Befores and afters and currents
Me, December 2006:
February 2008:
Tonight, before kickboxing class:
Pounds lost in the last 10 months: about 35
Muscle gained: a shitload
Energy levels: through the roof
Ability to do pushups: still sucks
Sense of bad-assery: getting stronger every day
December 10th, 2008 at 4:13 am
Wow! That right there is why YOU are my inspiration. I’ll say it again…. WOW!!!!!
December 10th, 2008 at 6:01 am
Wow – you look so strong – and happy!
December 10th, 2008 at 6:30 am
Question for you – what top is that? It looks like a great workout top
December 10th, 2008 at 6:54 am
HOLY COW LINDA!!!!!!!!!! You are an inspiration.
December 10th, 2008 at 7:38 am
YOWZA!
December 10th, 2008 at 7:52 am
You rock! I’m due in a few weeks and already starting to worry about taking off the weight. You are awesomely inspiring.
December 10th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Holy buckets! You’re hot shit Linda. Ordering the Shred now…seriously! What are you doing about diet?
December 10th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Thanks, you guys! Joanne: it’s an Adidas top. Erin: will write some articles on diet soon, but short answer: generally low-glycemic, lots of veggies & lean proteins, etc.
December 10th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Damn, Lady, you look great!
December 10th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
You totally rock! Look at those arms!
December 10th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Linda: question for you. Have you noticed improvements in your skin as well? I recall you mentioning battling with Rocasea (?) awhile ago and am wondering if the increased oxygen to your cells and regular sweats has helped with that. (I’ve personally noticed a big improvement in skin tone. Even when I’m tired from lack of sleep, I don’t look as worn out, wan as I did before. Am also able to better cope on less sleep.)
December 10th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Dayum Linda! With arms like those, I would have expected a different answer to the push-up question.
December 10th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Lesley: I first noticed a massive (like, NIGHT AND DAY) change in my skin when I stopped drinking. The rosacea completely went away, how about that? But yes, I do notice that my skin is usually in pretty decent shape these days, although there’s not much that can be done about the old eye-bags. Well, other than Photoshop.
Lori: it’s true I can do more pushups than I used to, but, you know, that’s not saying much. : )
December 10th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
You’re one hot beeyotch! Will be looking at those pictures EVERY FIVE MINUTES after I give birth in March.
December 10th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I showed this to mu husband today and he almost choked on his cereal while sputtering, “HOLY CRAP!!”
You look incredible.
December 10th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
..yeah, meant to say “my” husband, not “mu”. Darn one-handed typing with baby in my lap.
December 10th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
THANK YOU.
December 10th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
You look fantastic! And I share your eye-bag woes.
December 10th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
You DO look rockin’ now, but those are some seriously unflattering before pictures. You have pictures where you look way cuter and/or haven’t had surgery within the month.
December 10th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Well, true, I picked two that I haven’t exactly framed and hung on my WALL (dear god NO), but “unflattering” or “realistic”, you know?
December 10th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Wow Linda, I’m speechless.
What an amazing transformation you have made….it’s inspiring! Like emotionally inspiring (I got all misty eyed looking at your photos!)
This gives me the encouragement and nudge that I needed to lose the last 25 or so pounds that I’m working on losing. You have no idea how grateful I am for that! THANK YOU.
Love what you’ve got going on here at Bodies in Motivation as well….kudos to you.
December 10th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
are you wearing three sportsbras?
December 10th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Thanks, SJ! Misguided: no, one sports bra that’s black/pink, and the tank top thing which is blue. Now I’m wondering if anyone at my gym thinks I’ve got three bras on, heh.
December 10th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
DANG, girl! That’s an amazing transformation! I’m totally asking my hubby for the 30 Minute Shred DVD for Christmas…all the better to trim my fat a** since I’ll be unemployed in a few weeks!
December 10th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
you look happy in the first two pictures, but there’s a charisma in the third that just wasn’t there before. Confidence? Sense of bad-assery? It all looks to add up to an improved you, outside and in.
December 10th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
OMFG!! awesome!
December 10th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
That’s it…I’m getting back on the 30 day shred train. I stopped after my Hawaii trip. You’d think seeing gorgeous bodies in bikinis would be great motivation, nope spent it parked on my a$$ drinking lava flows. You look amazing!! What an inspiration.
