I CAN DO IT.

It has been a while since my last blog, so I finally decided it was time to write another one! The holidays are a tough time to stay on track, so I figured that there is no better time then now to write down my thoughts and stay focused. 

Through the holidays, I have not been perfect....at all..but I do have to say that I DID NOT gain weight through the holidays. This is a huge deal for me. I feel like I am more focused now than I have ever been. I have had a lot going on this month that I thought would throw me off (my divorce, my sister being in town, Christmas lunches at work) but I have not let it totally derail my weight loss. We all have our moments. For me, I had one moment during the holidays where I thought "I feel like I just keep back tracking, and at this rate I will never get there." I have thought this a lot throughout my weight loss journey, but this time it was different. I was able to change my thoughts. I quickly thought to myself "You did it before and there is no point in letting one bad day ruin all of your progress." I have learned that weight loss and being healthy is all about the thoughts in your head. If you manage to turn them around, you can do ANYTHING.

This week, my body feels really strong. I went to bootcamp at the Worx for the first time in probably 6 months this past week. Going in, I was scared that it was going to be super hard and that I would be dying the whole time. Guess what?! I did better during bootcamp then I have ever done! My jumps were higher, I wasn't nearly as out of breath as I thought I would be, and I went two days in a row and didn't die!  I am so proud of how far I have come since I started last January.

Over the last few months I have learned a lot about myself. I have learned that I am stronger then I thought I was. I have also learned that I have grown a lot emotionally over the past 6 months. I am more independent and more happy with myself now then I have ever been. That means a lot!


The thing I want to celebrate the most this week is that I didn't skip my workouts even though I was on vacation. I didn't eat perfectly, but I worked as hard as I could to make up for it. Working out really makes a difference in my mood and in how I feel, so keeping going when I could have been lazy really helps!

Going in to the next week, I have a few new goals. First, I want to make sure I drink plenty of water this week. I also plan to workout 5 out of the next 7 days, and I already have a plan to make sure I follow through. My last goal this week is to focus more on protein and veggies and less on foods that are high in carbs and sugar. What are your goals this week? I always feel like there is never a better time to start then now...Why wait for January 1st? 

With losing 65 lbs this year, I also need to thank all of my friends, family, coaches, my Weight Watchers leader and my personal trainer. You have all helped me so much this year to keep my mind in the right place through all of the craziness. I wouldn't be as strong, and as happy as I am today without all of your help!

With that being said...who is ready to get started today? I would love to have some buddies to workout with! Let's do this! (No excuses...if I can do it..you can do it!) 

16 weeks to AWESOME.

The holiday season, mostly November - December, has always been a rough time for me. After talking to my friend Laura, we decided to come up with a way to hold ourselves accountable through the most difficult time of the year to lose weight. What better way is there to lose weight than having a little competition! 

SO HERE IT IS: 

Starting Thursday night, Laura and I will go to our weekly Weight Watcher's meeting and get our weekly weigh in. This will be our start weight for the challenge. 

The challenge will last for 16 weeks, because about 80% of people that stick with WW for 16 weeks actually make it to their goal.

We have both made plans for eating right and working out (5-6 times a week). 

Every week at our weigh in, whoever loses the least for the week will owe $5 to the challenge jar. At the end of the 16 weeks, whoever loses the highest percentage of body weight gets to keep the money that is in the jar. 

THE CATCH:

We have to reach at least a 10% body weight loss by the end of 16 weeks to be able to keep the money in the jar. If neither of us reaches 10%, we are donating the money in the jar to a local animal shelter. 

We decided on this catch so that if I lose 2 lbs and she loses 3 lbs, we won't be able to get the money because we were slacking! We both have to give it all we got through the holidays if we want to keep our money. 

ADDITIONALLY:

I have found that the hardest thing for my weight loss this time of the year is not making excuses when it comes to my workouts. I often think "Oh it's too cold out, I will go later" or "Today is my rest day, I will go tomorrow"...

