Day 1 of Session 2

Happy Monday everyone! I have had a pretty productive day so far. I woke up at 5:20 a.m. and my friend Katie and I were out the door for out 1.62 mile run before 5:50. We went slow and steady because this is her first time running in a really long time. She did awesome though, and we made it home in pretty decent time.

Then I made some Proatmeal with almond milk for my 7 a.m. breakfast and made my sevenpoint2 shake with greens, coconut milk and peanut butter and took it with me for my 9 a.m. meal at work. My mid-morning snack was 2 cups of strawberries, nummy! For lunch I had a hot pastrami sandwich on a 4 inch wheat bread with red onions and spicy mustard paired with 100 calories worth of cashews. My afternoon snack was 2 vegetable and brown rice stuffed grape leaves and 12 ozs. of pure coconut water. I finished my calorie intake for the day with white meat chicken and 3 ozs. of beef, lettuce and yogurt. I have also already consumed my 8 glasses of water for the day but will probably get another 2 or 3 in by days end.

This is my day one of INSANITY. I do my fit test tonight at 8:30. I am excited but also nervous. I know I can do it. I am very strong willed, dedicated and motivated to make this change in my life. My friend Katie and my Husband will be joining me for my Insanity Workouts so that we can support each other. I can't wait to see the changes in them and in myself!

Thanks for stopping by and checking on me, I love the support and accountability that followers to my blog provide me ;)

TTFN!

Jenn

Ok, so I just want to apologize for neglecting my blog for the last few weeks. I am sorry. I have been super busy.... I got a new job, went on vacation and even met my 5k goal! Yay, I am so proud of myself and all the work that I have done. My time for my 5k wasn't amazing, nut it was respectable for my first real 5k and I averaged 11:36 seconds per mile. I am very happy with the results.

I am the smallest I have been in years. I am officially in a size medium, both top and bottom and I lost an entire shoe size! I have more energy than I can remember having in a very, very long time and I am so excited to actually WANT to exercise. So, you may be wondering what the next step for me is, well I am gonna keep going. I am about 25 - 30 pounds from my final goal weight. I have lost roughly 60 pounds since January and there is no way that I am going to stop now!

Today is my day 1 of week 1 in a new 10 week system. For this leg of my exercise journey I have enlisted my friend Katie as my running partner. She was motivated by my success and had started her own weight loss journey and asked if I would let her partner with me. I was so happy to have her! So, this second part of my exercise journey will be a lot less complex than the last segment, but it will not be easier.

I will be doing a 10k training program that will require me to do varying length runs 4 days a week. The last part of my system will be doing the INSANITY work out. This is 6 days a week and is gonna kick my trash. But I am serious about wanting to get rid of the last 30 pounds and why shouldn't I get totally ripped at the same time? So here I go again, heading straight into another grueling training system. Why do I keep doing this to myself? Oh yeah, because I Am Worth It!!!!

TTFN,
Jenn

Week 6 Day 5 Exercisin' Update

So, I went running today for the first time this week. I was soooo sore Monday after my crazy long and painful hike in Zion, that I had taken a few days to re-coop. Problem #1, I was still kinda sore from Monday. Problem #2, I gave myself a new addition to my route being, as always, too much of an over achiever. Problem #3, I hadn't run in 4 days. This was the most pain I had been in in a run since Week 1. I lost count of how many time I honestly wanted to just sit down on the sidewalk or even better, turn around and head home. But I eventually made it home on, mostly the route I had planned. And, despite my sad sad pace time, I went further in one run than I ever have before. Now I just need to work on picking up the pace so that this 5k at the end of the month doesn't totally kick my trash. I survived today, I know tomorrow will be better and I know I can do it. I will not give up, I will stick with this (even when it is so hard I want to cry), and all because; I Am Worth It! TTFN, Jenn

Week 6 Weigh and Measure

This last week I have passed a few milestones. I finished a 20 minute straight run without dying which is great because I had never done more than 8 minutes at a time. Then, today, Charlie and I went this morning to Zion National Park and did an almost 9 mile hike in about 4 hours. During the hike we climbed 5835 feet in elevation and on the way back down we ran for the last 2 miles. My totals this week were pretty good. I lost 3.75 inches and 1.2 pounds. WooHoo! TTFN, Jenn

