What is the Challenge?

The Challenge is the #1 fastest growing health challenge and home-based business in America today.  It's about taking a chance that you might be able to improve something about yourself in 90 days.

Why the Challenge?

Change isn't ever easy. In fact, it's one of the hardest things for most of us to go through, even when it is for a better end result. Many people want to have better health and finances, but doing what it takes to get there is the hard part; it's a Challenge.

There are many different ways which we Challenge ourselves to improve, whether it's for spiritual, financial or health reasons. If you were given 90 days to change one thing about your health and/or finances, what would that be?

Why We Chose Body By Vi

Eric and I weren't overweight when we began promoting Body By Vi. In fact, we were in pretty great health by this time (March 2012). We were working out regularly and drinking protein shakes every day. I was following a lean meal plan at the time and protein shakes were a part of that meal plan. But I was having a very hard time sticking to them because of that jack-nasty aftertaste that you get with pretty much every single protein shake on the market. So when it came time for that part of my meal plan, I started going to the vending machines for Skittles and M&M's... and that pretty much defeats the purpose of the lean meal plan.

I still remember the night I tried Vi for the first time. I literally held the stuff in the back of my mouth where those bitter taste buds seem to be and waited for it to get that familiar funky taste. But it never did. So I did that again, put some more of the shake in my mouth and held it there.... and still no aftertaste.

What's in a Shake?

So, skeptical me, I thought, "There is no way. This must have a lot of sugar and carbs in order to taste this good." So I looked at the ingredients and was pretty amazed; it had 7g of carbs, 5 of which were fiber (so 2g net carbs) and less than 1g of sugar. Ok, I was hooked. Yep, right then and there.





Body By Vi comparison chart



As you can see in my original post, it took me a very long time to learn about nutrition and health, and if I'd known about Vi then, I probably would have reached my goals a lot faster.

Why Promote It?

We chose to become promoters because it just made financial sense.  I knew I wanted the Fit Kit (delicious soft baked cookies that are comparable to a protein bar, instant and prolonged energy drinks and 2 protein shakes/day) and knew also that with an amazing taste like this, there would be others in my circle who would love it. 

Get it for Free.... and Get Paid?

As a promoter or customer, you can get your kit for free when you refer 3 people in a month (total volume of referred kits must be at least 3x the amount of your free kit).

But the difference is as a promoter, you can earn commissions on those referred kits as well.  So in a sense, as a promoter, you get paid to get fit, get healthy, and/or lose weight.

How Real is it?

Very.  Two weeks after becoming promoters of the Challenge, we made more than double our investment back.  46 days after becoming promoters, I made Regional Director and qualified for the BMW bonus.  Every month, I've received my kit for free and every month our income from Vi has been increasing. 

In fact, just last week Eric was able to quit his full-time job due to how we've been blessed with Vi.

But please don't misunderstand; becoming a promoter is not the only option.  I have several incredible customers, some of whom are earning their kits for free every month by referring their friends.  Promoting was the best option for us because it just made financial sense.  But some just want to pay for a kit to see what it does for them, and some just want to refer three people to get their kits for free. 

Blessed to be a Blessing

One of the most incredible things about Vi is that you are actually helping people reach their goals.  The money is great, yes; but it pales in comparison to the new smiles on faces of people who thank you for helping them reach goals that they've been unable to reach in the past.  That is one of the most awesome feelings, and one of the biggest blessings of promoting the Challenge.  It truly is about serving others.  And when you do that, the blessings are incredible.

www.LiveViFit.com

=) Amanda

Ready, Set... Oh Poot!

I'm scared.  Super scared.  Anxious?  Most definitely.  Curious, too.  Pretty excited, yes.  But without a doubt, scared. 

This Saturday marks day 1 of my 90 day challenge. 

Yah.  Exactly.  If you already know what my challenge is, you know why I'm scared.  Or maybe the better statement would be if you know who my challenger is, then you're scared for me.

