Fit Challenge Competitor, Heather Wright - Week 4

There are no magic bullets. If only. 

See over the holidays I managed to gain 14 pounds. So not only did I have my normal overweight-weight to lose but all of the cookies, wine and other indulgences that I really enjoyed at the time. That was even gained while working out a few times a week. This is the impact all of my  yo-yo dieting in the past has done to my metabolism. When your metabolism is in good shape in such a scenario you will still gain weight but probably not as much. Certainly I could have been working out more consistently over the holidays but truly what I could have been doing is making better choices without feeling like I am missing out. A great quote that I read in a magazine recently that has stuck in my mind is, "You can't out-exercise a bad diet". Too true. Well I mean you probably could but you would be really fatigued! Plus you would have no time to live your life and most importantly, enjoy it. 

So feeling discouraged,  I asked Nicole after my Tuesday strength-training class, "Is there a way just to go hardcore for a while and get rid of my holiday weight gain then go back to the healthy eating I am doing right now?" She smiled at me and said, "Nope!" My face fell, I was hoping to get some insider tips and tricks. She explained, "I know some things that you could do but I am not going to tell you what they are. If it is a habit of yours to go crazy at Christmas or other pitfalls during the year and I tell you how to make up for it, you are going to continue that same behavior and be stuck in a bad cycle." I thanked her, knowing she was right and left wondering how I am going to achieve my fitness goals just by eating right, writing down my daily nutrition and exercising. I still was feeling unsure that it wasn't enough and there had to be something more I could do but yet her words were still sticking with me. 

Hmm, I mused to myself. How am I going to get to where I want to go with two months left? How am I going to continue on my right path after this is over?

That night I went to a friend's house for dinner, she made chicken tacos. I was running around busy and knew I needed to get another snack in and grabbed a few pieces of Trader Joe's deli turkey an hour before I went over there but it wasn't enough. So when I got there I snacked on chips and when the food was ready I made two huge tacos with flour tortillas. Granted it wasn't like they were doused in oil or anything but I realized the next day my error in not preparing. I should have made the time to make a healthy snack so I wouldn't have been as hungry at her house. I should have also brought my own whole wheat ones, she is my friend after all so she wouldn't have been offended. 

Self-discipline when it comes to food is very difficult for me, especially in social situations. Superbowl? Had every intention of eating right and had done so all the way up to when I got to my friend's house. With the tri-tip, cookies, homemade chips and guac a plenty I surrendered. I didn't drink anything though and probably would have eaten worse had I been inebriated. Do I have to stop eating out and socializing because it is too difficult to resist temptation? That isn't realistic for anyone.

 Of course there are going to be times where I let myself enjoy whatever- I just need to keep those times fewer and farther between. If I don't let myself enjoy tempting foods every once in a while I won't get anywhere. The key to it is always having a vision of the end game stuck in my head. If I don't have my eye on the prize of course I am going to succumb.

I also need to really take a closer look at what I am eating every day. Can I be honest with myself and say I am doing everything I should be doing?Truthfully I should completely phase out egg yolks at least for a while. I could pay closer attention to how much olive oil I am using and count every time I reach for a square of chocolate because they all add up. These are the little tweaks I can make to the healthy choices I am already making  that will make a difference. Most importantly I need to always have snacks with me so I never get hungry, I have been told when we are hungry our body is telling us it is starving. No bueno. I need to do a little more self-check in. None of these things are drastic, just having a little more consciousness.

So the truth is, I can be my own worst enemy and I can be my best magic bullet. At the end of the day it is a matter of having keeping my goal top of mind and the self-discipline to accomplish it.

Fit Challenge Competitor, Barbara Byrge - Week 4

Week four reflections: this week was messy. Oh boy was this week messy! Life is messy, and life with a one year old, a wedding less than 100 days away, a full time job and a committment to workout five days per week gets even messier than normal. I can see why the fit challenge program offers 5 allowed miss days. They realize that life is messy, but they also put limits on how much you ought to let life's messiness impede your ability to take care of your own health. Five days in a 12 week period, to be exact. I missed 2 of those 5 days this week. I spent the Super Bowl out of town, and missed my 1st 6am workout on 'Super Bowl Monday.' I was honestly bummed about that because it was important to me to stick to the program, and be consistent for 12 whole weeks. But Stacey and her trainers are realistic. 


They know people have lives, and they live by example of how to fit your 
fitness into your busy day. Most of the trainers work long days, but they get their workouts in. We got home Monday about 3pm and I was exhausted. Travelling with a toddler and the interrupted sleep routines and punishing fatigue that follow left me feeling tapped out. We unloaded the car, and I hit the couch. All ready to snuggle in and finally relax. Then I realized if I didn't exercize now, it was not going to happen that day. I sulked a few minutes. I cursed to myself. I anguished a bit. Then I got off my giant butt and got my running shoes on. I made a committement. I publicly announced that I would workout 60 times over the next 12 weeks, and I wasn't going to let one long weekend get in my way! So I waded through the undone dishes, and stepped over the undone laundry and hit the pavement. No gym. No trainer, just me and my self motivation. What, I did what? YES I CAN! I mean, Booty Camp is in essence a 'teach a man to fish' type deal so in the end I'll have to summon the will to workout despite life's messiness from within so I guess I better get on it now. 


