My 60 Day Results with Hammer and Chisel

On Sunday I finished my last Hammer and Chisel workout, and with that, I successfully completed another Beachbody program.

I tend to me someone that downplays my own success.  I like to say things weren’t a big deal…that it was just 8 weeks…that anyone can do it.

And in a way – yes that is true!  Anyone can do it!  It’s just 8 weeks!

However, there is nothing wrong with celebrating your own successes.   In fact, small celebrations along the way are important in acheiving great things.  They keep you going, they motivate you.  So I encourage you to celebrate your own successes, and that’s what I’m going to do here.

Let’s start by talking about numbers.

Weight:  Day 1 – 132.5lbs   Day 60 – 128lbs

Measurements:

Chest – Day 1 – 33.5, Day 60 -33

Right arm – Day 1 – 10.75,  Day 60 – 11.25

Left arm – Day 1 – 10.75, Day 60 – 11.25

Waist – Day 1 – 28.5, Day 60 – 27.25

Bellybutton – Day 1 – 33, Day 60 – 31.5

Hips – Day 1 – 35, Day 60 – 34.5

Right thigh – Day 1 – 21.25, Day 60 – 20.0

Left thigh – Day 1 – 21.25, Day 60 – 20.0

Some thoughts about the numbers:

Weight loss – I did not focus on weight loss with this program.  I focused on building muscle.   This means I was eating a lot each day!  It was amazing to see that building muscle automatically led to fat loss.  A lot of the time women focus on cardio cardio and more cardio to lose weight.  I have learned from this program that strength training is CRUCIAL in building muscle, in speeding up a metabolism and in reshaping your body.  I will always love cardio but I now have a new love for strength training.   Also – I really don’t care much about the scale anymore.  I know my weight can fluctuate within a range of 2-5 lbs from day to day or week to week and I’m OK with that.  Focusing on weight loss is depressing.  Focusing on gaining strength is empowering!

Measurements – It was nice to see some inches gone around my waist as those stubborn pockets of fat around the midsection are hard to lose, especially after having kids.  However, it is possible with consistent work – both with regards to workouts and nutrition.  It was funny that I lost some inches too around my thighs…this wasn’t a goal of mine but I will take it anyways!  And I am HAPPY that I GAINED inches in my arms…my arms have always been my weakest part of my body and I’m proud of gaining muscle in them!

A few more thoughts that move far beyond numbers:

I’m proud of myself for sticking with the program for 60 days and not missing one workout.

I’m proud of myself for increasing my weights steadily throughout the program.  I started off using 10lbs weights for certain moves and went up to 20lbs…which is huge for me.

I’m proud of myself for changing my focus from weight loss to muscle building.  It is a big mindset switch and I think it is one that a lot of women struggle with.  I love that this program gives you different options for the nutrition plan so that you can maintain your weight and gain muscle, or even gain weight by building muscle.

I’m proud of myself for sticking to the nutrition plan quite closely, but adding in some wiggle room for some treats at special events such as birthday parties etc.  For me that is a realistic lifestyle that I can maintain.  I did not feel starved or deprived and I don’t feel the need to binge now that I’m done.

One last thought.  I’m really proud of a habit that I have created from this program that I plan on continuing on with.   I have stopped eating after dinner.  It was hard during the first week or so, but now I don’t even think twice about it.  It is just a habit!

Here is how I did it:

I used to snack after the kids went to bed as a way to relax.  It was a way to unwind, and it felt like I was treating myself.  I found myself shovelling food in my mouth during the day as I rushed around and didn’t often take the time to slow down and taste it.  So after dinner eating was my chance to enjoy my food.  The problem was that I was eating calories that I didn’t need, and I was eating them at a time of day when my body didn’t need them.  Your body needs 3 or 4 hours to finish digesting before you go to sleep.  And I wasn’t allowing for that.

So I decided that I would just go cold turkey with the evening eating.  I finished my alloted food during the day.  I consciously made the decision to slow down during the day, and enjoy my food…to take a breath…to taste things!  And to be thankful for the nourishment.  I made sure that I was eating enough during the day to fuel me so that I wouldn’t be starving after dinner.

I then found other ways to treat myself and unwind in the evenings.  I lit a scented candle.  I made a cup of tea.  I took some time to sit down with Jake and talk to him.  I went to bed early.  I read a book.  I hopped on a team call or did some work.  (Yes, my work makes me feel good!).  I also brushed my teeth after dinner.   I took the time to floss properly and brush properly…and I didn’t want to ruin that with eating again.

I realized that by cutting out evening eating, I slept better because my body didn’t have to work hard to digest food while I was sleeping.  My digestion improved…I felt less gassy and bloated.

I learned to enjoy the way I feel when I don’t eat at night.  I now connect not eating at night to feeling good, whereas before I connected nighttime snacking to feeling good.  I now connect eating at night to feeling yucky and bloated.   And I don’t want to feel that way anymore!

If you are a nighttime eater – I hope these tips help you a bit.  When I focused on changing my mindset about nighttime eating, I was able to stop doing it.   It really was that simple.

If you have been considering trying Hammer and Chisel, I hope my thoughts on the program give you some helpful insight into it.  It truly is an amazing program, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to lose fat, gain muscle and feel good about themselves!