Results!

I probably should've posted this soon after we finished the 60 day challenge, but I didn't realize how much my body had changed until I took my "before" pics for the next phase of my fitness journey--P90X. The photos on the right are from last night, and the photos on the left are from day 1 of the BTC 60 day challenge. I look forward to working on my upper body over the next 90 days and getting some serious muscle tone!

I know I could've gotten better results if I stuck to my nutrition plan more strictly. But I can't get down on myself... you should've seen the difference in my fit test results from day 1 and day 60! Knowing that my "downfall" is nutrition, my goal is to stick with the P90X meal plan (level 1) through the holidays--because I figure if I can eat healthily through Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. then I KNOW I can maintain this lifestyle and make better choices for myself. I'm so thankful for my new friends/coaches that are going to join me in this next phase... the #1 thing I've learned from this experience is that support and accountability are the keys to realizing your goals. This is why I'm so excited to become a Beachbody coach! I want to help others along their own journey and provide the motivation and tools to help them succeed. After seeing the results (not just my own, but other fellow bootcampers/coaches), I am confident that there is no better formula than the one that Maia and her coaches provided for us. Check back in after 30/60/90 days, and you'll see a completely different "me"! Here we go...

Only the Beginning

I never thought I would use the words cold, run, and fun in the same sentence, but I don't know how else to describe today's race. The weather was in the 30s but spirits were high among the masses of people who were at the MCM10K...including myself! I hate the cold, so the fact that I was actually excited and happy to be there should be an accomplishment in itself--BTC has made me a more positive person because I actually look for opportunities to push myself, knowing that "I am stronger than I think I am" (to quote a certain BTC instructor). I don't know if it was the adrenaline, the cold weather forcing me to keep moving, or the support I knew I had from my BTC friends, but I can honestly say this was one of the best fitness events I've ever participated in. My goal was to finish under an hour without walking---my final time was 58:33, and I was getting faster with each mile! The surprising thing is that I know my time could've been even better if it weren't for the frozen patches of ice on the route and the fact that I jogged the first mile or so because I was scared I'd start off too fast and not maintain my pace. I'm already registered for my next challenge--the Hot Chocolate 15K Run For Bears, which is an awesome opportunity to push my running limits further all in the name of raising money for a fantastic charity.

My body's a little sore, but I know that's from not stretching well enough before and after the race. I actually felt pretty good after 6.2 miles, and I'm curious to see how many more miles I've got in me before this runner's high goes away...haha. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to become a BTC fitness coach, only because I know how ESSENTIAL it is to have a support network to push you and help you become the best person you can be...physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I always knew that I wanted to adopt a healthy lifestyle, but this 60 day challenge opened my eyes to the true power of having others genuinely take pride in your success and care enough about you to keep you accountable. It was difficult to maintain a nutritious diet and regular exercise routine in the past because I felt like I was doing it alone--my family and friends knew I was trying to live healthily, but their actions were less than supportive. The best thing I will take away from this experience is not the pounds or inches I've lost or the new exercise moves or even the physical and mental strength I've built, but the BTC friends that I'm proud to consider family. They have been truly inspiring, and it's only made me want to stay on this path of "fit" living and make them proud of my accomplishments.

Tomorrow is the final "official" day of the 60 day challenge, but I know this is just the beginning of my journey to becoming a healthier, stronger, and better me :)

The Final Countdown!

I know I said this last week, but I really cannot believe we're down to the LAST week of the 60 Day Bootcamp Challenge! I've already decided that I'm going to "sign up" for at least another 30 more... I've got to admit, I wasn't a regular at BTC before this, but now I'm hooked :) I don't know if it's the adrenaline rush you get when you push yourself to do that extra burpee when you feel like you can't or all the encouragement from Maia, the coaches, and my fellow bootcampers, but something keeps me coming back for more. Even when I'm having a bad day or know that my body is still recovering from the previous day or from being sick, I always feel 100% better after those 60 minutes of taking time for ME (as Maia would say).

After measurement day today, I've got to say that although the scale doesn't display a drastic change (down about 3 lbs from the first day), I'm proud to say I've lost 3 inches off my waist. I can tell my body is slowly changing, and I feel stronger every day. My clothes fit better, and I have more energy than ever to run and push myself in and outside of class. I'm running my first race on Sunday, and I'm really nervous and a bit intimidated. Although it's only a 10K and not a half marathon, I know it'll mark a huge milestone for me in my fitness journey. It's also the perfect way to end the first 60 days of this challenge!

My immediate goals are to prepare, physically and mentally, for the 10K this week. I've got to really make sure I'm fueling my body well with the right foods and getting those last few runs in before Sunday. I find that when I've got a good handle on how I treat my body, the rest of my life seems to fall into place... funny how that works huh? I think it has something to do with the fact that it truly takes focus and organization to plan for a week of healthy eating and consistent physical activity. Gotta finish strong, and continue to push on past this final week!

Two more weeks!

