Week 1

A week ago today I made a decision to start fresh. To go back to the basics concerning my diet and my exercise routines. What a week it has been. 

Monday - Wednesday I started changing my diet. I was eating lean meats plenty of veggies, and minimal carbs and fats.  I kicked up the workouts a notch or two as well. I was feeling pretty good by the end of Wednesday. However, I could tell that something else was needed. 

I am very skeptical about any diet that seems to be a fad. I hate the energy drinks you see lining the grocery store aisles. So, I did a lot of research before taking this jump.... 

I started the AdvoCare 24 day challenge.

It is a very strict diet, with a full line of supplements to go along with it. I have committed to sticking to this diet,100%. 

Did I mention that I normally HATE fad diets,or dieting in general? I am usually grumpy within 12 hours of the start of a diet. I hate the initial weigh in. I hate the hunger pains. I hate feeling drained, because I'm eating less. 

I woke up Thursday morning, and did the initial weigh in. I am sad to say that I am checking in at 155... A 20 pound gain in the 5 years since I went back to teaching/tutoring 5 days a week. After weighing myself, I drank my first Spark, and was pleasantly surprised with the taste. 30 minutes later, I drank my fiber drink. I knew it wasn't going to be delicious... And it wasn't. It is a fiber drink... But I didn't gag, so it could be worse. Lol. Then I packed my lunch box with my lean meats, veggies, and fruit. 

By noon I was sure I was going to regret this new challenge. However, I felt better than I have felt in years. I had energy, I wasn't hungry, my normal mid-day headache was missing, and I definitely wasn't ready to quit or regretting this challenge. By the time I made it to my workout I still had energy. I did Maxwell Doubles. I hit more reps each round than I ever have. In fact Clark was shocked... I was matching his numbers. 

It is now Monday. I am on day 5 of the 24 day challenge. I am still feeling great. I have only felt really hungry a few times in the past few days and that was when I made the mistake and had to go over 3 hours without eating. I still have more energy than I can remember having. I haven't come home from work ready to collapse. My workouts have all been stronger. My clothes already feel like they fit better. 

I won't weigh in again until Saturday, but I promise to report back my results. 

If you are interested in AdvoCare, let me know. 

My Journey

I started this blog 5 years ago to follow my training. Over the past 5 years my training has had many ups and down.  I went from being a stay at home mom to working part time as a trainer at a woman's gym to working 3 part time jobs that had nothing to do with fitness. In the process my personal training has come in waves. These waves have caused weight gain. 

In 5 years I have put on about 20 pounds. I lost my passion for fitness and training for a while. I forgot why I spent so many years stressing to women how important it is to take care of your own body. I forgot to take care of myself. 

Over the past month I have found my passion again. Today, I am stepping back on the path to continue my journey toward health. I will begin to daily blog about my journey. I am planning on blogging my workouts and food logs. I am doing this for a few reason. First, I want to be held accountable for my actions or lack thereof. Next, I hope to motivate people. Finally, I like having a record of what I am doing. 

So.... Here we go!!  Who else is ready to be healthy again? Who is ready to eat healthy and exercise regularly to create a healthy life for yourself? Let's do this...