The weeks workouts were tough and vigorous and challenging and I sweat like a pig. I got pushed to my limits and I felt great after reaching new heights. I am getting stronger now. I can jog a whole two laps without walking (don't laugh, it was hard for me), I can do more pushups now, and I can do at least one burpee right (LOL). Its all coming along! Diet has been another challenge too, always. Getting back on track after being gone the weekend means finding shortcuts to the 'shop, chop and mop' required for healthy home cooked meals that usually get made in advance on the weekends. Sometimes I had to make better choices instead of the best ones. Sometimes I found myself in front of a plate of 'uh oh' and had to employ portion control of a last line of defense. My diet has come a long way. Any white food, save egg whites of course, have slowly but surely dissappeared from the kitchen. I enjoy smaller portions of brown rice pasta,quinoa is in the cupboard, and collard greens are in the crisper. Healthy eating is happening, but I'll admit as I have in previous blogs that I'm definitely not 100% there yet. And I think that's why some of my teammates have excelled beyond my accomplishments in terms of results at our first weigh in. 


I had to miss Friday this week to head to the bay area and go bridesmaid dress shopping with my girls. It was the mutually amenable weekend, and that's just the way the schedule worked out. After missing Monday, I was double bummed. Friday is also our nutrition couselling day, and hated missing it because I always hear new tips, and learn from Stacey and my fellow fit challengers about what to eat, what not to eat, great products and all things food. I was in the car most of the day, ate road food (at least it was a grilled chicken sandwich - and half), and ended up at a remote motel by dark and just could not squeeze in an exercize that day. The next day I was at a friends house, and took advantage of my newfound habit of waking early to get a run in before anyone else woke up. It felt good to get my sweat on, and be showered and ready for the day before anyone else. Something about working out in the morning just makes you feel like you got a jump on the day! I was glad I did get some cardio in, especially because this was a celebration weekend in anticipation of my wedding, so of course we enjoyed a nice cocktail at lunch,and some wine in the 
evening! I felt like it was such a special occasion that it was worth sacrificing a few oucnes of weight loss to have some wine. But I did feel guilty, knowing all the hard work Stacey, Nicole and the booty campers are putting in me, and the results they deserve from me. 


Sunday was a mandatory weigh in day. I was ready to leave the bay at 5am, and drive straight even with the baby to get here on time and weigh in with the team. Luckily Stacey had a seminar later the same day and offered me a later time slot to weigh in, so I took the opportunity to leave at 9am instead. I was bummed for the third time that week because I missed the energy and momentum of everyone weighing in together, celebrating pounds and inches of success! We've all been working out hard together, feeling the burns, doing the laps, putting in the time, so it felt raw to miss the celebration. But that's ok, we are only 1/4 through the process at the end of week 4, and though I was solo I did my weigh in and measurments and found out I've lost 2 inches of fat around my hips, and 1.5 inches around my thighs. Take THAT scale! Booya! Bring it on week 5!

Fit Challenge Competitor, Emily Hanson - Week 4

Ah yes… week 4.  This week was pretty much my “bleh” week.  My biggest accomplishment was finally not throwing up after a 6 am workout!!! Yay!  I know that it’s not good to work out on an empty stomach and so I was trying everything under the sun in the morning but nothing was working.  I mean, I tried oatmeal, wheat toast w/ almond butter, banana, protein shake, protein bar, hard-boiled egg and the list goes on!  Finally, Stacey told me to try a cup of greet yogurt RIGHT before going to bed on the nights where I have an early morning workout the next morning, since it’s a slow releasing protein, there would still be something left in my stomach the next morning.  Well, hallelujah something finally worked!  Now my goal for next week?  To finally drink a gallon of water in one day.  

I’m definitely the type of person to set “visual” goals.  For example, I have a picture that stays on my bookshelf of a crossword puzzle that I made with some goals encrypted in it (pictured above).  It’s just the constant reminder of what I ultimately want out of this challenge and what I want to continue once it’s done.  I decided to do another thing this week, something a little more interactive.  You know how when you’re in kindergarten you make those paper chains for how many days are left in the school year?  WELL, I made one of those with each chain representing a pound that I want to lose.  It’s a rather long chain, but I’m slowly but surely going to get there!  I’m excited to say that at the end of week 4, I was able to tear off 11 of the chains!!!  I did the same thing my last quarter at UCSB before graduation.  There is just something so satisfying about ripping those damn pieces of paper to shreds.  I couldn’t wait till the end of the day to tear them up, and now it pushes me harder to be able to tear them up faster.