So I made a no excuse jar. I will put $1 a day for every day I make an excuse to skip my planned workout for that day. At the end of the 16 weeks, Laura will get all of my money that I put in that jar.

I think it is a fair competition, and I am ready to win. :) 

Get ready Laura! 2 days till the competition is on! 

New Beginnings!

So I felt like it was time for me to blog again. It has been a while! Today I am working on finishing packing up the apartment that I have lived in for the last 2 years. Packing and moving out of this apartment marks a new chapter in my life. It might not seem like much to most people, but to me...it marks my freedom. Currently, I am in the middle of my divorce, and leaving this apartment gives me freedom from the place "we" lived. I am looking at it as a fresh start, a new beginning.

Moving has been rough and has made eating healthy pretty rough. Along with not having much in the house in an effort to minimize how much I have to either throw away or take with me, I also have had a lot of the emotional eating aspect lately. The reason I decided to write this blog is because I feel like blogging is a way for me to refocus myself. I feel like it is a way to "tell on myself" and start fresh...so in the mindset of new beginnings, I thought I would write a blog to start fresh with my weight loss.

October 1st will be the first day in my new house. I have come up with a plan to keep me focused and refresh my weight loss. 

• I plan to go grocery shopping once a week (on Sunday night).
• I will make all of my meals for the week when I get home on Sunday.
• I will wake up at 5 AM on Monday - Friday and go to the gym for the 6 AM class before work.
• I will do tap on Tuesdays, ballet on Wednesdays, and Weight Watchers on Thursdays.

This is my plan. Who is ready for a fresh start with me? I am hoping that you will hold me accountable, and if you tell me you want to join me on this journey, I will hold you accountable, too. Are you ready? I know I am! Let's do this! 

Create your future

It has been a while since I have written my blog, so I figured it was time to start writing again! 

Through all of the hard times I have been dealing with lately, i have also become stronger. I am so glad that I have everyone from the Worx and all of my other close friends by my side. I have to say that I don't think things would be as easy for me without all of your support. So thank you.

This week, my body is feeling stronger and healthier! I am down 50 lbs and I am so proud! I feel like my push ups are getting better, and I am able to get through workouts without gasping for air or needing a ton of water. 50 lbs makes a huge difference!

This week, I have learned that you can do anything you put your mind to, and like I have said before, a positive attitude makes a huge difference. Knowing that I have great people behind me has kept me on track and moving towards my goals. I have not let the negativity in my life push me in the wrong direction. 

My Oh YEAH moment this week was reaching the 50 lb marker! 50 lbs makes me feel like I am finally on my way. I WILL be back to the old skinny, beautiful me that I once was! I know I can do this!

My goal for last week was to stay on track with food. I did a pretty good job of this. I had one cheat meal but other then that I was pretty good. This week I really want to make sure I get 5 workouts in and stay on track with eating. I will be spending the weekend on the eastern shore with a bunch of friends so I would like to have the right mindset and not let a weekend away throw me off!

As for showing up, Maia has made a huge difference for me. It is so nice to know she is there and pushing me, even when I am not pushing myself. It's the little things that make a huge difference. 

The quote above is so true for me right now. I feel like it is time for me and I have started to create a new and more positive, promising future for myself with the choices I am making. This week, I hope that you also make choices to move you closer to where you want to be! You are the only one who can change where you are going. There is no time like the present :) 

Struggle

So not gonna lie, this week has been a tough one for me. I am in the middle of getting a divorce, but still living in the same apartment until I can find somewhere else to go...so I have been jumping around from friend to friend just so I don't have to be home with him. This has made planning ahead and staying on track extremely difficult this week. I have also been staying in Bowie so I haven't made it to workouts as much as I need to. 

I decided to write this blog today because I really just needed to tell on myself and start fresh for the rest of the week. 

This week, my body feels less strong then last week, so this is something I need to work on for the rest of the week. I have been sick (or allergies..not sure which) for the past couple of days so I haven't really done a lot. It is time to set some new goals.

