A Healthy Journey Part Six - But Now What?

Hi Everyone! This is part six in my Healthy Journey Series.

I am feeling great, better than I have in a long time in fact. And I lost the weight I have been talking about losing for years. I still have some additional fitness goals I want to hit, but I want more than that. I have always had a secret love affair for the fitness industry.

(Diesel is very supportive of my fitness goals. Also, if you haven't tried PiYo, you're missing out.)

When I started college the second time (or maybe it was third, I don't know) my major was Exercise Science and Sports Nutrition. As I mentioned in a previous post I worked out like crazy in college and I liked how I was feeling. So when I was picking out a major I thought why not do this for a living? And then, I had to take Anatomy. Did you know there are roughly 900 gagillion bones and shizz in the human body?! And did you know that in order to pass that class you have to have it all memorized. Yeah...that didn't work out so I went back to my other passion, psychology. [In case you are wondering 9 years later I finally graduated with a double major in Psych. and Marketing. Yes nine years. No I don't have a PhD, I just like to take my time.]

But I have still always secretly envied those in the fitness world and have always wanted to be part of that. But I felt like I didn't fit in. As I said, I didn't play sports, I wasn't a naturally fit person so I just never felt right trying to insert myself somewhere I wasn't sure I belonged.

Now that I have started on this journey I feel that pull stronger than ever. I want to help other people, I want them to see that they can accomplish their goals and live a healthier life. If I can do this, anyone can do this.

I was offered the Beachbody Coaching opportunity and thought it made since to get a discount on Shakeology. I liked Shakeology, it tasted good, it was semi-filling and made me feel good about putting all kinds of good nutrients in my body at least once a day. But in terms of weight loss, it didn't really do much for me. Eating "clean" and incorporating more veggies and fruits with protein, healthy fats and carbs along with literally moving my ass each day is what did it for me. I know this product helps a lot of people curb their cravings for sweets but I am not a sweet eater (damn you potato chips!) so that didn't really matter to me. It's a great product, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't the key for me.

The key for me is the feeling. I love how I feel. That's what I want to share with people.

You may have read my post a few weeks ago about not believing in coincidence and that everything happens for a reason. (Go read it quick, it's short.) And I believe I am on this path for a reason. I believe that this theme in my life has never really gone away because I am truly meant to do something with it.

A couple of months ago I had the opportunity to participate in a local artist show and I got to meet some of the most amazing women (and a couple men) and one of them introduced me to a new opportunity. Something I had never even heard of and was really pretty skeptical about, but then I did some research (and by some I mean I watched an inappropriate amount of YouTube videos, read a shit ton of blogs, articles and went to A LOT of websites to find out more.) I basically was consumed trying to get all the information I could because I am certain this is something I am passionate about and want to share with everyone.

(Me and the amazing women from the fashion show I was in in August. If you like the fashions pictured, check out my friend's site here.)

A Healthy Journey Part Five - Results.

Hi Everyone! This is my fifth post in my Healthy Journey Series.

The results were/are awesome. I lost 15 pounds. Finally. I have been talking about doing that for longer than I can count right now. Fricking finally. But that wasn't all.

 (This is after the first 30 days. I was down a few pounds and starting to see muscle definition.)

(This is at the end of 60 days. Be jealous of my shirt, don't judge, I know you want one.)

I was super pumped about the weight loss. But I also felt better. See there's that word again, "feel". I was sleeping better, I felt better when I woke up and throughout the day. I had more energy and didn't feel as stressed out all the time.

I was thrilled with the results. About half way in I actually started following the meal plan and that's really when the transformation gained momentum. I was eating better, drinking less wine (sad, I know, but not really), both of those things coupled with the increased activity and better sleep really sold me on being healthier long term. I could see that this wasn't something to finish and then go back to my old ways. Why would I trade more energy and better sleep for feeling like shit and not sleeping great? I wouldn't. And I haven't.

So now that I had lost all of this weight, one of the things I did to help keep me committed to my new lifestyle was to get rid of all the clothes that were too big. No hanging on just in case. They were gone. I have gotten rid of 12 bags of clothes. I had to go out and buy new jeans and a couple of dresses for work but most of my tops still fit. I also had to buy new undergarments because those weren't working any more either. I also had to buy a new swimsuit (That was fun! Seriously.)

But, as you may be wondering, I started to wonder what next? What do I do when this 90 day program is over? Do it again? What else am I going to do?

Well thankfully Beach Body has a slew of other workout programs to choose from. I picked a couple and am working on those now. But I am finding myself wanting more. I want to challenge myself physically. What else can I do? Since completing P90X3 I have lost a few more pounds, which is great but it's not my end goal. So now what?

A Healthy Journey Part Four - Let's Do This.

Hi Everyone! This is the fourth post in my Healthy Journey Series.

After coffee that day I was able to find used P90X3 workouts online for super cheap and placed my order. I texted my friend and agreed that the following weekend I would get started. She had already started so she was a week or two ahead of me. 

The DVDs arrived and I was super pumped. I read everything I could find and watched a crazy amount of YouTube videos so I understood just what I was in for. The program was seven days a week and each workout was only 30 minutes so I figured at the bare minimum that I would lose weight because I was going to be working out seven days a week as opposed to one or zero days a week.

(February 14, 2015, I am sucking in my belly so much here that I can barely breathe.)

So on Saturday morning I woke up and did my first P90X3 workout. And it was not as terrifying as I thought. It was hard. And I was sweaty. But I didn't die and I didn't puke (I set the bar pretty low), so I considered it a win. And then something weird happened. I was super excited for the next workout. Weird. And then after the second workout, it happened again. I really enjoyed working out. Who knew? It was so helpful to have my friend for support. We texted each other and encouraged each other the whole way. It took us a little longer than the 90 days to complete the program, with work and life we weren't able to work out every single day of that 90 days. So in June I/we completed the 90 day program. 

And the results were kind of awesome.