Guest Blogger & HTS Client: Julie

For the next 10 weeks my client, Julie, will be a guest blogger as she pursues her fat loss goals. She had her baseline measurements taken yesterday, and I will post her measurements each week. I have given her the tools she needs (training program and diet) to help her reach her goal. The last element is accountability...which is why she is doing these blog postings.

Julie's measurements-

Feb 10th, 2009- Body weight: 136 lbs, body fat: 21.6%


So here is Julie.............

Each one of us has an ideal weight, size or composition we'd like to be. I am not typically a numbers girl, but I do know what the scale looks like when I feel good about myself. I'd like to weigh 125 pounds (Dan would argue about this with me, but I'll let him do that in his own post). And, it is really not about the number 125 for its own sake. When I have weighed 125 in the past, it's been because I am taking good care of myself. That particular number for me represents not necessarily an ideal weight, but an improved percentage of body fat, healthy diet, better fitting clothes, and increased confidence.

Right now, I am at my heaviest weight (excluding pregnancy). What bothers me even more is that I have been this way for months. I work out regularly, and have been working with Dan since May 2008. Although I certainly feel stronger, I do not look stronger. I cannot see the results of my time in the gym. My problem is my diet. Dan knows it and I know it. I keep toying with the idea of fixing my unhealthy habits, but have repeatedly shown a lack of commitment. So, here I am. I have agreed to post my progress weekly on Dan's Blog, and I have given him permission to post my numbers. I have always been intensely private about this type of information, so this is a first for me.

When I was at the gym the other day, I told Jen (another HTS client) that I planned on doing this- going public, so to speak. She insisted that I look fine. But, its not about appearing a certain way to others; its about how I feel about myself. It's about accountability. I am not as healthy as I could be. I do make bad decisions regarding diet, and I need to get honest about it. I am 39 and I am determined to go into 40 feeling better than I ever have.

For the next 10 weeks I am going to follow Dan's suggested diet for me and my goals: 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbohydrates. My target daily Calorie intake is 1300 per day. I will strength train three days per week, perform metabolic conditioning three days per week, and low intensity cardio twice per week. Let's see where this gets me..................