Becoming a Badass: Combat First Impressions

So with everything that has been going on with my life, my start was a little bumpyish. Not terrible, but not perfect either! We went out of town during my first week doing Les Mills Combat and it was basically like this: Friday drive all day, event, event, sleep. Saturday: run errands, eat, get ready, event, walk a few miles to get food because our travel companions were at a different hotel, event, sleep. Sunday: Drive all day, lay around exhaustedly, sleep. I offset it a little by working out four days in a row (the schedule has you doing three days, rest day, two days, rest day), but I still missed Monday because it was Memorial Day and you best BELIEVE I was hanging out with my family eating burgers and drinking some 'shine.

That said, I actually love this program...so I made up for it! Worked out four days in a row, took a rest, then had an unplanned crazy day, so I worked out twice today. I am now back on schedule without missing a beat. Well. Technically I missed a few beats, but I'm on track now. And I have to say I am amazed how it is already affecting me. I am sore in places I've never been sore and I'm thanking heaven there's Results and Recovery Formula to help ease it and keep me able to go on!

I have said it before and I'll say it again: It is VITAL that you find the type of workout that motivates you and makes you want to push yourself. Not everyone likes running, biking, hiking, yoga, lifting, planking, kicking, swimming, sports...Not everyone will enjoy P90X3 (although I know plenty that call it a favorite), not everyone is insane enough for Insanity, and not everyone wants a Brazil Butt Lift. The point is: you have to find your fitness. Not somebody else's.

At this point of my life and of my fitness journey, Les Mills Combat is my fitness! It has made me excited to work out again. It's fun. It makes me think of all of the times my guy friends used to tell me I should be a fighter (yeah, seriously...soulmate fitness plan right here) when I was a teenager. I'm looking better, I'm getting stronger, and I'm feeling like a total badass. I went from huffing and puffing and pressing pause several times my first day to almost completely keeping up by the end of my second week! I can feel my sense of balance changing. I can feel my back and shoulders getting more toned. I can feel my legs gaining muscle. And I can feel myself getting more confident and feeling like I have found just what I was looking for.

Look out, Gina Carano!

Tune in next time as I begin to give you an in-depth look to the individual workouts. First up--Combat 30: Kickstart!

Next Challenge: Les Mills Combat Warrior

The 21 Day Fix plan was the perfect way to start my fitness journey. It completely changed the way I think about eating. I'm not saying I eat perfectly all the time now (because I don't), but it's so much clearer how much of each food group I should have a day. Sometimes you think you're eating healthy and you're actually overindulging--too much fruit, for example, can halt your weight loss because of its carb and sugar content. I'm definitely taking in way more veggies than I did in the past.  In any case, it is time to be moving along. Beach Body has so many types of workouts, but I knew exactly which one I wanted to do...because it looked completely badass.

LES MILLS COMBAT is a 60-day program based on MMA (mixed martial arts for you squares out there). It combines moves from boxing, karate, tae kwon do, muy thai, capoeira, and jiu jitsu. It also uses Fast Twitch Integration Training; which means it works your fast-twitch muscle fibers—the ones with the greatest capacity for change—like crazy.

WHY I CHOSE THIS PROGRAM

You have to choose what inspires you and will keep you motivated. I have always loved learning fighting moves. It's part of my aspiration to become a vigilante. I've talked before about how cardio ruins my life because of my sinus/breathing issues. This program has so much cardio in it, but because of what you're doing, it doesn't really feel like your typical cardio. It's an awesome way to move from being moderately fit to being a complete WARRIOR! Speaking of, here's my schedule:

Mmhmm.

I did the Basics dvd last week in preparation and was already excited. It shows you some of the Basic moves. Today was Kickstart 30 and shew...I don't think they believe in water breaks. But I feel like I was killing it. And I've got my weighted gloves to intensify it. Pretty excited.

So it's vigilante training time. Next stop:

False Positives

I think in our society of memes and catchphrases, it's really easy to make excuses. It's really easy to hide behind motivational sayings and just live a stagnant life. It's also really easy to be more concerned with complaining than finding a solution to our problems.  The mindset that most quickly becomes a slippery slope (and believe me, I've been there) is the one that says: "My body is beautiful just the way it is." If it ended there, it would be wonderful. You've learned to love yourself and that is something we should all do. But it usually goes past that point into something unhealthy.

For some, it turns into bashing thinner people and basically treating their size like a disease. Not cool. If bigger women can be proud of their bodies, why can't smaller women? Don't be one of those. Maybe you're not insecure and jealous--but these kind of sayings make you look that way.

For others, it's using buzzwords like "curvy" or "thick." They start thinking, 'I don't need to lose weight. I'm curvy. Marilyn Monroe was curvy. [insert celebrity here] is curvy and she's hot." I'm not hating on curvy girls. I've always been one of them. But...

If you're eating healthy (and not over/undereating), exercising regularly, and your BMI is in check, but you're still hippy or chesty or have got some junk in the truck; more power to you! That's what I'm talking about. That's curvy. I was still that way when I was at a healthy weight. You know what's not curvy? When your doctor is telling you you're overweight, when you've got excess visceral fat (clinging to stomach), when you're eating like crap, when you're drinking like a fish, and when your version of exercise is walking from one bar to another. I'm getting back to curvy, but guess what I wasn't when I started this? Curvy. I was LUMPY. But it wasn't about looks. It was about the fact that I was always tired. I wasn't getting proper nutrition. I couldn't walk up stairs without huffing and puffing. And my BMI was in the overweight range.

It's all well and good to blow off society and their standards of beauty. The media is full of crap and what they want is unrealistic! But too many of us hide behind that and keep horrible habits. Your body needs exercise and proper nutrition. If you truly don't care about the looks aspect, that's fine! But if you keep doing what you're doing, one day the price will have to be paid. Maybe you'll age prematurely. Maybe you'll develop adult-onset diabetes. Maybe you'll have a heart attack. Maybe you'll dramatically increase your risk of cancer. Is it worth it? Will you still think it's worth it in 20 years?

I can't tell you how many women I see posting a status one day about starting a workout regime and how they're determined to lose weight...and then the next day posting something that's a cop-out like "Bones are for dogs" (again with the thin girl hate). All right, fellow chubster! I'll play your game. Meat and rolls belong on a dinner table, not a person, and muscles are for CHAMPIONS. It's unbelievably common to have falsely positive attitudes in public and then despise ourselves behind the scenes. It isn't healthy and using these cutesy little catchphrases isn't going to change the truth that you're not happy and your body isn't, either!

Staying on track is hard. Fitness for me is a back and forth thing. Kill it, kill it, kill it for three weeks and then I fall down for a week and barely muster a workout. I know it's so painful when you've got such a long way to go. But it's much worse knowing how far you are from healthy and not doing anything about it.

Value Versus Cost

SO many people who look at the cost of a challenge pack with me have said "That's so expensive." Some of those same people will go out and get gym memberships.  Even more get a latte every day at Starbucks.  Even more than that go on the Special K diet or make with the Slim Fast and get a lot more low-calorie filler food than actual nutrition.  So let me break it down.  I'll use the 21 Day Fix challenge pack as an example.  For simplicity's sake, let's cut the charge into two portions: the workouts and the Shakeology.  We'll call the Shakeology bottle, portion containers, and detailed eating plan gifts with purchase.