I have learned that I have a really hard time when I don't have a set living situation or a plan. I also have learned to move past bad choices...which is why I am writing this blog. It always helps to start fresh!

My oh yeah moment this week...hmm I think my Oh yeah moment would have to be getting a healthy salad for lunch today instead of making bad choices like I have been lately. 

My goals..this week my goals are to stay within my points and to get back to focusing on my workouts instead of focusing on all the crap going on right now.  I know I can do it...but if anyone wants to hold me accountable, that would be awesome!

As for showing up this week, I feel like every time I go to the worx, all of you together inspire me to keep coming back! So please keep showing up because by helping yourself, you all are helping me, too!

I am sorry that this was not my usual positive blog, that will be back next week. This week, I am just looking for some encouragement to get me back on track! Thanks to everyone who has been there for me lately! I totally appreciate it! Hopefully I will gain strength through this struggle!

This is it.

Week one. Journey #3. Wow. 

Before I started at the Worx, I had the most negative attitude. I NEVER thought I would have been able to make it this far again! At the beginning of my 3rd journey, I am starting with 46 lbs removed. I feel stronger then I have like EVER. I also feel more confident in myself then I have in a really long time! It is crazy what HUGE changes you can make in such a short time!

This week, I have learned that you are stronger then your excuses. I used to make a ton of excuses for why I couldnt make it to workout every day. Last night I went out with my friends and drank entirely more then I should have. I had planned to go to bootcamp today, and when I woke up in the morning (extremely hungover), my friend asked me if I would skip my workout and just go to breakfast instead. While this idea sounded awesome and super tempting, I woke up this morning and went to bootcamp. I downed 3 water bottles on the way there, and what made me super proud:

My OH YEAH moment this week. I pushed myself as hard as I could through the class. I could have just done everything half way, but when I woke up this morning and actually WENT to class, I knew I was committing to making a change. A change in my body, my confidence, and my life. You can't make much of a change if you only do everything half way, so I pushed through class as hard as I could..and I am so glad I did. 

My goal for last week was to keep up with food tracking. I did so great last week with tracking my food! This week, my goal is to stay on track with food again, because like they say...abs are made in the kitchen (LOL). I also want to keep going with my ab, squat and burpee challenge I have been doing.

As for showing up, Maia and Flo inspire me all the time! I feel like they can always sense when I am not doing too well with my eating or my workouts...any they always make sure to let me know. Even though I get frustrated (because no one likes for someone to notice that they are not putting their all into it), I NEED that! So thank you both. 

In my life lately, I have been going through some personal issues. I have decided that there are no more excuses. My time is now. The Worx has really helped me to stay positive and focused, and to not let my personal issues get in the way of my goals. Along with getting closer to my goals, I have also become more positive in how I am looking at everything...even the negative parts of my life. 

I am so excited to see where Journey #3 takes me. Don't hold back...we can do this...the time is NOW. :)

Running towards my goals!

This week, I am feeling great! After completing the Glo Run yesterday, my legs are feeling sore, but I feel stronger then ever! I feel like I can run better then I have been able to in a long time! The race was so great! Geneva and I stayed together the whole time and kept reminding each other that "You can do it!", "Every step you take is one step closer to your goal!" and "No matter how slow we are going...we could be at home on the couch eating salt and vinegar chips!" lol. 

This week I have learned that it isn't about how fast you go, it is about going at your own pace and making it to the "finish line". I really enjoyed running the 5k yesterday, and I have another one next week. I am so excited to run the race! I feel like every run I do is making me a better runner, and a stronger person in general. Even when I was skinny before, I never actually RAN a 5k. Now, I know that I am strong enough. 1 Finish line down, and soo many more to go!

My OH YEAH moment this week was crossing the finish line at the run. It is the best feeling to know that you made it! Especially knowing that we actually ran most of the way! The Worx has definitely made me stronger! I know I could've never made it through a run 6 months ago! My other OH YEAH moment was getting my Insanity Certification! WOOHOO!

