Back in Illinois, before being a wife, and before being a mommy...a group of girls had talked me into doing these morning workouts at the gym. I am NOT a morning person so just getting out of bed was the hardest part!!! Not to mention getting out of bed on Illinois WINTER mornings!!!! However, I started going, and it didn't take me long to realize that on the days that I got out of bed early (technically getting less sleep), I had more energy because I was getting my day started right!
I continued on this trend for about 2 years of going to the gym and rotating mornings of a cardio class (Step or Combat) and then a weight training class (Body Pump). Body pump has been my all time favorite class ever. I love feeling sore the next day and I'm not a huge cardio fan. Throughout the past 8 years, I have also had one home workout video that I have stuck with it. Guess what it was... a weight lifting class too!. The workout video was Turbo Sculpt from the Turbo Jam Series. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this workout. You get cardio and weight training all at once. So anyway, back to the classes at the gym. Body pump was awesome. Great music, easy but challenging moves, and I felt STRONG!!! Combat was a little more difficult. I was huffing and puffing but also the moves took awhile to learn. I kind of gave up on that one :(
Well, three years ago, I got married, we moved to Hawaii, and then I had my baby girl (who is just about to turn 2). I couldn't go to the gym because I didn't have common time with the husband to where he could watch her for me. So I had to find a way to get my workouts in again. I kept trying to diet and do my workouts at home or go on walks with the kid, but I just couldn't stay motivated. I would be good for like 2 weeks and then I would relapse bad!!! Christmas came this year, my family came to visit, and lots of pictures were taken. I saw those pictures and it hurt. It was hard to see what had become of me, but more importantly I felt MISERABLE!!! I was tired, angry, stressed, lazy, unmotivated, temperamental, etc. A friend of mine had given me Insanity last year, and Darin and I completed about 3 weeks of it and then he gave up so I gave up. I used to drink shakeology, but never while eating well and working out. I was approached by another military spouse about getting back on board with Beachbody, and doing the triple threat: Insanity, Shakeology, and eating clean! (Oh and by the way...as a military spouse you get to sign up to be a coach for free, which don't freak out you don't have to actually coach but you get this amazing discount!!!)
So I joined a Beachbody 12 week challenge and did the Insanity program. Along with the challenge we were placed in a facebook group that helped us be accountable. I would say that was a huge part of my success this time. My husband and friends supported me at first which was awesome, but you know how life is...their lives went different directions and they weren't solely focused on my success. It was at that point when I became really really thankful for my facebook group. These girls became my friends (and not just on facebook). We leaned on each other. I knew if I let me down, I was letting them down. So I continued on through the journey. 30 days came around and I was pretty darn excited about my improvement. I lost about 10 lbs in the first 3 weeks. I think a lot of that came from drinking water and cutting back on sodium. (I'll go into my nutrition details on another day because that is a whole other story!!!)
So I continued on my journey, and after 30 days I started losing my umph! I had crossed into month two of Insanity and let me tell you it was like everyone else's excuses around me were motivating me even more! I kicked some butt!!! I was doing push ups and moving planks and power jumps and v-push ups! It was IN-SANE!!! So needless to say I was pretty disappointed when the weight stopped disappearing. I know I know...weight isn't everything, and I know muscles weighs more than fat. I am a girl, and I can't help but want the scale to say a number I like! So then came 60 day pictures.
I was pretty much on my own on this point. What kept me going is I kept telling myself that I could NOT have yet another great big idea that I didn't follow through with, so I pushed on. Each day I made myself push play. Each time I cheated on food, I let the guilt upset me enough to not do it again, but I didn't let it break my stride. I had to come to terms with the TRUTH about my nutrition. This is when it happened. I finally broke that weight wall!!! I was officially "skinnier" than I had been since I was pregnant two years ago! Now I felt motivated. I had big dreams, and kept pushing. Insanity had started to wear on my legs (I probably should have take a break before I started in on round 2 of it.) So I pulled out all my workout videos and I just started mixing it up! It was about doing any workout and making it challenging and digging deep.
90 Days arrived and I felt good. I'm 17 lbs down, and I proved to myself that I was going to follow through with this new lifestyle. So I financially committed to two new workout programs. Remember those gym workouts I loved 3 years ago but had to quit because I didn't have the time or money. Well, guess what?!?!?!...Beachbody is the maker of those classes, and I know own them and can do them in my very own home! I spent about the equivalent of two months gym membership on these workouts that will last me a lifetime!!! So want to talk about saving money!!!!
If at any point of my journey you could relate, let me know! I want to bring you into my journey and make it your journey too!!! I want to share the life that I have regained by bettering my health. I want to show you tricks that worked for me to make this a lifestyle and not a diet. I want to help you lose that weight and regain your confidence in a healthy way that's not going to make you crash and burn later. Join my journey and by letting me help you, you are helping me! That's a pretty awesome feeling don't you think?!?!?!