December 10th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
i need those frickin’ arms! i’m getting married at some point, and i need those arms ASAP.
love all of your writing, and kristin’s writing, so it’s perfect that you two have joined forces. and you look awesome!
December 10th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
HOLY SHIT WOMAN! I mean seriously! I so need to get off my ‘fat’ ass…
December 10th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
So I’m scrolling through the pictures with my 4-year old son sitting beside me.
“Before” pictures…
Him: “Mom, who’s that?”
Me: “That’s Linda.”
Him: “Oh.”
“After” picture…
Him: “WHOA! Who’s THAT?!”
Me: “That’s still Linda, but she’s a lot stronger.”
Him: “Yeah, she could lift up a CAR!”
So yeah, you inspired both of us!
December 10th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
How long after delivery did you start actually working out? I don’t know when to start!
December 10th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Whoa! What an amazing difference! Now that my second boy is 6 weeks old, I’ve begun working out to my Winsor Pilates Accelerated Body Workout DVD. If that doesn’t get me looking as bad-ass as you in the next two months, I’ll be ordering the 30 Day Shred. How often do you work out per week?
December 10th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Wow. Just wow.
December 10th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Absolutely Amazing!!!! What a complete body transformation – I just placed my order for 30 day shred after seeing your pictures
I’ve been in a funk lately – not getting to the gym enough during the week and not having any videos to work out with at home – you just solved my dilemma. I’m still hanging on to some baby weight (want to lose 15-20 lbs and gain a shit-load of muscle). Oh and I will embarrassingly admit that my son is 3 years old – ’bout time the baby weight comes off! Thank you a million times over.
December 10th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I have three year old and a four month old and am totally the before picture right now. My esteem is so downtrodden because I used to be strong and fit and run miles and miles…and now after two kids I’m just generally soft, squishy and lugging around an unflattering extra 25 lbs. Your current photo is so awesomely badass that I’m digging out the Tae Bo DVD and getting this party started.
December 10th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Dude, you look awesome, and I’m so proud of you. But cut yourself some slack re: the Feb. 2008 photo. It’s a totally unfair comparison, as you just gave birth like, FIVE MINUTES PRIOR.
December 10th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Holy shit. Can I pay you to be my workout motivator/ass kicker?? Please?? I pay well. Think about it.
December 10th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Wow. Not only do you make me Laugh Out Loud with MOST (ok, all) of your blog posts…you are amazing at things other than being funny, too! Seriously, you look amazing!
I’ve lost 20 lbs over the last year…20 more until I’m very happy, 30-35 more until my high school/early college weight. Sister’s wedding in August…I CAN DO THIS!!
December 10th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Jonniker: well, except I am so not one of those people who just magically drops the weight after having the baby. You know? I’m not saying there’s anything WRONG with looking the way I did in the Feb photo, I’m saying I had to work my goddamned ass off to change. In fact, it actually IS a fair comparison, because if I hadn’t put any effort into it, and didn’t change how I ate and how much I exercised, I’d pretty much look exactly like that now — maybe a little less just-had-surgery puffy, but close enough.
December 10th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Wow, you are seriously my hero. That photo is amazing and inspirational. I just got my hands on Turbo Jam and now that my baby is 7 months old, I have no excuses. Extra 20 pounds, beware! Heck, why not go for 30!
December 10th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
OH MY EFFING GOD. When I scrolled down to that last photo I nearly fell out of my chair. And this is from someone who HAS seen your fit-photos. I think I am in pretty good shape and now I am suddenly feeling competitive (which is good – that’s another way to motivate myself from becoming complacent!!) So – bring it on, fit-girl, I’m nipping at your heels now!
December 11th, 2008 at 7:21 am
No, I get that completely. But I guess what I was saying is that you didn’t get to THAT photo by being lazy and eating poorly for no good reason at all and/or lack of motivation — you got there by being pregnant and having a baby, which is totally valid. In that respect, I’d hate for you — or anyone — to judge that photo as a failure of sorts.
