Challenge Results and Overall Progress

     November 24th, 2014 marked the end of the 12-week transformation challenge that I was a part of with No Excuse Moms.  It was an interesting experience overall, and I am so glad that I participated!  The challenge was a contest, and had many amazing women that were awarded cash prizes.  You can take a look and find inspiration in each of their transformation stories if you visit the No Excuse Mom webpage.
     While I didn't win a cash prize or anything like that, I did gain so much from taking on the challenge.  I am sharing my transformation story here, along with pictures showing progress.  I took a moment to put me at one of my heavier weights from Dec 2010 next to my before (Aug 2014) and after (Nov 2014) pictures from the transformation challenge.  You will see quite a change!  I am excited for how far I have come!

     Here is my transformation story as submitted to judges for the challenge:

     For many years I’ve fought a war with health and fitness.  While I never had extreme weight gain, I wasn’t happy with the reflection in the mirror.  I fought a yo-yoing battle of gaining and losing weight, starting and stopping exercise plans, and going between feeling confident and feeling down.  My heaviest, non-pregnancy, weight was 138lbs on my 5’1” frame.  I knew I needed to be healthy and fit, but it wasn’t sticking.  Typically I started with excitement, stuck with it temporarily, and then something knocked me astray.  Instead of bouncing back, I said “screw it,” and found myself months down the road, spiraling back into bad feelings. 

     On top of my internal battle, people looked at me and asked why I was concerned with weight.  I thought that maybe they were right; maybe I wasn't being grateful for what I had.  However, I was the one seeing what they couldn't see beneath my clothes.  I felt guilty for wanting to improve, yet deep down I wanted change.  I began to lose weight and had gotten down to 125lbs when I found out I was pregnant in June 2013.  I was determined to have a healthy, active pregnancy.  I did well, and within 2 weeks postpartum I was back to pre-pregnancy weight.  With activity, healthy nutrition, and help from breastfeeding, I got to 110lbs. 

     Enter the 12-week challenge.  After finally tackling the weight, I knew I had the opportunity for more.  I could focus on consistency with the healthy lifestyle, and reach for goals hidden deep inside.  The night I decided to do the challenge I sat crying as I talked to my husband.  I didn’t want to admit that my goal was to have a defined, fit, and strong body.  Part of me felt like I didn’t deserve it, and feelings of being ungrateful crept back.  With his support I decided the challenge was what I desperately needed.  My goals were to create a consistent, healthy lifestyle so afterward I could focus on building and defining muscle.  I knew that I would struggle if I didn’t get my attitude and mind in the right place. 

 

     What an amazing ride!  I started out strong and excited, had bumps in the road that tried to derail me, and through it all I did better than expected!  I exercise more often than before, and my nutrition has improved by planning my treats.  The biggest battle was not physical, but mental.  I fought through excuses, and wanting to quit.  Sometimes I skipped a workout, but I bounced back quicker than before.  The biggest breakthrough was in week 11.  I realized treats that were no big deal before made me sick, so sick that I skipped my workout.  Not only does my body prefer healthy foods, for the first time in my life I was sad to miss a workout.  At 9 months postpartum, primarily I’ve gained confidence.  I made great progress and look forward to reaching my next goal!

 

     It was great to write out my progress, because it helped me to acknowledge how far I have come.  Truly the biggest battle I have fought was within.  Doing this has proven that I can follow through on what I set my mind to.  That gives me even more confidence, which propels me on to the next challenge.  I am currently trying a new program by adding resistance bands and allowing that to help take me to the next level.  My Nov 2014 pictures are my new before pics!  We have been told that in January they will be starting another 12-week challenge.  I will be joining again to help keep my momentum going.  I'll post when it starts up, and hope there are others that want to join in too!