Week 5 Weigh and Measure

Alright folks, so today is officially my Weigh and Measure for week 5. That means that I am (drum roll please) actually over the half way point of my 9 week program. I have to admit that it has been kind of hard keeping up with my full routine b/c there have been a lot of personal and professional issues the last couple of weeks. But, I am still staying strong. I have, NOT ONCE, skipped my running workouts and it is all paying off. Most of the time it pays off more on the measuring tape than on the scale, lol, but that just means that I am steadily gaining muscle mass and the fat IS shedding, it just is a little hard for the scale to catch it because the muscle weighs more than the fat.

Each week I dread the scale and each week I am pleasantly surprised. There was only one week where I had a really hard time looking at the results. Another thing that I have done is I made sure when I started all this in January that I took pictures. So this past week I took pictures again and was able to compare them side by side. Let me just say WOW! I am still not happy with where I am at physically, but I am super happy with how far I have come and the differences my body has been able to achieve. My hard work shows and that makes me happy. I honestly must have been in such denial because I truly never believed that I was as heavy as the side by side pictures proved. Close friends (and only a few of them) have seen these pictures and they can attest to how much of a difference there is in me. I am definitely not in a place where I can share those with you now (I have only just been able to admit to myself that I looked that bad), but when I am through with this journey I plan on posting my before and afters so that you can all see what hard work can do for you.

I Am Worth every drop of sweat and sore muscle. I was doing my daughters hair yesterday and she told me that I was getting skinny and looking pretty. She is 7, I know that she knows I am working out but it was wonderful for her to say that she actually saw a difference in me. I am so excited that I am giving them a healthier Mommy, one who will be around to make their lives miserable and amazing for many many years to come.

This week my results were great! I lost another pound, and I lost 6 inches overall! I am seeing muscles form that have been lost for years behind mountains of jiggle. I get so excited every time I see a new chisel or line starting to form. It is reaffirmation that my work is paying off.

TTFN!

Jenn

A Dose of Not So Tasty Reality

So, in the last couple days I have come to a realization that was pretty sad to conclude. I have mixed feelings, but I am deciding to share it with all of you so that I can admit fully to myself the reality of it. Lets just say it is a classic case of lying to yourself (we all know what that's like).

When I started my overall journey in January I was too afraid to get on the scale right away. I worked really hard for a couple weeks, lost enough that I could see a difference and then got on the scale. Well the results were still REALLY depressing so, I told myself that that was my starting weight and I would never see it again and moved on. Looking back over the last week and in some discussions that I have had, I was forced to stop lying to myself. Yes, it is great that I have lost practically 30 pounds since that awful weigh in in January. However, that number on the scale in January was NOT my real starting number. As it sadly turns out (and may I say, it was like a kick in the gut when this was realized) I was actually 20 pounds heavier to start with than I had let myself accept.

My first reaction? Well, that was shock, denial, nausea, and attempts at excuses. My second reaction? I am a strong capable woman who has finally realized her self worth and; is willing to let hard work, in an effort to enjoy her life and family, be what defines her now. I have worked too hard to be ashamed of where I started. I am proud of where I am now and who I am becoming. And, I will never see that other woman again!

The reality is: I Have Lost 50 Pounds Since January and I Am Proud of Me Because I Am Worth It!

Thanks for all of your support and love,

Jenn

Week 4 Day 3 Exercisin'

I actually survived tonight. I was pretty scared because my workouts intensify this week and I am running twice as much as I was before and the overall workout is 7 minutes longer. But, I finished less out of breath than usual. Granted, I didn't push myself very hard speed wise b/c I wanted to insure that I finished on my first attempt, but I was also battling a sore/ tweaked ankle from a hike yesterday, a bruised hip also from said hike, and shoes that are really starting to hurt my left foot. I am super proud of the results overall.

