Just the beginning

Although the official challenge may be over I feel that this is just the beginning of the changes I want to make in my life. SoI have decided to continue my blogging adventures and I hope that my sharing will continue to inspire others in their own journey.

As most of you may know my boyfriend, Dennis and I just returned from a week long vaction, driving up the coast of California, from Newport Beach to Sacramento. The scenery and the weather were beautiful the entire way. We missed all the fog and overcast conditions that typically shadow the coast from Morro bay to San Francisco and were able to drive topless the entire trip. Our first stop out of Newport on our way to Morro Bay was that of REI in Santa Barbara... Dennis recently purchased some Vibram Five fingers. Yes toe shoes, yes ugly. But supposedly great for running as well as light hiking and even training in the gym. I heard they were great for obtaining muscle definition in the calves so that was my selling point. So he bought me a pair, now we can look "silly" together the sales associate remarked ( he is obviously not yet a convert).

I must say they are rather comfy. Typically when we run around I am in flip flops and end up with sore tootsies and or an achy lower back so I decided to test them out on our excursion through Monterey Aquarium and a walk thru the Wharf. Surprisingly they did the trick all day. Even with out a cushy sole I felt comfortable and no aches after our day out. They say you are supposed to ease in to wearing them on a regular basis so I retired them during our time in San Francisco and took to sandles and wedges for a cuter approach to vacay wear.
 I am happy to say all my pre vacay clothes still fit although I did gain a few pounds from all the yummy goodies we splurged on over the course of the week. I mean who can pass up fresh fish and a bowl of clam chowder that has been voted best in town 12 years running at the Old Fishermans Grotto in Monterey, and dont forget sourdough bread from Boudin in San Franciso and no vaction would be complete with out cocktails.... and we indulged in some of the best, from dirty martinis to fresh peach sangria. Needless to say our trip up the coast proved to be a fun vacation however I was a bit eager to get back at it in the gym when I returned home.

So today I am happy to say I woke up a bit sore due to a chest and back workout at Hardcore fitness followed but a little jaunt on the treadmill at Cardiogirl. Yep I went for a double day right out the gate and it felt amazing. And my toe shoes proved to be durable in both environments. Cant wait to test them out with some higher impact cardio today with a double session of CardioTREAD!



Before & After

Well at first I was nervous to post these pictures but the fact of the matter is these are reality. I had let myself get to a point where I was unhappy and certainly uncomfortable. But Now here I am confident and on a path to feeling better inside and out. I proud of my progress thus far and cant wait to see future results as I continue on my journey for a healthier more fulfilling life. So there you have my before and after pictures.

As part of the Challenge we also were asked to write an essay so I thought I would share mine with you....

"I am not getting fit so some guy will love me. I am not getting fit so people can stare at me in a bikini. I am not getting fit for the compliments. I am getting fit so I can feel good about myself. So I can be proud and say, "My hard work and perseverance really paid off". So I can live a long and healthy life. That's why I am getting fit. For ME."

A little over a year ago I joined Hardcore fitness with a girlfriend in the hopes of slimming down for the 3 weddings I would be in over the course of the following months. This hope was just that... time spent hoping and wishing I would slim down and tone up. Occasionally I would go through the motions of a solid workout even doing so a few times a week, but never consistent enough to make a difference. So when It came down to crunch time I would revert to old habits that were unhealthy but got the job done. Now here I am a year later and finally a changed person. It took the last two months and the Slim 4 Summer Challenge for me to stop wishing and start doing.

A few weeks prior to the challenge something inside of me had changed. I had returned to the gym with a new attitude. I was finally there for myself. For my own goals not someone else's. And for the first time in a long time I was ready to do what it was going to take to make solid long term changes. So when Nadia approached me about going the challenge it felt like a no brainer. It was the perfect way to jumpstart the new lifestyle I wanted to progress towards. When the challenge began I was 161 lbs and at 5'7" I had come to a point where I was no longer able to hide the weight that had been creeping up over the last three years. I lacked energy and my body fat percentage was teetering on that of an unhealthy number. I was unpleasant to be around on most occasions as I was so unhappy with the way I felt and looked. Now two months later I am back in to the jeans I hadn't had the heart to toss, as they continued to get smaller and smaller, as my weight increased. I have lost close to 20 lbs and 7% of my body fat. And it feels amazing. The best part is knowing this is only the beginning. 

Doing the challenge has given me the confidence to get out and try new things without fear of embarrassment or failure. It has led to the mindset that I am  a work in progress and even the smallest of accomplishments are still accomplishments. It is the small things that have kept me motivated and helped me to work hard everyday to get to this point. Going in to the challenge I did not set goals in regards to my weight loss or give way to the picture of what I wished to look like. I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment. However the results have far outweighed anything I would have deemed possible for myself. I have found joy in running and been able to shave time off each mile we tracked, added reps to each strength training movement and learned that if Im not covered in sweat Im not happy and Im not working hard enough. 

If you had woken me up early two months ago looking to go on a 5 mile hike as a way to start the day I would have rolled over and hit snooze. But not today. Today, with my boyfriend, that is exactly how my day started. The best part was the jogging down the hills on our way back to the car. I have always watched others do this in awe and today I became that person. It was a proud moment. One I plan on experiencing more often from here on out. All the things Ive though were impossible for someone like myself are now possible. After all  "The word impossible says Im Possible". 

Final Assesments

The beginning of week 8 marked the transition in to our final days and what would prove to be some of the toughest. However my assesments going in the end stretch gave me the added boost I needed to make it down the finish.
By week 8 I had lost 19lbs during the course of two months. My body fat percentage had dropped from 31.4% to 24.6% and overall I had lost close to 10" as well as gaining muscle. All of my reps had increased for the various excercises we caculate monthly and my mile run time had improved by 55seconds.

The week of assesments also marked my 1 year anniversary with Hardcore Fitness and the results from my progress over the year were something to be proud of. Over the past year i had gone from 168.4lbs. to 142.4lbs. Over all the inches I had lost added up to 21.75" and a body fat loss of 8%.

This may have been the end of the SLIM $ SUMMER CHALLENGE however I feel it is just the begginging of the changes and transformtaions I want to make, not only in my body but my lifestyle.