[Editors Note: Yes folks, that is some mean looking French Toast. Kim earned it! As you can see by the pictures, she continues to kick major ass with the nutrition and training. Just goes to show you what amazing results you can get with hard work and a (dare I say) great training and nutrition program. Which reminds me...I am going to be taking on two more distance coaching clients. If you are interested head over to the details page: Kevin's Online Personal Training.]

Hi Everyone,

So people have just been starting to get pictures to me from my shower two weeks ago, and I have to say that I actually look forward to seeing them!  Before I lost this weight, I didn’t like looking at the pictures because I didn’t like how I looked.  But now I am much happier with myself.  J   I am including a picture of me with my infamous French toast.  Look how happy I am!  It’s ridiculous!

I also had my first dress fitting last week and the dress that had previously fit me perfectly (this winter) now falls off of me.  My seamstress had the dress pinned all over the place for all of the places she needs to take it in.  It was one of those days when I really got to see all of my success over the months at one time.

Kevin continues to work me to the bone (in a good way) each time I see him.  Recently I have been able to dead lift 165 lbs, and bench 95lbs.  This is something that I am very proud of.  In the beginning I didn’t like to dead lift, but now I see it as a challenge for me.  Can I do all the sets with textbook form?  How much will I be able to lift today?  I also like how it works so much of my body.

I am just amazed at how much stronger I am now.  Strength-wise I am the strongest that I have EVER been. I am not the skinniest that I have ever been, but if I keep plugging away at it, and stop having slip-ups in my diet I’m 100% sure that I could get there.

[Editor's Note: Kim continues to DOMINATE! She is making some fantastic body composition changes and has not questioned any of the guidelines or fudge the calories she has been counting (no pun intended). She just had her wedding shower this past weekend and she treated herself to some French toast that was, "made especially," for her. I am 100% cool with that. You know why? She has been busting her ass and she deserves it. AND, she was right back on track after that meal! Now on to Kim's Blog]

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I’m going to call this entry “The Rededication.”  Since the last time I wrote I kind have got off track on my eating.  I had a slice of pizza, and I indulged in many other things that I really shouldn’t have.  I also kind of stopped tracking my food for a few of those days.  Thanks to the workouts that I kept up with, I didn’t gain any weight during this time.  But I definitely didn’t loose any either.  I am holding firm at a daily weight of 145. I really want to see what else I can do.  I have come so far, and I’m still getting a lot of compliments, but I know that I can do better.

So as of just a couple of days ago I rededicated myself.  I am reining the eating back in, sticking to the approved amounts and items.  I need to get back to the routine.  So for the past couple of days I have been good.  I am really wanting to get this back in control so that I can loose some more.  I saw Kevin tonight and he had me doing some reverse lunges with a bunch of weight.  I will hurt tomorrow.  Also, earlier this week we were doing kettle bell swats with extending the weight out in front of me at the bottom of each.  I don’t know what the technical name for it is – but I will tell you this – there is nothing that has made my core this sore in a long time.

I want to thank Kevin for cheering me on to get back on track and for pushing me this week.  I needed that encouragement to get back on the horse.  Also, thank you for the ass-kicking workouts this week.  I cannot wait to meet back up next week for some more sessions!

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I missed a week there.  It’s been getting busy here with the coming of spring.  But I’ve been loving getting outside to walk the dog.  She actually got invited into the gym while I lifted earlier this week, and became somewhat of a mascot J She’s a great excuse/motivation to get out and walk and jog.

So my weight loss has slowed some.  From here on it will take some more patience, time and hard work.  Kevin put together a new routine for me, which we started this week.  I thought that I was in good enough shape to not get hit hard with soreness anymore.  But I think that I was thinking too much of myself because I can still feel the back of my legs when I move certain ways and it’s been a few days.  He is pushing me up to the next level again, and some of the swats were really getting me.  It’s hard work, but I really enjoy our workouts.  I leave feeling like I’ve really done something good for the day.  And I feel great knowing that maybe in a week or two this-or-that might be fitting again.

This past weekend for Easter I wore a dress that I haven’t worn in years.  I got many, many compliments from friends and family members who haven’t seen me since the beginning of my program with Kevin.  They kept saying how good I looked.  It feels great to accept those compliments.

Well, till next week, lift some heavy stuff and stay away from the left over chocolate bunnies.

• David has made some great progress! The pictures tell the whole story.

Now to the blogs:

David:

I think the NCAA should take some responsibility for the overall fatness of American men.  Usually this time of year my weekends look like this- Lazy Boy, Bud Light and brackets.  This year I’m trying to go a different route.  I watched the first half of a game on Saturday from the stair stepper at the gym.  I know, I hate the thought of 30 minutes of gym time wasted on a silly cardio machine too but it was better than the chair and Bud Light.