December 11th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Linda, you look great and you have earned every one of those muscles. Here’s a question for you, when DOES the ability to do pushups start NOT sucking? Seriously, I have been working my butt off for months, my upper body strength has improved ten-fold and still the perfect push-up eludes me….’sup with THAT?
December 11th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Did you accomplish most of your weight-loss/fitness by working out at home?
December 11th, 2008 at 9:24 am
All I can say is WOW! You look fan-f’ing-tastic!
December 11th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Jonniker: I think you’re reading something into this post that isn’t there. These are just photos showing how I’ve changed my body. (However, I have to point out that if you think that’s just leftover baby weight in EITHER photo, you’d be missing the nine months of snarfing junk food like I was housing a tapeworm, not a fetus. I seem to view pregnancy as a Get Out Of Jail card for healthy eating.)
December 11th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Oh, and KDA: definitely at first, yes. I didn’t join a gym until several months after Dylan was born, so I’d say the majority of the weight loss happened via home DVD/diet changes.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Hey. I am over here from Sundry. You look amazing! I’ve been at my pre-preggo/goal weight for some time but my body is still a flab wreck. I am getting the Shred video in my stocking but have been hopeing for some time you would do a post about your typical week in exercise, what you are doing and when you fit it in.
December 11th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Wanted to clarify that I can spell hoping correctly. Oops.
December 11th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Oh GOOD. I mean, not that I actually thought you were beating the bag out of yourself for that photo, or even that time of your life, just that, you know, it’s a post-partum photo, and even having just had a baby, I still thought you looked pretty awesome.
December 11th, 2008 at 11:34 am
OH! And what I meant to add was that some of that awesomeness also stemmed from what you didn’t mention, which was that BETWEEN Riley and Dylan, you got in kickass shape, and I meant to ask: did you think that made it easier after Dylan, or no?
Because Mystery Experts say it does, but I’m not sure I believe them. Every time I get out of shape even for a short time, it’s like starting from square one all over again.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Debbie: short answer is that I do the 30DS DVD 2 or 3x/wk after the baby goes to bed (usually while Riley is still up, he hangs out nearby), and I go to a kickboxing gym 2x/wk (on a good week), usually once during a weekday evening and once on a weekend morning.
Jonniker: it was a little easier the second time, mostly because I was familiar with certain workouts (I started with Turbo Jam, which I’d done a lot before getting pregnant with Dylan). Definitely no easier to cut out all the bad eating habits regained during pregnancy, though, that’s ALWAYS a bitch.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Is it wrong that what I took from this is “THANK GOD! LINDA CAN’T DO PUSH-UPS EITHER!”? Because so far, the push-ups are easily the hardest part of the 30-day Shred for me.
You are the wind beneath my wings, by the way. The somewhat shameful wind beneath my very substantial wings–our babies were born DAYS apart, and I still look like your “before” picture. But hopefully not for long.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I think it’s cruel and unusual that Level ONE starts out with a deadly set of pushups and overhead presses. That’s like, a level TWELVETEEN combo. I’m not sure I find anything more difficult, unless it’s those beshitted jumping lunges in Level 3.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
JUMPING LUNGES? Holy god, I’m not looking forward to level 3. But I am delighted to hear that said Level 1 combo is legitimately hard, and that it isn’t just me. And! I no longer feel like ass the next day when I do it, so that is progress! I can honestly say that I have never found a workout I liked so much, that is hardcore enough to produce results while being short/tolerable enough to stick with.
December 11th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I’m on day 2 of 30 day Shred and I’m glad I’m not the only one that hates the push ups. Even the sissy type are hard for me, kills my knees…
I usually walk/jog for about an hour a day on the treadmill and use the nautilus equipment/elliptical machine at the gym and I am surprised how much the 30DS is kicking my ass!
December 11th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Dear God woman, I find it amazing that you even had the energy to start working out again with 2 kids! I only have a 3 month old, and after she is in bed, I barely have the energy to drag myself into the kitchen to make dinner! I guess that speaks volumes about the changes I need to make, huh?
Thanks for your blogs, your definitely an inspiration to me. I have always appreciated your honesty and sense of humor.
I do have one question though! What does your hubby do while you are working out to the DVDs? I only ask, because I am way to embarassed to even TRY one of these DVDs with my hubby anywhere in the vicinity. At this point, my flabby post-baby butt would probably even be self-concious doing this in front of my cat!