 

All the best,

OkieGal

 

Overthinking and Me

     Confession time, I can be quite the over thinker.  In the last week I was over-analyzing things so badly that I actually began to analyze my over-analysis!  That's quite impressive if I do say so myself.  The challenge with this is that it brought on my anxiety about the end of the 12-week transformation challenge. 
     I was spinning, as my husband affectionately calls it.  I was thinking and talking on and on about what I would do next after the challenge to keep the momentum going.  I was over-analyzing it to the point that I was getting nowhere fast. 
     What's funny is that when I stopped and decided to take action instead of just thinking about it, I finally got past it.  I first asked myself, would I be able to go to the gym or would I be working out at home?  The answer for me at this time is still at home.  So then I thought, what do I have here at home that I could use?  Resistance bands!  We have a whole set from when we did P90X.  Then I did a quick Google search for resistance band workout plans, and found a couple of options.  Within 5 minutes I chose one I will be trying.  If you want to take a look, it is here on Bodybuilding.com.  I printed it out, and by doing so I was no longer anxious about the next round.  Combining this new workout program with my DDP Yoga DVDs, I believe I will progress even more.

     I will write more about the end of this 12-week challenge tomorrow.  I spent some time today writing my transformation story, which I'll share here.  I also have to take my final pictures and measurements.  I've enjoyed this despite the ups and downs.  I've learned a lot and now that I have a plan for my next stage, I feel so much better.  I believe that my brain was throwing up excuses and fears to put another bump in my path.  The key is to recognize those things for what they are, and get out of the overthinking by making a decision and taking action.
     I look forward to tomorrow.  It is not only the close of this stage, it is the beginning of my next stage to reaching my ultimate targets!

All the best,
OkieGal

Is It Really Week 6?

     The last week has been an absolute rollercoaster.  My trip to California was bittersweet, and I made it back to Kansas just in time to turn around and begin a drive to Oklahoma.  This is when life happened and in the past it would be knocking me off track.

 

     I'll be completely honest, for the last week as I said goodbye to my dear friend Jessie, and then went to Oklahoma to speak at a ladies' Bible study, I didn't really think much about the transformation challenge.  When I left for the airport that Saturday, I had a feeling it would be difficult to stay on track.  I was talking to my husband about it yesterday, and determined that it would do me no good to retroactively track my nutrition for that week.  There's nothing that could be done about it at this point, and it would just leave me feeling bad.
     Instead, I have decided to focus on moving forward.  This week is about rebuilding a sense of normal for me.  On one hand, I feel guilty doing that.  On the other, I know that it's something I need to do.  The only way I can truly honor Jessie is through striving for my dreams and loving the life I've been given.

 

     I have learned that in very stressful situations, my eating is non-existent.  I did a mental check of what I ate while on my trip to California, and it wasn't much.  Sometimes it was because of circumstances like trying to make a connecting flight, and other times it was just the fact that I didn't even think about it.  In contrast, my Oklahoma trip was less stressful, and I was wanting to eat more comfort foods.  I feel like the two trips balanced each other out in that regard.
     I did do my progress photos, and will post them here.  I am not seeing huge differences yet, I do feel a difference though.  The trips reminded me of that.  When I am eating well and staying active, I feel so much better.  Just doing a short workout last night helped me stretch out.  I will persevere. 
     While I don't feel like I failed, the quote above is still a good kick in the pants.  Keep going.  That's what I have to keep telling myself.  It's about getting back into it more quickly than I did the last time.  Instead of letting myself be thrown off and wake up 3 months later wondering why I couldn't keep it up, I am back after a week.  That's progress, and that's what this is all about. 

All the best,
OkieGal

 

 

The Voices Return

     It is so odd.  With my workouts I have been rolling along fine, and then today it was just tough.  I was 10 minutes in, and all I wanted to do was stop.  It was a mental battle the whole time.  I had to keep telling myself to make it a few more minutes, a constant personal pep talk for the entirety of the workout.  The important point is that I finished it.
     I am to the point in my workout program that it is getting more challenging.  This is the last week that has more than one rest day allotted.  So we're really ramping up.  I believe subconsciously that my fears are creeping in, and so my brain is saying, "abort, abort!"  I'm getting to the difficult part, and it's getting real.  The goals that I have set are before me, and the fear is coming strong.  That little voice that thinks I can't really accomplish it, and thinks that I'm going fail is trying to make itself heard. 
    