I forget the last time I stepped on the scale in my bathroom and the first number was a “1″ as in 199.  Felt pretty good to break below the Mendoza Line.  Baseball purists will know the meaning of the Mendoza Line reference but for the non-baseball honks it means batting below a .200 average.  In baseball it is not a good thing, for my fat loss it’s a milestone.  The measurement around my waist also shrank by 1/4″.

Aaron:

Something I’ve realized, but never really done anything about, is how truly terrible my posture is. Last week was a big eye-opener – sitting and waiting for delayed flights, sitting through endless meetings, sitting at our booth to field questions, sitting at dinner with clients, sitting, sitting, sitting…. Always hunched over something, whether it be a laptop, notepad or a plate of food – and CONSTANTLY fidgeting to get comfortable.

I did some light research on a few sites (the best one was probably: http://www.exrx.net/Kinesiology/Posture.html ) and it really concerned me. I try to really focus on good form when I lift – often sacrificing the weight I use – but it rarely crosses my mind to focus on good “form” when sitting in a chair or how I stand.  A few of the site I came across had exercise recommendations for improving posture, and I plan on incorporating a few on my off days. If Kevin or Doc Fass have any further recommendations I’m all ears.

As far as the training goes, this week was like night and day compared to last week. Six of my friends and I all took Thursday and Friday off and watched NCAA hoops pretty much non-stop from 11am Thursday morning until Sunday night. I managed to get into the gym Tuesday night and then early Thur., Sat. and Sunday – and proceeded to eat like a king every day. We grilled nearly every meal, I managed to only drink 1 beer the entire stretch – no small feat considering the crowd.

I hit a PR in the back squat, doing 225lbs for 6 reps. 8 is my target going forward, but considering the most I had ever done prior to that was 205 for 5 I was shocked at how “easy” it came. I probably should have tried it awhile ago. As dumb and egotistical as it sounds, it feels cool to have two plates clanking around on each side.

And now for something completely different… I have been on a zombie binge lately. I have read World War Z and The Zombie Survival Guide both by Max Brooks. Both are recommended, the Survival Guide is more for laughs and WWZ is a pretty neat collection of war stories from various survivors of the Zombie apocalypse. I watched both versions of The Dawn of the Dead. The 2004 was cheesy but entertaining and the 1978 version was ultra cheesy and awesome. I also rented Zombieland this weekend as a distraction from 96 hours of college hoops, I loved it.

If anyone has any recommendations on zombie movies or books to check out please let me know!

Lucas:

I forgot to mention last week that I officially got under 210 pounds, weighing in at 209.5 last Monday morning.  Today (Monday, March 22nd), I weighed in at 207, so I am very pleased with that – especially since I was out of town all weekend.  We went to my parents’ house, and that usually means I gain a pound or two since my mom is such an awesome cook.  She always makes healthy food, but I usually just eat way too much of it.  I managed to stick to my plan this time, though, in large part because I knew I had to weigh in and take pictures of myself this morning.  So there is definitely something to this whole accountability thing.  Anyway, here’s the rundown on my training and nutrition:

Training:

Monday 3/15 – Started round 3 of the 5/3/1 program with a timed circuit at the end

Tuesday 3/16 – Infamous TRX Workout A Phase 4 week 2 – Brutally hard

Wednesday 3/17 – 5/3/1 lift #2 with a timed circuit at the end

Thursday 3/18 – Infamous TRX Workout B Phase 4 week 2 – Wanted to die

Friday 3/19 – Coach Dos’ KB Complex – did this outside while the rest of the fam had a picnic

Saturday 3/20 – Ran in a 5k race

Sunday 3/21 – Rest day

I’m still loving the 5/3/1 program the way I’ve set it up for myself.  This is my 3rd cycle on it, and my lifts are still going up.  I also finished the Infamous TRX Workout (all 8 wicked weeks of it), and it was unbelievably difficult.  At the same time, though, it was a lot of fun and very rewarding.  My conditioning and work capacity have increased dramatically.

Nutrition:

Nothing major to report here.  I ate according to plan all week.  It has become easier for me every week.  Yes, I’m still tempted – like at my daughter’s skate night they had pizza and I wanted to knock over every small child on skates to get to the pizza table and eat 24 slices – but I didn’t.  I ate before we left, and I knew I had a snack waiting at home.  It just gets easier and easier to avoid the junk food, and that is a very good thing.