My goals on my last blog were to make a plan for vacation and to track my food. I have been pretty good about tracking my food. I did not eat very well on vacation, but I did better then I would have before starting the Journey! 
This week, my goals are:
1. Start 60 Days of Pump in the morning before work. (I started the program before but never finished, so this time I would like to do the whole thing!)
2. Stay on track with eating right! 

Everyone at the Worx has showed up and inspired me this week. My sis has really helped to push me lately. She told me I looked skinny the other day, which, we are harder on each other then we are on other people, so it was great to hear that from her. Thanks Sis! 

I am so excited to start a new week of getting stronger! Who wants to join me?? :)

Change your world!

Wow! What a great week this has been! After weighing in this week, I am so proud of myself. I was "only" down a half of a pound at weigh in, but after a week of being off track, I somehow managed to get back on track and actually LOSE weight this week. To me, that half pound is not just a half pound, it is one step closer to where I want to be. I think we all just have to remember that it's the small victories that will get us to where we ultimately want to be. 

This week, my body is feeling stronger. I am super sore right now after making it out of Insanity certification and this morning's P90X, but I love being sore! I also was down a few inches with my measurements, which was great to see, and I am definitely noticing that all my clothes are starting to fall off. lol

This week, I feel like I have learned a lot. I have started to really see the difference when I focus on my form. Going through Insanity certification class also taught me a lot. It was interesting to learn about cueing workout classes.  I think it would be awesome to get to my goal and be able to teach a class! I feel like throughout this Journey, I am learning every day. I am also learning that my past experiences are helping to motivate me work harder to make my future better. 

My OH YEAH moment this week had to be the half pound loss. I am a half pound closer then I was last week, and because of that half pound, I have pushed a lot harder through my workouts this week. It's amazing what seeing change can do for your motivation, even if it is only small change!

My goals this past week were to stay on track with food and make a plan for my vacation. I have done GREAT with my goals for this week! I ate super healthy, and my plan for this week is below:

Tuesday: Hot yoga at 8 and Bootcamp at 615 PM

Wednesday: P90X 545 AM

Thursday: Hot yoga 8 AM

Friday: Run outside at Shannon’s or workout DVD

Saturday: Run outside at Melissa’s (or Beach walk or DVD)

Sunday: Run outside at Melissa’s (or Beach walk or DVD)

I plan to make this vacation the LEAST lazy one I have ever had. Hold me accountable!! :)

My goal for this next week is to stay on track with food while I am on vacation and to not let my temptations get in the way. I know I will probably have a few drinks while going out for my friends birthday. So that I don't go overboard, I have already tracked 3 drinks in my tracker for Friday and Saturday just to be safe. I figure, I have not had a drink in a long time, so as long as I make a plan for it, it is ok to have OCCASIONALLY, but I will not let it derail my weight loss.

This week, Flo has really shown up and inspired me! She is an awesome coach! She is always there when I need to tell someone I am struggling, and it is nice to know that she goes through the same stuff I am going through. We are in this together, and it is awesome! I have also been motivated by Tamika and Latysha! Seeing them push hard through kickboxing kept me pushing hard! 

This week has been a great one, and now I feel like I am prepared (both mentally and physically) for a great vacation week! 

Moving towards the goal.

Every journey has ups and downs...and this week has been one of the more difficult ones for me. I have had a really hard time eating right this week and have gone out to eat more then I should have. The positive side of this slip up week is that it has made me really think about my goals and what I want for myself. After eating horribly, I felt gross...my body felt weak and uncomfortable. I have decided that I don't want to feel like that and that my goals are more important, and as of today, I am completely back on track.

My body is feeling stronger after making it through bootcamp today. Although I dread plyo days, I also feel like I get the most benefit out of plyo. I feel good after having a super healthy eating day today. 