While I am really sore, it feels good to be reminded that there are muscles in places that I forgot about and the rock climbing yesterday gave me some serious ab work that I am still feeling today. I truly love seeing the changes in myself and in my body. I never thought I would actually look forward to running, and I still don't, lol. I actually kind of dread it more and more as it draws closer during the day, but, once I am running I am in love with it. I feel like I have purpose and a goal and I love that that drives me to do better and better. I Am Worth It and I am going to be healthy, happy and skinny before I know it. :)

TTFN,

Jenn

Week 4 Weigh and Measure

I really surprised and impressed myself with how well I did this week with my runs. I am nervous for tomorrow because the runs take a huge jump, I have to run almost twice as much as I have been and the run workouts are at least 10 minutes longer. So I am feeling nervous about the stamina that I am not sure I have built up yet.

Earlier today I did my Weigh and Measure for the week and afterwards I had my husband take some pictures of me so that we could compare with my pics from January. I was so surprised at the changes within myself. I look like a different person, and while I am not at my goal yet, I can see huge improvements. There are so many changes to all parts of my body and I feel great knowing that I am capable and strong enough to make it happen.

This weeks totals made me really happy. I am now only 11 pounds from my first goal weight. I hope to reach it before my 9 weeks are up. I lost 6.2 pounds and more than 5.25 inches across my entire body!!!! I am so excited to see the changes in not only my physical self but in my emotional and mental health as well. I am so psyched and excited to see what this week will bring. I Am Worth It and I will not give up on my goals.


Jenn

Week 3 Day 3 Exercisin and Updates

Hey world, so I want to first apologize for slacking off on my posts this past week or so. I have been going through some difficult stuff and I wasn't in a great place emotionally or physically. One of my largest issues that I have had throughout my life, is that when I am upset, stressed, hurt, mad, excited, etc. I enter into a pattern of self loathing and lethargy and I begin to eat away my feelings until I am numb.

Well, I am proud to say that first: Yes, I entered my depressed, self loathing, lethargy mode. But no, I did not eat my feelings. I did some sabotage of my self though. For most of the week I did hardly any of my exercising. I made excuses, ignored my goals, and worked through my issues. However, I did not sink to my usual methods and allow myself to eat away my feelings. While I did eat a few items not intended for my diet, I stayed right around my calorie intake goal each day. I did not want to ruin my work; I just needed some me time to feel worth it all again.

But inevitably, because of slacking off and not staying super strict on food groups, this Mondays weigh and measure did not go well (which gave me one more day of stress, self inflicted though it may be). Yet, I refuse to let it beat me. I haven't fallen off the deep end, I just dipped my toe in the water for a minute to remind myself what I don't want. I don't want to be fat, tired, miserable, unhealthy, lazy, jiggly, sore and sad. I want to be me. I want to be skinny, energetic, happy, healthy, full of life, firm, serine and happy. That is the person inside of me. That is the person who deserves to enjoy playing with her kids and going on adventures with her husband.

So I got off my butt yesterday and I got back on the wagon. No, everything in my personal life is not all better. But I know that with a better outlook on myself and a better attitude toward what life has to offer me, it will be.

Which brings us to today. I have been dreading tonight since last week. Today is day 1 of week 3 of my couch to 5k program and the running segments take a giant leap. They double in length of time I have to run at one time. Needless to say, I was freaking out. I honestly believed that I couldn't do it. I told my husband as I started out tonight to not give me a hard time if I had to give up and walk during a run segment. Then we set out.

I asked him to please just talk to me as a I walked and exercised. I challenged him to become a chatterbox (see we are all growing and learning new things, lol). He did great. Up to now I have been counting my strides so that I remembered to breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. Well he had me listening to him and interested in what he was saying. I forgot to count. I just ran. Each time the machine told me to run, I did it. And then, an amazing thing happened, the app on my phone said, "Slow to an easy pace to start cool down". That's right, I Made It! I actually looked over at my husband (he was riding his bike alongside me) and said " Holy crap, I did it, I'm actually done".