THE WORKOUTS

We'll say the workout portion accounts for $60.  You get 7 workouts (1 for each day of the week), a bonus Plyo workout, a 10 minute abs add-on, and then the 2 Shakeology workout dvds (one 30 minute, one 50 minute): so a total of 11 workouts.  Based on an average gym membership cost of about $25 a month, excluding fees and cost of gas driving back and forth, you're spending about $300 a year.  That $300 is for a membership that may or may not be used and most likely can't be used if you're traveling, if you can't find a babysitter, or if your car breaks down.

You may not even know how to effectively use your gym membership.  Maybe you're running on the treadmill and little else.  Maybe you are embarrassed to use a weight machine in front of Mr. Muscles over there.  Maybe you don't know the right combination of moves to get you off your plateau!  So those dvds are a concentrated, planned out, precise way for you to get in shape--$240 less than a year at the gym and you can use them over and over WHEREVER and WHENEVER you want!  **

**And you don't even have to wear pants!

The second part of the challenge pack is Shakeology.  We're gonna assume it accounts for $100 of the cost.  Broken down, that's less than $4 per shake.  If you regularly buy drinks at Starbucks, fast food breakfast, or go out to bars and get drinks; you spend right at or well over that amount on those things. And you would spend more trying to get on a no-nutrient low-cal prepackaged diet plan from the grocery store.

There are a lot of weight loss shakes out there. While Shakeology does help with weight loss, that is not it's sole purpose. It's more like a liquid multivitamin. It is almost impossible to eat the amount of food it takes for your body to get all of the nutrients it needs by eating.  You'd have to eat a LOT. When your body is missing nutrients, you crave things--things like candy, carbs, sugar, or if you're like me--Taco Bell. Those things aren't going to help your body. You'll binge and feel better for all of 2 seconds before the crash. Shakeology also doesn't use artificial sweeteners--chemicals that can cause digestive issues and even MORE cravings!

When I started Shakeology, I did lose weight. But more importantly, I felt better. I have energy. I don't get hungry at night. I used to get home from work at 10:30pm and consume massive amounts of food because I was just plain starving! My latest T25 challenger says since she started the shakes she's almost never hungry at night, so I'm not the only one experiencing this change.

The point is, put your money where your mouth is. If you care about your health, cut out one of those expenditures like going out to eat so often, getting a latte every day, buying drinks at a bar (which are usually marked up 150% or so). Put your money toward your health and change your life! I was scared at first. But guess what? Since I started the eating plan and Shakeology, I have spent LESS money on groceries. I'm spending about $100 monthly on shakes and still have more money than I had before! Why? Because I'm paying attention to what's going into my body and not going into graze mode. I'm not buying a bunch of diet pills and supplements. I'm just living healthy.

And that is the difference between value and cost.

Not Just a Pretty Face

There are tons of ways to measure your weight loss.  Using all of them is a REALLY good way to avoid obsessing about one of them--like that evil scale.

I forgot to mention I'm a master artist.

Shoot, a lot of people gain weight when they first start working out.  Muscle weighs more than fat and that ain't no urban legend.  I briefly want to talk about one of the ways that I've noticed myself losing weight on this glorious Beach Body journey.  I talk all the time about measuring yourself, but sometimes it's even easier than that.  Just look at the dadgum mirror.  Or a picture!  If you're like me, you'll see it in other ways...like your face!  Check this out:

I was looking at some pictures I took recently and started thinking "man, my eyes look so big! Have they always looked like that?" And nope, they haven't.  My face has slimmed down so much! Instead of tiny little slits, I have eyes! haha. I've got definition--on my face!  It's fantastic.

Find yourself a little victory like that.  It will propel you further even when you aren't necessarily seeing pounds come off or washboard abs yet.  For me, it's my face! It'll always be a little round, but at least it doesn't look like a big ball of dough now.  haha.  It's not just a pretty face.  It's a fit face.  BOOM BABY!

Message me for details on how to get your OWN results and stop wasting money on things that don't work.

Skinny Versus Fit

Every once in a while, because I am kind of pathetic, I glance back at my "skinny pictures."  When I was 19, I lost about twenty pounds.  It was not from being healthy and I lost it super fast.  I was constantly freaking out about what I ate and I would have a breakdown if I missed a day at the gym.  I would spend hours just running on a treadmill and only doing strength training on an occasional, haphazard basis.  Compared to being a super unhealthy chubster squeezing into her pants like a busted can of biscuits, I guess I looked better then.  But now I'm looking at them in a new light.

I had lost a lot of weight, true, but I was what I like to call fat-skinny.  You know what I'm talking about.  Just because a person is thin doesn't mean he or she is fit.  At the time, I was all flab.  Fewer pounds of flab, but flab nonetheless (not to mention I was tired all the time and harassed myself for not being thin enough).  I was squishy in all the wrong places and my body was fairly gawky and awkward.  And man, I just had no butt back then.  Exhibit A:

PS I was totally sucking in.

I was just thinking about the definition I'm starting to see now.  Even with how far I have to go, I'm showing more muscle and definition than I ever did back then.  I have never seen my abs.  It's tragic. Until NOW.  It's easy to not get the results you want even when you're killing yourself--because it's easy to be disorganized.  My eating and workout habits have been completely transformed through Shakeology and the 21 Day Fix.  I know I posted this picture last week, but seriously...

I have LINES IN MY BELLY! LINES OF GOODNESS!

I think the reason I feel so much more confident now than I did then is that I am losing weight the right way and my body is different.  It's not a smaller version of the same thing.  And I'm not starving all the time or running on the treadmill until I collapse.  Which is a plus.

Skinny, for people who aren't naturally so, doesn't last.  Eventually you'll lose that desperation or you'll make yourself sick with the obsession.  You just can't maintain that straight mentally ill approach to looking "better."  Eventually you will need to eat some food or you will have a life and not be able to commit yourself to 3 hours at the gym every day.  Or you won't be able to afford a gym anymore.  Or you'll exhaust yourself to the point where your fatigue takes over.  But when you get in a lifestyle of fitness, everything changes.  That's what I love about Beach Body.  It's about living a healthy lifestyle, not dieting, not punishing, not obsessing.  It seriously changes everything.

Restructuring and Realism

I originally set out to do three blogs a week, but life happens!  It just hasn't been possible the past two weeks.  I may cut back on them, but I'm thinking now that I'm restructuring a few things, I can make it work.  I was very gung-ho about working out in the morning on my last round, but toward the end I found myself flagging a bit.  During my rest week and continuing into the first week of Round 2 of the 21 Day Fix, I got in the habit of staying up later.  I work from 1-10, so it's kind of a natural rhythm.  The thing is, I realized that I push it WAY harder in the evening than I'm really capable of in the morning.  And (especially if I do two workouts every day like I've been shooting for this week) I sleep like a baby!

