I'm back and leaner than ever since my start at Burn Fitness or what I like to call the home of the FatBurn “system of guaranteed weight loss.”
Yup! That's right, guaranteed. I can honestly say that I've lost 30 pounds and I have successfully kept this weight off. Now, any good doctor will tell you that those who are most successful at weight loss are those folks who keep weight off a year after they've lost it. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “People who lose weight slowly by eating less and exercising more tend to keep the weight off.” I have to concur.
You can hit the gym all you want, but the bottom line here is that if you're not eating right you will not drop the pounds. And that's what Burn Fitness has helped me with learning to incorporate better choices when it comes to food, keeping to a regular exercise routine and eating less at one sitting. It's a fact, people who have achieved successful weight loss report making substantial changes in eating and exercise habits in order to lose weight and maintain their losses.
While I admit I haven't always been diligent about the food journaling called for in the program because it is really important to successful weight loss, I have learned so much as a result of this program that I can now eyeball food and count the calories in my head. I know how to portion my food so that I am not eating more than 1,000 calories per day.
Those of you who have followed my weight loss journey from the start know that I still have 10 pounds to lose. I have been maintaining my weight successfully and now it's time to ramp it up again and get these last 10 off. It shouldn't take that long. Let's you and I see it through together.
Here's how I snapped it into high gear:
The first thing I did to kick my routine up a notch was to step into trainer Thomas Johnson's Monday morning class. Johnson has put together what I call a “Monday Madness.” This is a really tough class. Why do I endure it? I guess it's the way I feel afterwards. Truth be told, you do feel really good when it's all done. or it could be the rush of adrenaline I get feeling my blood start pumping, but the truth is, I like the way these exercises make my butt look.
The class starts with a run up and down six flights of stairs. Yeah, that's right. Six flights. Johnson, God bless him, doesn't force us to run if we can't. “Just keep moving!” he yells out.
“I don't care if you're walking, just keep going. Don't stop. You can do it.”
It's inspiring and I need to hear it because it's 6:45 a.m. and I feel like I want to be back in my bed snuggled up under my warm blankets. How do I know I've become insane since starting my fitness regime at Burn? I opt to take an eight-pound dumbbell with me for this jaunt. Johnson commends me, “Good job! Look at Taylor. She's got a weight.” I can hear the groans coming from the other folks in the class. They too think I'm insane, and now they also hate me for raising the bar.
The truth is that on Saturdays I take Tom Williams' class. He makes us run the steps while carrying weights overhead. If I didn't take the weight now, I'd never be ready for Williams' class which is even more difficult and where I'm still the weakest link in the chain.
After the “running of the steps,” Johnson puts on music. It's loud, house music. It gets you moving. We have step blocks that we've set up and arranged around the room, along with dumbbells and yoga mats. We use them for the next set of the routine. The exercises are structured in groups of three types performed for 45 seconds each then repeated three times with a 15 second rest in between. Oh, thank God for those 15 seconds! Johnson demonstrates each exercise in the sequence and then gives us an alternate exercise if we can't handle doing the routine full out. For example today's first sequence was a jump lunge across the step mat, followed by a squatting exercise that involved dumbbells, followed by a combination of mixed martial arts movements. I have a hard time jumping so I opt for step-ups instead. As long as I keep moving I'm good.
The great thing about this class is that Johnson mixes it all up. You never know what's coming next. This takes your mind off of the exercise because you're trying to make sure you've got the sequence down pat. Johnson explains, “Every exercise is designed for maximum body stimulation. We don't isolate any muscle groups. Every muscle is worked repetitively to get the maximum benefits for every muscle. This is one of the best ways to burn body fat, keep fit and to maintain lean mass.”
The time goes by very quickly and while it's exhausting, it's over before you know it and you are ready to face the day, feeling like you can do anything. With Thanksgiving around the corner and the holidays fast approaching I want to make sure I'm down to my goal.
Let's do it! Let's get back in the saddle again!
Contact Taylor at tailfish@roadrunner.com
By the numbers
Starting Weight: 182
Pounds Lost: 32.
Current Weight: 150
Goal Weight: 140
Pounds to Lose to Goal: 10
