Chicken Sweet Potato Hash

So, I've been trying to find foods that are easy on my body to digest.  Last night we had breakfast for dinner and I tried out this new recipe as part of it.

Chicken Sweet Potato Hash
8 oz. chicken breast (diced)
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 sweet potato (diced)
1/2 small red onion (diced)
1 green pepper (diced)
Dash of sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Add oil to pan, add sweet potato, onion, green pepper and spices...cook until sweet potatoes start to brown a little.  Add the chicken to the pan and continue to cook until chicken is done (apprx. 8-10 mins) and the veggies are soft.

*I made a double batch because I knew I would want left overs, and this is a perfect dish to back up and freeze to use at a later time.  Great as a side for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Nutrition Info:  271 calories; 9g fat; 172mg sodium; 18 carbs; 4g fiber; 6g sugar; 28g protein; 3mg iron

Paired this with scrambled egg whites topped w/ diced tomato, parsely and a tiny bit of crumbled turkey bacon and fresh fruit (I chose green grapes and fresh sliced strawberries)

Importance of Protein...are you getting enough?

  Protein is so important to our bodies, not only our muscles, but protein plays an important role in our energy level, hormone balance, immunity, and enzyme levels. Whether your goal is weight loss, muscle repair, or just to add more protein to your diets there are several different forms of protein that we can incorporate in our diets, especially pre-workout and post workout.  It is important to remember that women require less protein per serving than men, so make sure you are watching your portions and read labels, so that you are incorporating what's right for your body.
  There has been a big surge in the use of protein powders, and to be honest I'm pretty new to the whole protein powder thing, so I thought I'd break it down.  The most popular protein on the market these days seems to be whey protein,  This may be the best powder for women looking to lose weight.  Whey powders contain high levels of BCCA's, which are basically the building blocks for our muscles.  The more muscles you build, the more calories you will end up burning, which will help in the area of weight loss.
  Another type of protein great for women's weight loss is soy protein.  This is a great choice because soy protein has fat-free properties.  In addition to that, soy protein also helps in supporting our immune system and also helps our bodies maintain healthy cholesterol levels.  However, a drawback to soy protein is that that the body doesn't absorb it as easily as it does whey protein.
 Casein protein powder is also another option.  Casein protein is considered a slow digesting protein and it releases amino acids over a longer period of time.  It it fairly common that women who choose to use casein protein powder opt to use it at night time, which allows the protein to repair and rebuild muscle during sleep.
  Another wonderful powder based product that should be incorporated into everyone's diet is Shakeology.  This is a product that is sold through Beachbody.  This powder does so much more for you than protein powder alone.  It is packed with 70 natural ingredients, which included essential nutrients and vitamins from the fruits and veggies that we should all be eating daily.  Shakeology has so much to offer from supporting healthy digestion, immunity, and cardiovascular health, to weight loss and curbing those cravings for sugar and junk food.  Not only does this product offer so many great health benefits, but the taste is absolutely AMAZING.  Probably the best tasting powder I have ever tried.
  There are other ways to incorporate protein or extra protein into your diet aside from powders. Protein is especially important pre-workout and post workout as it fuels our bodies and our muscles. A great post work out snack includes both smart protein and carb combos.  This helps refuel the body post workout as well as aide our muscles.  Here are some tasty and quick options:

Yogurt and Fresh Berries
Greek Yougurt and 1/2 cup fresh berries

Peanut Butter and Bananas on Rice Cakes
1/2 banana
1 tblspn peanut butter
2 brown rice cakes
*I'm personally not a big fan of rice cakes, so alternative would be to use 1/2 a piece of multi-grain flat bread

Tuna on Whole Wheat
1 slice whole wheat bread
4oz. water packed tuna

Classic Milk and Cereal
1 cup low fat milk
1 cup whole grain cereal

Some smoothie/shake ideas:

Protein Shake w/ Bananas
1-2 scoops protein powder
1/2 banana
combine w/ soy or almond milk and blend

Sweet Potatoe Pie Shake
1 scoop cinnamon flavored protein
1/4 cup diced, cooked sweet potato
1 cup ice
1 cup vanilla or soy almond milk

Green Monster Smoothie
4 cups spinach
1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt
1 cup almond milk
1 banana
1 tblspn peanut butter
ice

Protein is so important to our bodies.  Make sure you are getting enough in your diet!

