My fitness journey & experiences (June 2014-Feb 2015)

I'm excited to announce that I succeeded and reached my goal weight by vacation!! It wasn't always easy working out at 5am and saying no to treat, snacks and desserts but I did...most of the time...and feel fabulous about the accomplishments!!! My success didn't happen overnight. I coached myself to success by speaking in positive affirmations daily, setting a goal, tackling the scary things first and getting addicted to it. The more I tackled the hard tasks, the easier they became and the closer I got to the finish line. Here are some things I did and learned during my journey the last 4-7 months....

1. I knew my goal, knew I could achieve it and believed in myself...I wanted to lose 15 pounds and tone my abs and arms. In the process I wanted to lose inches on my hips and waist. I knew with hard work and being consistent I could achieve it and I believed in myself and told myself daily...I could get up at 5am, workout and feel accomplished. 

2 Dig Deep and know why I wanted this goal...I wanted my prebaby body back before my February vacation to Mexico. Working out helps relieve stress and decreases with mood swings...since I needed help with both of these. I get pulled in several directions between working full-time, my family and volunteer commitments. I love them all but sometimes they build stress and I need me time. In to providing "me" time, working out provides daily focus and starts my day with a great accomplishment. This in turn gives me a positive attitude and clear head for the day...even as things get hectic. 

3. Find your "Soul Mate" workout...I loved going to the gym and even work at one in college but after having kids I couldn't get there during daycare hours and didn't want to go after the kids' bedtime. I had several other excuses for not going to the gym.... It took too much time to get everything together, I didn't want to go out in the cold,  I wasn't getting results, I Didnt like sharing equipment and not knowing how to use some of the machines. I loved walking outside in perfect spring and summer

weather but that wasn't year around in KY. I did home workouts during my pregnancies and loved them so when my friend Lindsey posted her results with 21 Day Fix I watched the video on the website and decided to give it a try. I already knew my basement was a great spot for working out and being a morning person I decided to commitment to 5am workouts. I loved the workouts and program overall because of the great lifting/cardio combination plus there was a different 30 minute workout each day focusing on a different part of the body.  I eased into it the first few months and then increased the difficulty by using heavier weights. Then I switched to Insanity Max30 for a month and then started 21 Day Fix Extreme when it was released. 

4.  Have a support system...joining a Team Beachbody Challenge group kept me motivated and accountable. The host of the private FB group posted daily and gave fitness tips and motivational quotes. Then group members posted daily rankings about how their workout, eating and Shakeology were for the day. The act of posting each day on my personal wall or the private FB group group got me out of bed each day and kept me away from the pantry in the afternoon.  I also found have 2-3 friends that text me each morning to let me know they are up and working out or I text the same to them. This is another great tool for getting me up and pushing play each day!! My husband Matt and girls, Courtney & Caroline were also great supporters. The girls would cheer me on during workouts, give me time to finish on the weekend if the woke up early and remind what I couldn't eat :). Matt didn't complain about the alarm going off early in the morning and 

5. Meal planning...creating a weekly meal plan and having it visible kept me on track with eating healthy. Plus it helped Matt and I plan for the week and lowered our stress as we didn't have to come up with meals at the last minute.  I'll admit I am not a clean eater but I eat healthy foods about 80% of the time! I followed the items listed in the 21 day fix meal plan but also adjusted a bit to fit with my family and their preferences. The menu was repetitive and at first I thought that would be boring but really it made things easier.  I had a Shakeology shake each morning and never skip breakfast since they were quick and easy. Therefore I got a great vitamin and mineral status which refueled me after my morning workouts and kept me full until my mid-morning snack of fruit and cottage cheese. Then at lunch I'd have veggies, salad and meat.  I ate the portions described in the 21 Day Fix meal plan and ate every 3 hours...except at night when the kitchen "closed by 9pm." 

6. Sharing my goals with others...I posted on my blog, FB page and Instagram site as another way to keep me accountable. I find when I make a promise I stick to it and feel an overwhelming responsibility to follow through. Plus, the feedback and notes I got from friends and followers increased my momentum and kept me focused and driving forward.  People asked about my workouts and eating when I saw them and they encouraged me to keep going because I shared my experiences publicly. It wasn't easy or comfortable posting daily and sometimes I worried what others would think but I pushed those feelings aside and found that the response to my posts from others were always positive and encouraging. 

7. Daily Personal Development...another goal I started in this journey was to read daily and write weekly on my blog. This is still a work in progress but I have been able to read 10-15 minutes 3-5 days a week and post close to once a week. I have also found great podcasts to listen to in the car and during the day at work. My favorite podcasts are focused on finding a passion, time management, fitness, and leadership. These personal development practices are exercising my brain, increasing my creativity and improving my productivity.

Now that I have reached my goal and shared my experiences with you...it's time to hit the beach and enjoy my vacation!! Have a great week and let me know if you're interested in my next support group...I'd love to help you in your fitness journey!!

Here's a look at my before and after "tummy" pictures...