I understand that not everyone is the same.  I'm realizing more and more how very essential it is to be realistic about yourself: who you are, how you function, what makes you feel better.  For me, it's working out at night.  I love relaxing, reflecting, and snuggle time in the morning--makes the whole day a lot less stressful.  It's getting creative with what I'm eating.  That one is a big one.  After a few weeks of different salads for lunch, the thought of salad legitimately nauseated me.  This week I tore into some roasted eggplant, garden tomato sauce, and ground turkey and realized how stuck in a rut I had been!  Some people get up at 5am and work out for two hours before hightailing it to work.  Some people eat the same foods every day.  Maybe it works for them...but they're not me!  You can't build your success around someone else's needs...you've got to learn yours.

I'm so thrilled to see new coaches joining The Knockout Legacy every day!  Becoming a coach is the best choice I ever made.  Watching our challenge groups flourish seriously keeps me going.  When I see four people in a row posting about their workouts and nutrition and I'm slacking, it's a kick in the butt to get going again.  It's hard to be self-motivated all the time...but I can manage competitive.  haha.  Another thing that keeps pushing me?  My results.  I have never had abs in my life, but check it:

And I know the longer I work, the better I will get.  There's something sexy in working out so hard that you're dripping sweat.  It makes you feel like you can conquer the world.  And the sense of accomplishment pushes me harder and harder.  I missed one day this week but worked out twice every other day and felt amazing.

Also had a funny moment this week where I stepped on the scale and it said I weighed about 20 pounds more than I had the day before and I almost had a panic attack.  Had to measure myself just to calm down.  Nope, waist was down an inch--hadn't gained.  Safe to say my scale is broken.  haha.  That's what you get for buying a $7 scale from Wally World.

Failboating

So for the first time since I started Beach Body, I missed two scheduled workouts in a row this past weekend and didn't do the eating plan at all.  Not only that, but I only wrote one blog entry, which is a slacker move.  I was insanely busy, I have been feeling just ga-ross lately, and I just had the urge to retreat away from everything for a few days...yet I'm not going to make excuses for myself!  Sometimes you are just going fail a little.  It's normal.  The thing you have to remember is that you can't let it destroy your progress or determination.  Taking a couple of days off doesn't mean you can't do it.  In fact, it makes me more determined.  I have a new T25 challenge group coming up and they're offering a great deal (stay abreast of the sales and promotions by joining as a FREE player here.)...Shaun T is a beast and I know it will be a step up for me.  So I've got to get strong!

I'm not going to lie, sometimes it is hard.  Sometimes I'm tired, sometimes I want to stop.  But ALL the time I think about why I started and who I want to be.  I don't want to be that person who is too lazy to change for the better.  I think a lot of people hide behind some catchy "love your body slogans," and I think you should love your body--no matter the size.  You should be able to feel beautiful.  But the fact is, people who TRULY love their bodies take care of them.  And you can't do that by constantly shoveling in as much of whatever food you like.  You can't do that by refusing to exercise and giving yourself a pass because you're tired.  You're probably tired because you DON'T exercise.  Even on my most worn-out days, I'm not half as fatigued as I used to be when my eating and exercise habits were poor.  It definitely helps that I've got my Shakeology adding in a power pack of veggies, vitamins, and nutrients that I wouldn't get otherwise.  PLUS it's a good way to get an extra veggie serving in--throw it in the shake and I'm done.

Now, I'm going to hold the share bear and tell you about what's really been going on with my journey this past week.  I have had the biggest problem with just feeling nauseous when I try to eat veggies.  Not all of the time, but a lot of the time.  I've been craving peanut better and milk.  I have a habit of Googling things to investigate, and that is exactly what I did.  It turns out a diet too high in fruits and veggies and too low in salt and calcium can cause problems in your digestive system--problems like they would list on a Pepto Bismol commercial.  Some fruits can even halt the absorption of calcium because it tricks your body into thinking you are all stocked up on Vitamin D (which comes from the sun, duh)--which is the helpmate of calcium.  Keeping salt in your diet can help balance that issue, especially in the winter when we spend more time indoors and don't get the benefits of natural sunlight.  (You can read the full article here.)

Maybe it isn't the same for everyone, but for me, there's such a thing as eating "too good."  Milk isn't really part of the meal plan (you can have it three times a week if you sub out a grain container), but I'm going to be adding some in--as well as a bit of sodium.  Your body has cravings for a reason and it is to communicate essential nutrients that you're missing.  Check out the chart below for some good examples.

In any case, though I took a mini failboating vacation, I am going to try to hit it hard from here.  I can't be the next female action hero if I'm all flabbed up and too weak to get off the couch.  haha.

Godspeed, ladies and gents, and don't forget to check out my FAVORITE workout tool--the free WOWY supergym on the Beach Body website, available to all free players, where you can schedule your exercises (whether or not they are BB programs) and be entered for a chance to win some money every time you log in!

The New Before: Back in the Game!

I'm pretty excited to be starting Round Two of Beach Body's 21 Day Fix.  I wasn't able to match up my before photos exactly because I've been slammed for time.  But I do plan on doing that eventually! I did a collage of shots taken before starting and during my rest week after finishing the first round.  Clearly, there's a huge difference.  I lost a total of 5" in each thigh, 3" in my hips, 3" in my waist, 2" in my chest, and 1" in each arm.  I also lost seven pounds!

Mmm, sassy mama. Look at my butt! haha.

What I didn't always broadcast about the last round is that I cheated...a lot.  Definitely threw some junk food in.  This round, I am much more determined.  If I can lose that much not even giving it my all, how much more can I lose if I give it everything I've got?  This time around, I went down a calorie level.  There were so many nights when I just felt like I was making myself eat dinner--I was so full!  Not to mention, if I did throw in something off schedule, my calorie intake went way overboard.  Plus, having a little less food meant less food prep time for me.  Good times.  If I get hungry, I'll add extra food.  Gotta make sure you're eating enough!  But I know it was a good choice for me.

Another thing I'm really trying to do is work out more.  The 30 minutes a day is extremely effective.  But since I have the time to commit and because I want to excel, I'm going to try to add extra sessions in when I can.  Yesterday, I did Total Body Cardio and 10 Minute Fix for Abs.  Today, Upper Fix and a modified Total Body Cardio Fix (didn't do the weights).  I don't always want to work out, but once I do, I feel great.  I want to keep that feeling going.  I am becoming a bit addicted to self-improvement.

During my rest week, I realized how integral food prep is.  I had gotten in the habit of eating healthy every day and had no problems with it--then all of a sudden, since I hadn't pre-made any healthy meals, it was so easy to just go for junk.  It really drove the point home that you can't succeed if you're too lazy to prepare.

It's also important to ALWAYS schedule your workouts.  Know what you are going to do each day and purposefully set aside time for it.  My favorite tool is the WOWY Supergym on teambeachbody.com.  You can sign up as a free player (you don't give any payment information, you don't get charged; it's all free) to use the online gym and pre-schedule your workouts on the calendar.  Every time you log a workout, you have the chance to win cash prizes.  Become a free player today!

I am so excited to see the changes I want.  It gets discouraging sometimes because it takes time--and I'm the most impatient person in the world--but if you do the work, there's no way you won't see results.

Deceleration

I had been thinking about how to handle the transition to my next round of the 21 Day Fix.  I want to highlight that it is a three week program, so I don't want to jump into the next round right away.  I also wanted to give my body some rest after killing it with my workouts and eating plan these past three weeks.  Then, my coach inadvertently gave me a brilliant idea when she posted something in our Challenge Group: a Shakeology cleanse!