Oh! And the other highlight of my week? - Getting a new pair of shoes.   Definitely can’t wait to hit the track next week and tear them up.  More to come… enjoy your week y’all!  Ciao.

Fit Challenge Competitor, Chelcie Holguin - Week 4

I am strong, motivated, loving, caring and a fighter. But why is it that when I look in the mirror all I can ask myself is WHY? Why do I look like this? Why did I allow myself to get this big? Why can’t the weight come off fast? Why must I work so hard and not see results? Why can’t I eat all the good stuff and stay away from the bad? Why can’t I just be happy with the small progress I’ve made and always want more?

Week 4 is over and I am exhausted. I worked out every morning for 13 days straight. That shows motivation and dedication, but I must be crazy because I am one tired lady. I even got up at 4:30 to do cardio. Then worked out with Nicole at the 5:00am boot camp and then went to our 6:00am nutritional training and did the stadiums. WOW I think I might have gone a little wacky in the brain. It must be all the lack of sleep. My sister looks at me like I am some psycho.  I will say I feel so much better during the day and I am sleeping better at night. Can you call 7:30 a bedtime? Well I do and it’s earlier then my girls to go to sleep.  Just call me Crazy Chelcie. 

I might be the only person who doesn’t know how to shop at Trader Joes and Whole Foods. I go in there and I think all their food is healthy food, so I can eat whatever I want. WRONG!!! Those places are so intimidating. I walk around like a lost dog looking for a bone. I think that explains me in general when it comes to eating healthy. I always thought all I had to do is stay under a certain amount of calories and I’d lose weight. WRONG again. I want to be able to eat low calories and lose the weight since I’m working out so much. Is that too much to ask for? 

So at the end of week 4, I am now aware that I need to eat different things and just because it’s low in calories doesn’t mean it’s good for you. I also have learned that I can exercise 5 hours a day but I won’t’ lose weight. I am building muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. I have made so many new friends during this challenge and I cherish you all. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I will give eating better a chance. 

Fit Challenge Competitor, Saul Zevada - Week 4

I have this sinking feeling that i'm somehow hitting a wall :( .... today's weigh in gave me some fantastic, motivating results and I intend to use them for as much psychological and spiritual strength as I can! When I weighed in today I was actually 1 pound heavier than I was 3 days earlier and now my knee is swelling every day, even when we don't have our workouts. These can all have logical explanations, or they can be legitimate causes for concern. I'm nervous, but I think that if I keep focused, continue to push myself and really listen to the guidance of my trainers, I can still continue to change my body. Compared to where I was when this journey started, I feel so much stronger, so much more balanced, and much more willing to attempt difficult exercises. My insecurities are disappearing and confidence is beginning to dominate every area of my life. I'm even more focused and attentive at my two jobs! It's totally possible that burning fat is going

to begin to get more difficult, but this is where I really have to continue asking myself how badly I want it. See y'all at sunrise ;)

Fit Challenge Competitor, Emily Hanson - Week 3

This week has been very much a blur.  In fact, as I sit down to write this blog I can hardly remember the happenings of the past week.  I remember little snippets of things I wanted to write about but no clue as to where in the week they fell.  You see, I have this “problem” where when things are really chaotic in my life, I tend to actually make myself forget the things I don’t want to remember.  I don’t know if that’s normal or if that makes sense, but it’s what happens.  So, here’s to a rather random and spastic blog!

Speaking of spastic, on Monday towards the end of our workout I had the weirdest thing ever happen.  We were doing the sitting squats against the wall and out of nowhere my legs started shaking like mad.  I’m not talking about a little twitch; I’m talking about the roadrunner’s legs going crazy getting ready to take off!  I couldn’t stop laughing because it just looked so hilarious! It was almost as if I was running in place super-fast like the football players do as a warm-up... only I was trying my hardest to stay still.  When I got to work that morning, I made the mistake of wearing heels.  Now I should preface this with: I can RUN in heels.  Seriously, I’m a pro.  So I figured no big deal, legs are still a little shaky but I’ll be fine!  Well, I’m fine, but I definitely made a little closer of friends with the stairs than I had wanted.  As the day went on my legs chilled out, but it was a fun experience to say the least.

The rest of the week flew by.  The workouts are great.  I feel like each time I’m pushing myself to new limits (sometimes that results in a little throwing up, but I know it’s my body still adapting to the serious lifestyle change, so I can deal with it.)  I’m really learning to love the workouts because I feel so much better each day.  I’m not as “lazy” tired as I used to be.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m TIRED, but it’s an entirely different kind of tired.  Along with the workouts, I’m enjoying cooking all my meals and experiencing new things.  Most of the time it’s a success, sometimes not so much, but that’s the fun of it all!

My weekends are probably the most problematic.  I’ve been going down to take care of my grandparents on the weekends and it’s difficult when you’re out of town and you literally have to plan two and half days of food to bring with you.  I think I have everything but inevitably once I’m three hours away, I realize I forgot the almond butter to put on my rice cake.  Damn.  And I really like that one at TJ’s.  But one of the positives about going down to stay with my grandma each weekend is that she keeps telling me I’m getting thinner.  Maybe it’s the Alzheimer’s and she just remembers me at my heaviest, but I’m going to go ahead and say that she’s on to something ;).