    
     Times like this, I remind myself that I am capable of this goal.  It is about releasing the potential within.  I have the strength within me, it is about putting the work in to let it shine.  It will not be easy.  That is what will make the accomplishment so much more exciting to obtain.  By working hard and pushing through these challenges, I will appreciate the progress all the more. 
     It was a tough workout from a mental perspective.  I finished it, and I'm better for it.

All the best,
OkieGal

Wrapping Up Week 3

     Three weeks of the 12-week transformation challenge done!  Even with some rough points in the week, I finished strong!  It has been interesting to find out which of my focus areas are coming along and which are still a work in progress.  I am really impressed with how well the infused water pitcher is helping me keep up my water intake.  I have had above 70oz for nearly two weeks now, and most days are closer to 100oz!  That is a huge improvement from my past bests of around 40oz in a day!  I will say that the weekends are more of a struggle for me when it comes to this focus, and so I will be more intentional about it on the weekends moving forward.

 

 

     From a mental perspective, the fight over doing my workouts is diminishing.  I had no trouble jumping right back into it today after my rest day.  I still need to work through the physical aspects.  My body is still working through the transition from not working out to having a consistent workout regime.  Just keep going, and I know it'll continue to get better.

     One of my focuses is to be more thoughtful about my treats and to choose healthy food options.  I have found that by planning my treat meal in advance, I am less tempted to have treats the rest of the week.  I had set in my mind that it would be Saturday, and so we went out and had a great time.  It was part of the plan, so I didn't feel guilty.  This week we had Mi Ranchito, which is one of the Mexican restaurants in the area.  Had chips & salsa, cheese dip, and a great dinner.  We then went for dessert to a new place that opened up, Smallcakes Creamery.  Smallcakes is a cupcake shop and the creamery is a new concept store for them.  They basically take their cupcake flavors and put them into the form of ice cream.  I took a picture to prove I did indeed have a treat!  Two of my favorite flavors of their cupcakes are the Caramel Crunch and the Red Velvet.  Naturally, I got them both in a waffle bowl.  It was awesome!  When you plan your treat, consider them!  :)

 

 

     The other thing about the treats that is interesting, I don't want them during the week.  I had the dinner and the ice cream last night, and I was ready to eat healthy again.  I felt bloated and sluggish at the end of the night.  I don't regret my treat.  I just feel like my body is getting more and more used to the healthy options.  It actually wants them more often over the junk than it used to.  When I do have to grab a quick bite out, I'm making better choices.  That is great progress! 

     On the sleep front, this is definitely a work in progress.  I was in bed around 1 am last night.  Between the bloated feeling from the treat and the late night, my day started rough today.  As I ate well and got active I noticed I felt better.  Getting sleep is going to be important for me.  I may have to start writing it on my calendar to keep it top of mind.  That seems to be working for my workouts, treats, and water consumption. 

     I am excited and nervous for next week's measurements and progress pics.  I am feeling a difference, and it will be interesting to see if it shows when I check in! 

 

All the best,

OkieGal   



Nutrition Revelation

     This week has been an improvement when it comes to nutrition for me.  I have gotten within striking distance of my calorie goal, and am doing better on the ratios too!  I'm still feeling some aches here and there, yet have continued to stick with the workouts.  I've been modifying if needed to avoid truly injuring myself.  The infused water pitcher has been a great way for me to consistently get my ounces in.  The main area with some progress still needed is getting to bed & to sleep at a more reasonable hour.  I've improved here, just need to continue that focus.
     I mentioned before that my need to focus on overall health had, in part, to do with the fact that I have been told by the doctor several times that my cholesterol was high.  This is still the case, in addition there is another reason that nutrition has become a greater focus for me.  That reason is Chickpea.  From very early on, Chickpea was showing great interest in the activity of eating.  He enjoys watching us eat.  He thought it was funny at first, and then became more interested in what we were doing.  He wanted to try it to!