It was honestly over before I realized how much time had passed. I am so excited and stoked that I did it. I didn't think I could, but I did. I know that I Am Worth It! If I just stick to my goals and work through my trials, I know I will make it to the end of my goal. I am so lucky for all the wonderful people who egg me on, keep me going and remind me that I can make it. Thank you for the motivation you give me and the friendships we share.

TTFN,

Jenn

Week 2 Day 4 Exercisin'

Today was great! I had a lot of fun with my family and my husband and I got some much needed one on one outdoors time. He has had an ankle that has been bothering him for about 2 weeks and so he has been taking it easy, trying to let it heal so that we can get back to our outdoor adventures together.

So today we took his ankle on a bit of a test drive. We went up to the Hurricane Canal Trail and hiked around. We ended up hiking about 50 minutes and the view was awesome, we could see all the way to LaVerkin, and we were able to see the Pah Tempe Hot Springs as well. All in all, it was nice to get out with him. We are really hoping that his ankle heals to 100% soon because he and I love to hike and really don't want to miss out on all this prime Southern Utah hiking weather.

The rest of my day was really hectic, my son Cade had a choir concert at Tuacahn and that was really neat to watch. It was about 7 different schools from the county coming together to showcase what each could do and what they could do together. We followed that up with an ice cream stop at the DQ for the kiddos. I didn't have any, it was amazing that I sat there and watched them all eat gobs of gooey yummies and I ate a small order of onion rings, which is bad enough by itself but the best part, I was NOT EVEN TEMPTED, not for one second, to have any ice cream! For me, that is a huge milestone and I can accept the onion rings because I still stayed under my daily caloric intake.

Besides the hike I also did 15 minutes of stairs, 15 minutes of arm iso, 7 minutes of abs, 15 minutes of walking and 10 minutes of stair stepper and calf raises. So total workout today came out to be: 1 hour and 52 minutes. I am excited for tomorrow and look forward to kickin' my butt again because I Am Worth It!

TTFN,

Jenn

My Workout Calendar

For those who are wondering and asking, here is a pic of my personal workout calendar. This is what I follow daily to get my results. There may be slight deviation but for the most part I stick to it.

Week 2 Day 4 Update

Hello all! So, I am happy to say that the feeling of death that had taken over me last night as I was running and as I was hacking like a 90 year old for at least an hour after the run, is no longer plaguing me this morning. I actually feel pretty good and am excited and ready to tackle a new day. I have a meeting this morning to discuss my 7.2 products with a lady I know, and am excited to share the benefits of the 7.2 products with her.

All in all, today is looking pretty good. I am getting ready to have my 7.2 shake and greens for breakfast to help me balance out and feel ready for the day and then I will be having my meeting. After that, I will be tackling my day of EXERCISE!!! hehehehe I look forward to the challenge my friends, and if ye be of such bravery and valor I implore ye to join me as I kicketh my rear. (Sorry, I had a bit of a motivational pirate moment I think, lol). But never forget, I Am Worth It and So Are You! So if my blog motivates you to get off your bum and start working out too, then I am happy and proud of you. Join me in my journey folks, and if you have any questions about exercise that may work for you or may help you focus on a general area that you feel needs attention, I would love to help and motivate you in return.

Good Luck, and remember, leave a comment below so I know that you were here!

Jenn

Week 2 Day 3 Exercisin'

Sorry, I slacked on posting yesterday, I was having some personal and work issues that detained me. But I am right back on track today. I took my 5 k run for tonight it kicked my hole. My lungs are burning and I can't stop coughing. But I feel great physically. I know I just need to stick with it. Thanks to my amazing hubby who reminded me that I am worth it and made me do the run though I am exhausted cuz I only got 3 hours of sleep & have been up since 3a.m. this morning. Now if you will excuse me, I am gonna fall into a quazy Comatose state for the next 10 hours.

