Week 12

I can't believe this week has finally come.  I wonder if it's common to have had such huge expectations for your 12 week lifestyle change, that what you have accomplished can feel a little disappointing.  I of course kept telling myself if I eat right and workout every day, then I'll have my dream body at the end of 12 weeks.  It is what kept me going, but I think I was looking at it the wrong way.  I needed this challenge to change my eating habits, and to make working out a habit again.  Now I am on the right road to one day having my dream body.  I don't have to be there yet, but at least I know I'm heading in the right direction!!!  So I need to be proud of my accomplishments and focus on the changes I have made instead of the changes I am still wanting to see!!! 

When I came into this program, my first goal was to surpass 180 lbs.  I have not been below that weight since I got pregnant two years ago.  I have been flirting with passing this goal for about a month now, and I finally (and how appropriately) passed it in this final week.  I was so excited!  I turned to my husband with my glowing face, and said..."I did it"!!!  (Now, remember it's not about weight, it's about measurements and being healthy, but I'm still naturally going to want to see the scale move too!).  

So now that I have gotten there, I feel better than ever!  I'm motivated again, and ready to give these last 10 days my best effort yet.  I lucked out that my husband is taking his PT test this week, so our house has been on diet mode anyway.  It has helped me to remember that I can't just work out and eat OK.  I have to really make some changes, and guess what they don't all taste bad!!!  In fact, I actually know what vegetables taste like instead of smothering them in seasoning and butter and dressings.  

So as I enter into week 12, I leave you with this... a HAPPIER, and more DETERMINED me!!!

Week 11

Two more weeks technically, but I'm already planning my next challenge.  Being in the middle of my second round of Insanity is going to help me keep going when that final day comes.  The hubby has his PT test on the 27th, so we are planning a big date night out to celebrate his test and my challenge.  So as this challenge is coming to it's last leg, I thought it would be nice to look back.

How did I feel before:  I was tired, cranky, negative, LAZY, hungry all the time, paranoid and lacking self-confident.

How do I feel now:  I am happy almost all the time.  I am more aware of my surroundings, and living more in the moment instead of thinking about how unhappy I am with my body.  I get dressed in REAL clothes almost every day.  I run errands with the kid and it doesn't feel like torture.  We go to the park almost every day.  I get on the floor and play with her!

How did I look:  I was wearing the same thing every day.  Comfy yoga pants and tank tops from Target.  They were serving the purpose of my pajamas and my real clothes.  When I would go tutor, I would wear jeans and long sleeves to "cover" up.

How do I look now:  I have about 4 pairs of jean shorts right now that I am rocking every day.  I'm way more confident in them, and so I love to actually get dressed every day.

The biggest difference has been my quality of life.  I sometimes find myself regretting how little I did before and how much I complained, but I figure it's in the past so let it go, and just keep living this new lifestyle!  I love how my choices have affected the love ones around me too :)  My rest days have become kind of challenging because I am actually bored and lost when I don't get my workout it.  But I know my body needs it!

So this week, I'm going to push even harder with Insanity.  Last week I was a little slow and just remembering the old moves from the first time around.  I need to keep drinking water, and I am going to work on getting rid of extra seasonings again.  I got kind of relaxed about it over the last couple of weeks :)  Time to get back on track 100% and PUSH!!!!    It's go time!

Week 10

A few days late, but here is my meal plan for this week.  I began my second round of Insanity this Monday.  It feels amazing!  It's a change in my workout, and it is supposed to be the beginning workouts, yet it is still challenging!!!  One of my favorite things about Insanity is not matter how many times you complete it, you can push yourself harder.  With interval training it's about how many you can get in a set amount of time and then rest and repeat.  So if you can only do one power jump or one push up first, as long as you are pushing yourself harder each time, you are getting the best workout for you. Insanity is not just for those that are already physically fit!  It is really for all!!!  They don't offer modifications in the videos, but the review say that is because Shaun T didn't want it to be like all the other workouts.  He wants everyone's goal to be to get to the full workout and at max intensity, but that doesn't mean you can't do your own modifications.  Sometimes when I get completely burnt out, I just plop into plank and hold until they finish the circuit.  

Eating has been going well.  It has become very natural for me, so I'm not as stressed out about being a perfect eater anymore.  I do have to make sure I am always honest with myself though and do not find myself "okaying" too many cheats!  However, I will say that my cheats have become things like a piece of toast with honey, a whole grain waffle with peanut butter, or an iced tea.  I'm not trying to kill myself  to lose this weight.  I'm being realistic so that it becomes a way of life, and is not so drastic that it becomes a diet, and I when I'm done "dieting" I bounce back with splurges and over indulgences.  If you aren't ready to give up something cold turkey then don't give it up all together yet.  Do it over time, so that you don't set yourself up for failure!!!  

Excited to see the progress of Week 10, Week 1 of Insanity Round 2!!!

60 Days!!!

Well, it has been SIXTY days since I made this lifestyle change.  I knew that this change would be more than just a physical change.  It's an emotional change too.  It's funny how the littlest things can throw you off track or become excuses for not giving it your all.  I am very disappointed to say that last week this happened to me.  I was at my all time high at the beginning of the week.  I was feeling better than I had ever felt before.  I even started a new challenge group with my best girl friends back home!  I was ready to finish this final week of Insanity hard.   Then, it just kind of all fell apart.  I needed to step away and find what was making it do that.  The truth is it was me.  I lost focus in my journey.  I let myself get wrapped up in drama that wasn't even mine.  So I decided to step away, finish my Insanity journey strong on my own, and have even found a new Insanity group to start my round 2 as of Monday.

So what does it look like when it all falls apart???  Well I saw bits of old kristen come back.  I was becoming negative, bitter, over-sensitive, paranoid, exhausted, angry, frustrated, disappointed, and I think that about sums it up as just plain POOPY!  I told myself that things will happen in your life that might deter you away from your journey so I needed to learn how to handle it.  I tried for awhile, but I cracked, and just gave up.  I am PROUD to say however, throughout this social tumble to the ground, I did find the strength inside me to do my workout on my own for a week and a half, and today my hard work, devotion and my choice to remove myself and get a fresh start paid off!  That scale is going down again, and those pants zipped!  That's right...they zipped!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now I am not going to say they are muffin-top free yet, but I started out not even being able to get them up over my hips.

So as day 60 came and gone, I hold my head high and remind myself that I may have completed one challenge, but my challenge will continue, and every day I will become a healthier and happier person.

So there is no 60 day pic, mostly because my partner in crime is not really on the same workout path as me right now.  But I guess that's just an excuse, and I could have my husband take the pics :)  We shall see!  However, I have a hair appointment in about a week that is way over due, and I kind of want to wait and take them then!!!