I can't believe that we're in the last two weeks of this challenge! I guess time flies when you're having fun :) I've come to the realization that my initial goal of losing 8-10 lbs at the start of this challenge was a way of setting myself up for frustration. The numbers on the scale don't matter nearly as much as how I feel and how I look, and I know that I've improved in both areas! My clothes fit better, I have more energy outside of BTC workouts, and I'm actually looking forward to continuing this journey after the 60 day challenge is over. I've made new friends who encourage me to be fit, eat well, and inspire me to push myself to my limits. I know I'm not alone in this journey to become a better "me"--I guess it's a simple revelation, but an important one.

After talking to my fitness coach, I know that I have to make adjustments to lose these last few stubborn pounds that I've been trying to lose for the past few years now. My toughest struggle has always been in the nutrition department, so I know I'm going to have to focus on doing better not just over the next week, but for the rest of my life. I set an initial goal for myself last week to attend BTC twice a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but at the recommendation of my coach, I'm going to incorporate early morning runs into my workout instead. I'll start at 2-3 miles a day and work my way up from there... I want to get to a point where I'm running at least 15 miles a week. This is a huge change for me because I've never considered myself to be much of a runner, but I think it may be the secret ingredient to blasting these last few pounds and getting to a point where I can honestly say I'm in the best shape of my life. I already feel like I'm getting there... but this is a marathon, not a sprint. Let's do this!

Struggling

No matter how motivated and determined I am to reach my goals, it seems that life likes to throw curveballs at me to really test my willpower and focus. Unfortunately, I think more often than not, external influences these past two weeks have pushed me back into old habits. With the stress of my boyfriend leaving for Afghanistan, my job ramping up, and knowing that the next few weeks are going to be even more difficult, I feel overwhelmed and want to shut down. However, as Maia often says, every day is a new day. Today is another opportunity to prove to myself that I can succeed. 

Today is our third measurement day, and to be honest I'm not looking forward to finding out those numbers. I know my eating habits could've been 100% better, and I feel discouraged because I know I've gained weight. Even if everything I've read says that I'm probably gaining muscle, it's hard to not feel discouraged.

So this week (and the next few months), I am determined to remember why I started this journey in the first place, push the excuses aside, and channel my stress into exercise. Starting tomorrow morning, I'll be going to BTC twice a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I signed up to run my first 10K on October 30th, so I'll be adding morning/weekend runs to my routine. I've never been a good long distance runner, so this will be an interesting challenge. With the weather changes, it'll be even more important to fuel my body well--with the right food, vitamins, etc--so that I don't get sick. Having milestones to track my progress will also help me stay focused on reaching my short-term goals. With all the stress and discouragement I've felt the past few weeks, it'll be good to channel everything into productive activities. After all, endorphins make you happy, don't they? 

te·na·cious

 adj \tə-ˈnā-shəs\

1

a : not easily pulled apart : cohesive <a tenacious metal>b : tending to adhere or cling especially to another substance <tenacious burs>

2

a : persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired <a tenacious advocate of civil rights> <tenacious negotiators>

Staying Focused

I can't believe I'm at the half-way point of this challenge--I still feel like I've got a long way to go when it comes to meeting my goals! I know I give 110% at each class, but I feel like I could be doing much more to improve my performance outside of the workouts. The most challenging aspect has been revamping my eating habits because I know this is not just a temporary fix, but a step toward LIFE CHANGE. I feel stronger and more energetic when I'm working out, but I have less energy throughout the day. Perhaps I'm not fueling my body enough? I've started taking vitamin supplements to make up for any lack of nutrition I have during the day, and it seems to help.

The main thing to remember is to stay focused. This is about the time I expect myself to start getting off track when it comes to keeping the healthy habits I've instilled so far... so my mantra this week is best described in 2 Chronicles 15:7--"But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded."

With that in mind, my goals for this week will be:

1) Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. No more, no less.

2) Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Stick to unsweetened tea for non-water beverages.

3) Portion control--remember Maia's "hand guide."

Time to finish the first half of this challenge strong, and start the next phase even more determined than ever! 

Visualizing My Goals

This past week has been encouraging because I can feel myself getting stronger, and I have more energy than I've had in a long time! The bootcamp workouts aren't getting easier, but I can tell that I can push harder and endure longer "bursts" of intervals than before I joined the test group. We took our first measurements yesterday since we started, and I was surprised (but excited) to see that I'd lost 2.5 lbs and an inch off my waist already! Every little bit counts, right? 

My focus for this week is to keep my mind fixed on what "success" is going to look like for me, both in the short and long term. My short term goal is to increase my veggie/fruit servings--most of my diet consists of meat/fish, eggs, and too many refined carbs. I actually love a variety of fruits and vegetables, but the tricky part is finding creative and healthy ways to incorporate them into my diet so I don't even think twice about eating enough servings. My favorite method is roasting and/or grilling veggies! Mmmmm... I'm actually craving roasted brussel sprouts as I type this. That's right, you heard me. Brussel sprouts.

My long term goal is inspired by a goal my fitness coach David set for himself: "To look like an Abercrombie model." However, doing a quick Google image search of models made me realize that I don't want to look like the skinny, over-photoshopped girls that plaster magazines and the runway. Bleh. 

However, today's fitness models are a great example of how "strength" and "beauty" combine to provide an illustration of what hard work and determination can produce. I know my body type differs from these models, but it helps me to have an image in my head of what I can achieve if I continue to make healthy choices for myself. Here's to another great week!