After EMAO

EMAO is over, and it is time report my final results and to upload my "After" pictures. For comparison, I recommend going to my Before EMAO post so you can see my "Before" photos.

If you read my regular blog Pondering Happiness, Hope, and Wisdom, you might remember that I started EMAO as an experiment to see if I could blog about one subject for a specific length of time. I was inspired by author Julie Powell who blogged about cooking her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. That blog led to a book deal, which led to a movie, which led to more book deals—you get the picture.

Of all of the difficulties that I encountered while attempting EMAO, blogging every day about my experience was by far the hardest thing to do. Seriously. I don't like sticking to one subject, and I had to force myself to narrow my focus. Sometimes, I ran out of ideas. Sometimes, my ideas were crappy. But most of the time, I was too tired from too much exercise to write about it. Funny, eh?

Quantitative Results Table

EMAO reminded me that muscle weighs more than fat. I didn't lose one pound exercising my ass off, but I lost four-percentage points of body fat and inches around my waist and thighs. (I still don't know why my right thigh remains bigger though.) I exercised 54 out of 90 days and burned approximately 14,200 calories.

Before EMAO, I had a list of pants that were too tight for me: my red Victoria's Secret corduroys, my pinstriped dress slacks, my navy slacks, and an old pair of blue jeans. I'm happy to report that even though I can still squeeze some fat off the sides of my waist, there is less than before and most of the pants on my list fit comfortably now. The blue jeans, however, have seen better days; I wonder now when I actually fit into them. Maybe I just shrunk them in the dryer. (I can dream.)

EMAO didn't change my size, my weight, or my thoughts about exercise. I still need motivation, diversity, and goals in order to work out every day.

For any future EMAOers out there:

• I recommend a combination of exercise that includes strength training, cardio, and flexibility to maximize your results. 
• I would avoid Taebo altogether since Billy Blanks doesn't seem to believe in cooling down after an intense aerobic workout. 
• I love P90X, Yoga Booty Ballet, and Jackie Warner's Power Circuits for home exercise. 
• If you live in the San Fernando Valley, Yoga Blend is an awesome yoga studio that offers a variety of instructors to guide you in your practice. 
• If you like Latin music and dance, try Zumba; I didn't like it, but it is an energetic cardio workout.
• You do need to make adjustments to your diet if you want to see some real results, but don't overdo it. I don't consume artificial sweeteners anymore at home (they make you crave sugar), but I sometimes put Splenda in my Starbucks coffee as a treat. 

Thank you for following my EMAO journey. My 20-year high school reunion was amazing! Check out what I wore and how I looked.

AWW – XoXo

P.S. Since I quit EMAO, I have lost 3.5 pounds—proof that muscle weighs more than fat!

After EMAO