Life throws a curve

Soooo....I had a little health scare Monday working out, which resulted in a trip to the emergency room.  After numerous tests and a follow up doctor's appointment, its been determined that I will most likely need to have my gallbladder out.  This news kind of got me in a mental funk for the past few days, but I'm bouncing back now.  I used to have lots of gallbladder problems prior to starting my journey to a healthier lifestyle.  I used to get sick numerous times a week, mostly because I ate food that just wasn't good for me and clearly my body had to work far to hard to break it down.  Since changing my eating habits and incorporating exercise into my life, I was so happy that this health issue that had plagued me for the past couple of years had seemed to resolve simply by making healthier choices.  However, when I would have a cheat meal or eat something I knew I shouldn't my body MORE than let me know!
I got in a little mental funk this week because I was so frustrated with myself for treating my body so poorly for so long that it resulted in health problems...gallbladder issues, high blood pressure, and being overweight. Over the past 6 1/2 months, I have lost 46 pounds and drastically changed my eating habits, and work daily to live a healthy lifestyle.  I never thought that my poor choices from the past would catch up to me now.  So needless to say, it just got me a little down.
I'm making a comeback now.  I'm realizing that this may be a good thing.  Even though life threw me a slight curve,   maybe after permanently addressing this issue the worst will be behind me.  I'm trying to look at the positive side of things, at least it isn't anything more serious.  And believe it or not, I found out from my doctor, significant weight loss can cause gallbladder issues too.  At that point I just had to laugh, damned if I do, damned if I don't...but I will say this. I'd rather be sitting in the position I'm in at a healthy weight, with a healthy BMI, and continuing to make changes and focus on a healthy lifestyle, rather than overweight, making poor food choices and ultimately abusing my body.  IF this is a result of my lifestyle change, I MORE than accept it.  So although life threw me a curve, it didn't take me out, and for that I'm grateful.  Everyday is a new day, a new chance, and a new opportunity to do better....and do better I will...after all it's a work in progress :-)

On the lighter side

So....I don't know if you are like me, but I'm always wanting to try new foods and meal ideas.  Thought I'd share some.

Spaghetti Squash Stir Fry:

1-spaghetti squash (3lbs)
2-carrots (diced or julienned)
2-green bell peppers (diced or julienned)
2-red bell peppers (diced or julienned)
1-cup low sodium veg. broth
1-teaspon basil (dried or fresh)
1/4-teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Pierce squash w/ a sharpened knife.  Place on a paper plate and cook on high in the microwave for about 15-20 mins (depends on microwave).  Cut in 1/2 lengthwise; remove seeds and scoop out pulp (you will have about 6 cups)  In a skillet, add carrots and peppers, cook until tender; stir in the spaghetti squash, broth, basil and pepper.  Cook about 2 mins.  (an additional option is to top with Parmesan cheese)

Per serving: 92 calories; 3g fat; 4mg cholesterol; 144mg sodium; 14g carbs; 3g fiber; 4g protein; 118mg. calcium

Asian Meatballs:

10oz- ground turkey
1/2- green bell pepper (minced)
4- scallions
1/8-cup fine dried bread crumbs
2-tablespoons minced water chestnuts
1-egg white
1- tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4- cup sweet and sour sauce
1/2-cup unsweetened applesauce

Combine turkey, pepper, scallions, bread crums, water chestnuts, egg white and soy sauce. Shape into 32 (1" meatballs).  I typically make mine even smaller, about 1/2 in and have between 60-64 mini meatballs.  Place on a pan, bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Combine sweet and sour sauce and applesauce.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

If you make 1" meatballs here is the nutrition info:

82 calories, 1g fat, 23mg cholesterol, 163mg sodium, 9g carbs, 1g dietary fiber, 12g protein, 19mg calcium

(Serving size is 4(1") meatballs or apprx. 8 (.5") mini meatballs

*This is a great dish to serve with brown rice and some steamed veggies.  This also makes a great appetizer as well.

