A new season of fitness....and healthy eating!

We are almost two months into 2015 and I wonder where you are with some of your goals for the year. In the beginning of this year I posted about my goals for this year relating to my writing. Those goals are going well and I am learning more and more each day. Another goal I made this year was in relation to my overall health. I didn't share it at the beginning of the year because it was something that I needed to do for me and not share it with others. I am heading into the end of my 40's, the final year coming too soon, and I was as heavy as I was with my heaviest pregnancy. I haven't exercised, other than some walking with friends, in years. I had joined a gym last year with the intention of getting healthier, I failed.

A scripture kept coming to me that made me think deeply about becoming healthier..."Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" 1Corinthians 6:19 If the Holy Spirit lives in me then I need to take care of the vessel He has chosen to dwell in.

In the fall I had seen a fellow baseball wife (who is much younger!) post about her new workout adventure and how she was loving it. She loved it so much that she became a coach and was promoting a Challenge Group that she would be running in January. My exact message to her on FaceBook was "Do you have space in your challenge on Jan 5??? Need to get my fat butt motivated!!!"

I ordered the program and on January 5th I started the #21DayFix by Beach Body. I have bought many programs and joined many gyms and have never followed through with it to reach my goals. On the very first day I knew this program was better than many others that I have done. First and foremost is the Eating Plan that comes with a book to describe options and containers to measure the portions. Then I turned on the 30 minute video. So many times I turn on a video that says it is only XX minutes and they don't tell you there is a 10 minute warm up and another 10 minute cool down. I was SHOCKED that it was actually 30 minutes!!!!!!!! I chose at that time to do the videos with the goal of doing better today than I did yesterday. Each day I get stronger and increase my endurance.

The exercises during the 30 minute videos can be adapted to your experience, tolerance and ability without feeling guilty that you are not 'good enough' to do the exercises. I modified some of the exercises but felt like it had been a great workout! Day 2 was equally challenging and fulfilling as were the rest of the workouts over the next few days.

I used the portion controlled cups to measure the amount of food I could have each day and never felt deprived. I worked out and was too sore to sit down and get back up, but I kept at it. I was not perfect in my eating, having Hooter wings twice in the first 21 days. However, I never cheated more than a few times and those times I stayed in control of portions. This program was creating healthy habits and I was enjoying it!!!! But was it working???

Before the first day I had weighed myself and taken measurements along with pictures. During the first couple of weeks I put on a pair of jeans I hadn't worn in two years and they fit!!!!! I weighed myself daily, because it works for me this way, and the pounds were decreasing! After the first round of the 21 days my life was crazy and I didn't take the time to calculate the inches but when I did, shocked!!!

In all I lost 10 pounds and 11 inches!!!!! SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that your New Year's goals are going well. I hope that you have made a commitment to you and want to better you. Are you doing something today better than you did yesterday? Make it your goal to find one thing to do better today than yesterday and commit to it!