T25 - Day 16

Well another double day workout done. I did total body workout and the abs tonight with my pal Joelene. We both did amazing.
After the abs workout we were both still feeling like we could totally handle another. It is amazing how far we have come within these last 16 days. When we had to do our first double workout we were dying, and even in the second week of the T25 we were still struggling.

I remember the cardio video being insane, and now it seems to be like an active workout for us. Our stamina and endurance is through the roof. Joelene commented several times tonight on how flat my stomach is getting, it's literally melting away. There isn't much of a gut left (still a little one). I can't wait for my family to see the change in my body in June, and imagine how much more weight I will lose by then!
I am even noticing as I look in the mirror, when I wear outfits I don't have to suck in. Outside of the actual body part there are other changes in me that are noticeable. Like my attitude, my determination, my focus and dedication.
Last night I didn't have to do two of those intense workouts, but I voluntarily did it! Back when I started this journey on January 2nd, even before we started the T25 program there is no way in heck I would have done that. I either would have made an excuse and skipped out or I would have done the bare minimum.

It's funny actually, I remember for years hearing all those stories of women who weighed 280lbs or whatever and then after a year they got down to 140lbs and they all said the same thing, "if I can do it so can you!" even on the show the biggest loser, you watch these extreme transformations as you watch the season in the course of weeks and you think to yourself, "I could never do that" and yet everyone of those contestants say the same thing, "if I can do it so can you!". I never believed that before, I always made excuses like, "yeah well they have a professional trainer yelling at them in their face, they are quarantined basically on a ranch eliminated from day to day cravings and work stress etc" I just never though that I could be a success story, and yet here I am, only just over a month in on my journey and I can already look ahead and see that I WILL be one of those success stories.

It's the whole reason for my blog, for myself and my family and anyone else who follows along to read and to see that if a person who struggled with emotional eating, who tried all those diets, who tried a nutritionist, who went through massive cravings and depression and been through the ringer with crap in my life can stop all that and get on the straight and narrow, why can't you? why can't anyone? I can actually understand now why all those people who came from where I was to where I will be can say "if I can do it so can you" because I am living it. I haven't even reached where I want to be yet and already I am saying that mantra to others. If I can do it, so can YOU!

Anyone who reads this blog can also see it takes a lot of hard work, and it isn't always easy. Today I drove past A&W and McDonalds and I had a craving. The only thing that stopped me from going in and buying lunch for me and the kiddos is my drive to wanting to be a person who loves herself. I can honestly say I can not remember ever really loving myself and appreciating who I am. This journey is about a lot more then physical changes, it is emotional changes and habitual changes too. You have to want it bad enough. So get out of your own way and start making the change like I did. Granted it took me 10 years but it doesn't have to be like that for everyone.

I don't hide anything in this blog, because I want everyone who reads it to see that this is not a quick fix. It will have its ups and downs. Life happens. Sometimes you can't always eat great, or eat 6x a day or follow all the rules and that is OK, you just keep on going and strive to make the next day better.

I wasn't great with my water this week and I'm not going to let that beat me down. It may effect my weigh in tomorrow but I will make tomorrow better with my water in-take. I will strive to continuely be prepared. I seem to have my nutrition down for the most part and it's amazing how much clean eating is saving us money a month too! My husband did our monthly grocery budget which is usually $800 for our family but we always went to $1200 because we ate out a TON. Well for the month of January we spent $794.00!! How is that for amazing!? I share that because often times we use money as an excuse to not eat clean. It forces you to cook more and therefore you can't just order pizza and stuff, but we did still eat out. We did still have our date nights and yet we managed to stay under budget for our grocery allowance. I think that is pretty cool. I always thought buying fresh produce (while it seems to be expensive) would make us broke. Quite the opposite.

Anyway that's my rant for now, I just wanted to dedicate this blog to encourage others out there that you could do what I am doing, nothing is stopping you but YOU so get out of the way and start. =)

Happy Friday!