Tomato-Cucumber Salad:

3-tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2-teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
1/4-teaspoon sugar
1/4-teaspoon sea salt
1/4-teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2-tomatoes (thinly sliced)
1-cucumber (peeled and thinly sliced)
4-scallions (sliced)

In a small jar, combine vinegar, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Shake until well blended. On medium platter, arrange tomatoes and cucumbers in a spiral, alternating veggies.  Sprinkle with scallions and drizzle with dressing.

Per serving: 25 calories, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 147mg. sodium, 6g carbs, 1g fiber, 1g. protein, 14mg. calcium

Pico de Gallo:

3-tomatoes (chopped)
1-green bell pepper (seeded and diced)
1/4-red onion (chopped)
1-tablespoon fresh cilantro (minced)
2-teaspoons fresh lime juice
1-jalapeno pepper (seeded and chopped)
1/4- teaspoon sea salt

Mix all ingredients together.  Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Per serving: 23 calories; 0 fat; 98mg. sodium; 5 total carbs; 1g. dietary fiber; 1g. protein; 8mg calcium

Cilantro Caesar Salad:

4-cups torn/chopped romaine lettuce
12-cherry tomatoes (halved)
1-cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup cilantro (minced)
2-scallions (thinly sliced)
2- tablespoons fat free caesar dressing
1-tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2-tablespoon grated Parmesean cheese

Per serving: 44 cals; 1g. total fat; 2mg. cholesterol; 131mg sodium; 6g carbs; 2g. fiber; 3g. protein; 63mg. calcium

*Can also add salmon or chicken to this salad for extra protein or to make it meal.

Week 2 Wrap Up

So week 2 of Insanity is complete.  Although today was rest day from the program, I still like to do something.  I ordered Insanity Asylum a few weeks ago and have just been dying to get started, but I am committed to finishing this round of Insanity.  This round has been a completely different experience so far as I want to see it through to the end.  However, I have incorporated one of the workouts from Asylum into my weekly workouts on Sundays. I use the Back to Core DVD.  I absolutely LOVE doing this as my Sunday workout.  It isn't the fast paced workout you typically expect from Insanity, but rather very controlled, isolated exercises.  It makes you sweat hard and you can feel the burn in your muscles...I absolutely LOVE it.  

Tomorrow is Fit Test day, or progress check as I look at it.  In preparation for that, I did my measurements today, and am beyond pleased my results.  I have lost inches in my thighs, stomach, and waist.  I have yet to step on the scale, but weight loss truly wasn't my focus this round, but rather pushing myself to new limits with each workout and focusing really hard on cleaner eating.  This past week, I added something new to my healthy lifestyle, E & E, which is a pre-workout powder/drink which Beachbody sells.  This product is absolutely amazing.  It helps you to take you workout to an entirely new level, and "kill it" as my coach would say :-) My workouts Thursday-Sunday have been absolutely, indescribable.  I feel like it gives me an extra push and just when I think I can't give anymore I somehow manage to find it within myself to "dig deeper" and push myself harder.  Anyone looking to add something to their workouts, I TOTALLY recommend this product.

With today being Father's Day, I used this as an occasion to incorporate some of my healthy foods into our menu for today.  I love sharing healthy meals with my family.  It can be so difficult to continue to make good food choices when the holidays and family occasions roll around.  But you have to remember, this is a lifestyle.  Of course its ok to have the occasional cheat meal and to enjoy a night out, but this has become a way of life for me.  Each and every meal I eat/cook, I'm looking to maximize whatever it is that I am putting into my body.  Food is fuel for the body, so you want to make sure you are fueling it with good things.