 

     This made me think about what I was modeling for him.  I knew that I wanted him to try real foods.  I had planned to make his food for several reasons.  One is that it would be easier to just make extra of foods we were already buying.  Two is that it's cheaper.  Three, I want Chickpea to get a taste of real food before anything that has been packaged or processed is introduced.  Fourth, it's easy and cheap! 
     I got myself something quick one day, and Chickpea was showing interest.  I sat there and thought, "I would love to share from my plate, but how can I do that when I'm not eating the things that he can or should eat?"  It made me think about what I was modeling and what I want him to see and do.
     Now that I'm getting my nutrition on track, I feel much better about what I'm showing him.  He will also see that it's fun to have a treat from time to time.  That's the point.  I'll be giving him an example of a balanced look at food.  He will have the opportunity to appreciate healthy foods, and also still be a kid and have a treat here and there. 
     I am learning a lot and really thinking about why I do what I do.  It became obvious now that Chickpea is here, I had to adjust what I am doing nutritionally.  Not just to make sure I am here for him for as long as possible, but also to make sure I am giving him the best example I can of a healthy, balanced life.

All the best,
OkieGal

Transition

     After a rough start to the week, yesterday and today have been better.  Chickpea was in rare form today, but it was nothing too crazy.  He mostly is wanting to explore and wiggle around, and he is still working on the whole mobility thing.  It ends up being a pretty funny combination.  He finds the most interesting ways to get around.  When he wasn't playing or wiggling near me, he insisted on clinging to me.  He finally got his wiggles out and is snoozing away.
     Today is a rest day for the DDP Yoga program, so I decided to get Chickpea out of the house.  He got a stroller ride to the park down the road and we did a few laps before coming back home.  It was a total of about 30 minutes, and while it was overcast the humidity helped get me sweating.  I opted for a quick paced walk today instead of jogging.  My knees need a bit of a break, and my goal was just to be moving, and ultimately give Chickpea a change of scenery for awhile.
     I feel like I'm falling into familiar territory with my workout.  While this is week 3 of the transformation challenged, I am on week 8 of the DDP Yoga advanced schedule.  The schedule is 13 weeks long, so I'm in the last half of it.  This is a time period with most workouts that I start to really feel it in my body.  I'm not injured, I am just sore.  My joints are achy and overall tired.  I know this is my body adjusting to it all.  In the past, this is also about the time I'd start letting up.  I would take more rest days until I wasn't doing much of anything.  Then I'd be right back where I started.

     I'm having to remind myself to keep going.  I'm glad that I'm still in the early part of the 12 week challenge while this feeling is hitting me.  I believe that it will give me the push I need to make it through this part of my workout journey.  I am going to apply something I learned from the labor and delivery process.  There's a portion of labor called "transition," and in my childbirth class we talked about it being the part where I would feel like I couldn't do it anymore and want to give up.  Having those feelings meant that I was almost ready to push.  It was remembering this concept that helped me get through transition and to pushing without asking for pain meds (my goal was a natural, pain med free childbirth, as long as baby and I were healthy.  Technically didn't have it natural since I was induced and they used Pitocin, but I did get through without pain meds).  I need to remember that my body is transitioning from not working out regularly to having fitness be part of my regular schedule.  I have to give myself a chance to fight through it.  Just keep going.
     This is where taking it one day at a time helps make it all manageable.  Day by day, I will continue this journey, and I will make progress!

All the best,
OkieGal
      

A Case of the Mondays

     What a day!  Today was just rough.  I woke up with a headache, and I can feel the tension in the base of my head/neck has built up.  I am not a fan of this, just because I know it has lead to migraines for me in the past.  Add on top of that the fact that Chickpea was also having some fussy time today, and it just made it difficult.  I also discovered that several of the produce items that I had purchased on Saturday have mold on them, so I was none too thrilled about that.  To give a visual, late in the afternoon my husband comes home from the gym.  He walks in and Chickpea is in the play yard crying, and I'm sitting in the chair next to it eating my lunch with tears rolling too.  Honestly, I think Chickpea was sensing my tension and also he was having tummy issues.  Long story short, it was just "ugh!"
     The evening was a lot better, and I found myself looking forward to my workout.  This hasn't been the case previously.  I was looking at it as a stress relief, and a way to end the day on track.  It felt good to stretch out, and I have the good after workout high to help my headache as well.
     During the early evening, I was playing on the floor with Chickpea.  He is working on crawling right now, and I noticed he has a pattern when he's learning something new.  Long before he can physically do the action (whether it is rolling over or crawling), you can tell he wants to do it so bad.  He tries and tries and gets so frustrated that he's not doing what he knows he wants to do.  He'll get so frustrated that he will just lay on the floor, arms folded with his head down.  He may not realize it yet, but he is so close to his break through.  He soon will have the physical motions down, and be able to accomplish his goal.  Watching him do this, I know he has to feel that frustration first.  Once he hits the frustration, it will drive him to do more.  Once he gets that drive, he accomplishes the action he wants to take.  If he reacts like he did with rolling over, he will also be seen showing great joy in his success.  Then he'll be onto the next thing to learn.

