Progress Report for SusanR as of 25 June 2010

Hi Aaron, finished the program yesterday and VERY happy with the results. I am just rushing off now for a weekend away (taekwondo camp in the snow, hmmmm), but will finish the results and feedback off for you then (have made notes as I went along, just don't have time to input it all now, sorry). Looking forward to chatting when I am back. Thanks, Susan

Roger that Susan, look forward to seeing what you accomplished. Excellent job in finishing - you should be happy and proud of yourself for setting the goal to finish and actually doing it with what looks like great results. Enjoy the snow.

OK, so sorry the results are a bit late...unfortunately I didn't take photos on Day 11 and after eating too many bad carbs again for a few days (plus it being my 'fat' time of the month), I'd rather wait till I can take some pics that more accurately reflect what I looked like on Friday!!! For the moment though.. no after pics, sorry!

Firstly, the weight loss, I was quite stunned to lose 8lbs (and cm in all the right places)! Even though I exercise pretty much most days for 2 or more hours and have had amazing changes to my body shape in the last 6 months, I rarely actually lose weight, maybe a pound or so a month. This is the first time (maybe in my life) I have ever actually watched what I ate and the results are quite phenomenal. I was very strict on keeping to the contents of the diet, but I did mix it up a bit (i.e. the order/combinations) mainly due to personal preference and busy schedules. For example, pepper with bread is not working so much for me, but peppers, tuna and bread is one of my faves!! The only hard part of the diet (and not so much hard as unpalatable) was slugging back those yucky egg whites in the morning. I would never have believed I would carry on doing it after the 10 days and yet I have!!! (not every day mind you)!!

The exercise plan I did not follow as rigidly, mainly because I found it very difficult to drop my normal exercising. So, for example, if I had a one hour boxing class in an evening, I would tend to do that instead of the boxing program for that day. In the first week, I did stick to the program quite well, but also did some other exercise. My calves took quite a bit of strain, from the skipping (at which I am only a beginner) and the running (I probably only run about 10km a week normally) and probably from overdoing it a bit much by not dropping my normal workouts to make room for the program workouts. So, with the sore calves, I didn't do as much of the running and the skipping in the second week (also hampered by children on school holiday so home in the mornings). So, I could have improved a lot here and once they are back at school, I am going to start doing more cardio workouts in the morning (probably more running, which I do enjoy and a little skipping, which I don't enjoy so much, but which I'd like to improve). I also plan to incorporate more of the boxing workouts and will also do videos in due course of the various skills.

Two things really stand out for me in what I gained from this program:

Firstly, while I have always read and know a lot about nutrition, this is the first time I ever experienced how different you can FEEL if you eat properly. Having now gained this knowledge properly (through experience rather than learning) is motivating me to incorporate a lot of the diet plan into my normal day to day diet (but with more veg and definitely more fruit). Basically, I am keeping up the breakfasts, trying to have protein shakes instead of 'bad' snacks and generally keeping the pasta and other carbs to a minimum (although I had lasagne, salad, crisps, a cup of tea and two biscuits for supper tonight and boy do I feel like a slug right now). So long term change to my diet (and more importantly, actually wanting to make those changes) is the first huge benefit I have gained.

The second major benefit was more mental. As well as feeling lean and strong throughout the program, it was amazing how clear headed and focused I became. I have been very unmotivated at my day job for a long time now and have been toying with the idea of working in fitness (a while ago I started an online personal training course, more for my own interest than anything else). Nevertheless for months I have been dithering about what I want to do, make a go of my business (which interests me less and less all the time), get a 'real' job or bite the bullet and do something where I may earn less, but which I'll love doing every day. During the program it became a lot more clear to me what I want to do so I have now signed up to train as a Body Combat Instructor, which I am starting this coming weekend. I'll also be pursuing my personal and group training courses with more gusto and have signed up 3 friends who I'll train for free over the next 6 months as my guinea pigs (incorporating the 10 day plan in their programs of course!!!). As I start earning, I will also get my swim and yoga teaching qualifications to add more strings to my fitness bow. So, for me, this finally gives me some direction and I think going on the 10 day program has played a huge part in showing me what I can accomplish and how I can be confident in helping other people to accomplish their own health and fitness goals, so thank you Aaron, for something quite life changing.

One other little 'feel good' factor for me. Straight after the program, I went on a weekend camp with my Taekwondo club, with about 15 of us, all pretty fit people and it felt really good to notice that even in such company (and as one of the most junior belts in the club), I was in the top few fitness wise. One of the highlights for me was a training session where we were running up and down a hill and on the uphill, I very easily left behind one of the fitter, more determined group members and I never even had to push myself very hard. It sounds vain I know, but it was SUCH a good feeling, especially for somebody who 8 months ago, was very overweight and unfit!!! I want to have that feeling more often and so I am definitely going to be incorporating many aspects of the 10 day program into my daily life (and that of my future clients) from now on!!!

Aaron, I do have some feedback more specifically on the program, which I shall message you separately. You can then publish or keep private, whatever you choose.

So, definitely I'll be boxing on and enjoying being a member of the how to box community!!

Thank you SO much, Aaron!!

Hey Susan, congrats on finishing the program! I had the same problem with the egg whites. Perhaps Aaron can shed some light on this alternative but I found mixing egg whites, quick oats and canned pink salmon in the given portions make tasty salmon patties that fulfill the carb/protein/fat requirements. It's my new daily breakfast! All the best.

Hmmm, I'm thinking mixing the egg whites with something else would just prolong the effort required to get them down. As it stands, it goes down in about 2 seconds flat, then I quickly grab a piece of the ham and then sit down to my cinnamon porridge (we were allowed to cook the oats weren't we)? :-) And this has become my new daily breakfast too!!! (although I'm going with 2 egg whites instead of 3 now). Well done on finding something that works for you.

Susan - thank you for the very detailed feedback. It's very much appreciated and will serve to make the program better for people in the future. I'll reply to some of the specifics in a bit - such as the food, etc... but for today, it's Canada Day here in Canada so off to celebrate.

Thanks again.

Hope you are enjoying Canada Day, Aaron, chat soon!! Cheerio, Sue