Here's a couple healthy and very tasty side dishes from our meal today:

Black Bean Fiesta Salad:

3- tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2- tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1- garlic clove (minced)

1/2- teaspoon ground cumin

1/2- teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1- 9 oz can of black beans (low-sodium; rinsed)

1- cup corn (fresh or frozen)

2- celery stalks (diced)

1- green bell pepper (diced)

1- red bell pepper (diced)

1- red onion (diced)

In a large bowl, combine lemon juice, garlic, cumin and pepper.  Add beans, corn, celery, bell peppers, and onions.  Toss to coat.  (I let mine chill in the fridge for a couple hours, or even over night)  This is a great side dish or can be used as a snack.

164 calories; 6g total fat, 8mg cholesterol, 94mg sodium, 20g carbs, 2g fiber, 9g protein, 119mg calcium

Fresh Fruit Salad:

1-package of fresh raspberries

1-package of fresh blueberries

1- can mandarin oranges (sugar free)

4-5- kiwis (cut in quarters)

1-package of fresh strawberries (sliced)

Green or red grapes

Combine all fruit in a large serving bowl.

Tips for healthy food choices when presented with less healthier options:

Substitute a bun for lettuce or eat just the meat.

When attending a get together somewhere else, always offer to bring a dish, that way you can count on at least one thing that you can load up on your plate :)

Remember everything is moderation

Week 2 has been great. I have incorporated a few new food recipes into our menu schedule, added an edge to my workouts with the help of E&E, am using my team beach body account to track my works, and am once again seeing great results from this program.  Can't wait to see what results Fit Test brings tomorrow and what the rest of week 3 has in store.

A Whole New Mindset

So, today was day 11, cardio recovery.  I'm one of those workout til you are dripping sweat kind of people, so the change is pace itself is a little challenging for me.  However, today I went into it with a different attitude. I was not only going to use this workout to let my body "recover" from the other workouts of the week, but I needed to get some mental clarity.  I found myself really focused on my breathing, really using the whole workout to reflect on different things.  I have a tendency to let life overwhelm me way too often.  I have used working out as an outlet and a stress reliever for myself, in addition to the obvious reason of living a healthier life.  A healthy life depends on so much more than just a physically strong, healthy body.  You have to be mentally strong, and emotionally strong.
I finished my workout today with a new sense of satisfaction.  I let myself relax...I let myself breathe...I let myself really let go over all the mental baggage I carry around everyday.  When I walked out the door to go to work this morning, I felt like a completely different person.  My head felt clear, I didn't feel stressed in the least, and I left with a positive, "bring it on because nothing is going to bring me down today" type attitude.  I don't remember the last time I walked out of the house like that. (Kinda sad when you really think about it...you should never let life overwhelm you that much.)  Today made me realize that I've been missing a crucial tool in my journey to a healthier lifestyle, mental clarity and time to reflect.  Now, rather than missing the intense, fast paced workouts on recovery day, I will look at it with a whole new mindset.  Recover your body AND recover your mind.

Motivate....Inspire!!!!

Dig Deep...Push forward...Never quit!!! These phrases are a means of motivation, right???  Or is it inspiration?  I believe that motivation is self-driven.  Only YOU can motivate yourself and push yourself to accomplish your goals.  However, I believe that inspiration comes from others.  One of the best things to happen to me on my journey to a healthier lifestyle, was joining a Facebook Challenge Group....a group of women, all with the main goal of living a healthier lifestyle participating in challenges, working out daily, eating healthier... and sharing the triumphs and struggles of their own personal journey's along the way.  This group is absolutely AMAZING.  Never have I been so fortunate to be a part of something life this...watching so many people come together with a common goal and find time daily to inspire others!

Not only does the group provide inspiration but it also provides accountability. Each day you check in, each day your post the challenge exercise that you completed, and you are encouraged to share pics, meal ideas, thoughts, goals, struggles, etc....each day you succeed in one way or another.  Success and motivation go hand in hand.  When you succeed you are more motivated to keep moving forward, to keep reaching your goals. 

