from fat to fit...

most of us have been, or are, where i have been...fat. or should i say 'obese.' when i read that word on my physical form last year, i almost died right there at the doctor's office.

my cholesterol was high and i needed to lose about 50 lbs. i was overwhelmed and sick with pity for myself.  i had been working out at the YMCA, and thought i was 'good.' but i didn't look closely at what or how much i was eating. and i know i was addicted to sugar! that was the rub. 

this was me November 2011

i needed to change something. do something differently. but what? i thought i was doing it right. eating whole grains, lean meats, limiting sweets, etc. i employed the help of a trainer at the Y. He gave me some general ground rules about diet, but didn't go into detail about how i would change my diet. i was on my own...

until, that is, i saw a friend posting on fb about Challenge by Choice Training...right here in my home town! she was raving about something called HIIT (high intensity interval training) and about the owner, Jodi Mehan. 

here is my testimony since i started attending CbC: 

I came to CbC in January of 2012. i came with an attitude of defeat. i was on a yo-yo weight gain/loss for more than 10 years. i had been working out at the YMCA and desperate to try anything, because nothing else was working for me. 

When I walked through that door at CbC, and climbed those stairs, my heart was pounding. I was scared and nervous and so out of shape! i was obese. yes, i admit that now. but back then i was in denial. 

When I met Jodi for the first time, i was immediately struck in awe by her beauty, her fit physique, her charisma, and her passion for fitness. i was somewhat intimidated and skeptical...and after my first weigh-in/body fat measurement, i was downright depressed...and angry. angry at myself for letting my body get this far out of shape; angry that i didn't do something sooner; angry that i wouldn't be able to do this; and so overwhelmed with self-pity. 

as i got to know Jodi, i started to see her character emerge. she is a vibrant, caring, God-loving, kind person, who really wants to change the world...one person at a time. she's dedicated herself to making fitness a priority in her life and in other's lives. and i for one am very glad she does what she does!

through hard work, nutritional planning, hours of brow beating, ups and downs (both on the scale and off), i have changed my defeatist attitude into one of courage and an attitude of 'yes i can!' i have changed my body composition from 36% fat to 26% fat. i am no longer obese! i lost a total of 22.24 lbs of fat! i am no longer attending my pity party. i no longer blame anyone else but myself if i fail to stick to my program. 

not only have i changed my body, but i have changed my mind set regarding exercise. it's no longer a chore or a burden.i crave exercise now and feel awful when i don't work out. Jodi and the peeps I work out with at CbC have been a HUGE part of that change in me. i highly recommend Challenge by Choice Training to get you started (or re-started) on your fitness journey...mind, body, and spirit.
#sweatrinserepeat

...but if you cannot afford it, just do something...research what foods work for your body type. how much protein are you really eating? do you know what muscle needs to grow? protein, that's what. a good, lean protein. and don't let muscle scare you. you will never look 'bulky' when you get muscle. you will look leaner and tighter. because muscle takes up way less space in your body than fat. muscle also weighs more than fat, so you may even see a slight gain in your weight when you put on some muscle mass. don't be afraid of lifting weights. it does a body good :)

even though i still have more to do, i am living proof that you can change your lifestyle...no matter how long you've been hanging on to those old, satiating habits. you can kick those self-defeating, poor eating/sleeping/exercise habits...one at a time. 

set some SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) and go for it! it's you against you..and don't listen to those negative thoughts/comments. you are stronger than you know! 

just.get.moving.

this is me October 2012