This week, I have learned that my goals are more important then my cravings. After going through a rough week, I realized that no matter how good food tastes, those few minutes of good flavor are not worth the effect it will have on my body and my health.

My OH YEAH moment this week was running the 5 k again on Sunday. I really am starting to like running. It still is painful and really really hard for me, but I love how I feel when I get to my destination. I also can really feel my abs working after a run, which is pretty great! 

My goal for last week was to run twice and to do morning workouts every morning of the week. I was somewhat successful in that I did one run and 4 morning workouts. I was pretty happy that I could wake up early 4 out of 5 days. This week, my goal is to stay on track with food and make a plan for my vacation. I am off of work next week, so I think it might be a challenging one for me. I am also going to the Eastern Shore for a few days next week. I have already talked to my friend about getting in a few workouts, but I also need to think about my food choices and look up menus for places I will be going. I know I can make it a successful week off, even though it will be more challenging then normal.

Helina really showed up for me this week. I was really motivated during our run when I heard her breathing as hard as I was. I really wanted to stop running a few times, and seeing that she was still going was the only reason I kept going. It really made a difference for me this week! 

I am excited to use this week to move closer to my goals by thinking about how my choices will move me closer to where I want to be. Thanks to the Worx, I won't let one bad week keep me down. I can do it :)

Believe you can...and you're half way there!

Today I ran 3 miles. When Nina posted a Run For Fun on Facebook, I decided to challenge myself and try it. When I pulled in to the parking garage, not gonna lie, I thought about turning around and leaving...but then I thought to myself..."you've done this before and you said you were going...no turning back now, you can do this". Believing is half the battle.

This week my body feels super strong. At this moment, my legs are sore from running, but I feel better because I did it. I am down 6 lbs and a few inches going into the third week of Journey 2, and I can see and feel a huge difference in my clothes. I can't wait to see the changes in the future. I feel closer and closer every day.

Just when you think you know everything, it turns out there is always more to learn. In Journey 2, I feel like I am learning something new every day. Learning about my body and its' strengths...that I am able to push through things now that on day 1 of the first Journey I would have looked at and laughed. Learning about my ability to inspire others...being told every day at work that I am an inspiration has really helped me to keep myself going. There is still a lot to learn on this Journey, and I am going to keep taking it all in.

My Oh Yeah moment this week was at weigh in. I was so shocked that I was down 6 lbs for these last two weeks. I almost cried on my drive home, and not sad tears at all...very excited and grateful tears. Being down 38 lbs (from my highest point), I feel like I am getting THERE again...and I know this time, with the support from my Worx family, I will get there and stay there.

This past week, my goals were to run 2 times and to make it to the Worx on the weekend so that I would be more focused during the day. I feel like I have come really close to reaching my goals this week. I only ran once this week, but it's a start. I made it to the Worx yesterday and am going to bootcamp again today. In the next week, I want to run 2 times to start building up my running more, and I want to workout 5 mornings this week, too.

I feel like everyone at the Worx has done a great job of showing up and inspiring me. Flo has been a huge help with texting me every morning to wake me up for my workouts. Helina and Claudia have been great too...they both look so great and push so hard during class. Tamika and Latysha have also inspired me. They always seem so motivated! 

Going into week 3, I am moving closer and closer to a stronger and more motivated then ever me. I believe that I can, and I believe you can too! As a group, we can work together to help each other and get to our goals! Let's do this! :)

If you believe you can then you WILL.

Week 2 of the journey was pretty good for me. I feel like I am more motivated then ever to workout, and have been pretty consistent at working out almost every day (sometimes 2 times a day). My body is feeling strong right now. I actually am starting to feel more confident and comfortable with my body. I know it will only get better. 