Until next week… ciao!

Fit Challenge Competitor, Barbara Byrge - Week 3

Week 3 done! I'm a quarter of the way through, yahoo! I feel very accomplished, stronger, and I'm starting to see some results. Just knowing I've gone everyday and worked hard is already an amazing feeling, but I definitely earned the right to feel good about myself. I had a lot of ups and downs this week (and not just push ups, and squat downs ha ha), and I still made it through, with a lot of help from my friends! Clothes fit better, and that means more to me than I knew. I realized this week that there are certain clothes that I've been pushing toward the back of the drawer, hiding from, ones that haven't fit since before I was pregnant. There are shirts I'm scared of because I know they don't quite cover my belly. I remembered how hard I've been working and decided to try one on. Suddenly that same shirt that couldn't cover my belly was halfway down my zipper! This week I had a 'yahoo' moment each time I fit differently in one of those clothing items. I am no longer afraid of my wardrobe, and before I started this journey I had no idea what a mental drain it was on me each time I saw one of those clothing items and had that stinging 'ooo, won't fit' secret self loathing. Well, some of the clothes are fitting anyway (I am still on week 4, not at goal weight yet). I was walking around with my everyday jeans feeling baggy, and that is the kind of all day high you just can't get from a donut. Did the word donut cross my lips? Well at least it was the word, and not the donut! OK, you caught me I ate the donut! This week was not a perfect diet week, but even then I still did better than my regular daily diet before I started really watching what I was eating. I ate a couple of crappy food items, but I stayed within calorie limits, and was on point the vast majority of the week, and I know controlled indulgence is part of making it stick long term (the habits, not the donut) so I didn't sweat it. The same could not be said of my workouts. 

This week's workouts were definitely tough! I'd get to the top of the stairs, lungs screaming, legs melting, and I look down at Stacey and kept hearing Bob Harper's voice in my head saying 'do you feel uncomfortable? I need you to get UNCOMFORTABLE!!!' I trained in the gym next to athletes, and the regulars who are in great shape, and I noticed even they are out of breath; even hard bodies still sweat!! They sweat because they still push hard. That's when I had an 'a-ha moment' and realized its not about workouts getting easier. Exercising, training, and conditioning requires you to work to fatigue! So if you are in better shape, you are stronger so you lift more, you do more reps, or more advanced exercises to get 'the burn' but you still burn!!! So the excuse that 'I'm too out of shape, and its too hard for me' just doesn't fly anymore. Its hard for everyone. Its supposed to be hard. If its not hard, you should get a trainer, or get a new trainer! So it was a hard week, in more ways than one. 

I was sick Monday through Wednesday, and it hurt. It hurt to get up, it hurt to push and breathe hard, but I did what I could and it was almost all of the routine. I did skip that one stadium out of breath, but I'm OK with that. The baby was also sick this week, and needed more of me and I just felt tapped out, and that caused me some stress. So getting there was a big battle this week, and I know all too well the reasons people fail to be consistent, life is messy and tough at times! But there was just no choice in my mind, there was never a question, I am going to every workout! So, I just went, and as I got out the door late on Tuesday, and was still a couple miles away at 5:58,  I thought, 'Oh no, I only have 2 minutes to get there!' Then I thought about how long 2 minutes really is, as in 2 minutes at the gym! Two minutes of lunges, two minutes of bicycle crunches, two trainer minutes!  Two minutes of stadiums are probably the longest minutes I've ever lived. Shoot how about 30 seconds of plank time! No, not 'Planck time' (as in the shortest measurable increment of time, a ha ha for you physics nerds) quite the opposite actually. Its the longest second of my ever lovin' life actually! And then it dawned on me. How amazing a second can be, or a minute. I thought about how many seconds and minutes of my life I'd wasted on stupid things, like worrying about what time I would arrive when I was already in the car on the way, and the stress would do nothing to make me arrive sooner. I contemplated how meaningful a second of my life really is. As I thought about trainer time I really started to appreciate the beauty of really tiny increments of time. I embraced what it means to feel the burn, and really be present in the moment.  I understood how it is to be connected to your body in a very attention demanding way, that simply won't allow for other thoughts to creep in. Its definitely meditative, and I can see why people make a habit of this kinda thing. The workout really is your 'me time' a time 'to focus on me' which is a phrase that now how a whole new meaning. Working out has helped me reclaim the minutes in my day. Not to just seize the day, but seize the minute and the second even! Its really crept into my head, and changed the way I reckon time. The benefits just keep adding up!