Jenn

Week 2 Weigh and Measure

O.k, the moment of truth. So, in some ways I am really excited and in others I am a little bummed. First thing to remember is that I am just coming off of a self imposed plateau and so I need to push really hard to get the results that I want. Second, is that I am doing an average of 2 hours of work outs per day and it is about 50/50 strength vs. cardio. So, from my results I can tell that:
A: I am doing the right things because they are good results!
B: I think I am gonna slightly up my cardio to see what effect that will have over the week
C: I am gaining some serious muscle!

I can see such a difference in the mirror which is why I was so shocked at my weight loss. However, once I saw the inches I have lost, I was reassured I am gaining muscle right now and so yes there is a big difference in how I feel and look, but muscle weighs more than fat so smaller weight loss is to be expected. Plus, when I compare what I started at in mid January to where I am right now, I couldn't be anything but thrilled!

Stats for this week:
Weight lost, 1 3/4 lbs, for a total since week 1 of 3 pounds.
Inches lost: 6 1/4!!!, for a total since week 1 of 9 1/2!!! WooHoo!

I also crunched some numbers, and this means that since I started in Mid- January I have lost more than 30 inches across my body!

I am so excited for what this next week will bring. Good Luck to all of you in whatever your journey is at this time and remember I Am Worth It, and So Are You!!

TTFN

Jenn

Week 1 day 7 Exercisin'

Today was pretty good, I got 40 minutes of zumba in this morning. Got to watch conference and did about 20 minutes of iso while watching. I went for about a 15 minute walk tonight and I just got back from doing my couch 2 5k run for 30 minutes this evening. All together I got in about an hour and 45 minutes and I am happy with that. I am gonna skip my bedtime routine because the cotton trees are in bloom and I have a very sore chest after my run.

Also, on my last run two days ago, I tweaked my left ankle a little coming off a curb and have been trying to get it healthy and not push it too hard. Then today I was walking in the foyer between my front door and my neighbors and I jammed my foot right past the toes and just before the ball of my foot, on a drain cap that was just installed right in the walkway (it has a lovely bolt holding the cap on and I got the bolt full stride into my foot). Lets just say it hurts and it was the same stinkin' foot with the sore ankle. (If you don't already know, I am a huge clutz so this is par for the course with me, but still frustrating). But with all of that I am looking forward to my chill workout day tomorrow and I don't feel bad about missing my bed time workout at all.

I am getting excited for my weigh and measure on Monday. I am kinda nervous though. I know that I am losing weight because I can see a big difference already. However, I am aware that muscle weighs more than fat and I am doing about 50/50 strength training and cardio so even though I can tell that there will be decent inches lost, I wonder what that will correlate to on the scale. We have to wait to see but, I really hope I lost at least 5 pounds this week.

Wish me luck!

Jenn

Week 1 Day 6 Exercisin'

Today was pretty hectic but I still managed to get my time in.

This morning I did 25 minutes of Arms and Thighs. Then this afternoon after lunch I fit in an hour of Overall Iso. Then, I did another 15 minutes of legs later in the afternoon. Then in the evening I did 20 minutes of abs which included 200 simulated rows with dumb bells.... I can seriously feel the burn in my core and I am sure it is gonna hurt in the morning. But hey, no pain no gain. Overall throughout the day I have also done 15 minutes of stretching.

However, I did not do my bike ride today. I got too busy before it got dark so I made sure that I made up for it with the other areas. It was kind of nice to take the break from my legs today and really exhaust my arms. They are one area where I am only recently seeing results so I think it was a great trade off for the day.

Grand Total Today: 2 hours 15 minutes.

TTFN!

Jenn

Week 1 Day 5 Exercisin'

Today was a good day. I did my Zumba for 40 minutes, my waist, butt, thigh and shoulders for 20, my run this night for 40 and added another 20 of cardio in. All together I put in 2 hours and I got to have my friends over for a party.

I had a tasting party tonight for Seven Point 2. It is an Alkaline Company that I sell for and am a client of. I LOVE their products and was able to have a group of people over tonight to discuss why it is so wonderful for you and let everyone try some. It was a lot of fun and I feel blessed to have been able to share such a wonderful product with others. Because I know it is going to make a large difference in their lives.