This week I have learned that positive thinking makes a huge difference. When I started the first journey, one of my goals was to become more positive. I feel like I have been really working on this lately. I have started to change the way I think about things and turn them into a more positive thought. I have also been able to use this tool to keep myself working out every day. Instead of thinking "I am so tired, I don't want to wake up to workout today", I have changed my thinking to "It's only 30 minutes and I will feel great after". My Body Jam instructor once put in her blog that it is all about the tape you play for yourself. It is so true. It really is all in how you think about a situation. 

My OH YEAH moment this week was when I actually decided to "count the compliments". Patricia always told me to focus on counting the compliments instead of the number on the scale to keep me going. It really surprised me this week when in 3 days, I got 12 compliments! 12!! In 3 DAYS! It is great to see that other people are noticing my success, and it keeps me working hard!

My goal last week was to run a few times a week.  My other goal was to eat healthier and focus on clean eating. With both of these goals, I have not been as successful as I would like. I was great with the clean eating during the week...but again with the weekends...I have a really hard time sticking to my plan on the weekends! I think this week, my goal is going to be to make it to the worx on both saturday AND sunday. I feel like I eat better during the day when I work out in the morning. I also want to set the goal of going running at least 2 times this week, so hopefully I can get started with this running thing!

This week, I have been inspired by Helina and Claudia. It is great to see them pushing hard every class, and it makes me push harder. I have also been inspired by Tamika and Flo! It is great to know that we can push each other to do more and work harder in class and with our extra workouts at home!

Moving into the next week, no matter how hard it is, I WILL NOT give up, I WILL fight for it, and I WILL reach my goal. Who wants to join me? 

The Journey Continues...

As I begin week 1 of my second Journey with the Worx, I am feeling confident that I have all of the tools I need to be successful. My body is feeling stronger then it has felt in a while. I was really surprised that I could do Kickboxing AND make it through the Fit test after. The crazy part is that when I started my first Journey, I could barely make it through JUST the Fit test on level 1. This time, I made it through kickboxing AND the Fit test and level 2 or 3! I am definitely noticing a difference in strength and endurance at this point, and it feels great!

Going through the nutrition seminar for the second time, I have learned that I really need to focus this time on cleaner eating. I am not going to say that I will COMPLETELY cut out processed foods, because I feel like that would be unrealistic to me, but I am trying to move towards that in the long term. I just went shopping, and tried to keep to all fresh foods, fruits and veggies, chicken, and things like that. I already cooked some food for meals this week in hopes that it will keep me away from less healthy options. Planning ahead can make such a huge difference.

My OH YEAH Moment this week so far was being able to fit back into a t-shirt that I wore in college. I can comfortably fit into it now, which says a lot because I started out at the worx in an XXL size tshirt, and am now able to comfortably fit into a large!

My goals for this week were to just get started with the new journey, and to clean up my kitchen. With this, I have been very successful so far. In this next week, my goals are to start running a few times a week (if anyone wants to do this with me, it would really help!), and to stay on track with my food. I am doing the Glo Run in April, so I really need to start building up my running!

As for inspiring me, Helina, Nicole, and Kathy were great motivators to me at the Journey kickoff. It is nice to have some familiar faces in this Journey. We are all in this together! I am so excited to be a part of my second Journey, it is SO SO worth the work when you start to see and feel the results.

Lets do this! :)

Don't look back!

This week, my body is definitely feeling stronger. I am super sore today after doing Erinne's bootcamp on Sunday, but I feel great! I have gotten so many compliments...even just today at work! One lady said that she notices every day that I have lost weight. I have learned how to push through the pain, and I realize how great it feels in the end!

I have learned that I am stronger then my setbacks. I have had a few bad days lately, mostly on the weekends, but I get right back on track the next day. I consider that great progress, I used to have a really hard time getting back after a bad day, but it is getting easier. I guess that is part of making this a lifestyle change. I realize that I might not lose weight every week, but I am still working towards my goals and focusing less on the scale. I have also learned that having coaches at the Worx makes a big difference for me. It is great to have someone cheering you on every workout!

