Stop it. I know what many of you are thinking.

“But Chris! You’re already trim! What do you need to lose?!”

THIS……

YIKES…

Fact of the matter is, I do have something to lose. In the last two months, I’ve lost 12 pounds of gut, back fat and flabby thighs and at almost 40, I have never felt better. A few things I’ve learned on this odyssey:

Cellulite can go away.

It’s cool when your thighs barely rub together.

I, in fact, have an actual waist.

The fact of the matter was, in February 2013 I weighed myself, and  at 5’3, I came in at 145. That is a LOT for a pip squeak like me to carry. Yes, much of it was muscle, which is denser than fat. But the fat was there too, and I was determined to get rid of it once and for all.

It was time to up my game. I started the Ballet Body DVD series I’ve been raving about for the past month or so. Then I gave up something I LOVED–my nightcaps! No more vodka tonics. Or beer. Or malbec. I was on the wagon so I could once and for all, lose those devilish love handles. Finally, I upped my metabolism and alternated my DVD’s with cardio workouts which included sprints (3.5 brisk walk for 2 minutes; 5.2 running for 1 minute).

That did it…like, really quick.

And..(no more back fat)…

And…(no more rolly fat indentations on my arms)…

AND!!!…

AND…AND…AND!!!! A WAIST!!!

I have gone from high 145 to a weigh-in today at 133. And I feel FREAKING GREAT!!! I love the sinewy muscle definition, how long and lean my limbs have become, and watching the tape measure keep going downward–from 30.5 inches to 28.

What I’m Eating

The low-carb, low sugar lifestyle is really working for me. I actually have a relatively high-fat diet, which is great because it’s quite satiating. I never feel hungry. Ever. I eat a LOT of greens. Also avocados, salmon, sardines, eggs, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, hummus, and cheese. The outside pictures are of our backyard organic garden–we grow apples, tomatoes, soy beans, zucchini, grapes, blackberries, limes, raspberries, carrots and lettuce.

I stay away from fruit unless I eat it right before a strenuous workout. I usually prepare my own meals because processed food has become a no-no, but I’ve recently started eating the Atkins frozen dinners when I’m too busy to fix stuff–a quick look at the ingredients list and you’ll recognize that every ingredient is found in nature.

You can get these at Wal*Mart for $3.48.

I LOVE their snacks too. OMG so good…

Another GREAT find is Slenda Nectresse:

Don’t be alarmed about the manufacturer of this product–Nectresse is 100% natural, made from monk fruit, grown from the monks in monasteries in the Himalayan valley. I’m just kidding about that last part but everything else is true. Here’s some quick facts:

It has only 3 calories in a serving but a 150 times the sweetness of sugar.

So you can enjoy the sweetness without the calories.

It is also known as Lo Han Sweetener

Traditional Chinese has used Monk Fruit has been used for centuries to treat diabetes and obesity in South East Asia.

It has a low glycemic index which does not jack up blood sugars in your body so it doesn’t wreck havoc with your hormones and cause fatigue.

Test tube studies found it can stimulate insulin secretion.

You’ll be hearing a lot about monk fruit as a natural sweetener because it’s way better tasting than stevia and much healthier than the fake, aspertame-y stuff, plus, apparently Dr. Oz co-signs it, so make sure you buy it up before all the white people drive up the prices from $5.38 to $15.38. Don’t laugh…I’ve seen it happen. First with probiotics, then MSM. This stuff used to be cheap, but white people ALWAYS drive up the demand. No lie.

Time to Join Me

We’re family, right? Good, because as my family, you must be a good relative and suffer with me, otherwise I’ll gossip about you over Thanksgiving dinner. This week we’re going to start an honest-to-goodness, BB&W Fitness Challenge. Be on the look out for details. Dust off your sneakers and through out the Twinkies. Let’s get this done. Join me in the comments section so we can hash out the details of the challenge.