I hope everyone else had a great week.  Let’s keep it going!  Until next time…

I can’t believe another week has gone by. I’m really getting use to the routine of watching what I eat, working out regularly, and living this new life Kevin has started me out in. Pizza still looms everywhere (seemingly) but I have gotten stronger and this week I just avoided the cafeteria all together on pizza Friday.

This morning I weighed in at 146.4. So, still heading in the right direction. Kevin and I have been trying to figure out what my target weight should be. It’s nice to have someone knowledgeable to talk to about this; someone who knows what realistically I should be shooting for. Me, I’m still dreaming of weighing what I did when I was 18, but realistically I’ll be very happy with another 10-12 lbs gone. Something that he pointed out to me, which makes a lot of sense, is that I have a lot more muscle now. So I have to take that into account when I think of the numbers. And something he’s been saying from day one is that I shouldn’t be so focused on the numbers anyway. How are my clothes fitting? How am I feeling? How are the weekly pictures looking? These things are more evidence of success than the numbers.

This week Kevin and I trained twice. Again, he was pushing me just a bit further than what I had gotten comfortable with. Instead of presses with 30lb weights, I was using 35lbs. It’s so good to have him pushing me that little bit further once he recognizes that I’ve become too comfortable with what we had been doing. I can be a bit lazy sometimes, and not want to put forth the extra effort to push it to the next level. He keeps me going forward, not letting me get lazy.

Another aspect of this was when he had me doing exercises that seemed daunting; he did them along side me – which really helped me get through them. Sometimes you need to feel like someone else is suffering with you to get yourself to see it through. One of these things was the bike intervals that we did at the end of our last workout. I HATE the bike, and I HATE intervals. But they are a necessary evil. So Kevin jumped on the bike next to me and said that he would do it too. It was nice to see him subjected to the torture too.

And so another week begins. I hope to see you all again from the other side of 145. ☺ Have a good week!

Hi Again,

So another week down.  I learned something this week.  I learned how important it is to have both the nutrition AND the workouts for weight loss.  I had a migraine for a couple of days mid-week, and I was out of the gym for a few days. I have been working hard to make up for that missed time since then.  Currently I am 147.5 – Very close to 10 lbs down overall!  I can’t believe what I have been able to achieve in just a few weeks.  It’s mind blowing.  I never thought that I would be able to do that!  It’s great to actually feel lighter in my every day activities too. Crossing my leg is easier, I feel like I’m flying up the stairs now, and pants that use to “pull” are now loose and my belts are seeing much more use.  I can’t wait to get into those clothes that I tucked away long ago – with hopes that I would someday fit into them again.

I cannot thank you enough Kevin for what you have given me.  People at work have been complimenting me, and it’s been making for some good motivation to keep going.  My results so far are making me wonder where I will be by the time I walk down the isle.  I’ll be rockin’ that dress!

Something else that’s been improving is my strength.  I’m feeling more solid, and I have gone up a notch in weights this week.  The workouts that Kevin creates for me are varied enough that it keeps even ADD-me interested.  After a year of seeing him, I would think that I would have seen all that he’s got, but he still manages to teach me new moves.  Today it was a variation of planks, which were much, much harder.

So I need to apologize for the photos this week.  There are more shadows that usual because I had to take the photos later in the evening, when I usually take them in the afternoon.  We had some family drop by unannounced, and they stayed a while… you know how it goes.

Well, I look forward to writing to you all again next week, with some new exciting numbers!  Stay strong, and stay away from the pizza (that’s what I keep telling myself).  Ciao  J

Hi Everyone,

So I survived another week.  For a while this week my scale seemed to be stuck at 151.  It was really starting to bother me.  I had been doing everything right.  But I am very happy to say that this morning I broke the 150 barrier.  I weighed in at 149.8!  That was one of those big benchmarks for me psychologically.  I think the beautiful weather we’ve had here this past weekend helped me to just get that little bit further.  I can’t believe how far I’ve come in just two weeks.

I am feeling great, and I’m really looking forward to training with Kevin this week.  Recently he had me doing the ropes at the end of our work out.  I have to say; they are so much more tiring than you would ever think.  My first set was actually fun, and I thought to myself that Kevin was just going easy on me.  But by the third and fourth sets I could barely get the ropes off the ground.  I was beat! (but still liking the exercise)  If you have access to big, heavy ropes like these; you should definitely try this one.

Batty, I wanted to thank you for including a “before” photo on your most recent post.  I am just getting to know you all, and it is an inspiration for me to see just how far you have come.

Here’s to another good week,

Kim

[editors note: Kim continues to do great on the training and nutrition program. She is well ahead of the time frame for her fat loss goals. I will be posting some progression pictures next week. If you are interested in Online Personal Training, I have opened up two spots. Check KevinLarrabee.com for more details.]