     This made me think about myself.  One of my several motivations for challenging myself is to be better for Chickpea.  He watches me, and I want him to see a confident Mama that shows him balance in life.  Eating healthy, while allowing for treats.  Working hard, while celebrating my accomplishments.  Appreciating who I am, while always striving to be even better.  Helping others, while also taking care of myself.  Living a life focused on the Lord.
     I also remembered that I am learning a lot from him.  I will have frustrations in life, and I may need to cry it out.  At the end of the day though, I will pick up and try again.  I will keep going, and I will be determined to accomplish my goals.  I will also celebrate the successes I have, no matter how small.  Then choose the next action to learn more about, and do it.
     I must remember it is about progress.  While today had a rough start, it is what I did with it that mattered.  I celebrate the lesson that Chickpea taught me today, and I will celebrate with him when he accomplishes his own goal!

All the best,
OkieGal 

Wrapping Up Week 2

     Another week has come to a close for my transformation challenge, and I am happy with how it is going so far!  Currently I am enjoying watching my Sooners on TV after having my treat meal for the week.  Burger, fries, and ice cream for dessert.  It was glorious!  It's funny how after eating healthy through the week, the treat is quite a shock to the system.  I enjoy the treat, but I find myself ready to eat healthy again afterwards.  The best of both worlds!

     Overall things are going well.  My water intake is progressing.  Today I got off to a slow start.  I still will have had more water than I used to, so it's been great progress for me.  I completed all my planned workouts, and only cut one short this week.  Again, progress.  My nutrition goals suffered a little bit when we were running out of groceries late in the week.  I got a Costco membership using a Living Social deal, and replenished our supplies today.  It is a step in the right direction for setting me up for progress in this area.
     I am already starting to notice muscle building in my legs, booty, and abs.  My husband mentioned the other day that he was noticing slight definition in my pec muscles as well.  I've been doing a lot of planks and push ups! 
     For this upcoming week, I will work to continue my momentum with water consumption and workout consistency.  I want to give special attention to my nutrition to get more consistency with it.  I also will be working to get more sleep.  This is always easier said than done with a 7 month old in the house.  I feel like it will help me have more energy and get better results overall.

 

     I am thankful for all that I have in my life.  Especially those around me that have been so supportive.  It is a difficult process to look inside yourself and admit to changes that need to be made in your life.  It has been very important to have my husband, my accountability partner, the ladies of the No Excuse Moms groups, and many others that have continued to cheer me on.  This is so much more than a physical transformation for me.  It is building consistency in my life that will bring even more confidence in myself.  Thank you!

All the best,
OkieGal

 

Infusing Water For The Win

     The last couple of days have had some good progress.  The infused water pitcher I ordered arrived on Monday.  I immediately opened it up and washed it.  I added some strawberries to it, filled it with water, and let it infuse over night.  I was excited to give it a try Tuesday, and filled my water bottle from the pitcher.  I'm happy to say that it met expectations!  I enjoyed the light taste of strawberry in my water.  It was also successful from a water consumption perspective.  I didn't have to remember how many times I refilled my water bottle, I could see how much I had left by the water level in the pitcher.  I successfully got through the whole pitcher in one day!  That is 93oz! 