Now I have an excuse to have more than one shake a day.  Mmm.

I really think that this will be an awesome way to prepare for the next round.  I'm going to stick to a lighter workout schedule.  I'll still be doing it every day, but I will be doing yoga, maybe some pilates. I'll be focusing on flexibility and stretching for the week and then starting Round 2 the following Monday.  I am SO looking forward to it.  It's going to be like a reward/mini-vacation.  haha.  It will be so relaxing and I know my body will thank me!

I will not be focusing on eating five or six times a day during this coming week, but I will be sticking to healthier foods.  I genuinely feel better than I have in a long time and I don't want to lose that.  I've created a habit of eating more fruits and veggies and little to no processed foods.  Dropping that routine would be like quitting smoking and then starting up again a week after you've completely stopped.  You've worked hard to form better habits, don't drop them!  Junk food is truly addicting.  People have withdrawal when they quit eating it.  Once you're weaned off of that feeling, don't introduce addictive habits again!

I'm going to be posting some progress pictures soon.  I still have a LONG way to go, but I've definitely had some changes.  Keep on keeping on, friends.

Vampire Slaying and Alter-Egos

I have to be honest.  I get tired of trying to act like a guru or something.  I actually do know a lot about health/nutrition.  I've got a weird memory and tend to absorb things I read and hear--and I do my research when it comes to health.  Still, I'm not an expert.  I'm not an athlete.  Hell, I'm not even in shape yet.  I don't know everything I need to know.  I'm still learning!  I don't even generally look up to anyone people consider a guru.  I generally find them annoying, actually.  In fact, even the word "guru" annoys me, so I'm going to stop saying it now.  When I think of myself being fit, I'm a little more...imaginative.  I watch an action movie or read a comic book or think about being able to just beat up bad guys and I get motivated.  It sounds silly, but it's true.

I watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I think about kicking vampires in the face and then rattling off a cheesy one-liner.  I watch Tomb Raider and think about fighting killer robots just for funsies.  I watch the Hunger Games and I think about surviving to start a revolution.  I read Lord of the Rings and I think about grabbing a sword like Eowyn and just stabbing a wraith right in the face.  It takes strength to swing a sword, folks.  I know.  I'm nerding out here.  And no, I'm not a crazy person who thinks she can develop supernatural strength.  haha.

Yesterday I CRUSHED Lower Fix for the first time.  It had been really difficult and I hated it and then yesterday was amazing.  I didn't modify anything, I didn't slow down.  I felt like a beast.  Today, I amped up to two workouts: Pilates Fix and Total Body Cardio Fix.  I've been trying to do that for days!  I felt even more like a dadgum hero.  And as I sit here, drinking my Vanilla Shakeology with banana and reveling in my own awesomeness, I'm watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  I'm thinking about how once I get in fantastic shape, I will be totally prepared to join the resistance if an Asgardian tries to build an army and take over earth.  

Or I will just be prepared to wear an awesome comic costume this Halloween.  I've always wanted to dress up like the Black Canary, but there's no way I would have felt comfortable in a costume like this in my chubby state:

You gotta have good legs to fight crime, apparently.

The point is, when I see a hero, I identify with her or him.  I want to be that.  I want to be strong, look strong, and be able to kick some tail.  Whether it's conquering evil or fitting into a costume of a character who conquers evil, my first step is getting up and pushing myself every. single. day.  If I give myself a pass not to workout one day, it becomes easier to do that the day after that and the day after that.  If I put things that bring me temporary pleasure (junk food, beer, liquor, lazing around the house--haha) ahead of my goals, the things that will bring me consistent happiness (good health, strength, energy, looking SASSY) will remain out of reach.  And ps, I'm not giving up alcohol forever.  I think it's fine in moderation...if you're in shape.  If you've got a ton of weight to lose (like me), you're ruining your progress.  And it will be a much, much longer process.

Find your motivation.  Mine is nerd stuff and will remain so.  My temporary and extreme push to get fit is also my UPCOMING WEDDING AHHHHH!  I want to look amazing.  I want everyone to freaking gasp when they see me walking down the aisle next year.  I want Tom to be beaming and all of his friends to be jeal-jeal.  I want to look at those wedding pictures and feel only pride, not regret.  Know what you want and why...then PUSH for it until it happens.

The Knockout Legacy

So I'm coming in on my third week and I've decided not to do any more measurements until I'm done with this round!  I will be moving to the second round right after I finish this one, so believe me--I'm keeping it going.  After the 21 Day Fix, I'm thinking about other Beach Body programs that look fun, like TurboFire or Les Mills Combat.  Dear readers, are there any programs you're curious about? Because I am taking requests.  haha.  Also, for those of you who aren't ready to try a fitness program, please send me a request to add you to my new healthy eating group!  It's just a group of people trying to make healthier choices.  We post to keep each other accountable and we share tips/recipes/etc.  There's no buy-in.

This third week, I'm really trying to push myself.  I am trying to give each workout my all and just not give up.  This is the first time I've ever done a program where I have not missed a single day and I am so proud.  My biggest tip on how to not miss a day is to get your workout done FIRST THING!  If you're like me, putting it off to the end of the day lowers it down to a 50/50 chance that I'll have made enough excuses to just slack off that day.  The days that were the most difficult to push it were the days that I waited until the evening to work out.  On those days, I end up like this:

It ain't pretty folks.

Some days, my inspiration is just being healthier.  Some days it's fitting in all the clothes that are hanging in my closet.  Other days it's just plain pride.  Everyone is going to see if I quit because I've put it out there.  Every once in a while, though, the inspiration is hope that everything might change.  I haven't talked about the business side of Beach Body that much, but it is definitely a driving force for me.  I've pretty much never experienced a time when I didn't feel broke.  I haven't had a time when I didn't worry about money or scramble to get everything paid or worry how I was going to make it to the next pay day.  It's a constant thought and stressor in my life.  When I got engaged, I went from pure excitement to straight worry and dread that I could not pay for a wedding.  I'm so beyond thankful to have been given this opportunity for that very reason.

Everyone sees those big, successful people who "make it big" in things like this and you think, "They're special.  They're lucky.  I can't do that."  I've seen firsthand that it's just not true.  My coach, Sarah Lutts, was teaching fitness classes and still not getting the results she wanted.  With Shakeology and Beach Body fitness programs, she has finally gotten in the shape she had been trying to reach for years. She also earned a free cruise, won $500 for her weight loss story, and is working toward creating a full time business so that she and her husband Adam (my former youth pastor) can afford to take zero income from the church they pastor and put that money towards missions to help others.  Her coach Jennifer, who I also went to church with, has been in the business for about a year and a half and has been able to increase her income and quit her full-time job as a paralegal.  Another coach in our group has been in for a year and she quit her job in social work and tripled her income--all while doing what she loves to do.

I don't know yet if I will quit my job, but I do believe that this work that I'm doing is important.  I think that it's valuable.  I think that it helps people.  I enjoy it and I hope to keep it up.  I have always been a leader and haven't had the chance recently to lead.  This program has been awesome for letting me do just that.  I believe that it will start a financial revolution for myself and my sister.  We are really teaming up to make it our job to help other people achieve the same things we are achieving, the same things that we have not been able to achieve in a million other attempts.  We are making it our job to be healthy and help others do the same.  We are teaming up to get out of debt and help other people increase their income as well.  It motivates me and it inspires me to believe that we could have an all-around better life.  I believe in this business and I haven't seen one bad product of it.