Another challenge this week was to survive Super Bowl Sunday and the calorie binge opportunities galore! I was preparing to visit with family at my Dad's house in my hometown, and if there is one thing we do well as a family its eat! So after working out 5 days, I decided to mitigate the inevitable (managed) diet destruction by going to the track and getting some extra cardio. I picked up my 17 year old nephew John on the way. He's got a few pounds to lose, and just needs someone to kick his butt and get out there with him. I was happy to oblige. He was a willing (if lazy) teenager, and in the end we did 2 miles around the track. That was particularly gratifying for me because we were at my high school's track. I was John 15 years ago, overweight and under motivated to do anything about it. To be on the same track I used to dread running 'the mile' on in PE, because I knew I'd be the fat kid, huffing and puffing (or more likely just walking and dogging it) and coming in last was awesome. I ran 2 miles around that track voluntarily! And it was a bonus Saturday workout too! OK, granted I jogged and walked more than ran really, but the feeling was so unbelievable. Stacey told me 'we hit walls, then we break 'em down!' and that moment just felt like breaking through a wall; a wall of my own inertia! After we worked out I took John and my sister on a grocery store tour. I don't claim to be an expert (yet) but I do know that whole wheat tortillas, 2% cheese and greek yogurt are better food choices than what they were buying! And they were willing to eat those things, so it felt good to make a positive influence in their lives. As for me, I did indulge on Super Bowl Sunday, but in a controlled managed way rather than a 'go hog wild' kind of way. I did enjoy several beers, but I focused on the veggie platter, and kept the chips to a minimum. I skipped the 'super bowl sundae' I made for everyone else. Part of this process is also redefining what is an indulgence. Four beers is an indulgence. Four beers, plus 4 cups of chips, 4 slices of deep dish pizza, and 4 scoops of ice cream is just insanity, but I'm sure I ate that and more at last year's Super Bowl! So while I did indulge, I took it as a learning experience and felt that I learned how to indulge responsibly! 

This process has been not only a lifestyle and physical change but its deeply emotional. Anyone's who's ever watched 'The Biggest Loser' is familiar with that idea, but until it happened to me I had no idea that this would be such an important life change. I have been dedicated, and I made it to every single workout, and even one that it might have been ok to call in sick to and on that day Stacey talked to us about knowing our limits. So I did some reflecting on 'when is it an excuse, and when is it an limit?' and I think that is a question we all have to ask ourselves on a continuing basis. When you get up and feel sore, you have to know thyself, and know when its better to skip a day and prevent injury, which would take you out of the game longer, and also to know when you are using a little soreness as an excuse to not do the work. Its inspiring knowing that the trainers work through sickness, injuries, lack of sleep, for 15 hour days, and the list goes on. Some even pop ribs out and just keep going! So yeah, I guess one little chest cold shouldn't get in my way. Nor did it get in my way, BOOYA! Feels good sayin' that. And I even got to share some of my new knowledge with my family. Like Nicole said 'it doesn't end here (at the gym)!' This program is having a ripple effect on those around me, and I couldn't be happier!

Fit Challenge Competitor, Chelcie Holguin - Week 3

Hi, my name is Chelcie and I'm addicted to my scale. Yes, I admitted it, I can't stay off of it. It run's my life, or at least it did for the past few years. I have always thought that the only thing that matters is what the scale says. But that all changed the beginning of the week. I have noticed a whole entire roll is missing from my side. But the scale says I've gained weight. That made me furious. So I told my husband to hide the scale. I am done with it running my life. I will define what is important to me and how everyone else will perceive me. That said, I haven't weighed myself all week and that is such a great feeling.

I am so dedicated to this life change, that I have done 7 days of cardio. I even went in at 2:30 am because I had to be to work at 5:15 am. I have never been prouder of myself. I am seeing life in a whole new way and I will admit it, I am addicted to the elliptical. It such a great stress release and I can burn 600 calories in 60 minutes.

I have the greatest husband a women could ask for. He tells me daily how proud he is of me and how he can see a difference. If it wasn't for him I'd over sleep and never last.

I kicked week 3's butt and can't wait for week 4. Bring on Stacey, Nicole and Ashely.

Fit Challenge Competitor, Emily Hanson - Week 2

Dobrodosli natrag prijatelje, zavrsila sam sedmicu broj dva!!! – which is Bosnian for…Welcome back friends, I’ve finished week two!!!  And what a second week it has been.  I have so many thoughts racing through my head as I try to sit down and recapture my week on paper, it’s simply impossible!  How about we just start from the beginning, eh?

On Sunday, I was feeling extra ambitious and decided to map out a nice little run by my house to start off my day.  However, my nice little 3 mile run turned into a .25 mile run and a 2.75 mile hike because I totally spaced on the fact that living on the Riviera means UPHILL all the way!  But nonetheless it was amazing.  Within an hour of getting back home however, I came down with the absolute worst flu-like symptoms I have ever had!  I was so proud of myself for going on the run out of my own will and excited to continue my second week of training and now my excitement was blown.  I was practically laid out for 3 days.  Eating was rough.  I probably had the equivalent of one bowl of chicken soup from Sunday to Tuesday.  But I pressed on and continued the workouts and I have to say, I think they helped!  I felt stronger as the days went on.  I kind of wonder if my body just needed to de-toxify and if it did, then it was a success!

