Week 2: Minor Setbacks

Alright, well week 2 is down! This was a tough week for me. To begin with, I had a nasty head cold throughout much of the week, so while I did the workouts every day and stayed on schedule, it was hard for me to really give them my all. It was a struggle, but I was determined to stay on schedule. It helped that the program goes down to one workout a day this week. That made it easier for me to say, "Okay Sarah. It's one video for thirty minutes. Just do the damn thing. Then you can lay down and watch TV."

Another issue I had is this week I didn't do the greatest with the diet. I cheated a lot and haven't been making the best choices, and as a result, I gained two pounds back this week. It's really frustrating because I've been working really hard to make sure to get my workouts in every single day, but because of my food choices, I didn't get the results I wanted. This is when I find it really hard to stay motivated and keep doing this.

Lesson learned! I can't waver from this diet and continue to make poor dietary choices. Part of my problem is when I go out to eat with my friends, we almost never pick anywhere with healthy food options. I need to learn to start suggesting those places more!

At the same time, I can see some real differences in my body. My upper body, (shoulders, back, arms) and lower body (butt and legs) look so much more toned. My problem area has ALWAYS been my stomach, so that still needs some serious work, but I'm confident that this week I'll get back on track, diet-wise.

As discouraged as I feel right now, I need to remember that these things happen. The only person who can take responsibility for this setback is me. I made a lot of poor choices this week (drinking beer and diet coke and eating really unhealthy dinners the past couple of nights) and the fact that I stepped on the scale this morning and saw a gain was eye-opening. I can't deserve to allow myself to "cheat" so often. I have to commit to MORE than just the exercise. I need to make some serious changes to what I choose to eat when I go out and I can't let the pressure to have a drink sway me. I need to say no or limit it to one drink and have that be the end of it. I also vow NOT to have a diet coke relapse again, (god help me. Those of you who know me well know that's the real addiction I'm going to struggle with giving up).

Anyway, on to the next set of strength DVDs next week. Jillian will be upping the ante in Workouts 3 and 4. Thankfully, you only switch cardio DVDs once a month, so I'll see a familiar workout video Wednesday and Saturday. In a way, I'm grateful for this setback because it's really the motivation I need to put me back on track and to STAY there.

Until next week...keep the encouraging words coming! I could use them after this week's setbacks.

xo, Sarah

Week 1- "Why" Over "How"

Well, I did it...I survived my first week of Body Revolution! Just like I thought, this was tough, but very rewarding. If there's one thing that I've learned on my journey so far, it's that I'm dedicated to this. Here's a quick recap of what went down this week:

The diet: I was doing the 7-Day Kickstart Your Metabolism program, which primarily featured recipes that included protein and veggies, but no fruit or carbs. I stuck to this for the first few days, then gradually began re-introducing carbs and cheating a little. I was still careful with my calorie counting and tried to stay around Jillian's suggested calorie breakdown per meal, which is:

250 calorie breakfast
400 calorie lunch
150 calorie snack
400 calorie dinner

I just can't do extreme diets. I definitely tried some of the recipes, and they were delicious, but I need more food variety in my diet and DEFINITELY need the energy that carbs give. Going forward, I will eat more clean and organic and try some of the recipes in the meal plan, but overall I feel it's just too expensive and too time-consuming to follow it to the letter. I'll just continue making better food choices and count my calories. I still saw great results!

Here are a few photos of the recipes I made this week:

Greek Yogurt with Cinnamon and Almonds

Chef Salad

Southwest Turkey Burger with a Small Spinach Salad

I'm someone who never cooks, so even making these small recipes was something of an accomplishment for me.

