010

Ok woke up 8am
rehearsal for girlfriend's wedding at 9am
ate 1 scoop protein shake/apple/1/4 cup of plain dry oats with cinnamon and 1 cup of almond milk mixed together
1 grande americano with one splenda packet

1130am - veggies/hummus/water
(bride's family had everyone over for brunch - her mother kept trying to "push" champagne and oj on me.. argh! How many times do you have to say no!)

3pm - chicken/salad and salsa with 2tbsp of greek 0% yogurt and pressed garlic mixed together for dressing chicken breast

630pm - 1/2 zucchini loaf.. yummy.. and three egg whites

next meal - protein shake with water most likely.

NO workout today.. day off! YAY!

Posted 2 years ago #
Sabrina8
Member

*rofl*
nice comment from your hubby about the "ass-man"... gotta love that. ;-)
guess we all love our "girls" and don't want them to go away, but thats just part of it...

please keep us posted, your mealplan looks good!

btw: I'm a legal clerk, too. ;-)

Posted 2 years ago #
Erin
FORUM EXPERT

Well, Penny, you are busy indeed! Glad to hear that your meals went well yesterday.

Three days until your hubby's here! Woohoo! Yes, I agree with Sabrina - funny about the "ass-man". As someone that never cared about my boobs one way or the other, I have to say that the loss of them has affected me more than I thought it would. Oh well. It just means I'm lean and that's what I want so bye bye boobies if that's the way it has to be! LOL!

How cute is the girl at your gym!!!! That is SO sweet. Doesn't it just make all the difference when people notice in a "positive" way? So great and glad it made your cardio easier!

Keep up the great work and keep posting your food log. You'll see so much progress as time goes by and you'll be nothing but proud!! Have a great week!

Posted 2 years ago #
Your Host, Gina
Administrator

Penny, Wow, you are a busy girl but planning ahead so you can spend some QT with the family and how exciting to see your hubby!! Good for you for keeping track of your meals and holding yourself accountable!

What a cute story and that comment is better than any comment from an adult because children don't lie! What a compliment!! :)

Keep up the great work!! xo

Posted 2 years ago #
pmcewen
Member

August 23, 2010

730am- Zucchini loaf/2 egg whites

11am -protein shake/strawberries

1pm - 3.5 oz turkey/mustard/salad

4pm - protein shake and 5 almonds

7pm - chicken with rosemary and pepper/veggies/1/2 cup of quinoa

Posted 2 years ago #
pmcewen
Member

August 24, 2010 so far...

715am - 1 egg/3 egg whites/1/2 zucchini loaf/4 strawberries

1045am - americano with splenda/protein shake/blueberries

1pm - 1 cup of fat free cottage cheese with chopped tomatoes and pepper in it/mesclum salad mix

4pm - planned shake with 5 almonds

WORKOUT/cardio planned

7pm - chicken 4 oz with chili powder/garlic/basil and 1 cup of rice noodles

Posted 2 years ago #
pmcewen
Member

Ok so finally the crazy times should be done for the next little while... Saw my trainer this Saturday and measurements are down but the weight is still 163.0lbs.. and of course my lovely period has started so not exactly feeling very energetic.. but usually I am good.. I am one of those lucky girls who gets a nice "small" period... :)

New program:

Day 2 - Saturday Sept 4th

Circuit 1 (3 sets of circuit)
bicep curls with bar on pulley 6-8 reps (30lbs)
no rest
lying tricep to nose 10-12 reps (25lb bar)
no rest
seated alternating dumbbell press (17.5lb dumbbells) 10-12 reps
no rest
pike up on ball (abs)12-15 reps
30 sec rest between sets

Circuit 2 (3 sets)
Zottman curls 15lb dumbells 10-12 reps
no rest
Tricep rope pulldowns 25lbs 10-12 reps
no rest
seated rows to neck with rope 40lbs 10-12 reps
no rest
seated twists with 3kg medecine ball 30 reps
60 sec rest between sets

Eating wasn't so great but not too bad:

3 eggs/homemade pumpkin muffins(2)
large coffee 2 cream 1 sweetner

protein shake/apple

whole wheat pasta linguine with
chicken/veggies evoo with parmesan cheese

protein shake

(went to cousin's wedding ) they had a bbq so I had a burger with veggies and mustard
and wedding cake..

poo:(

Posted 2 years ago #
pmcewen
Member

Today Day 1 - new program

I will have to come back and fill you in on my workout.. my first time doing Day 1 and I don't have it memorized yet. I will be doing it tonight after work before my dinner.

but eating is as below:

I am trying some of the meals in that Quest diet pdf that Gina has posted

730am - protein pancakes

1030am - 2 wwheat rice cakes with almond butter and apple

130pm - 5 egg whites with spinach salad and 1/2 cup of quinoa (red and whole wheat)

4pm - 1/2 cup of pumpkin 1 scoop protein powder and 1/4 cup of oats

530pm - workout Day 1/15 minutes cardio

630pm - chicken 4 oz/salad (spinach, zucchini, tomato, onion with balsamic vinegar and evoo)

Posted 2 years ago #
Your Host, Gina
Administrator

awesome meal plans Penny!! Glad to see you are still doing awesome with your choices and putting together great balanced meals! :) Keep up the great work!!

Posted 2 years ago #
JackieO
Member

Hi Penny!!! Welcome!

Thanks so much for sharing your story, meal plan and workouts!

It looks like you're doing awesome!!! How's the Quest plan going so far? I'm thinking of starting that next week as well...

Posted 2 years ago #

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