The physical part of the challenge is starting to feel more like a regular part of my life/schedule.  I’ve finally got a little more accustomed to going to bed earlier and waking up at the ass crack of dawn.  I’ve been an night owl my entire life, so going to bed early three days a week is a challenge for me!  But I’m definitely feeling more energized and, well, healthier!  The muscles are sore, but it’s such a good sore   My coworkers laugh as I groan while going up the stairs first thing in the morning but the cool thing for me is… I’m no longer out of breath when I get to the top like I used to be!  It’s the small things like that that totally make it worth it on a daily basis.  And then there’s of course the whole pants fitting a little looser part!  I mean, sometimes seeing is believing, right?  Well, seeing and feeling my clothes fit better is a wonderful feeling.  But of course I sometimes wonder if I’m just imagining things… but when my boss actually added to our meeting agenda, “Emily is shrinking!” that was all the “seeing” I needed to believe.

As for the emotional side of things?  Still a little bit of a rollercoaster   But I find, a good re-arranging of all of the furniture in my house will help solve that! (And be a little workout all in itself…bookshelves, elliptical, coffee table and sitting chairs are pretty darn heavy for one to move!)  My grandma was finally able to go home from the hospital but is now in hospice care.  She has been such a huge part of my life and I only hope that my children someday could have the amazing relationship with their grandparents as I have with mine.  Which brings me to another dip in the coaster… each of my parent’s health is not the greatest.  They’ve both battled cancer amongst other problems and living a healthy lifestyle is sometimes a challenge.  Even in just these first two weeks, sharing on a regular basis with them my triumphs and tribulations in this challenge, I somehow hope that it will stick in their minds… and I think it is.  I’m sharing with them what I’m eating and even little exercises they can do in their own homes and they’re genuinely interested!  Only time will tell and I’m excited for my results to be the kick in their pants to make a difference in their own lives.

Well that’s the week in a nutshell, or kind of a nutshell; what can I say, I sometimes talk a lot when I’m passionate about something.  Speaking of passions… I’ve spent some time in Bosnia and met one of my dearest friends while there.  I was talking to her this week and she is truly an inspiration in my daily life.  I was sharing everything about life right now – the challenge, my grandma, the breakup, work, everything! and she was just so encouraging.  It’s so great to know that I have such a strong network surrounding me during this complete life change.  From friends, to coworkers to family, I know they’re there cheering me on.  Until next time - vidimo se laku noc! (see you soon and good night!)

Fit Challenge Competitor, Saul Zevada - Week 3

I've been paranoid about stepping on a scale for literally years. For some reason, I felt compelled to weigh myself at the gym after an arduous workout last Thursday. It's crazy what a string of good decisions and hard work can reward you with. The reward wasn't necessarily what the scale read back to me (although I was thrilled with my progress), the reward was how OK I felt with challenging myself to step on the scale in the first place! I feel so good about the discipline I've shown myself. I've definitely had people approach me with praises and kind words about the change they're seeing in me physically. As much as I love how that feels, I'm so much more grateful for feeling proud of myself and holding my head up higher than I have in years. One of my primary goals in this program is to get back to playing the recreational sports that had always been a part of my life up until a few years ago. My ego, pride and self worth take a huge hit every single time I step on a basketball court, a soccer or softball field, and I am not able to compete at a level that I am satisfied with. I know that machismo and competitiveness are really at the core of my feeling bad about myself when this happens. Regardless, staying on track in this program will hopefully satisfy my desire to play some competitive team sports soon! 3 weeks down and a lifetime to go!

Fit Challenge Competitor, Heather Wright - Week 3

We all have good days and bad days. That is just life. There are so many things all of us are going to get on this three month journey, one of which is really learning how to take care of ourselves on the bad days and enjoy the good days to the nth degree. One thing I do when I have things on my mind is I go to the beach before sunset. I watch the sun go down and stay for the glory that it leaves, taking in the bright colors and clouds that paint the sky until I have talked myself through whatever it is. I did that last night and I really need to do that more. I think no matter where it is, we all need to find a physical happy place to go. To me, being somewhere in nature and connecting with the earth on some level helps, as crunchy as it sounds.

Hopefully if I do that enough, I won't be so hard on myself. It's funny, I have learned I am a bit of an extremist. Either I am hardcore exercising, eating right and worried it isn't enough--- or I go the other way and let loose and toss back the drinks and eat whatever. I think by learning how to take care of myself in ways other than eating, drinking, online shopping- I won't be so extreme because I have found other panacea. Usually my go-to is a whole pizza and a bottle of red wine when I am feeling tired, down, or just in a bad mood. It is important that I do a self-check in- figure out the root cause of how I got into that mood. Then, find some way to take care of myself that is still supportive of my goals. So if I am craving pizza, I might just be sleep-deprived or needing to connect with a friend. If sleep or a phone call fails-music, magazines, movies and manicures are all better options that don't leave me with guilt and a hangover the next morning!