 It is my personal belief, that we as individuals are the source of our own motivation.  Only YOU know when you've had enough, when YOU are ready to change, and only YOU can follow through to make those changes happen. Its not something that you can be forced into.  It took me a long time to reach the point of change....I'm talking YEARS.  I finally reached my breaking point, and I've taken off running and refuse to look back.  Motivation can come and go though.  I mean think about it, when you are start a new program, its new, its exciting and creates a sense of enthusiasm inside us.  You just can't wait to get started, you are really watching your food choices, hey you may even go out and get some new workout gear :-) But once that newness wears off so can the motivation.  That's wear I believe inspiration comes in.  Surrounding yourself with others who have similar goals and visions.  Hearing their personal stories... what worked, what didn't, what they do to continue to be successful on their journey. The Facebook Challenge Group I have been so lucky to be a part of, plays a very crucial role in continuing to move forward in my journey.  These women inspire me!  They make me want to work harder, dig deeper, and push myself to new limits.  They make ME want to inspire OTHERS. I encourage everyone looking to succeed, to make this time different, to make it permanent, to join a group like this, you will NEED it.  It will become an amazing, life changing part of your journey. Challenge for the day:  INSPIRE....share YOUR story...you NEVER know who you may touch.

I think I can, I think I can!!!

  So, I'm on my second round of Insanity..today was Day 9 of round 2, and it was Pure Cardio day.  This has to be one of my favorite workouts in this program.  It leaves you covered in sweat and feeling like you really pushed yourself.  I'm one of those people who feels like I need to be dripping sweat at the end of my workout to feel truly satisified with myself and with my workout...and hands down this program delivers :-)
  After round 1 of Insanity I was pleased with my results.  I had lost weight, inches, and was feeling much better about myself.  However, when I began the program, I was SO out of shape that I didn't end it feeling completely satisfied with myself.  I felt like I still had more to give and that although I tried throughout the entire program, I had to make quite a number of modifications to make it to the finish line.  Well, in the facebook challenge group I'm in, a small group of us decided that we would all take the Insanity Challenge together.  June 3rd, started day 1 of my second round of Insanity.  I can't begin to describe how much different this time around is.  Rather than having to motivate myself each day to press play and complete my workout, I can't wait for my alarm to go off at 4:45am so that I can get started.  I am 44lbs lighter than I was the last time I did this, my stamina has increased drastically, and I'm actually able to keep up...these things combined have created an entirely new mind set for me when it comes to this program.  Don't get me wrong...this program is still MORE than a challenge for me, and I continue to have to push myself to run faster, jump higher, and try and increase my reps for the next time Fit Test day rolls around.  However, this time I accept this challenge each day with a smile on my face, and find myself wanting more.
  One of the things I like best about this program is not only that it is physically challenging, but it is mentally challenging.  It's amazing how much power and influence our mind has over us.  This time, I find myself with a new sense of confidence, drive, and an "I know I can" kind of attitude.  Mentally, when things get challenging in my life (doesn't matter which aspect of it), I find myself reverting back to a book from my childhood, "The Little Engine That Could" ,in my mind.  I find myself repeating over and over again in my head, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." During round 1, I'm pretty sure that became my motto, the way I pushed through each workout.
  This is an amazing program and I recommend it to anyone and everyone looking to not only transform their body but transform their life.  I love how this program combines cardio, plyometrics, and stretching in such an instense way!  This program truly has you pushing yourself to new limits each and everytime you push play!  It provides you with periodic Fit Tests to track progress, which is another one of the things I love.  This time around it isn't about the scale or the weight, its about mental attitude and pushing myself to new limits both physically and mentally. This time around I find that rather than pushing pause so I can catch my breath just to make it to the end,  I'm now rewinding to repeat an exercise because I feel like I could've done better, and want another shot at it.  I am thrilled to see what results await me at the end of the finish line of round 2 of Insanity...because this time rather than telling myself "I think I can, I think can", I'm telling myself "I KNOW I can, I KNOW I can!"