My Oh Yeah moment this week was Wednesday. I went to kickboxing even though I wasn't feeling great, and while I thought about stopping a few times, I kept pushing through to the end. It was a great feeling to make it through on a day that, 2 months ago, I might not have even gone to class.

My goal last week was to plank for a minute every day. I did follow through for part of the week with my goal. This week, my goal is to make a goal poster. One of the tools we use in Weight Watchers to help stay motivated is called Storyboarding, which is pretty much writing down steps you will take to get to your goal. This is my goal this week because I feel like it will help me remind myself of my why and help me to keep going through the journey. I will post my goal poster for you all to see as soon as it is done!

This week, Claudia, Veronica, Tina, and Helina have really been showing up and inspiring me! It is great to be surrounded by so many people who have the same goals as you. It is also so motivating to see everyone changing! I am so proud to be part of this journey!

My eye is definitely staying on the prize, and I am signing up for another 60 day Journey! I can't wait to see the changes that will come as I persist through another one!

Believe You Can..and You Will!

This week, my body is feeling stronger. I feel more and more comfortable in boot camp every week. I am still sore after class, but I feel like my recovery time has gotten better. I have been wearing my heart rate monitor during class every day and I have used it to try to push myself harder. My heart rate does not get as high as it used to in the beginning, so I have to push harder to keep it higher during class. It has really helped to keep me motivated.

I am really beginning to learn my body's hunger signals. I am a lot more aware of when I am eating because I am actually hungry, or just because of boredom and other emotions. Paying attention to these signals has helped me to stay away from mindless eating. This week has been a lot better then last when it comes to thinking through my food choices. 

My Oh Yeah moment this week was when I met with my personal trainer at the gym. He had me do chest presses. Usually, I would have probably just grabbed the 10 lb weights for these and thought it was enough. He handed me 20 lb weights. My first thought was "I hope I can do this", but as soon as I started, I realized that 20 lbs was not too much. It really made me realize how much strength that i have gained throughout this Journey! It feels great to be able to push myself harder then I ever would have before!

My goal for this week will again be planning for the weekend. I did an OK job of this last week, but I feel like I need to do it again to make sure I am successful this coming weekend. I also have noticed that when I workout more on the weekend, I eat less and make better decisions. I think part of my plan for this week will be going to the Worx on Sunday, and probably Weight Watchers and Body Jam on Saturday! My other goal for this week is to work on becoming better at planks! I strongly dislike planks, but when my trainer told me he can hold a plank for 17 minutes, it made me think...why can't I do that? I don't know if I will ever make it that long (I get bored easily), but I would like to get more comfortable holding a plank. I plan to plank for 1 minute every morning...I figure it is a good starting point! 
Last week, my goals were to plan for the weekend, and to find a motivating quote or story every day. I have found a lot of quotes that motivate me! They are all posted on my Pinterest! I have also created a board that has "incentive clothes". I figure it is a good way to look at what I want without having to go out and buy it!

As for inspiration, everyone at the Worx is great! Flo has been great, yelling at me to keep going through every class! Tamika has also helped me a lot. She told me that I keep her motivated during class. Knowing that really helps me to stay motivated to keep going! My sis keeps me motivated during class, too...and always kicks my butt during sunday workouts! I couldn't have gotten this far without all of you. I am so glad to be making the most of this opportunity. Maia, you have been a great motivator, too! You always know what to say to help us keep going!

I am so proud to be part of such a great team. We have come this far, and I feel better then I have in a long time. I can't wait to see where the Journey will take me next!

You shape You!

 Going into a new week, I am feeling stronger. I noticed that my clothes are getting looser, and I have gotten a ton of compliments at work. It feels great when people start to see your changes. In boot camp yesterday, I could definitely tell that I was getting stronger. Things that used to be really challenging for me have gotten easier. Simple moves like jumping jacks and burpies, which used to make me feel extremely winded and worn out, have become a lot easier for me. I can now make it through the warm up without taking more then a 2 second break. It is crazy how much you can change when you put your mind (and body) to it!