Fit Challenge Competitor, Brittany Rinker - Week 2

Adios Week #2!!!

Holy Moly this week flew by! Monday we got to train with Ashley instead of Stacey. It's fun to switch it up and get different workout methods. She worked us just the same. My body isn't too sore this week but boy oh boy can I feel the difference! It really is quite a crazy change in eating. But it's nice to have energy after you eat instead of feeling like you need a nap. Sure it's a little more costly and takes a little bit more time to prepare but I am seeing everyday how worth it this really is. In training, as we are being shown what to do, I tend to doubt if I can do it. But with the support of my trainers I seem to do more then I think I can."Doing good Mama" is just one of the comments I hear across the training area not even realizing she's watching me, makes me smile on the inside. FEELS GOOD to know people believe in you and what your doing. Watching the other girls around me training for different things, gives me something to look forward to eventually being able to do. What's cool is everyone I have come across during these first 2 weeks has been nothing but nice and supportive. But what question I probably will never have answer too is: "Do overweight girls work out?" I mean all I ever see is normal size girls working their booty's off to maintain their shape. Then I realize without the strength, courage and support I have gained I sure as hell wouldn't be busting my booty at 5:00am, keeping a journal of the food I eat, learning and changing my eating habits etc etc.. But I know that eventually I will be a normal size girl busting my booty to maintain my shape, and that right there is a goal I WILL reach and once I get there won't give up and will maintain it!! Between Stacey and her girls, my sister, mom, close couple friends, and the others in this challenge and the EXTREME amount of strength and support they give me on a daily basis that goal is not to far out of reach.. SO onto week 3 and I think I will give it an extra push this week... So BRING IT ON BABY!! #WINNING!!

Fit Challenge Competitor, Barbara Byrge - Week 2

Week 2 done! That feels great. I feel strong, and have been getting great sleep at night! My body is finally adjusting to the earlier wake up time, I can feel things slightly firmer here and there, and things are getting easier. Well, not all things are getting easier, but I'm starting to get into a routine and that feels good.  I'm starting to really enjoy the workouts, the sunrises, and I feel so accomplished all day when I get my early workout in. 

What didn't feel good this week were my calves from all the tough workouts. Soreness just comes with the tear-itory (ha ha)  and it was rough this week. I think there are some natural frustrations when you take up a new routine, and its hard to give up control to your trainers and give in to the process. 'Are you sure I'm not doing too many lunges?'  Going through a complete live overhaul means there are going to be some tough moments to work through, but my trainers and my family and friends were there with me to pull me through. I have been overwhelmed with love and support, and I'm so thankful for all those  who have been cheering me on! 

This week we also had our second weekly nutrition counseling session. Uh oh. Over the last few weeks Stacey gave us a crash course in healthy eating, continuing from her advice on day one. She started talking about portion sizes, when to eat carbs and fruits, and when to focus on protein. And then she comes the news: 'No white food!' I fight off the urge to crack a joke about egg WHITES because I know that white food she loves us to eat. But I know what she means. No white bread, no white rice, no white pasta (sigh). 

'But how MANY calories?' I would ask Stacey. 'I need a NUMBER!' Of course its not just about calories,  and a number, its about being healthy in general, clean eating, organic and veggies and all that stuff. And its also about the timing of the macronutrients (whoa fancy PT jargon), activity level, metabolic rate, etc. I mean yes, it is calories in minus calories out, but what I discovered with counting calories was that I was trying to shave calories off my earlier meals, and skip snacks during the day, thereby plunging my metabolism, then binging on high sugar, high carb snacks just before bedtime which of course would just be stored as fat. Its about keeping your fat burning furnace stoking all day. Its about making sure protein is there when you eat carbs. 

'What, you mean bacon is not on the diet? Oh ok!'
I was sure that if I just counted the calories I could eat bacon. Uhg, I guess that's why 3/4 of diet is DIE, there is a sense of missing all the greasy, salty, sugary, yummy, foods that got me where I am today. This change is not a temporary thing, its about forever eating a healthy diet. Its not just about sticking to a number, and eating that number's worth of bacon a day, its about fueling your human machine with good stuff, the stuff we were made to run on. And for the time being, sure I have to turn down the excitement on ice cream sundaes and french fries, and embrace spaghetti squash in lieu of pasta. I am really living the idea that dieting doesn't mean DIE all tasty foods, because that is a recipe for breakdown. I'm learning to redefine what it means to indulge, curb cravings with healthier treats, make a game plan in advance for eating out healthfully, and to explore new and different foods I might not otherwise eat. There is so much to know and learn, and I keep hearing more at each session. I think in the beginning  I expected the trainers to download all of their knowledge about exercise and fitness to my head at one time, but its a process. It takes time. 