If you have any questions about Seven Point 2 feel free to leave me a comment or visit my website at: sevenpoint2.com/lifechanging you will be amazed at what these products can do for you. Well, it's late so I am off to bed but don't forget, You Are Worth It!

Jenn

Let's Get Physical

Yes folks, that is sweat glistening (dripping) down my face and chest. I am workin' out hard! But it feels great. Just don't try to give me a hug right now, I can't promise that I smell pretty. LOL

Week 1 Day 4 Exercisin'

Let me say first and foremost how I love that I made this plan flexible. I am able to work my job, be a mom, make dinner, spend time with the hubby and still fit in over 2 hours of workout a day! I know that you could too if you set your mind to it. Sure, there are times where there are things I would rather do, but I Am Worth It, and I am gonna stick to it.

Besides, if you just plan ahead, there are no excuses. Like tonight for instance I have a friends Pampered Chef party to go to so, I started off by working out as soon as I got up, I got my Overall Iso in for 40 minutes and then focused on work for over 2 hours. Then later in the morning I worked out with my friend Fiona again to my Just Dance on the Wii for another 35 minutes. Grabbed lunch, Helped my husband clean the garage (seriously heavy lifting) for another 30 minutes, which by the way, I decided is gonna take the place of my usual 15 minutes I spend on a specific body focus mini work out.

Then I got back to work for another 3 hours. After which, I grabbed my oldest son and made him do my bike ride with me (which he was really excited to do) we rode for 30 minutes. So I was able to combine workouts with both friend and family time today, Yay me! Best part, the only thing I have left is my 15 minute before bed work out and once I add that in I will still have done a total of 2 1/2 hours today, and all before I had to go to my friends party.

All I'm saying is, I am crazy, and I am doing a VERY Intense daily system. Most people only need to put in 30-45 minutes a day 3-5 days a week depending on their needs. I Am Worth It and So Are You, so make the time. If you aren't sure what you need or how to get started, feel free to ask me. I have been coaching, training and choreographing for a long time. I am disappointed that I let myself go like I have, but I am remedying it and I would be happy to help you figure out how as well.

Good Luck and I'll talk to you soon!

Jenn

Week 1 Day 3 Exercisin'

I woke up this morning and thought....."I wonder how bad this is gonna hurt when I try to sit up?" Amazingly enough I didn't hurt at all besides the subtle sourness that told me that no, my workouts weren't just a dream. I started my day off right away with a stretch and my Overall Iso (40 minutes). Then I took a 10 minute unplanned walk to take my daughter to school (yeah for children that sleep in). Then headed to work for the morning.

Then later in the morning my friend Fiona came over and we did 40 minutes of Just Dance for the Wii, and man, was I sweating by the end of that! Talk about a serious burn, that is one of my favorite things about starting the exercise early in the day, you burn more and harder all day long.

After lunch I did 15 more minutes of a mega burn climbing routine and a mini workout that focuses on blasting away that back fat before I headed back to work for the afternoon. All in all I have done a lot of shoulders, back and core today. But make no mistake, the thighs, butt and abs have been kept busy as well, lol.

Then tonight, after I got the kiddos showered and in bed, Fiona and I went on my first couch to 5k run (30 minutes). Let me just tell ya, I thought I was gonna die! I can honestly say that the running is gonna be the hardest part of the training for me, I have never been a runner. I never would have thought that running 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds repeatedly for 20 minutes would be so hard. But by the half way point I was finally hitting a stride. I finished strong and am really proud of myself. Every time I thought I couldn't do it, I reminded myself "You can do it Jenn, You Are Worth It!", and then I would push through.

Thank You so much to all of my amazing friends for all the support you are giving me and thanks Fiona, for letting me drag you along now and again, lol. It was nice to have you with me tonight, it helped me keep strong. And to all the readers, if there is anything you are working on and you think it's getting too hard, don't forget to remind yourself that You Are Worth It!