Our team is committed to making a difference and really mentoring people through the process: whether the goal is to lose weight, get toned, have more energy, eat healthier, or just have fun.  It's not always easy to meet your goals; that's why we focus on non-stop accountability and support!  We are THE KNOCKOUT LEGACY.  And we are wanting to share this awesome gift that we've had in Beach Body.

Leave your own legacy.  Join the challenge.  Get in contact with me and I will give you details and be happy to answer any and all questions.  The worst thing that could happen is that you get in the best shape of your life.  And that's not bad at all.

Short and Sweet

So, yesterday was characterized by a complete lack of blog.  Schedules are just so...pedestrian.  Like, they're for the little people.  I am the great and powerful Haylee.  I can't be restricted to "deadlines" and "agendas."  Lol, totes pulling your chain.  I forgot, because I am sometimes (read: usually) a big, frenzied mess of a human being.  So I do apologize to those of you who might have actually cared and/or noticed (come on, didn't you miss it even just a little bit?).  I will not promise to avoid it in the future, because I also am a little noncommittal.  Why make a promise you may not keep?  Godzilla could attack, I could randomly get whisked away to some beach somewhere by an adoring fan, or my fairy godmother could show up and finally get me to that ball.  You really never know.

So, since I already did a video today (Watch!), I will keep this one short and sweet.  THE END...just kidding.

I just want to impress upon everyone who might be reading my blog and working on getting in better shape themselves...just hide your scale in a closet during your first few weeks.  Better yet, have someone hide it for you so you truly don't know where it is.  Some people lose pounds right away, but the majority of people just don't get in shape that way.  Women, especially, tend to see their losses first in inches.  Here's why I suggest you put your scale away.  Even knowing these facts, even being familiar with my body's tendency to slim and build muscle before a pound drops, I really upset myself the other day by focusing on the scale instead of the success I was seeing.

One of the women in my challenge group had lost four pounds in her first week!  I got on the scale...I've still only lost one pound.  Then I measured myself again.  I had lost another inch in my waist and another in my hips.  My pants get looser and looser.  People are commenting left and right that I look slimmer.  I FEEL slimmer.  I'm having to modify less in the workouts, and I feel stronger.  Not only that, but I can feel rock-hard muscles protruding in my legs when I do squats.  No joke.  My legs and my shoulders both are like woah.  And people may say it to make themselves feel better when they gain weight, but it is extremely true if you're making good choices that if you aren't losing yet, it could be because muscle weighs more than fat!

I say all of this to tell you that success looks different for everyone.  Some people lose a lot of pounds right away.  Some people just have inches melting away.  Some get just plain ripped.  Don't look at someone else's success and downplay your own.  And DON'T place your hopes in the scale.  MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE!  Measure your arms, your thighs, your waist, your chest, and your hips.  You will see the difference, I promise!  And if you get the evil urge to step on the scale, those measurements will sing "Wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend" and you will sing tra la la and be a happy camper again.  When you're making healthy choices, the scale will catch up.  In the meantime, check out how awesome your butt looks in your pants.  Mmm.  That's right.  Sassy stuff.

Challenging the Universe

My last post was all about being positive and avoiding complaints.  And I have to say, without fail, any time I make a statement like that I get hit HARD!  It's like the universe takes it as a challenge.  Oh you're not going to complain?  Lightning bolt, lightning bolt, lightning bolt.  Haha.  Our family has had some rough times lately.  My mom's diagnosis and treatments, my younger sister's husband experiencing brain seizures and a possible medical discharge from the Air Force, my dad's back and knee problems, my sister-in-law's back surgery, financial problems...the list goes on.  It would be easy to get bogged down with all of this stuff and just give up.  

Guess what, though?  Everybody has problems.  Unfortunately, it's just part of life.  This past year I've really been trying to change my life in a lot of ways and part of that is focusing on the good things.  I have worked so hard.  I have done what was asked of me and then much, much more--because no one gets anywhere by striving to be average.  I had an unprecedented positive yearly review at work, I've had opportunities left and right, I've put together an awesome apartment arrangement with very little funds to work with, I got engaged, and I got involved with Beach Body.  I can't believe how much better I feel and how much I've slimmed down and I can't wait to just see more!  The one thing that you can be sure will pay off is hard work.  If you want something big to happen, you have to be willing to put in the effort.  If you don't, guess what?  Nothing changes.  And you can cry all you want, but what good will it do?  Go ahead, challenge the universe.  And when you overcome every single thing that gets thrown at you, feel like a BOSS and know that you can do anything.

Okay, I guess that's enough pep-talking.  Still trying to find the balance between sounding like fitness Barbie and just being a normal, semi-sarcastic person who wants to encourage her friends.  I'm too approximistic to be that Type A fitness freak.  This week I have had way fewer issues trying to do the workouts.  I haven't had to modify as much, I've increased the amount of time I can hold a plank, I've been less sore, and I've actually sweated MORE because I've been able to give more.  Yesterday was Lower Fix (legs) and I hate, hate, hate it.  I may sound all perky now, but in the middle of a workout anyone nearby can hear me cursing, whining, maybe even crying a little.  Even so, it's 100% better to work hard for 30 minutes than spend an hour running on a treadmill surrounded by smelly strangers. ;)

Today was Pilates Fix.  Pilates may be the exercise of soccer moms, but it ain't no joke.  Almost all of it felt completely doable.  But the side series is not.  "Stirring a pot" and "pedaling a bike" with one leg for several minutes kind of makes you want to die.  I have to say, though, it was probably a big contributor to losing so many inches in my thighs.  My favorite thing about these sessions is that the second you really feel like you're going to die if you do anymore, it's rest time!  Awesomesauce.

The nutrition has been no problem this week.  Cravings have been much less strong (although I decided last night that I will definitely be having a nice cold beer when I finish this three weeks, haha).  I actually have found myself wanting to eat less.  Some days I don't even really want to eat my dinner.  But I spent the time prepping it...so I do.  haha.  The shakes have definitely helped and what has helped with the shakes is this fantastic blender:

Boom.  $20 at Wal Mart.

My coach has one.  It comes with like six blender cups...which is good because I don't do dishes every day.  haha.  When I used to make smoothies before, it was hard to portion them in a big blender, so I would always end up "eating" too much.  And there IS such a thing of too much of a good thing.  Portions, with everything, are key.

I've gotten a lot of responses and questions so far...I'd kind of like to try to do a Q & A blog in the near future.  If anyone has any questions about just anything, please PLEASE either comment below, message me on Facebook, or send me an email at BlackCanary1531@gmail.com.

Much love and thanks for reading!

Misery Loves Company...And Other Cliches

Hello friends.  The past few days I have been amazed at which people have been offering me encouragement and telling me that I'm motivating them--people I almost never talk to, people I was convinced hated my guts, people I don't even know at all!  It's been awesome.  You know who hasn't been doing that at all?  Some of the people I call my friends, who used to constantly like or comment on my posts.  There's a defined absence of support there and honestly it was a big part of my feelings of being discouraged during the first few days.  I've been asking myself, what's the difference now?

