So, what did Julie really think about the Buff Brides experience? We asked her! Find out what she liked and disliked about the program and check out how much weight and inches she lost!
Julie's Final Stats
Weight: 165 lbs. (from 178 lbs.)
Dress Size: 12 (from a 16)
Total Pounds Lost: 13 lbs.
Inches lost: Two inches off waist and three and a half inches off hips
Q: What was your diet and exercise regimen during your Buff Brides experience?
A: During Buff Brides, I kicked everything into high gear. First, I was doing a solid hour of strength training three times a week, instead of once or twice a week for 45 minutes. Second, instead of doing 20 to 30 minutes of cardio on strength days and 30 to 45 on non-strength days, I did a solid hour of cardio six days a week. And even on my rest day, I made sure to do some kind of activity like walking.
As far as diet, I played around with a few things. First, I was following the Weight Watchers' point system. That had me eating between 1,000 and 1,200 calories a day. But I hit a plateau, I think, because the plan doesn't account for someone exercising as much as I was. I then tried sticking more to 1,500 calories a day, watching that I ate all of my fruit and vegetable servings, lowering my carbohydrate portions, and limiting sweets to once a day. I saw some difference. Then about three weeks before the wedding, I cut out most processed foods from my diet. That finally got me over the hump and I was able to lose the last four pounds before the big day.
While these were my goals, I will say that food is my biggest weakness. I will be the first to admit that I could have done better on the eating part of my Buff Brides experience. I am definitely a person who will exercise more in order to eat more. But I strongly believe in eating everything in moderation. No food is "off limits" in my life. I just try to limit portions and most importantly, be forgiving. The next day is a new day to try again.
Q: What was your favorite part of the experience?
A: I think my favorite part of the experience was the personal training. I had already made cardio a significant part of my life. But the trainer showed me how I could get results more quickly with strength training. The fact that I only lost 13 pounds, yet I lost two dress sizes still amazes me. The trainer also gave me a great pool to tap from for the rest of my life. I learned so many new moves and ways to train muscles. Now when I do strength training on my own, I have so many choices.