December 11th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I’m completely inspired by your images and reading about your progress, both here and on you blog. But I’m not sure how to proceed. I’ve gained a LOT of weight since I got married. More after daughter No. 1 was born and still more after daughter No. 2 was born. I like the idea of a short workout that will kick my ass, but I’m seriously in the dangerous range of obesity. Is this an ok workout to start with? I could stand to lose almost half of my body weight. *very ashamed to type that although it is painfully obvious*
December 11th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Oh, and in the last 10 months you lost 35 pounds, but how much have you lost since that December 2006 photo?
December 11th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Terri: I used to banish my husband to the office that’s just off our living room (and then shut the door), or I’d take our portable DVD player into the bedroom. Now JB does 30DS with me! He’s actually dropped a whole jeans size recently as a result.
Mary: I can’t remember what I lost after that December photo — maybe 20-25 pounds? Then: pregnant again, then weight loss again, more so this time since I’ve had longer to work on it.
On the workout question, I don’t feel qualified to say. I would definitely check with your doctor and talk about high impact activities (jumping jacks, lunges, etc) and make sure you’ve got a green light on safety. My feeling is that it might be best to work up to the 30 Day workout if your fitness level is *very* low so you really reduce the possibility of injury.
December 11th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Holy s*&%! WOW!
December 11th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Holy. Shit.
Um, yeah. You rock.
My before and after pictures are acutlly interchangeable. Thinking about it, I think the before pictures may be a little better, since I was COMPLTELY unaware of the amount of shlemp hanging over the upper edges of my bra.
Hmmm.
Yeah, you rock.
December 12th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Linda,
This is a WONDERFUL achievement. Congratulations! Question- would you welcome reader before and after picks for your new site? I’ve lost over 25 lbs over the last 7 months doing weight watchers, Walk Away Lbs DVDs, treadmill, and Zumba. Six more pounds to go to GOAL! Go me. All pounds gained from similar “junk food snarfing” and “get out of jail” baby cards. Let me know and I can email you.
December 12th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Re Mary Helen’s concern, which I share: Pasta Queen has stuff on her site about getting started without getting hurt. I’d recommend http://www.pastaqueen.com/halfofme/archives/2007/12/ask_a_loser_how.html and stumptuous.com as well.
December 12th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Maria: yes PLEASE! Email away!
Jenny: great links, thanks for posting those.
December 12th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I have hinted that I want the 30DS for Christmas. After seeing your before & after, if I don’t get it, I’ll be buying it for myself!
You look fantastic!
December 16th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
I read A&S, and I love you. You warm my heart. But I have a teeny-weeny midget sized bone to pick with you, lady. I read this post when it was first published, and I haven’t been able to get those goddamn pictures out of my head. So I ordered 30DS today… Because every time I eat a piece of candy, I think of you. So FINE, you motivator, just ruin my chunky happiness, just make me think I can get toned, too.
You rock so hard, you’re vibrating my bones into action.
Thank you.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Holy shit on a biscuit, look at those ARMS. I have serious arm envy.
I want to try the 30DS, too, but I’m wondering how that workout compares to Tony Horton’s P90X (which I already have). Not that I am in any way ready for EITHER of them, at least right now!
Thanks for this site, and for sharing your journey on your other blog as well. You are such an inspiration, you have no idea.
December 20th, 2008 at 2:01 am
Sweet collicky baby Christ. So, I started 30DS today. Every muscle in my body hurts! Every one. EVERY. LAST. ONE! (Because of you! I BLAME YOOOOU! You and your stupid beautiful arms and cute sculpted legs! You and your guidance and words of encouragement! BAH! Bah, I say!)
Although, you know, I have to admit that they hurt in a kind of… interesting way. As if they are weeping tiny little muscle-y tears of unabashed fear and horror at the ass-whooping that is about to commence. They seem as if they know it’s coming, and that makes me think maybe it’s coming, too.
January 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
After not working out properly for a few months, I finally started 30 Day Shred yesterday and actually, I kinda LIKE the soreness! Does that make me weird? I dunno, something about knowing your body has pushed itself so hard to feel this way makes me feel good!