I told someone yesterday that often I'm basically like a human Grumpy Cat.  I've got a tendency toward negativity, and like most people, when I don't check myself I could complain all day long.  You know what complaining does, though?  Absolutely nothing (except for maybe annoying the people around you).  You know what negativity does?  It brings you down and fills the atmosphere around you.  You're like a black cloud wandering around and raining on everyone's parade.  Now, like everyone I like being liked.  But I don't care what people think.  I do care how I make them feel.  If I bring someone down, that's a huge FAIL.  And that makes me kind of a selfish jerk wallowing in my own crap and doing NOTHING to change the world.

One of the biggest ways I have been a complainer in my life is with my health.  

"I feel so fat." 

"I'm so tired all the time." 

"Eating healthy is so hard." 

"I'm so broke, how can I afford to get on a program/get a gym membership/buy the right foods?"

"My friends/sisters look better than me.  Those beotches."

That whole time, though, what was I doing?  NOTHING except for obsessing about my unhappiness.  I didn't work out, I didn't prep food, I didn't even try.  You know what else?  During some of those years (actually not now), all I did was complain about being broke--but you know what I also was doing during that time?  I was eating out several days a week, going out drinking, going to concerts, going on trips, buying tons of alcohol, buying clothes I didn't need...the list goes on.  I wouldn't have been broke if I wasn't so absolutely stupid with my money.  I could've afforded to get things that would help with being fit.  No, you don't always have to spend money to get fit, but for people like me, you need a real plan with real results to stay motivated and you probably have no idea what you're doing at the gym.  The point is, I was complaining about problems I was creating and in turn was creating more problems in my interpersonal relationships.

I've been striving lately to STOP being such a Debbie Downer: at work, at home, on social media.  You know what it has done for me so far?  It's made me less stressed.  It's made me see clearly about taking action instead of just whining like a child.  It's given me better relationships with people and made me way more approachable.  It's given me the opportunity to inspire rather than drag people down or push them away with an irritating habit.

My conclusion about what has changed is the switch from negative to positive and from complainer to DOER.  I may be wrong, but this is the main change I can find.  Those "friends" don't think I'm funny or interesting or worth supporting unless I'm sitting on my butt being a victim and being borderline hateful with my grumpiness and sarcasm.  Misery does love company.  I've got another somewhat-cliche for you, except I'll turn it on its head.  People say that you find out who your real friends are when you're down.  I think you find out who real friends are when you're trying to get UP and change your life.  Some people want to keep you down, keep you unhappy, keep you chubby, keep you in a series of complete overindulgence (on food, alcohol, etc.).  I don't think they're evil.  I don't think they even know that's what's going on.  I never did realize I was doing that until recently!  It's because they're scared.  They don't want to be challenged, they don't want another person to compare themselves to and feel wanting...but guess what?  You don't have to and shouldn't feel that way!  We're all cut from the same cloth and we can all do whatever we decide to do.

Sorry if this entry was a little preachy.  I'm feeling fired up about this and I want to spread the happy.  I bit my tongue when I wanted to complain and I felt the anger, sadness, and stress just disappearing.  Your words and thoughts make a difference.

Dirty 30, De-railing, and Dat Booty

So yesterday I felt just awful.  Somehow after a few days of feeling slightly better, I seemed to be relapsing.  Anyone else tired of winter?  So I did what any fitness mogul would do...lol nope, I ate enchiladas at Soccer Taco and had a few potato chips later in the day.  Hey, I'm not perfect.  When I finally made myself work out in the evening, I was feeling bad physically and mentally.  I pushed through the Cardio session but just couldn't completely hack it.  So then I added on some extras of the moves afterward and made myself do the 10-minute abs.  I don't want to say I was punishing myself, but I was.  Let me just say, I don't think that's a good way to be.  The last time I was in shape, that's exactly how I was.  I literally freaked out if I didn't go to the gym and I spent so much time worrying about what I was eating...and even when I was twenty pounds lighter, I still felt fat.  I wasn't satisfied.  Looking at those pictures now, I would be so happy to be that small again.  And I am NOT getting in that mindset again!  It was a little wake-up call.

Today I approached everything with a less...psycho mindset?  haha.  I followed the eating plan again, but didn't stress about it.  I did today's workout, The Dirty 30, and it was awesomesauce.  I felt like I was keeping up and modifying less than I have in the other workouts.  Again, of my own volition, I did 10-minute Abs after I finished.  Halfway through it, I realized something that made me quite happy: I have a lot more energy than I did even a week ago.  Today I went to the grocery store, cleaned the whole apartment, and did two workouts...and I'm not tired or sore.  It's so sad to say it, but seriously--before I started doing Shakeology and working out again, a day like this would have had me feeling exhausted and my feet, at least, would've been hurting.  I would've had to have some caffeine to focus on anything else for the rest of the night.  But right now, I feel fantastic.  In fact, this post is much later than I intended because usually I would be clambering to get into bed by now.  Instead, I have been feeling a little too energetic to sit down and do this.  And that's even with still feeling yucky and blowing my nose about a trillion times today.

To be honest, I'm hesitant to post pictures of me working out right now because it's a sad, red, huffy-puffy sight.  I did get Tom to take a picture of me doing an elbow plank...and you can't even tell that I'm planking because my chest looks like it's touching the ground.  Trust me, I was planking.  And yes, I usually have ridiculous facial expressions while planking, but it's more pathetic than comical.  I've been noticing another fantastic thing lately...

Dat booty!

If you know me personally, you know I'm the only girl in my family without a J-Lo booty.  Maybe it's weird to say and maybe it isn't ladylike to point out, but I'm getting more roundness and definition and I'm pretty dang excited.  You can kinda see it in the picture, which was another boost for the day. Watch out sisters, I'm coming for you.

The Cauliflower Catastrophe

Okay, I have to share this--one, because it was a lesson in preparation and two, because even though it was terrible, it was funny.  My lunch yesterday was just plain unpleasant.  Part of it was fine, it was the bad planning that made it bad.  I had cottage cheese with shredded cheddar, diced tomatoes, and black pepper and it was amazing.  I had some wheat crackers.  They were great.  But I had to get my veggies in and by the time I made that meal on food prep day, I did not even care anymore.  I just threw two giant servings of cauliflower (the green containers!) into a baggie.  So I had to just sit there and mindlessly shove giant pieces of frackin crunchy, raw cauliflower in my mouth for like twenty minutes.  haha. I'm sorry, I do like veggies, but two huge servings of raw cauliflower with no condiments and no seasoning is not my cup of tea.  That was truly awful.  Frackin cauliflower.  By the way, does anyone else think it's annoying when people say collie-flower instead of call-i-flower?  I do.

Dramatization of recent events.

Moving on.  Honestly, yesterday was just a mess.  I really felt completely discouraged not only in my workouts but just in life.  It's so easy to focus on setbacks instead of successes and just get really pessimistic.  I went from being so excited and optimistic to really just thinking "I am going to fail at this.  I'm not going to lose weight, I'm not going to be able to make this a business, and I'm going to be poor and chubby and tired and unhealthy forever."  Yeah, it was not good.  Thankfully, I had my godly Mama to tell me that I was letting the enemy get me turned around.  Then it was like a lightbulb: if the opposition is this strong, something amazing is about to happen.  I don't know what it will look like.  Maybe it will be a financial revolution in my life, maybe spiritual, maybe just physical.  I have a feeling it will be all three.  And now, more than ever, I am determined to fight for it.

