Burpees were made in HELL!!

Today has been a GREAT DAY! Yes I know it's only 10 AM!! I've worked out...KILLED IT, I might add! I've eaten healthy (Greek yogurt and an apple) and now I'm back on my daily work grind!

So, todays challenge was 50 Burpees in 1 minute or less! Now, listen you workout gurus...do not tell me I should have been able to complete more....MY challenge was 50 and I'm sticking to it for now! I started in the correct position...arms up, ready to jump....but, my feet wouldnt' leave the freakin' ground! Try again! ARMS UP....ready to jump, but all I could think of was how completely and utterly ridiculous I was gonna look! It's one thing to do this in boot camp, when EVERYBODY looks stupid...but the gym? I will not mention the cutie that (in my mind anyway) was staring at me! LOL! Anyway, I got past it and did the jump! Straight in the air and down to the ground...but my feet wouldn't kick out like I wanted. So up again and down again...this time I closed my eyes and KICKED OUT HARD! Whew! I was so excited, I forgot I had to come back up...don't forget the cutie is staring!! Now, here is the really hard part, bringing your feet back in and rising from that position without looking like a fool! Ok, feet in and....up! NOT! Feet came in, but up didn't happen! I had to re-position my feet to the sides so I could get up! LOLOLOL! I don't care anymore...I am DETERMINED to get this done! I huffed and I puffed and right around 28...I felt I could do NO MORE! But, I PRESSED and completed them! They were not pretty at all (can somebody show me a PRETTY burpee? I mean even the name is UGLY!!) but, I made it through!! When I got to 49, I felt this HUGE GRIN on the inside that showed up on the outside just after 50! WHEW!

I'm proud of the challenges I've faced and overcome....I know there are more to come, but nonetheless (I love using words like this!) I much more ready to face them today than last year or even yesterday!  I've discovered that I just feel good when I don't give up! I just feel warm, giggly and just plain happy when I face the challenge and complete it! No matter how small!

The rest of the workout was easy and simple compared to that! I am learning to step up my game if I want the results.  It ain't easy....but I am DETERMINED! That is really what this journey is all about...DETERMINATION and OVERCOMING!! I am FOCUSED FOR LIFE...not just a season!

HAVE A GOOD ONE AND BE FANTABULOUS TODAY AND EVERYDAY!  Push yourself and you will love it!

Good morning good people! Ok...confession time ONCE AGAIN! Geesh, I'm confessing so much this week...I keep looking around for a priest! Ha! Anywhoo...here goes: I GAINED 7 POUNDS!! Wait...I think I told you all that one! Here's another: I've only worked out twice this week! UGH! Oh, the SHAME, oh the HORROR! Whatever...I'm over it and on my way to the pool! I've come to realize that on this journey there will be days I just don't feel like doing right! Just don't feel like eating right! But what I will NOT do is STAY IN THOSE FEELINGS! I will get up and MOVE (even if only to vacuum these stairs - anybody else hate doing that?) And I will not dwell on my failures...but I choose instead to focus on the future! Stay focused and encouraged good people! WE ARE ON THIS FANTABULOUS JOURNEY TOGETHER!!! Now, where is my towel? #operationsexyonceagainisBAAAACK!

There are those who say they have been struggling with weight their whole life...as a kid, teen and young adult. I can't really say the same thing...you see it wasn't a struggle for me. I was fat, cute and didn't really care what others thought! So I just kept living, as the old folks advised, and never really gave MUCH thought to losing weight. I had convinced myslef that all 5'4.5" (yes the half means something - SHUTUP!) of me was just - - thick, big boned, healthy, etc. I mean, I tried occassional fad diets (remember the cabbage soup diet - YUCK! and the Lemonade one - uhh, yeah, someone should have told me don't ADD SUGAR!) and I would walk about a block before feeling like I was gonna DIE ANY SECOND! I can't even begin to tell you the number of gyms I joined and went HARD for about one week before finding some reason to quit! But, none of it ever lasted. The effort wasn't there. I really truly just didn't care. It didn't help that medically I was healthy...all my numbers were either normal or below normal and I felt fine. It also didn't help that socially I had never had the whole "can't find a man" thing....uhh, until now! LOL! I dated, got married, divorced and dated some more...so what was the problem really?
Earlier this year and I saw the below pictures...I was absolutely horrified! I mean...really? Who lets themselves get this big and can still look in the mirror and say I LOVE YOU! You can't! And those of you that know me...know I LOVE ME SUM ME!!! As much as I thought I was in control...I wasn't - CLEARLY! Food had become my boss, my teacher, my comforter, my everything....I was losing control over my life to the power of food! Once the realization of that hit me....I became afraid. Yep, really scared! I thought, if I don't regain control over this area of my life...I'm going to die! I needed to figure this thing out quickly before it was too late! So I prayed and took a good long hard honest look at who I was. If you ever want to change your life for the better....ask God to show you who you REALLY are. It's not always pretty and can be painful, but it is necessary for change! I was hiding from some very painful facts of my life.
However, as a Life Coach and Christian counselor, I realized I was asking and telling others to be transparent with me...yet, not willing to be transparent with myself! I was a HOT MESS! I had done what I counseled others against...using anything (food, drugs, sex and people) as a crutch or comforter for the pain I was feeling. Enough was enough! I had to face some very real demons from my past and let them know...YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME IN MY LIFE! I had to forgive some people...mainly myself....and let some old hurts go. What a freeing experience! What a feeling of deliverance! Whew!
Finally, I had to have a MADE UP MIND and that is where I am today! I am determined to get this weight off me....and get healthy for good! I am determined to not only continue to change my mind...it really was the one thing that was keeping me unhealthy...but, I am determined to CHANGE MY LIFE! I am making HEALTHY and WISE choices about food and exercise so that I may continue to live this life as it was meant to be lived....FANTABULOUSLY!
So, this note is not only about being transparent...it's about accountability! A good friend of mine told me recently...YOUR BODY WILL DO WHAT YOU FORCE IT TO DO! So, failing is not an option...neither is giving up or quitting! This is my life now....and I'm LOVING IT! What do you want for your life right now? GO GET IT! CHANGE YOUR THINKING AND CHANGE YOUR VERY LIFE!
The journey by far isn't over....I've lost 72 pounds and have another 50 or so to go....but, I'm looking forward to my continued success!
KJJ