      That's a definite step in the right direction!  Today is the second day of using the pitcher method, and I'm happy to say that I am on my last 16oz of the pitcher!  It's been interesting to see how my body has reacted so far.  Of course there are more frequent bathroom trips, but I'm told that calms down after my body gets used to the new water intake level.  Another thing I've noticed is that the more I drink water, the more water I want.  It's like my body is saying, "hey, I like this stuff!  I want more!"  I went over my 93oz goal on Tuesday because of this fact.  The last thing I noticed as a breastfeeding mom, I was a lot fuller this morning.  I won't go further into it other than to say it was not a side effect I expected!  lol
    

 

     This is good progress for me.  My goal is to keep the momentum, and take it one day at a time.  It's overwhelming to think about drinking all this water every day from now on.  If I only think about it one day at a time, it doesn't seem like such an obstacle to overcome.  I'll be interested to see what other things I begin to notice as I continue to stay hydrated.  I'm also excited to try new flavor combinations and keep the water interesting.  We shall see!

 

All the best,

OkieGal

     

Let Your Light Shine

     When I first picked the blog back up at the beginning of the transformation challenge, I mentioned a journey that I started back in January of 2013 (you can read that post here).  I wanted to take at least another post to dive into that journey. 
     As I mentioned before, I had reached a point where I was sick and tired.  It's kind of odd to say, because it's not like I was desperately unhappy.  I'm married to my best friend, I have a nice home, live in a nice neighborhood, have a stable job, and am blessed.  While I had those things, I couldn't help but feel like there had to be more.  In reality, I knew, deep down, that I was (and still am) capable of so much more than I was giving in my life.  I believe that it is possible to be content (defined as "in a state of peaceful happiness"), and still strive to better yourself.
     For me, I felt like I was not doing all that I could with what God had given me.  I was capable of being an even better wife, daughter, sister, friend, employee, co-worker, and servant of God.  In short, I love who I am and what I have in my life, and I want to be even better for myself and those around me.

      I had come to a place that I knew I wanted more for myself, yet I didn't know how to go about it.  I joined that call (Call2Action), and something wonderful happened.  I was reminded that within me is so much potential, and I have a lot to offer.  I learned more about how my mind works, and with that knowledge I am able to better understand myself.  Getting what you want from life doesn't have to be overly complicated.  It's about making small shifts in your life, and taking action. 
     They reminded me the importance of letting my light shine.  A shining light is not about being complacent or comfortable.  To shine, "to be bright with reflected light; glisten; sparkle," or "to excel or be conspicuous."  In order to shine, I need to stand out and show my capabilities.  
     It is about being thankful for who I am, and strive to progress in all areas of my life.  It's about respecting myself, and knowing that hiding my potential does nothing for anyone.  I am capable of so much physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.   
     It has been so empowering to take ahold of my journey, make decisions, take action, and progress towards the life that I want for myself and my family.  Especially now that I am a mother, I want my son (and any future children) to have an example in me of how to live a happy and fulfilled life being the best you can be.   

All the best,
OkieGal

P.S.  If you're interested, Michael Bernoff recently did a free call where he talked about what he called "The 90 Day Deal."  It was a different way at looking at obtaining things that you want in your life.  I found it to be a great call, especially as I prepared for this challenge.  If you want to take a listen to it, check it out here. 

A Revelation About Stress

     What a day!  I was just not feeling it at all today.  Chickpea woke up several times last night, which is not normal for him.  I think he's having a growth spurt or something because he also wanted to eat a lot today.  He was tired, I was tired, and it was just a more challenging day than normal.  I woke up with a headache, but it seemed to subside after I got breakfast.  We went to church, and after we got home it was just one mess after another.  I will spare any details and just say that we ended up with impromptu bath time this afternoon and a load of laundry to be done. 
     Overall I was feeling a bit grumpy and tired.  Just felt stressed.  In the midst of all this I did become aware of several things about myself.  First of all, I am proud to say that while the DDP Yoga schedule allowed for an optional rest day, I opted to do a workout.  I knew I'd feel better after doing it.  I just finished, and can say that I'm glad I did it!  I feel more relaxed and will have a much easier time getting to sleep, assuming Chickpea lets me stay that way! 
     The other thing I learned is that when I get stressed, I start thinking about all those comfort foods that tempt me.  This gets even worse when I am feeling very hungry.  It starts a spiral to where it impacts my decision making, state of mind, etc.  I have a tendency to be hypoglycemic, meaning that when they made the candy bar commercials about "you're not yourself when you're hungry," they were describing me!  Add these symptoms to stress, and you have a perfect storm leading me to less than optimal food choices.  Luckily by this point hubby had come home from work, and was able to make me a quick protein shake to help get me out of the "hangry" situation. 