That said, yesterday was truly brutal!  I started doing the Lower Fix and had to pause it to stretch.  My body hurt so badly it wasn't even funny!  Rough stuff.  That session had me saying EFF you, Autumn Calabrese.  If you don't hate the workout leader even a little, you're probably not being challenged. haha.  BUT I finished it and I gulped down some "Results and Recovery" formula (which tastes like a creamsicle!) and I am not at all sore today.  Happy times.  Today was Pilates Fix, which they call an "active recovery day" workout.  Challenging, but with plenty of stretching.  There's a series where you're laying on your side and doing all of these movements with your leg and the side of your thigh and butt is just burning and you're like 'OH THE INHUMANITY!' but then you're like, 'I guess I have literally never worked those muscles before' and you feel happy.

Last thing I will say, especially for anyone doing the "fat blaster" version of the 21 Day Fix eating plan: you can't eat your yellow or purple containers after 6pm (grains/fruits), and that had me craving sweets in the evening in a painful way.  It was a bit demoralizing.  However, I wasn't using my teaspoon portions (I get 5 a day on my calorie level).  It can be used for oils in preparation, but most of my meats were cooked in water.  It can also be used for nut or seed butters.  So I used a few teaspoons of peanut butter and had a cup of hot tea with stevia and felt 100% better.  *Nutrition tip: artificial sweeteners make you crave sweets and carbs.  Liquid sugars (like in a White Mocha, which is basically sugar lard) aren't recognized by your brain as quickly and can cause more weight gain than a solid sugar--like cake. Stevia that is made without additives, according to my mom's oncologist, is the only no calorie sweetener that is actually helpful instead of harmful.  Just make sure it doesn't have things like 'erythritol' or 'dextrose' as those are processed artificial sweeteners/sugars.

That about sums it up for today.  Today's takeaway: don't pack several unprepared portions of a veggie you only kind of like, don't let negativity ruin your life, and don't be afraid to post an unflattering picture if you think it might make somebody laugh.  Just keep swimming, folks!

On My Way

Before I get started, just an FYI for everyone who intends to follow me, the plan is to have a video on Sunday and then a blog every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday!  So keep an eye out.

Today is Day 2, the Upper Fix workout.  I'm feeling good--sore, but good.  As you know, yesterday was my first day with the eating plan and I have to say, I dig it.  Any time I started to get hungry, it was time to eat again!  I have to say the first half of the day was my favorite; Shakeology, fruit, steel-cut oats with cinnamon, and boiled eggs (meals one and two).  I have to say, the healthy food and the shakes had me feeling crazy energized all day (and a lot less grumpy than I usually am on Mondays).  Something else that has definitely helped was getting plenty of water.  *I just proofread this and realized I use the phrase "I have to say" a lot...I'm leaving it for authenticity. haha.*

One surefire way to do that is to have a specific cup, mug, or bottle that you use all day.  It's easy to overestimate how much water you're drinking when you're not really keeping track.  If you've got a bunch of different-sized cups, you might be well below your daily requirement, which can cause bloating, headaches, fatigue, and even may confuse your body into thinking you're hungry when you're not.  My Shakeology bottle is 700 ml.  If I drink at least three bottles full per day, I know I'm getting my minimum requirements.  It seriously makes a difference not only in the way you feel but in the amount of weight you will be able to lose.

Gotta love the swag.

The workouts are definitely effective.  Admittedly, I hate cardio right now.  When I was at a lighter weight, I loved it--now, I want to punch everyone in the face when I'm doing it.  haha.  However, as I did Day 1's Full Body Cardio, I felt like it was totally doable.  Anything I had to modify (because I've still got a lingering cough from being sick), I just did a few reps after the DVD was over.  It didn't feel too difficult during, but two hours later (and definitely this morning), my whole body was sore!  It's amazing how much the moves were doing without me even realizing it.  It just flew by, too.  Anyone can commit 30 minutes.

The Upper Fix definitely had me rethinking my overestimation of my own strength.  haha.  Unfortunately, I have not had the time to grab a heavier set of dumbbells for some of the exercises, so I did it all with the 5 pound weights--but it definitely worked everything.  It wasn't just arms, shoulders, and chest.  She also has you work your upper abs and DANG.  My abs are currently pathetic and I cannot wait to see that change!  The moves are all set in a minute of reps.  "You can do anything for a minute!" Even planking...with some falling and crying a little.  haha.

The only thing I really struggled with yesterday was when Tom decided to make mac and cheese.  I wasn't hungry and I had plenty of yummy foods throughout the day, but I wanted it so bad.  A little self-denial is good for you.  Builds character.

The last thing I want to say is a big THANK YOU to everyone who has been so encouraging.  I've barely started and I've already had so many people wanting more information, telling me I've inspired them, or asking my advice--and my blog viewership increased by about 200 views in a day!  It may not be a ton to some fitness gurus, but as an avid blogger, I have never seen such a spike before this.  I am seriously blown away.  You guys are motivating the heck out of me.  If my self-love falters, I know I'll have the notion of letting you down to keep me from stopping.  My younger sister, Emily, will soon be joining me in this endeavor and I can't wait to show the change it makes for both of us.  Get it!*

*This perkiness brought to you by the coffee I slipped into my shake this morning. ;)

The Eve of Greatness

I want to start this entry off with what I think is an important thing to be open about: my fears.  I am feeling all kinds of positivity and excitement right now, but I will say that I wasn't really feeling like that this past week.  It may have been partially because I was coughing up my lungs...but mostly, I was (and still kind of am) scared!  I'm setting myself up in front of everyone to either succeed and be an inspiration or fail and be a disappointment.  My family, my fella, and I have awesome expectations--but what if I can't?  What if I fall off the wagon?  What if my body has some kind of weird voodoo now that makes it invulnerable to exercise?  What if people laugh at me?  Or worse, what if I do succeed and no one sees and my dream of helping others push themselves crumbles?  All of that would be terrible, but what would be worse is not even giving it a shot.  I don't want to be Little Miss Perfect, thin and perky and always sounding like a freaking Hallmark card.  That just isn't me.  But I do want to inspire you.  I want to make you feel like "If she can do it, so can I."  And that's why I'm capturing this whole thing from the beginning instead of waiting until I can post a before picture without feeling ga-ross (which, by the way, I have been dreading).  So before I launch into the rest of this blog, here are those cringeworthy before photos that I have to leave hanging here until I get off my butt and start making changes:

Just for reference, this is what I used to look like in this bikini four years and about fifty pounds ago:

In any case, I am now on the eve of beginning my first round of the 21 Day Fix program.  I spent a few hours this afternoon putting together all thirty meals for the next six days (yes, you eat five meals a day!)  I was actually extremely anxious about the whole thing because I've never done something like this before.  I was very disorganized, so it took me a few hours.  I started to stress myself out worrying about what Tom is going to eat (he isn't doing it), but ended up having several things to set aside for him to eat this week.  Then I started worrying about doing this every week for the next few weeks and I realized that it will probably actually save me quite a bit of time.  No running out to buy food, no piddling around the kitchen figuring out what to eat, no ransacking the cabinets, and no getting hungry at work.  My cooking for the week is donesies and that feels awesome.