Total Workout Hours Today: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Jenn

Week 1 Day 2 Exercisin'

So I started my morning bright and early with 10 minutes of stretching and then moved on to 20 minutes of focusing on my shoulders, butt and abs. They are awesome mini workouts and, let me just tell you, you know you have some serious issues when you are dripping sweat and you want to do the circuit again. I had to tell myself; "Jenn, snap out of it. You still have another hour and 45 minutes to get done today and if you double up on the butt and abs now you probably won't be able to tackle the bike ride later!!" Lol So I made a compromise with myself that if I got done with the rest of my workouts and still wanted to do the shoulders, butt and abs again then I could. :)

Next I tackled my Overall Isolation's (35 minutes) when I got home from work around 5 this evening. Then I immediately grabbed my oldest son and headed off on my bike ride (30 minutes). It was so much fun to not only ride with him, but to be able to see him work hard at it and then to have the opportunity to give him encouragement when he needed it. I think I will be taking him again soon. So if you lost count, that puts me at an hour and 35 for the day.

After dinner and a board game with the family, I got the kids off to bed with the help of my amazing hubby and I settled in to tackle my Zumba for the day (35). Next up, I am headed to my room to do my last 15 minutes before bed. Grand Total for Day 2: 2 hours and 25 minutes!!! Holy Cow, I not only did the 2 hours I did 25 more, I guess its a good thing I didn't give in to that extra 15 this morning, lol.

The best part is, I honestly was scared that I wouldn't be able to juggle work and the kids and family and the routine. But more than that, I wasn't sure I actually had it in me to do the full routine I had set out for myself, and now I know that I Can Do It! Not only can I do it, I am so full of energy and so upbeat today that my husband kept asking why I was so hyper and in such a good mood. Really, I have a lot going on in my life right now, a lot of stresses that would usually bring me down but the exercise is pumping me full of endorphin's and I am not only in a great mood and full of energy, I am not pushing those stresses off on my family and that is so worth it.

Second best part, while my muscles can definitely tell that they have been used and abused they are not killing me. No, I am not limping or in pain. I am so shocked, I seriously expected to hurt a lot more. Maybe it will be like a car wreck or surgery, when it hurts worse the second day... maybe tomorrow morning I won't be able to get out of bed. I guess we'll see.

Thanks for checkin up on me!

Jenn

Week 1 Weigh and Measure

O.k., so I Weighed and Measured myself last Monday, knowing that I was going to start this journey. So even though I only "technically" started my Week 1 yesterday, I actually prepped before it and I did my full Saturday workout as outlined in my previous post. That means that Saturday I actually did 2 hours and 15 minutes of workout plus I helped a new neighbor unload and move in. Then yesterday, Sunday, I did my 1 hour worth of daily routines.

Alright, so 2 days in and I am proud to announce that I have lost:

1 1/2 pounds and 3 1/4 inches across my body!!!!!!

Thanks to all for all the support, keep it coming. I appreciate all of you for supporting me in this journey. Remember, I Am Worth It, but, So Are You!

Jenn

Sunday Exercisin'

Ok, so today is day 1 of week 1 & I did 40 minutes of overall isolations & 20 minutes before bed that consisted of resistance band work for the arms, wall squats, boxing and thigh exercises. Yay! I got an hour in today. Well, tomorrow the real work begins, and it is also my Weigh and Measure day. I am off to sleep and dream about happy scales and tape measures, they are a little scary now, but I think as the weeks go they will become much more like friends to me. ;)

Night World!

Jenn

My Crazy Idea

O.k., so today is technically Day One of my 9 week challenge that I have made for myself. This workout plan is a little daunting but I am excited to see what the results will be. So I am doing the 9 week running routine from the site http://www.c25k.com/ which is the Couch to 5K plan. I have added to that, my own workout system. In a nutshell I am going to be pushing myself harder than I have ever pushed myself. But I Am Worth It and I am determined to see myself through to my goals.