 

     The revelation about how stress impacts my food choices is a great one.  Now that I'm aware of it, I can give myself healthy alternatives to those comfort foods.  For example, I usually find some sort of potato sounds awesome when I'm in this state of mind.  That's not necessarily a bad thing.  I love sweet potatoes too, and that could be a great alternative.  It would give the comfort food vibe, without killing my nutrition goals.  Another option is to choose to allow myself a treat.  In today's situation, I didn't want to burn my treat for the week on the first day.  That's the beauty of it, I gain so much by becoming aware of my thought processes.  I can begin to think through what is really going on, recognize it for what it is, and then make a choice based on what I know my goals are and the information in front of me. 
     In the past, I would have more easily said "screw it," and ended up diverting off my path.  Then that diversion would give way to more, and then I'm nowhere near the path I really want to be on.  Now I see the situation for what it is, own that situation, and then make a decision.  Today I chose to stay on the path.  That's a huge win for me!

All the best,
OkieGal

Where I've Been & Where I'm Going

     Today didn't start out quite as planned, so I am posting this evening instead of in the morning.  We had major thunderstorms, which proceeded to wake my Chickpea up earlier than normal!  Oh well, we have made it through another day, and I'm ready to share today's topic!
     As promised, I'm sharing my goals for the 12-week transformation contest!  Before talking about where I'm going, I wanted to share where I've been.  I will say before I start, that this is just my history.  It's not right or wrong, it just is.  I have never really cared about the scale, and tend to go off of how my clothes fit to determine where I'm at physically.  The main reason I knew my weight through the years was either because of doctor's appointments or because I was tracking a starting point before a fitness routine. 
     About 2008 is where I can really remember the rollercoaster of weight loss and gain beginning for me.  I would be doing well for awhile, and then get discouraged and say "forget it" in my mind.  In December of 2010, I was preparing to do P90X with my husband.  We took before pictures and did measurements, and I weighed in at 130 lbs.  I did see some results, and then I injured my knee before I could complete the whole program. 

Dec 2010 at 130lbs vs Aug 2014 (6.5 months post partum) at 110lbs

       Fast forward a bit and I reached my heaviest of 138 lbs.  In early 2013 I got active again with more consistency.  I joined karate, and was training for the Warrior Dash 5K.  I lost weight and got down to 125 lbs.  I then learned I was pregnant in late June of 2013.  I was determined to stay fit and active during the pregnancy.  My main goal was healthy me and healthy baby, and I also wanted to do a natural, pain med free childbirth.

Dec 2010 at 130lbs vs Apr 2014 (7 weeks post partum) at 120lbs vs Aug 2014 (6.5 months post partum) at 110lbs

 

     After 2 failed glucose tests, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and put on a strict diet.  My midwife said I didn't just fail the test, my numbers were the worst she'd seen in a long time!  She was willing to let me try to control blood sugar with diet, but if I couldn't I would be on medication or need insulin injections.  Long story short, I was able to control blood sugar levels with diet alone, and maintained an active lifestyle.  I was not worried about weight while pregnant, because that's part of the deal.  They were keeping track though, so I know my max weight during pregnancy was 140lbs.  I had to be induced using a low dose of Pitocin due to low fluid levels, but was still able to labor and deliver pain med free! 

Dec 2010 at 130lbs vs Apr 2014 (7 weeks post partum) at 120lbs vs Aug 2014 (6.5 months post partum) at 110lbs

 

     The nutrition I needed to maintain through the pregnancy is part of what I believe helped in my quick recovery.  While I wasn't focused on losing weight at all, I found myself back to pre-pregnancy weight 2 weeks post partum.  This, I believe, is due in part to how my body reacted to breastfeeding.  I took before photos again at 7 weeks post partum to get ready to work out again, this time using DDP Yoga (since it is low impact).  I ran the 2014 Warrior Dash 5K at 10 weeks post partum.

