One Year!!

One day in March 2011, I had an instance happen to me, which I like to call my “Ah-Ha” moment. I call it my “Ah-Ha” moment because it’s the moment or incident that happened when the light bulb in my head went off and I finally realized I needed to make that change I have always wanted to make. For a long while I had been unhappy with myself. I hated what I saw in the mirror. I stood in my closet, sometimes in tears, just staring at my clothes thinking to myself “What can I wear today that isn’t going to make me look huge?” 

My “Ah-Ha” moment brought me to tears. I still to this day hate to talk about it. After that unpleasant scene happened I called my husband at work, bawling my eyes out. I told him I was finally ready to get back into shape and I was bound and determined to do it no matter what. He was skeptical, but went a long for my sanity. My twin brother had finished Insanity and had amazing results. I was ready to order it. So, I got my husband on board and got it ordered. After what seemed like weeks of waiting to get it, it finally came in the mail. I quickly opened it and read as much info on the program as possible. We took beginning measurements, and beginning pictures, but I was so ashamed by the pictures, I deleted them. I really wish I hadn’t done that. I set my goal and it was to lose 30lbs. Starting at 165lbs, on April 3, 2011, I had my first meeting with Shaun T. The fit test…..

Before pics 

Beginning measurements:

My journal

Right Arm: 11.50 
Left Arm: 11.50  
Right Thigh: 23.25  
Left Thight: 23.50  
Bust: 41.50  
Waist: 40.00  
Hips: 42.00  

I was certain not to give up on myself. In the beginning, I wrote in a journal. I jumped right in and tried to go full out with each and every workout. I was sore as hell and at times would cry while just to push myself. My husband was right there with me, sweating and working out alongside me. He didn’t need to work out. He did it just for support. After the first two weeks of Insanity, came another fit test and I was happy to see some improvements from the first. This kept me going. I then started tracking my food diary in Myfitnesspal. I tracked my calories, carbs, protein, fiber intake, fats and sodium. I made the drastic changes in food choices that I needed too so I would succeed. I stopped all soda drinking, eating fast and fried foods, and gave up wine and liquor. On top of the Insanity, I added in Combat fit (kickboxing) at ATA Martial Arts three times a week.  I wasn’t seeing much difference in the scale. Actually, I was seeing it move up, which highly discouraged me. I still pushed through and made it to month 2. Month 2 was much harder and had longer workouts. I finally noticed I could bust out the push-ups and my cardiovascular was drastically improving. I made it through and could call myself an Insanity graduate as of June 4, 2011.  It was time to celebrate. I lost 14lbs and 22.75 inches from completing this program, tracking calories and adding kickboxing. I went from a size 12/14 to a size 10, but still had a long way to go…..

151lbs, End of Insanity

From there, I continued to work out to Insanity 3 days per week. I did kickboxing 3 times per week, only having one rest day.  I added in Insanity Asylum to break up some of the workouts and also started in with using resistance bands for some strength training. Still tracking with Myfitnesspal, I was able to meet some fabulous and supportive people, who are still my friends to this day.  I completed many mini-food challenges throughout this time. I was roughly losing about 5lbs per month. Slow and steady was the objective.

August pics 145lbs

By August, I had met so many new people and was very much into Beachbody programs, that I became a coach under Jimmy Nelson, who is also an Insanity cast member. He has an inspiring story of where he went from a big guy to a fitness model. I love Shakeology and all Beachbody workout programs. I found these products worked for me and I tried to  lead by example and if people want to try products and they like them, then we would talk.  This is also the month I started blogging. I wish I had started earlier, but I wasn’t one to really talk about myself and make it public. By the end of this month, I was over halfway to my goal. Bound and determined I wanted to try and lose these last 10lbs by October 3, 2011 which was the 6 month mark.

October 2011
Goal Pics
135lbs

I persevered and kept going. Watching every thing that I ate and counted every calorie and exercise. I did it! On October 3, 2011, I ran my first 5K for the Race against Breast Cancer and weighed in at 135lbs.  GOOOOOAAAALLLLL!! I think I cried.  Yep, I know I did!!  Six long freaking months of hard work, sweat and tears.  While I was super happy and ecstatic with myself for sticking with it, I still wasn’t satisfied. 30lbs and I don’t know how many inches later and wearing a solid size 6, just weren’t good enough.  I decided to press on and lose another 5 lbs.

With some mad eating skills and lots of weekly food challenges and making changes through my workout I was determined to make it through the holiday season with no weight gains. How did I do? It took two long months!! Adding some heavy weight lifting at kickboxing, P90X and higher cardio burns made it super successful. As of the first of the year, January 2012, I was able to go into maintenance and I hit my 130lb mark, actually 129!! I might have cried at this point too. Okay, I know I did again. What can I say, I can be emotional!! :-)

January 2012

Since January, I have weight fluctuations within 3-4lbs of my weight of 129lbs. I am a size 2/4.  I am definitely okay with that. I noticed my eating habits have gotten better and better as time goes on. I don’t eat fried foods, rarely drink soda or liquor. I still indulge in sweets but portion control has been the key to my success. I am a much much happier person. I am doing things now that I never thought I would do. I am in better shape at the age of 35 than I was when I was 20 on the dance team in college. I went from 33% body fat to 16% as of right now. I added in P90X2 and I got some sexy lean muscles and rockin’ abs! LOL! I am teaching kickboxing for my brother when needed and I have motivated and become an inspiration to my friends and others who have jumped into living a healthy fit lifestyle.

Some interesting facts I calculated:

355.40 hours of exercise                                             8,765.81 hours in a year

21,324 minutes of exercise                                          525,948 minutes in a year

1,279,440 seconds of exercise                                     31,556,926 seconds in a year

239,216 calories burned = 36lbs lost             

One year measurements:

Right Arm: 10.00
Left Arm:   10.00  
Right Thigh: 18.50
Left Thight: 18.50
Bust:  32.50
Waist:  29.00

Hips:   32.00

Total inches lost: 42.75

Thank you to my friends and family who have supported me this year. Big kudos to my biggest cheerleader, workout partner and husband, Brad, my kids, my twin brother Michael, and sis-in-law Laurie for being my inspiration and of course all of my pals on Myfitnesspal.  Much love to all of you.

April 2012