A few months ago I told Aaron for my anniversary/christmas/birthday gift (b/c they all fall back to back) I wanted a personal trainer. I wanted to get my body into shape & be confident with myself & lose a few pounds. I knew it would be expensive to have a trainer, but that's what I wanted. Luckily enough I was able to find out that the gym on base has FREE TRAINERS!! WOOT WOOT!! So I got myself one & have been working with him once a week for about 3 months. Once a month I get a fitness assestment done to see my progress. So Wednesday was the "big" day & I must say I'm very proud of myself thus far...Originally, my goal was to loose 10 lbs by January, but I didn't reach it. Don't worry I did not get down about it, in fact the opposite has happened. I am happy, proud, I feel great, lots of energy, my butt/hips are shrinking : ) & I feel fit overall!! My assestment says I now weigh in at 121 lbs, which is 5 lbs less than when I first started. My graph says I am in the "ideal" category for weight & bicep strength is now "FIT" (I get excited just thinking about this). Each month has shown slow progress, but progress nonetheless & when I see a lower weight than before & body fat % down, I celebrate a small victory inside!! It's been hard work and I didn't want to work out 5 days a week sometimes, but I was consistent & it's paying off. There have been some days where I can't move I'm that sore...but to me all of this is completely worth it & a good feeling.
I didn't do any drastic changes to my diet, I was more aware of the amount of food I would eat, what I ate & stopped eating when I was full. Because believe me I like food way too much to give up something for good. So yah, I love the warm bread they serve a Macaroni Grill with olive oil, Homemade Choc. Chip Cookies are prob my biggest weakness, I always love a good pizza, & it doesn't help when your husband's favorite dessert is cheesecake. Those are just to name a few...my point is I never believed a strict diet could work for me. I'd get to feel so restricted that I know eventually I'd cave & it would be bad :) My trainer had me count calories for about a week (which I tried to do) only so I could visibly see how much a cup a cereal looks like, or 1/4 cup of tuna, or what a turkey sandwich looks like with a little bit of mayo, mustard, tomato, lettuce, & 1 slice of cheese. For me, I was surprised at how much a cup of cereal was b/c it turned out to be too much, along with 1/4c tuna, & other things I might eat. It was a good lesson & something I keep in the back of my mind whenever I eat. How much I can eat versus what I actually put on my plate. Sometimes I measure things to keep my memory fresh. Food is supposed to be enjoyable, not the enemy or a drag! I do have a breakfast that I make often that keeps me full...I pour maybe a 1/2 c of kashi go lean cruch cereal, a couple of scoops of lowfat yogurt, with blueberries/sliced strawberries or any berry fruit you like. It's healthy, has alot of protein & fiber, & is light yet filling.
Healthy living is something I've always tried to do. Growing up my brothers would playfully tease me that I'd always drink water instead of a coke. I always took an exercise class in high school & liked jogging a couple of miles at the park. I'm sure everyone can agree it feels great to take care of yourself. I feel confident, like the way my body is looking, and love doing this for me!!! Plus, I want to be in shape for when we do become pregnant. I'm sure pregnancy is gonna take a toll on my body, so I gotta be ready for it : ) yah...i got the fever, haha!
So if anyone reads this and decides to make changes or wants to be healthier, I'll be your cheerleader! I'd love to root you on : )
P.S.- I am southern so I will always love a cold glass of coke (or Dr. P). In fact, I got a 2 liter in the frig right now!