If you want to check out Insanity and learn more about the program, here's the link. http://teambeachbody.com/shop/-/shopping/Insanity?referringRepId=231373&tracking=cb_san_INS_160x600"><img

The Scale....Your Best Friend or Worst Enemy

  Far too often, we rely on what the scale says as our measure of progress.  As long as that number is going down, we keep plugging along and stick with the plan we have set in place.  But as soon as you step on and that number isn't what you want to see, it feels like a moment of let down.  You find yourself standing there thinking, all that work and nothing? Or even worse, I worked so hard this week and it went up?  We have a tendecy to set ourselves up with the scale.  We avoid that thing like the plague prior to making any healthy changes in our lives, but then once we start taking those steps we turn to it and rely on it as our measure for progress.  I challenge you to stop letting the scale dictate your progress to you.  Weight truly is just a number, and there are so many different factors that contribute to our body weight. (food, hormones, time of day, stress, fluid retention, lack of sleep, sodium intake, etc...)  Body weight can fluctuate up tp 5lbs in a single day.
  Its important to remember that progress is measured in SO many different ways.  How do your clothes fit? How do you feel?  Did you opt for a healthier food choice when it would've been easy to make an unhealthy one? Did you drink an extra glass of water during the day?  Don't get me wrong, when I first started I weighed in weekly, sometimes even more than once a week. But after the first 20lbs, the weight stopped coming off as quickly.  It was frustrating to get on the scale each week and feel like I had worked so hard, both physically and mentally, and I wasn't seeing results (or so I thought).  I very quickly realized that the scale and I were going to have a love/hate relationship (as it is for most people, I presume).  I have since decided that I will do bi-weekly weigh ins, but that I will use other ways to track my progress.  Each day, I push myself to add one extra something....a glass of water, a piece of fruit, an extra set of something (push-ups, squats, crunches, etc...). Push yourself a little further than the day before.
  Great alternative to the scale are before and after photos...oh how I recommend doing this.  I have to be honest, I don't have any "true" before pictures other than photos from family events.  I was so down on myself at that time that the last thing that I wanted was to take my picture like that, but boy do I regret that now.  Now whenever I start I new challenge, there are always before and after pics.  Measurements are another one, sometimes inches come off faster than the pounds...keep a measurement log.  Something I like about the insanity program is the fit test.  You do the fit test several times throughout the program (approx. 14-15 days apart).  It consists of 8 different exercises, and you see how many reps you can get in 1 min (per exercise).  What a great way to track you progress...there is a set of numbers you ALWAYS want to see increase :-)
  Now, if you just can't seem to stay away from the scale, I challenge you to set some guidelines for yourself.  Pick a specific day as your weigh in day, and always weigh in at the same time of day, as I mentioned before you body weight can fluctuate a few pounds over the course of a single day, so consistency is important.  Also, regardless of what that number says, remember it is simply ONE tool that you are using to measure your progress, not the ONLY one.  In the event that you and the scale are at odds with each other, don't just focus on the number, turn it into a positive regardless, and use it to set some kind of new goal for yourself for the next week (and it shouldn't be a weight related goal, i.e. drink more water, run/workout for 5 more minutes, extra veggies w/ dinner, go to bed a little earlier). All the small changes add up!
  Remember, this is all a process...a journey for a lifetime...and we continue to be a work in progress.

Here We Go!

