Transformation
Over the last few months I’ve been hard at work on something. It’s not only something that will change my life but the life of those around me. It’s something that effects my happiness, attitude, and general approach to life.
I’ve been hard at work building my new healthy body. I know I’ve written in the past about trying to become healthy. There are however a number of things that make this time around different.
I’m now almost 6 months into my changes. In the past this was where things started falling apart or I completely fell apart. Not only is that not happening but I’m actually gaining more focus and things are becoming easier and more natural.
It’s been hard in previous attempts to stay motivated and focused on my goals. Whether progress slowed, food became harder to control, or workouts started to become boring there was always something that stopped us. This time around however I’ve already tackled a month long plateau, healthy food choices finally feel really natural, and we’re constantly making efforts to change our workouts often.
My past goals always seemed stronger than they were while setting them. Under pressure however they were lost or just faded into the background, never strong enough to keep me going when presented with hard obstacles. This time however my goal is front and center every single day. It’s something that makes me smile and really strive for constant improvement. It’s my little girl, Abby. Seeing her constantly reminds me why I’m doing this and how much it will help us all in the long run. Yes I’m also doing this for me but it’s also really important that I’m her for her to see here grow up and really experience and participate in her childhood.
Here are a few of the things that are really helping this time around:
- Workout variety — We’re doing tons of different workouts like spin, step aerobics, cardio boot camp, yoga, weight lifting (upper & lower), elliptical, and more.
- Simple & Fun Food — Constantly trying new recipes from the Eating for LIFE and Biggest Loser cookbook has made eating less boring and repetitive. Creating great Baked Ziti, Taco Pasta Salad, or a Bacon Burger make it interesting and yummy. The hardest part is still making sure to get those 5-6 meals per day in.
- Understand Calories — In the past when I followed Body for LIFE I completely ignored calories and focused on portions. I still really agree with the portions approach but think it lacks something important, helping people understand calories. What’s really helped me this time around is a simple free iPhone application called Lose It!. I made it convenient and simple to track and really understand where my calories were adding up. after using it for a little over 4 months I stopped. I feel comfortable enough knowing what is and isn’t the right food to refocus on portions and not stress over calories.
- Tracking Weight — I know it’s another anti Body for LIFE axiom but I’ve been doing daily and sometimes intraday weight-ins. It’s really helped me understand the cycle of my body and how I lose (or don’t) weight. I can instantly see how cardio effects my weight over short time periods and weight training throughout the day. What really scared and amazed me was how dramatically my body fluctuates in weight following a free day. I can easily shoot up 8 pounds following a free day. It’s really important to not get freaked out about this. Instead, stay on target and use it to help you understand your body and aid in getting healthy.
- Workout Partner — Having a dedicated focused person who helps me to get up and really pushes me has really helped me be honest and stay on track.
Those are just a few of the things that have helped me thus far. I’m planning on posting more to share more thoughts and changes. If your interested you can check out my fitness timeline to see my progress and upcoming goals.