Dec 2010 at 130lbs vs Aug 2014 (6.5 months post partum) at 110lbs

 

     I then decided to focus in on my transition from being a new Mom to being a working new Mom, so paused my workouts.  About a month ago I started up the workouts again and really began to think about what I wanted.  After all these years, I had gotten the weight off.  Now what do I really want?  As mentioned in previous posts, I want a healthy, strong, and fit physique.  I want to build muscle and have definition where I can see the results of my hard work.
     This brings me to why I joined the transformation challenge.  Transformation is not just about weight loss.  For some it is, and that's an awesome reason to begin the challenge.  For me, it is about transforming into the athletic build that deep down I've always wanted.  So my goals are not centered around weight loss, they are around building muscle.

Here are the 6 focuses I have set for the next 12 weeks to help me get on the right path towards reaching my ultimate goal. 
Consistently and intentionally:
     - Improve my mental attitude towards health and fitness
     - Choose healthy food options
     - Choose to complete my workouts
     - Drink water
     - Make sleep a priority
     - Thoughtfully allow myself treats.

     When the 12 week challenge is complete, I will then reassess where I am.  What is working?  What can be improved?  What more do I need to learn to help me get what I want?  Then I will start the process over again.  In short, continuous improvement.
     At the end of the day, it is about me becoming an even better version of myself.  I am proud of who I am, where I've come from, and what I've learned about myself along the way.  It takes dedication and consistency to make this lifestyle a part of who I am.  I am not perfect, and I will make mistakes.  I want to prove to myself that I am the person that can follow through and reach for what it is that I want.  It is something that I am applying specifically to fitness in this case, and the concepts will transfer to other parts of my life as well.   

All the best,
OkieGal

My Transformation is Mine Alone

     Today is Day 1 of the transformation challenge!  Last night my hubby took measurements for me and we also took my before pictures, which I am posting below with much nervousness.

 

     I keep reminding myself that my transformation is mine, and mine alone. The reminders are necessary as I keep hearing those old, familiar voices in my mind. They make me question myself and wonder what other people will think. They ask me "why are you even doing this?"  They tell me that my transformation won't be as dramatic as others', so why even try?  They ask me "how would feel if I fail, and everyone knows it?"

     I'm fighting those thoughts, and will prove them wrong. You see, my transformation is about me now compared to me in the future. I should not compare mine to others' journeys. They have their own. I will still celebrate in their successes and be understanding of their struggles. I just need to also celebrate my own successes and fight through my own struggle. A dramatic change for someone else has no impact on my transformation, other than to serve as motivation and inspiration. Someone else's journey does not diminish my own, nor does mine diminish theirs.  We all have our own journey and own transformation through that journey. 

     This point of view is what I am working toward. I still struggle with it as I type it here. I know it's true, and I believe it. I am working on shifting it from something I know, to thoughts that are part of who I am.

     There is more than a physical transformation at work for me. My mind tries to work against me. It is easier to stay where I am, and so my mind tries to trick me into staying there, comfortable.  Now is the time to make small shifts in my life to reach for what I really want, and achieve it. 

     I am taking it one day at a time. For my workouts, I am on week 6 of the 13 week advanced DDP Yoga schedule. I will also be adding in walks/jogs with my son, aka Chickpea, in the jogging stroller. The DDP Yoga plan takes me through 8 weeks of the transformation contest, so I found a 4 week program online that is patterned after what Gina Carano does.  This gives me 8 weeks to warm up for that mentally, and get any equipment or accessories (or get to the gym instead of only an at home based workout).

     The other piece is nutrition. I am not following a specific meal plan that tells me what to eat each meal. What I am doing is reaching for daily calorie intake goals, along with goals for my carb, protein, and fat ratios. My calorie goal is 1500 + 500 since I'm breastfeeding, bringing it to a total of 2,000. I will be monitoring the success of this goal and the ratios as I go, and will adjust as necessary. I track it all using the My Fitness Pal app on my phone. 

     I am excited and nervous!  I am finalizing what will be my 6 goals/focuses for the duration of the transformation challenge in the next day or so before I submit them to the contest. I plan to share them here to keep me accountable. 

All the best,

OkieGal