Daily I will be doing: 35 minutes of Overall Isolation exercises including (resistance bands and weights for my arms, internal girdle and plank exercises for my core and abs and inner thigh and saddlebag exercises. These will be done 7 days a week. Daily I will also be doing a 15 minute or more workout burst before bed to exhaust my muscles and boost metabolic burn while I sleep.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday I will be doing a 30 minute bike ride that involves steep hills and high cardio. I will also do 35 minutes minimum of Just Dance on the Wii (yeah, yeah, its a video game, but try it and tell me that after 35 minutes straight you aren't sweaty and tired).

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I will be following the Couch to 5k workout routine. I will also do 35 minutes minimum of Zumba (if you haven't figured it out, I enjoy dance, and I believe that if I incorporate something I really love in my routine I will be more motivated to do it).

On top of the list above, every day Monday - Saturday I will also be doing about 15 minutes of other workouts that will rotate so that no two days are the same. These will include focus for abs, shoulders, butt, thigh and overall body. Gotta keep the muscle groups guessing for optimum results.

If you did the math and you think I am crazy because this plan allows for a minimum of 2 hours of workouts on any given day except for Sunday.... I am right there with you. But, I know that if I want to see serious results then I need to really work. In a country where the average woman is a size 14 and the rapid rise of childhood obesity looms over us daily, I am choosing to break the minimum expectations of society and realize my own capabilities and dreams. I am so excited about it that I actually woke up this morning looking forward to working out! Any thoughts, let me know. But most of all, remember to keep it positive.

Also, Mondays are my Weigh and Measure day. So I will be posting my progress on these days (tomorrow I will post my inches lost but they are only 2 days in so I am not expecting much). Also, I will weekly post how many pounds I have lost but I don't know if I am strong enough mentally yet to actually tell you all how much I actually weigh, maybe soon I will feel comfortable enough.

Wish Me Luck!

Jenn

Why am I here?

Well, lets start with a little bit about me.... I am 33 years old, I have an amazing husband and 3 beautiful children. I love to craft, quilt, scrap, sew, can goodies, play with my kids, hang with the girls and oh yeah...eat.

I have been using food as a coping mechanism for years. There are a lot of reasons why I am here right now starting this blog, but the main reason is that I finally took an HONEST look at my self. I love my life, my friends, my children, my husband, my hobbies, and myself. But I don't like what I have let myself become physically. I use to be an active person who could barely stay still, I always had so much energy and drive. Where did that person go? Which lead me to... how did I get to this point?

There are a lot of reasons and excuses that helped in contribution to my growing size, but the only thing that matters now, is that I not only know that I need to change, I am ready to make the change. In January I decided that I was tired of all the fad diets, the cleanses and the ignoring the obvious need to get off my butt. I started working out a few times a week, watching not only what I was eating, butt how much I was eating and cutting out soda.

I am proud to say that I have lost about 30 lbs and almost that many inches across my body and I was so impressed with how well I was doing that earlier this month I decided to do an experiment. I decided that I would force a plateau and see if I could just maintain the weight that I had reached. I kept my calories in check and lessened my workouts by one per week. The neatest thing happened, I stayed the same weight! That is when I realized that I had finally made it past the fad dieting funk and had made a lifestyle change that my body was willing to accept. I lost 30 pounds and I kept it off even when I wasn't really working at it.

Which brings us to the present. I am ready to get off this plateau and really FOCUS HARD on upping my game. I am starting this blog as a way to stay accountable to more than just my workout calendar, I want to know that I HAVE to follow up with this blog regularly with my progress and that when I am having a hard day I can look at it and not only be re-focused by my blog but hopefully, I can be motivated by those who read it. Please, feel free to ask questions, leave motivating comments and just let me know if you have any ideas that you think might help me in my journey.

Overall my Final goal is to be down another 36 pounds by Christmas, but my immediate goal is to loose at least 17 more by my birthday (September 1st). I know I can do it, for the first time in my life I not only want to be thin and healthy, I actually believe that I Am Worth It! And I think that is going to make a HUGE difference.

Thank You so much for being a part of my Life Changing Exercise Journey!
My next post is going to outline the insane workout plan that I have created. Prepare yourselves, I am serious, it is REALLY ambitious but I am determined to make it work.

Thanks Again,
Jenn