The workouts: The first week of the program, if you're doing the kickstart, encourages you to do two workouts a day. Normally, the workout schedule is as follows:

Day 1: Front of body strength workout

Day 2: Back of body strength workout

Day 3: Cardio

Day 4: Front of body strength workout

Day 5: Back of body strength workout

Day 6: Cardio

Rest Day

Since I was doing the kickstart, I did this same workout schedule in the morning and then did the Cardio workout every night. Wednesday and Saturday, I did the Cardio workout twice. The first day when I did the first workout, I legitimately felt so exhausted and nauseous throughout most of it. As the days went on, I got so much better. It's amazing how adding in the cardio every day conditioned my body and built up my endurance. At the end of the first week, I still think some of the moves are hard, but I can do all the DVDs without stopping and am working on perfecting my form. The workouts for the first two weeks are all basic strength moves designed to build up your core strength so your body can work out harder. As a beginner, that's just what I need. I honestly love these first few workouts and am starting to see and feel changes! I have to say, working out every morning gave me the energy I needed to start my day and I've been feeling amazing all week. This is the motivation I need to keep me going, the fact that I can feel myself getting stronger and also feeling more energized and motivated.

The results: I lost about 4 pounds this week! I am thrilled with this result. Normally, when people start working out and eating healthier, they lose more the first week, but I've been dieting and exercising for about a month now, so I already went through the exciting "water weight" loss. These are 4 REAL pounds, which is better than I could have ever hoped for. It'll definitely give me the motivation to keep going. Next week, when I go down to 1 workout a day, I might gain some of it back, but I know it's part of the process and I'll just have to do a better job of watching my calories.

The takeaway: There's something Jillian says on one of her DVDs that stuck with me. She says, "If you have a why, you can get through any how. Any amount of pain or punishment is something you can get through if you remember why you're doing this." This doesn't just apply to working out. It applies to life. So many people give up easily on things that are difficult or challenging for them, but in order to get through, you really have to remember WHY you're doing something. I had to give notice at my job this week because I accepted another offer. I hate confrontation and disappointing people, so I was afraid to have the conversation because I didn't want to let my supervisors, who believe in me so much, down. In order for me to have that conversation, I just had to remind myself why I was leaving my position and why I wanted to move on. That's what helped me have the chat, and it was a surprisingly positive and drama-free experience. This week, ALWAYS remember your why. You can get through the "how" if you do!

Also, I have to say, I love the support I'm getting on Facebook! Thanks so much, you guys. Your words will be what gets me through, even if I gain, plateau or feel like I want to give up. I appreciate the encouraging words, so keep them coming!

xo, Sarah

The Journey Has Begun...

I've decided to take control. My whole life, I've been the fat girl. There's no fundamental reason or deep-seeded issue behind it. It's just always been a large part of my identity. I've let myself become unhealthy, out of shape, and, as a result, unhappy. A lot of the issues I have with self esteem and self worth have stemmed from my weight, and they have since I was a child. That's why I've decided to take control and do something to change that. I took the plunge and purchased Jillian Michaels's Body Revolution Program.

This is about a number of things. My family has a history of diabetes and other health issues related to being overweight, and I don't want to experience those same things. Besides just getting healthy, there are other reasons I'm doing this. If I take the time to take care of myself and to look my best, that'll transcend to feeling my best. That might sound vain, and in a way, it is. I want a hot body. What I'm trying to say is that there isn't anything wrong with that. I want to get healthy, look my best, and feel my best. I want to take control of my life and make this drastic lifestyle change because in the long run, I'll feel happier and healthier if I do.

I chose this program because I've done some of Jillian's other workouts in the past, including the 30 Day Shred, and I absolutely love them. They're tough, a good workout, and you see results. She makes the most of your time during a workout video and you actually sweat. I chose to do Body Revolution because I need an exercise AND diet program that's doable and will help me change my lifestyle choices. This provides that and promises results. As much as I've loved Weight Watchers, I've found myself hitting plateaus, and that's caused me to get discouraged and fall off the wagon one too many times. This program will keep me motivated.

As I embark on week 1, I expect a number of challenges. I'm doing the 7-Day Kickstart Your Metabolism program for the first week, which means a diet of high protein and veggies only and working out twice a day. I have no doubt that this week will be incredibly challenging and difficult, but I also think it will be very rewarding. I went grocery shopping today for all of the ingredients, cleaned out my fridge and pantry and threw away everything that's bad for me. I'm ready to dive in.

I'm keeping this blog as a way to track my progress and reflect on my journey along the way. At the end, I'll post the before and after pictures and you can all see the results for yourself. I'm excited to start this program and am looking forward to the challenges ahead.

Wish me luck!

xo, Sarah