There will be a day I will eat bacon, just not today. Not while I'm losing fat. Someday I'll be my ideal weight and I can strive to maintain weight rather than loose and then I will have any food I like, just in moderation, and in balance with my activity level.  So this last week for me was definitely about diet. We keep weekly logs about what we ate, and yes my app counts calories which is useful in learning how calorie dense certain foods are if nothing else. Between eating 6 times per day, logging it, the 'shop chop and mop' required for healthy homemade meals, and drinking a gallon of water per day (and the related peeing), I feel like IT is invading every minute of my life. It? It! This healthy living thing. I find myself reading articles on the health benefits of kale instead of seeing what celeb got surgery at the grocery store checkout, and picking up 'eating light' and searching out healthy recipes. I am learning to eat healthier foods and even to enjoy them. Today I even made kale chips, and they weren't half bad. And after reading all those articles about what a super food it is, I'm feeling like super Babs! 

Fit Challenge Competitor, Heather Wright - Week 2

This is the beauty that I enjoyed today at my 6am workout. My alarm ironically woke me up to Hurt So Good which actually for the first time I didn't since I treated myself to a massage yesterday. I actually felt so good that when the next song came on, an 80's classic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDnxxYDx5nc that I wanted to dance at 5 something am and actually this song has been in my head ever since. Something I learned today that is key to me- I need good music to inspire me to wake up and start my day in a great mood. And honestly, I'm not even a huge 80's fan. Perhaps more than the music, I feel happy because I am doing something good for me.

My body has quickly adjusted to getting to bed earlier for my morning workouts. I think it is because my body is so tired from the exercise that it is getting more restful sleep. I was so sore up until getting that massage, especially in my lower back which Stacey let me know was a result of tight hamstrings. So I have ordered a foam roller and will have to commit to using that so I can prevent injury and continue with my workouts.

The first week I was also doing a couple extra kickboxing classes and added another strength training class which I think was taking a toll on my body. So I have cut that back and am just doing these workouts plus plan to do yoga tomorrow. Besides if I go full force now, it will be hard to top that going into my third month so I will have to wait until then when my body starts to plateau a bit.

Challenge Competitor, Samantha McVee - Week 2

Phew! I made it through the second week! I am feeling much more comfortable with my workouts this week. I love working out.. It is absolutely the easiest part of all of this for me. The eating part is still my biggest obstacle. I already don't really eat red meat, pork products, fish or seafood, so my options for lean proteins is pretty limited. I am learning new ways of cooking which is fun, time consuming when trying to be creative, but all in all fun! I've been finding lots of new fun recipes that are super healthy and proving to satisfy my cravings for Mexican food! I am cutting out my big carbs from my dinners and enjoying them with my lunches. I totally got the gallon of water thing down, which is great.. I feel SOO much better already and I still have 10 weeks left. Woohoo

Now I have to be completely honest. I have not lost a single "pound" per the scale. I will admit I am totally obsessive with getting on the scale daily. Sometimes twice a day.. I'm betting I am not the only person out there that does or has done this. But I have made a "deal" with myself. I am only allowed on the scale twice a week. Monday morning & Friday morning. Otherwise I am going to discourage myself in not seeing the lbs drop off that 12x12 piece of plastic, that previously controlled how I felt about my day. I need to remain positive and that is NOT the way to do it. I am working hard and eating healthy.. I'd even go as far to say I am eating "clean"!!! Eat Clean & Train Dirty is becoming my motto! I love the new lease I am getting on life. I am also learning what exactly "triggers" my emotional eating/cravings and learning new ways to deal with the emotions and such that comes up in a more PRODUCTIVE way then stuffing it all down with food. Since I'm doing confessions I will even confess I tried to "cheat" and it backfired, BIG TIME.. My body already does NOT like "crap" food! Still kind of a catch 22, since I craving the bad stuff, but it literally makes me sick. Here's to hoping my mind can catch up quickly! 

I am betting that my body fat is going down, since I can see the shape change my body is taking even without the lbs disappearing from the scale. I know that for me personally I have a body type that gains muscle mass quickly, especially since I used to be so active in sports, etc. Which means I am losing fat pounds as fast as I am gain muscle pounds, which is great because muscle takes up less room then fat. I know that if I continue to push through these first weeks my body will realize that I am not going to give up when I normally would and catch up to the program and I will continue to see results in other ways. 

Number one thing I am shocked about is the support system I have. I have so many people in my corner cheering for me! I honestly didn't even think about how many people would be interested in my journey to loose weight. I was just doing this for me and my daughter, but now I have encouraged other people to get out and be active and start eating healthier. It's great because we can compare success and share our experience together. It's like I always get an extra boost of motivation and encouragement right when I need it most. So thank you to everyone who is standing behind me in my corner and making lifestyle changes with me. I love knowing I am making a difference.. But it all wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for Stacey and her girls taking a chance and believing in me first. Excited for week 3 and whats to come!!! 

Go Team Challenge Go!!!

Samantha