But what does healthy mean to me? Instead of choosing a specific weight, I have decided to make a healthy BMI my goal, which means it must be under 25. I began at a BMI of 32, and decided to give myself a full year to lose the weight.
The First 30 Days
I started with Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I made a commitment to do her video every day for 30 days back in May. I've heard that anything you do for 21 days becomes a habit. If I can really work out every day, maybe this will become a habit for me. (Secretly I didn't believe working out would ever become something I would enjoy to do, but I was hoping for the best!)
I also committed to using www.myfitnesspal.com daily to record my calories. Eating 1400 calories per day seemed nearly impossible. Instead of switching to fat-free and sugar free, though, I made the decision to eat "clean". I wanted to cook the same food for my children and my husband that I was going to eat. This had to be a long-term thing for me, so a complete renovation of our pantry and fridge began back in April.
After The Initial 30 Days
After I successfully completed the 30 Day Shred, I noticed a very strange thing: I actually wanted to workout daily! I ordered Jillian's Ripped in 30 next. Then it was Beachbody's TurboJam, and then I even began the Couch 2 5K program!
I've brought my calories down to 1200 daily, and try to exercise every day, or at least 5 times a week. I've also read Made to Crave by Lysa Terkherst, and completed her 21 Day Devotional three times! I discovered that I had a food addiction, and that I have to fight it. Filling up on whole foods like organic fruits and veggies, and trying new healthy recipes that my entire family enjoys has changed my life! I finally have freedom in my eating! Diet IS a four-letter word. I am not on a specific diet, other than counting calories.
We eat healthy food. Do I "cheat" and eat "bad" things every now and then? YES! I haven't restricted anything 100% from my diet. If I eat a cupcake, I work out extra, or watch my calories a little closer the next day. This is what has set me free from my food addiction. If I am "allowed" to have whatever I want in moderation, I don't crave the "bad" stuff anymore!
At the end of August, I signed up to be a Team Beachbody coach, and now I'm preparing to become a certified personal trainer. This is the same girl who never played sports in school and who sat on the couch watching exercise videos instead of doing them! No longer, though. I tell people, "It's like a crazy fitness lady has invaded my body and I'm NOT letting her out."
The Results
So it's been 6 months and this is what I have accomplished:
- Completed 30 Day Shred (twice).
- Completed Ripped in 30.
- Completed 23 days of Turbo Jam.
- Completed 3 different 30 Day Challenges with friends.
- Brought my BMI from 32 to 27.
- Lost 38 pounds and 8" off my waist (!!).
- Brought my percent of body fat from 45% to 28%.
- Changed my eating habits and drastically transformed my entire family's eating habits.
- Run 2.8 miles in 30 minutes (on an elliptical).
Your Challenge
I'm here to tell you that if I can lose weight and be successful working out, you can too! Join me in this journey...make a commitment to spend the next 30 days eating less and working out (even just 20 minutes a day). I promise you will see results! If you are willing to accept this challenge, comment on this post and let me know.
