Eat Clean. Train Dirty!

I know it’s been a really long time since I’ve blogged.  A lot of little changes have taken place, and they have caused me to not have as much free time to continue blogging.  However, since we are getting closer to our next IVF cycle (hopefully, November), I’ll be trying to do a better job at writing.  Plus, I promised my sweet friend, Heather, something interesting to read…well, something to read.  J  Love you, Nicho!

Today, I just want to say that I completed the Fit Body Boot Camp Game Changer Challenge, and I pretty much kicked its butt!  I am hands-down happier with this effort than most efforts I have ever given to anything…besides maybe when Todd and I paid off our debt.  I’m still really happy about that.  Anyway, the last week and a half of the challenge, I was sick.  I was having abdominal pain, which I’ll write more about later.  Therefore, I kind of fell off the wagon and just ate whatever didn’t hurt my stomach.  However, I still hit my goal of losing 2 pant sizes.  The best part is that I’m now over 2 weeks past the challenge, and I’ve kept off the weight.

Another goal I had when I started boot camp was to get to be a testimonial.  I know it seems silly, but I figured if they asked me to tell about my fat loss journey and submit before and after pictures, that meant I had really transformed my body!  Well, I did it!  Yay!!  This was posted on Facebook last week.  (Disclaimer:  I didn’t know this testimonial was going on Facebook when they asked me if they could use it.  I thought it was just going on the wall at the studio for all of the ladies to see.  I don’t make it a habit to post pictures of myself on social media in sports bras.  However, once they posted it and I found out, it was too late.  Then, I realized I should just own it because I did have a lot to be proud of.)  I’m very excited about it.  The only thing I didn’t mention in my testimonial is how I have changed my thoughts on food; now, I try to see food as fuel and not something that must be fattening and full of chemicals to be enjoyable.  It’s a process to change your thoughts, but I’m making some headway.  I still allow myself to have unhealthy food; I just do it much less often than before.

Here is my testimonial from Facebook with all of my before and after pictures.

Before FBBC, I was lethargic.  Plus, I had low self-esteem from being so unhappy with my body.  I thought about my weight all of the time.  I had tried many different diets and workout programs, but I never stuck to any of them longer than 7 weeks.  It was a constant battle that made me sad, stressed, and frustrated.

Since I’ve started boot camp, I have so much more energy!  I feel much more comfortable in my body, too.  Overall, I’m happier.  I always hid my frustration, but now I don’t feel like I have to pretend!

I did the Game Changer Program, and I dropped 14 pounds, 10.5 inches overall, and 2 pant sizes in the 9 weeks!  Before the Program, I was mostly toning and gaining strength, but the Game Changer Program taught me how to incorporate real foods into my everyday life.  That diet change helped me to start dropping inches.  I’m only 1 pant size away from my goal, and I know I’ll hit it before Christmas shopping starts!  J

A few weeks ago, I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.  Based on my blood work along, my doctor asked if I had changed my eating habits.  He could tell it had changed just from the change in my numbers.  I have never had a checkup where I felt so healthy and in hope.  I wasn’t ashamed to go see the doctor; I was excited!  I didn’t even feel the temptation to lie about some of my habits because I had dropped all of the bad ones!

For those of you who are struggling to get started on healthier habits, don’t give up.  Find something you truly love to do.  Working out and eating right can be fun!  It doesn’t have to be a struggle.  Plus, write down your goals and the pros and cons to everything.  For instance, I have a list of the pros and cons of eating junk food.  It helps me remember how poor junk food makes me feel when I’m tempted to eat it.