  First time in the blogging world....so here goes nothing.  Welcome to my journey of a healthier lifestyle.  I made a commitment to myself at the beginning to of 2013 to make changes in my life, so that I was happier and healthier. I "thought" I had been making small changes in the proceeding months, but 12/31/12 was a wake up call.  Went to the doctor for a check up, only to find out that I was 183lbs (so thought I was less than that) and that my blood pressure was high.  That was it...that did it.  I didn't want these things to turn into chronic health problems...I didn't want to miss out on things with my children, or be setting bad examples for them.  I decided that my New Year's Resolution was to change my lifestyle.  Now let's be serious, how many of us have pledged as our New Year's Resolution to work out, or eat better, or lose weight???  I know I sure have...countless times, and each time resulted in temporary results, and then MAJOR setbacks. Not only would I gain back what I had lost but I would add a little more to that number.  This time had to be different.  Everything I used to try was off the table...so to the drawing board I went.  The first issue I had to address was my horrible eating habits....decided at this point, it was time for some drastic changes.  Gave up coffee, soda, candy, fast food...you name it, GONE!!!  Now, I'd like to say that was easy, but my God was that a tough one, coffee especially.  I knew in my heart that I coffee would make its way back around, but in the beginning I took everything off the table...because it wasn't the coffee necessarily that was the issue it was all that cream and sugar, you know all that stuff that makes it taste so good that is the problem.  Those first couple weeks were a killer...needless to say, I probably should've issued a disclaimer to everyone when I started this to just steer clear of me for a couple weeks :-)
   Next choice, which kind of exercise/workout should I use??? A friend of mine had a lot of success with the  insanity program, so I thought hey that sounds great.  My kind friend let me borrow her dvds and everything...I'm thinking this is great, at least I'm not spending an arm and leg.  For anyone who has done this program, you know Day 1 starts with a fit test, well that dvd was not in the set for some reason, so she advised me to just start it following the schedule.  Day 1...pushed play....5 minutes in (still in the warm), I'm dripping sweat, trying to catch my breath, and thinking "Holy crap, what did I get myself into."  Now of course, I told everyone and their mother who would listen to me that I was doing insanity...I did this for two reasons, one, because I was really excited to try something new, and two, I knew it would make me be accountable.  Accountability, a VERY crucial step in this process.  So....giving up just wasn't an option.  It was time to truly "dig deep" and push myself to limits I never have before. I have to say at this point, I was frustrated and disappointed in myself...I was so mad at myself for letting things get as out of control as they had.  I was frustrated that this person who use to be an athlete, could barely make it through 5 minutes of a workout.  I wasn't going to give up, I was going to find that girl who used to train so hard, who wouldn't give up, who always fought back when challenges presented themselves...I knew she was still in there somewhere...it was just a matter of finding her.
 I can say with a smile on my face, I did make it through it...with LOTS of modifications and probably a few more "rests" in between than what the program called for.  But to me, the important thing was, I didn't give up.  I saw it through to the end, and I accomplished something.  By the time I finished, I had lost 19lbs and gone from in between a size 12-14, to a size 10.  I told myself, I really CAN do this...not only had I lost weight, but I felt better.  My energy level was up, my stress level was down (or maybe I was just coping with the stress better because I found a new, better way to deal with it rather than turning to food) and I was truly feeling better about myself.  I decided it was time to set new goals....that the thing about changing your lifestyle, you are ALWAYS setting new goals.  This isn't a diet...there's no expiration date or time limit...its all a work in progress.
  So speaking of progress....I made the commitment in January to change my lifestyle.  It is now June.  I have lost a total of 44lbs, gone from a in between a size 12-14 pants to a size 6 (but I'll be honest, some of those more fitted jeans I could still use an 8 in, afterall, just because you can get them buttoned doesn't necessarily means they fit.)  I have joined a Facebook challenge group that my sister-in-law, well not yet, but she might as well be :), started and it has been amazing.  She was actually the one who encouraged me to start this blog.  So to Kristen, I owe you much more than a thank you.  You are an amazing coach and an amazing friend.  Motivating me and so many others to continue to make positive changes in our lives.  You make this journey with all of us, find ways to push us, and are beyond supportive.  This challenge group is the first time in a LONG time, I have found a group of women who are truly positive and inspirational.  This group keeps me going. For this month's challenge, I am currently back on the insanity program....just completed week 1, and its so different this time!  No modifications, no extra rests, and I find myself wanting and craving more when I'm done.  Don't get me wrong, its not easy an easy work and by no means have I mastered it, but I just love the sense of accomplishment when I finishing one of the workouts.
  As I said before this is a change for a lifetime....and I'm still a work in progress...until the next time!