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".