Kim has always kicked ass with the training. The nutrition has been the sticking point. She was inspired by the FitCast Accountability Bloggers and with what Leigh and I are doing with Destination Abs. So…She wanted to do it as well.

I sat down with her and told her this was going to be tough, even suck. Dieting sucks, I don’t care if you are doing a detox diet or the 1 lb a week diet. It still sucks. I modified the Destination Abs program for Kim to guarantee success if we can keep the train on the tracks. Kim will also be journaling her progress on this site each week with pictures and a blog.

Kim will be training three days a week with a strength training program I developed in conjunction with the calorie deficit. There will also be some metabolic training mixed in to accelerate things without too much extra volume.

Now the floor is Kim’s. Come on FitCast Community, please give her some support! I know she will really appreciate it!

If you missed it check out Kim’s first post: New Beginnings

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February 28, 2010

Hi Everyone,

So it has been 1 week now.  The first 5 days it was really hard to get use to the new eating program.  I watched 200+ students and teachers eat pizza on Friday, and that was the toughest point all week.  That was the worst.  And it is something that I will have to learn to do over and over again because it will happen every week.  When Friday lunch rolls around, think of me.  Send me your good vibes – I’ll need them.

But the really good news is that I HAVE been able to stick the diet & exercise program.  Not one slip up, and I’ll tell you that I don’t really want to break the rules right now because I’m beginning to see results already.  I have dropped a few pounds, and gone down 1 belt notch!  YAY!

I’ve even found a few meals that I look forward to. Like turkey taco salad (but no cheese) and chicken stir-fry (no rice) and I actually have learned to like the strawberry protein mix.   This is good because I still have 110 days to go until the wedding.

Thank you everyone for your support – you are a great group to have behind me.  I will be watching your progress and I wish you all the will power this week J

[editors note: Kim did great this week in training. She busted her butt through some battling ropes and intense lifting. Please continue to send your comments, thoughts, and support! -Kevin]

Kim has always kicked ass with the training. The nutrition has been the sticking point. She was inspired by the FitCast Accountability Bloggers and with what Leigh and I are doing with Destination Abs. So…She wanted to do it as well.

I sat down with her and told her this was going to be tough, even suck. Dieting sucks, I don’t care if you are doing a detox diet or the 1 lb a week diet. It still sucks. I modified the Destination Abs program for Kim to guarantee success if we can keep the train on the tracks. Kim will also be journaling her progress on this site each week with pictures and a blog.

Kim will be training three days a week with a strength training program I developed in conjunction with the calorie deficit. There will also be some metabolic training mixed in to accelerate things without too much extra volume.

Now the floor is Kim’s. Come on FitCast Community, please give her some support! I know she will really appreciate it!

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February 21, 2010

I started training with Kevin a year ago.  I chose him because he is simply miles better than anyone else around.  His knowledge is incredible, and for someone who is going to have such an impact on my health and well being, I wanted nothing sort of the best.  If I were going to get surgery, would I want a doctor who just does it as a fall back career, or would I want someone who lives and breathes surgery?  Because that’s what some “trainers” are, people who failed at some other career and this was a fall back. For a trainer I wanted someone who’s life was his work.  That is Kevin.  He has been thoroughly educated in learning how the body works, and he continues to study and learn more every week.  I ask, “Kevin, what are you up to this weekend?” and he tells me he’s reading up on training. He has earned my complete trust.

As you can see from my pictures, I have not accomplished all of my goals.  When I first started with Kevin a year ago I started to see great results, but then I lost my focus.  Quite simply, life got in the way.  Work ramped up, family members with health issues, and then I got engaged, which really shifted my focus with all of the planning that needed to be done.  I was eating what was convenient, and giving in to treats that crossed my path.  Being a teacher, I see pizza being sold every Friday, cupcakes for every birthday and I have a weakness for macaroni and cheese.  It’s tough to say “no” every time, but, alas, here we are.  Look at where it got me.  My drawers are filled with clothes that no longer fit, and I have a wedding in just under 4 months!

So what are my goals? Lets start with where I am now.  At my physical last month I clocked in at 5 foot, 3 inches, and 157 pounds!  (My doctor even told me to loose weight.) So between the doctor, and my upcoming wedding, I am very motivated to get this going.  I need to trim down and get buff!

Kevin will get me there!  I want to see those abs again and fit into that bathing suit that I use to wear when my fiancé and I first started dating.  I will do it! I’m excited to start seeing those muscles that I know are under there from our strength training.