Abs Diet for Women Success Story  

Name: Jamie
Age: 22
Height: 5' 5"
Weight, Week 1: 150
Weight, Week 6 143
Body Fat Percentage, Week 1: 29%
Body Fat Percentage, Week 6: 24%

 

College takes its toll on your body. Especially for females. It was like dodging a war with the scale. Sooner or later, I knew the pounds would attack my frame, but my tummy destruction came later than sooner. Just when I thought I was safe, the fat bomb dropped and landed around my belly button.

 

My freshman year at Syracuse University, I was petrified of gaining the freshman 15. I broke a sweat on the elliptical machine every day and loitered at the dining hall's salad bar, while my peers took two-hour naps, then hovered around the fried chicken station at dinner. I limited the drinking, while my friends spent more time pulling pints at the keg line than they did flirting with frat boys.

 

Unlike most people, I actually lost weight freshman year. But that regimen soon expired. Little by little, by senior year, I became less strict on myself. "You only live once," I said, and headed out to party four nights a week. Happy hour? Forget sharing, we carried our own pitchers. Polish the night off with a few slices of pizza? Hey, it'll kill the dreaded hangover.

 

By the end of senior year, I had gained 10 pounds. While I had consistently headed to the gym and ran during this entire four-year period, my stomach couldn't defeat all the late-night mac & cheese, pizza deliveries, and the constant beerfall that raged down my gullet.

I didn't want to eat or drink that much, it just happened. It's hard to avoid when you're constantly surrounded by it. I knew I was in trouble, but I neglected to do what it takes to reverse the weight gain.

 

When I graduated, I thought the pounds would come off quickly. No more temptations to binge. But even when I ran more, began to eat healthier, and cut down the drinking, the scale dial still failed to waver.

 

It wasn't until I moved to PA to start my internship, that I saw results. What better motivation to get back in shape than to work at Men's Health? I was persuaded to give the Abs Diet a try. Skeptical at first, because I had been working out hard all summer with no results, I doubted my ability to lose weight.

 

I lifted my dumbbells--something I had never incorporated into my workouts before. Previously, I thought weightlifting was for women who trained to be rippled and oiled bodybuilders. But within two weeks, I lost five pounds. The high intensity interval training became much more enjoyable than the slow four-miles that I forced myself to run all summer.

 

And the smoothies? Dear God, I couldn't wait to wake up in the morning so I could drink one. Tastes like ice cream for breakfast.

 

By week four, everyone began to comment on my progress. My face thinned out, and the sides of my stomach didn't bubble over my pants. On my Key West trip, I strutted around proudly in my bikini, instead of restricting myself to the beach blanket, facedown on my stomach.

 

I lost 7 pounds over the six weeks. My entire body took on a more toned physique as the jelly donut around my belly button faded away. And even though my six weeks are complete, there's no way I'll stop this plan. I've increased the weight on my dumbbells to build more muscle, and upped my HIIT to 45 minutes per session. I even incorporate one long run on the weekend, to get some fitness time outdoors.

 

No full six-pack yet, but give me a few more weeks, and you can call me Abby.

1. Prev:Abs Diet Challenge Winners  
2. Next:Weight Loss: Table of Contents April 2005