This week I have learned that I need to start making a plan for the weekends. I have noticed that the weekends are the most difficult for me because of how much down time I have. I also need to find some things to do during the day on the weekends so that I can limit the amount of down time that I have where I am able to spend eating. Any suggestions are welcome!

This weeks OH YEAH moment: This weekend was really rough for me with eating right. Super bowl sunday, I pretty much pigged out all day. This became an OH YEAH moment for me when I started the next day off again with eating right. There have been so many times that I have let one bad day keep me down and throw me off track. This week, I can say that one bad day was just that, ONE bad day. The quote above is one that I used to remind me that it is dumb to throw away all the progress I have made for just one bad day.

My goal for this week is to make a good plan for eating this weekend. I also want to try to find a motivating quote or story every day this week. I think this will help remind me why I started, and keep me going. Last week, my goal was to start the combat challenge along with boot camp. I did great with this goal last week, but it also made me feel a little burnt out by the end of the week. I have decided that I will still keep doubling up my workouts a few times a week, but also allow myself to rest a few extra days then the combat challenge has scheduled so that I don't get burnt out.

I have been inspired a lot by everyone on the Journey team. It is so helpful to see all of the motivation and quotes being posted on the Journey Facebook page. I have also been motivated by Flo, Sadaf, Lani, Tamika, and Claudia this week. You all have been really great at helping me stay motivated. It is great to come to class and be able to see all of you every time. I am motivated more then ever to go to the Worx because I have made so many good friends through this journey. 

Below is the first quote I picked to motivate me this week. I hope it can help you stay motivated this week, too! 

Because YOU shape YOU!

Challenges and Rewards

Every day I plan to work hard to get to my goals, in hopes that my hard work will pay off. I am definitely starting to notice the "pay off" of a healthy lifestyle. This week, my body feels a lot stronger. I took the weekend off this weekend because I went to the Eastern Shore, but I have to say that I can not wait to get back to my worxouts!! It almost feels weird taking these few days off. My body is starting to crave activity...it is so great! I love how much strength and confidence I have gained just in the last 3 weeks. I feel like I am getting back to the old me, which is so amazing!!

This week has taught me a lot about myself. I had a cheat day last Monday which really made me realize how true the "food for fuel" concept is. I ate horribly that day and the next workout I did was sooo much harder! It's crazy how much food really effects your workouts! I also have learned that in order to make this a life long journey, I need to allow myself a cheat meal once a week. I have been so hard on myself the last few weeks which resulted in a lot of cravings on Monday. I feel like I am a lot more satisfied knowing that I will have that one day a week where I can have a little treat!

My OH YEAH moment this week was last night. I was getting ready to go out with my friend to go see my other friend's band play. I was getting ready and I looked in the mirror and for the first time in a long time, I thought to myself, I look great today! I was so excited to see that change. I had another OH YEAH moment that same night when we were out at the bar for the show. We decided to have dinner there and instead of getting an unhealthy meal, I went with a salad. I also dipped my fork in the dressing. It feels great to go out and still be able to make healthy choices!

 In this next week, my goal is to start doing the 60 day combat challenge along with Boot camp. I plan to get up early in the mornings so that I can get the extra workouts in. I realize that this is going to be a challenge, but NO EXCUSES! I know that I can do it! I also would like to start focusing more on working my arms and my abs, and make the most of every day! Last week my goal was to work on my balance. I feel like my balance is improving a lot after focusing more on it this week. I also did the yoga class at the Worx. I think I will continue coming to this class a few times a month to try to increase my balance and flexibility.

This week has been a great one. The Journey social this week was so much fun! Everyone on the team has made a huge difference in helping me keep pushing myself through this journey. Every time I come to class, I get inspired by all of you. You have made such a huge difference to me! Thank you all for being there!

On to week 4, and I expect great things. Even though we have to deal with the occasional challenge, I guarantee it will be worth the reward!