4 days down and it hasn't killed me!

So, I hate to be knowingly unoriginal, but I felt inspired reading Missy's blog and I couldn't help but create one of my own. I reaaaallly want to succeed and am pulling out all the stops, y'all. If you are reading this, you are my new accountability buddy. Please. Help. Me... and hopefully by sharing this harrowing tale of my journey, I can return the favor in some small way. 

So let me break it down for you:

1) Between March of 2010 (when the twins were born) and July of 2011, I lost 65 lbs using a combination of lifestyle changes suggested by my naturopath and dieting. To be fair, I also learned that I have a nasty gluten allergy that was crippling my metabolism. Cutting the gluten changed everything. 

2) I maintained my new weight until right around Thanksgiving... which was great... but I was still 30 lbs shy of my eventual personal goal. 

3) During the holidays, I ate sugar and drank wine as if the world might in fact end on Mayan Apocalypse practical joke day...all while sitting on my tush. Shockingly, my fool-proof mind-over-matter plan to just not get on the scale and will my body not to notice all the extra calories has failed me. I gained 8 lbs. Gulp. 

4) I'm going to the Grammys on February 10th in LA and I have rented myself a smokin' hot Badgley Mischka gown that I refuse to look like a frumpster in. 

So there you have it. 

Huge kudos to my sweet friend Lesley for getting me on board. It's great to be in it together. 

I think the hardest part in starting anything is finding what motivates you. Having my boys took me a long way. I want to be a healthy Mom and set a good example for wellness. Once that wore off, my vanity was just the ticket! That, and I want to live long enough to be a feisty old woman and hassle my future daughters-in-law. 

So, for those that know me well, you know I don't do anything half way. I'm all in. 

First lets talk about the food: 

The meals were actually the easy part for me. After eating unconscionable amounts of absolute crap for a month, I was SO ready to detox. Some of the recipes on the 28 to Great blog are just flat out scrumptious. For example... 

These "donut holes" made with just dates, almonds, and a little cocoa powder. I took a picture because they came out so pretty! 

Right around 3 pm on day 2 when I had a sugar craving that could have made me near homicidal, I popped two of these babies as a snack and felt like a million bucks. 

Another favorite so far is the super simple "eggs + avocado" recipe. I had them for lunch yesterday along side some leafy greens with half of a clementine tossed in. Delish! 

My other fav so far is the "rice + beans" recipe. Great for when you're feeling extra hungry or for me when I know I'll be up late and I want it to last me through the night. It's a double portion and reheats great. I'm eating it for lunch as I type. Mmmm

Other than these, I've been following the portion guide and finding a new love for kale. All in all, no complaints. Another little tip, I drop a thin slice of orange in my water bottle in the morning. It's just enough flavor to keep me drinking it. I'm also moderately obsessed with my George Foreman grill for this. 

Ok, now on to the workouts: 

In preparation for day one, I ordered a Nike Fuelband to keep myself accountable in another way. I used it a couple of days before the challenge began so I could get a feel for where I was and where I was heading. So, the bad news is, the Fuelband doesn't give me credit for Barre workouts. I can earn 1,000 points cleaning the house, or 200 in the 60 minute Studio Shape with Sadie. I think the movements are too subtle to be picked up fully. I decided to use it as a measure of how much I was moving the rest of my day. It's been awesome. I have become way more aware of my habits where movement (or lack there of) is concerned. Doing dance moves in the car at a red light instead of slumping over... that kind of thing. 

Next, I put the daily workouts for my week in to my iCal right along with my workload to make sure I'd really do it. I moved a couple around to make sure I'd have the time to do them. I pasted the link to the videos in my little meetings so I just have to click and go when the time comes. 

Last night, I was super sore and was begging everyone not to make me laugh... so my husband just randomly texted me the word penis... which in turn made me crack up and choke on water simultaneously. I count that as an extra core workout BTW. Today is day 4 and I am REALLY sore. This morning was rough, not gonna lie. My alarm went off and I went to sit up and failed. My first word of the day began with a big F. 

I scheduled myself the 60 minute Studio Shape for today. My first full hour of the challenge. After yesterday's Ballet Core and Boot Camp, I was just hoping I wouldn't faint. To my surprise, I made it through and enjoyed parts of it. I love Sadie. She is warm and authentic and gives you permission to think something is hard... which by some miracle makes it easier. The core work was hard to push through, but my sore muscles actually felt better afterward. I'm energized and I have that feeling of satisfaction that only true accomplishment can bring. 

So far, I'm not getting on the scale... but I would guess that I'm down a bit. My daily water retention isn't happening at all and my wedding rings are spinning instead of making my finger look like a sausage link. I also feel a little bit more steady on my feet. Maybe a little taller. Maybe a little more aware of my posture. 

Anyway, sorry for the novel here. I'll keep it shorter going forward. I hope you'll stay along for the ride! 

If you're not doing the challenge and want to, you can do it on your own schedule! It's not too late. 

http://www.barre3.com/28-to-great

xoxo
Jenn