VICTORY!

Now, just a quick little update before I finish: As you may well know, I have not blogged in about a week now.  I have been sick and unable to work out at all!  However, I did get my Shakeology and I have been having a shake for breakfast every day.  I'm going to be embarrassingly honest.  With the 21 Day Fix eating plan looming and while feeling junky, I was eating everything under the sun: potato chips, hamburgers, quesadillas, ice cream, and candy in great abundance--I was certain I was going to gain some weight.  It's kind of insane, though, I lost two pounds this week and one of those was after only two days of shakes.  I messaged my upline coach and was basically freaking out because I had no idea how quickly Shakeology could have an impact.  She had the same experience (albeit probably without the bingeing).  Needless to say, I'm happy with it.  Definitely excited to keep it going.  I'm good now, but I'm going to be GREAT soon: happier, healthier, stronger, more disciplined, and more energized.

Dancing Days and Smelling Colors

Hello friends, I'm just going to jump right in with a graceless introduction.

As I mentioned in my last blog, I am feeling under the weather (still!).  Yesterday I was also feeling pretty down.  Those of you who know me know that my Mama was diagnosed with breast cancer a while ago.

Love my Mama!

The prognosis is good and we are all feeling pretty positive, but she had surgery this past Wednesday--removing lymph nodes and a double mastectomy.  It's just kind of scary.  I went over to see her yesterday and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open because of the medication.  We all hate seeing her this way.  Of course, she has my amazing Daddy and big sister taking care of her--so that helps.  Still, I kept getting that awful pang you get when you try not to cry.  I came home to clean and cook like I do most Saturdays (there's a housewife inside me just dying to get out) and just kept feeling beyond blah.  I had begun the day planning to get a workout in, but I just felt so deflated.  So I decided to do what any sassy lady knows is the best way to cheer up: I danced.

I turned this song on repeat for 30 minutes and I just danced my heart out.  If you haven't heard it, give it a listen.  I dare you to resist breaking out some sweet moves.  And you know what?  I felt a million times better.  No, I didn't do a traditional workout--but I got moving and I got happy.  I felt 100% better.  The moral of that story is that it's okay not to stick to a crazy-strict plan.  The plan is important because you've got organization.  You've got the right combination of moves for speeding up results, keeping you on track, and preventing injury.  Still, some days you just have to let go a little.  You have to take care of your heart, too.  And sometimes your heart will just want a dance party, a hike, or a hardcore rollerblading sesh complete with knee pads and spandex shorts (hey, I'm not judging).  If you feel bogged down, get outside of the box for a little while.  99% of the time, utilize the routine.  It keeps you accountable.  But give yourself that 1% of wiggle room.

Today, I didn't want to cop out.  Not going to lie, I spent a few hours on the couch cuddling with my cat.  I just didn't have the energy or motivation (besides feeling like a lump of human flesh).  Luckily, my wonderful coaches provided me with some samples on our first meeting: one of which being the Energy&Endurance pre-workout mix.  

Hope you can read backwards.

I had never used a pre-workout supplement before, but man...I was smelling colors.  It's definitely healthier than a normal pre-workout.  It does have caffeine, but it doesn't have taurine or a bunch of sugar.  It's got great things in it like tea and fruit extracts, vitamins, and is sweetened with stevia.  Definitely know I couldn't have gotten through the workout without it.  I am a fan.  Still feeling pretty energized.

Today I did "The 50."  As you'll remember, I haven't gotten my official workouts or even my Shakeology yet due to the popularity of the 21 Day Fix (and the 'neopolitan' shake pack that I chose), but I did get the free dvds.  The 50 is named for its length: 50 minutes of a full body and cardio workout.  I'm not going to lie, I had to pause it a couple of times and bring out a fan.  I was sa-weating.  Even so, I liked this one a lot better than "The 30" because it had more fun moves in it.  Even when I feel gross and coughy, I love doing one particular move: speed skaters.  I love them.  Makes me feel...aerodynamic?  This one is still pretty squat and lunge heavy, which makes me cringe--but I know it works!  I have to say, now that it's over, I am so glad I got off of the couch.  It really makes a difference in both mood and physical feeling.

I know this one was a little long, but I just wanted to really put myself out there.  This is definitely a journey for me.  I hope I'm inspiring other chubby ducklings to get up and move, too!  Trust me, you will be happier for it even before you really start seeing big results.

The Rocky Effect

Recently my fella convinced me to start watching the Rocky movies.  He's a big fan.  Admittedly, I had never seen them.  Forgive me for saying it, but the first one was quite awkward and not exactly eye-catching to me until the fight.  The second was a little better, but the real intensity came when he started working out.  The music and that montage got my blood pumping. It inspired me to really want to get going.  I even got off of the couch and tried to do a one-handed pushup.  I can do about half of one.  haha.

 I'll admit I've been doing piddling, time-killing workouts while I wait for my 21 Day Fix and Shakeology, but why not start now?  If I'm being brutally honest, you know what really made me want to get serious (and soon)?  It wasn't the music or the whole community running behind him or the one-armed pushups.  It was the scene before the fight in the first movie when they call out Rocky's weight.  190 pounds.  He's got like a foot of height on me.  I died a little inside.  Yeah, I weigh more than the Italian Stallion.  That's...upsetting, to say the least.  

Lucky for me, I got an unexpected present today.  When you order Shakeology/sign up with Beach Body, you get these babies for freesies:

Um, yeah.

So this morning, setting aside the sinus infection from Hades (or so I think it is), I slumped out of bed, gave myself a good hearty slap on the belly, and popped in the 30 minute one.  I know how intense Beach Body workouts are from doing P90X workouts back in the day.  I wasn't about to jump into the 50 minute session while sick.  I'm ready to be fit, but hey, I'm not suicidal.  True story.

First impression:  The dvd is a full body workout that also includes cardio moves.  At the beginning, I was thinking This is super easy.  As it progressed, I changed my mind.  The cardio aspect wasn't extremely intense but certain moves were--like the series of different lunges.  And everything that involved moving and me coughing and getting red-faced.  The obligatory cutesy fitness picture below is like 20 minutes later and as you can see, my face still has a bit of a tomatoey tinge.  Oh hey--Valentine's color.  Look at me, I'm festive.

Hey, at least I cropped out most of the cleave and I'm not tanorexic/wearing my hair down like it was effortless.

If you're a beginner, this is definitely a good workout for you.  One person onscreen demonstrates lower impact variations of several of the moves to help if you have joint problems or just aren't at the level to complete all of the exercises yet.  For me, I have some wrist pain and weakness.  I can only do so many pushups before I have to switch to "girl" stance to do them (knees on the floor, lower legs crossed).  It actually gives you a better workout when you can maintain safe form, so I don't feel too guilty about it.

Feeling pretty nasty, but I know the workouts will be better when I've got better nutrition and don't have to put Vicks vapor rub under my nostrils to breathe.