My Challenger



Trainers Natasha Reyes and Mary Hobbs

Professional athlete and fitness trainer Natasha Reyes (shown here on the left) is going to be kicking my tail into shape over the next 90 days.  She has a personal training studio in League City, Fitt Life Fitness.  Last Saturday, August 25, Kayla and I went for the first time and attended one of her Saturday morning Toning Insanity classes.  Oh. My. Word.  The woman is hardcore; she ain't playin!  As I mentioned in my previous post about the class on Saturday, I almost lost the yummy chocolate chip Nutra Cookie I'd eaten on the way to the class that morning all over the place, many times throughout the 30-40 minutes session.  A couple of times while I was there she commented that I looked really fit and asked if I competed.  I told her that I carry my body fat in my (ahem) "lower region" and was more lean on top than most people, so it wasn't real.  We laughed but I don't think she was fooled... I'm betting she is totally upping her game on me.  Yikes!!

Initial Consultation

I went in for my initial consultation yesterday afternoon.  She asked about my diet, workout routine, etc. and we discussed my goals.  She explained her training methods and I am super scared but excited at the same time.  Natasha is kind, knowledgeable and motivated to help others reach their goals.  I am beyond excited about this!

Performance Test

Tomorrow is my performance test.  She is going to work every muscle in my body to find out what I can do and what my limitations currently are.  Then she will use that information in partnering us up during training. 

D-Day is Thursday, November 29, 2012.  Yep, one week exactly after Thanksgiving.  That means I can't binge over Turkey day.  SWEET!!

I'm pretty excited about all of this.  Here's to the next 90 days! 

What Do I Eat on a Regular Basis?

Many, many times I've been asked how I eat.  One of the things I've implemented as a tracking method and a way of sharing this information is MyFitnessPal's free app (username is amandataylor7).  I've downloaded this to my Android and it's a great way to keeps track of your macros, too.

Keep in mind this is my regular diet and not one that I'm using to try to lean up or slim down.  This is just how I eat on a normal day-to-day basis.  I'm assuming this might need some adjusting once I start this next Challenge with Natasha. 

Morning

3:45 am: Wakeup, get ready for the gym

4:30 am: Started workout; worked upper (bis, tris, lats, shoulders), drank a Pro during (yummy prolonged energy drink), and another bottle of water

6:30 am: Made Turtle Cheesecake post-workout shake while getting ready



Turtle Cheesecake Shake
2 scoops Vi
1/2-1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
4 Tbsp fat free cream cheese
handful of whole, unsalted, unsweetened almonds
1 Tbsp sugar free Torani caramel syrup
1 tsp sugar free, fat free cheesecake pudding mix, dry
1 cup fat free MooTopia
(can use almond milk instead, MooTopia just has more protein and less sugars)

ice

blend



 8:30 am: Started third bottle of water

11:00 am: First half of chocolate chip Nutra cookie



Chocolate Chip Nutra Cookie

Morning totals = 528 calories, 49g carbs, 18g fat, 14g protein, 12g fiber, 29g sugar

Lunch

12:30 am: Spanish Chicken Romesco from Cafe Express; sub the mashed potatoes for sweet potato fries and sub the spinach for green beans, and drank fourth bottle of water 

Cafe Express Spanish Chicken Romesco



The counts below are as if I ate everything.  In truth, I ate all my green beans, then the chicken breast and almonds (but took most of the orange sauce off), and ate only half of the order of sweet potato fries.

Lunch totals = 407 calories, 24g carbs, 17g fat, 49g protein, 6g fiber, 11g sugar

Afternoon Snack

3:00 pm: second half of chocolate chip Nutra cookie, another bottle of water

Afternoon Snack totals = 75 calories, 10g carbs, 3g fat, 5g protein, 3g fiber, 5g sugar

Dinner

5:30 pm: Southwest Chicken soup, another bottle of water

Dinner totals = I am really not sure. It's made with a ton of veggies, red broth and a whole chicken, shredded.

Totals for the Day

So my totals for the day are given in the below screen shot from MyFitnessPal.com.  This of course excludes the information for dinner.  I would estimate another 400 calories or so for dinner, probably a good 20g of protein, not sure on the rest.



MyFitnessPal log for the day

If I get hungry again before going to bed, I sometimes go for some chips.  (Yeah, that's my weakness and I have to cut that out.)  Tonight, if I get hungry before bed, I'm going to split a shake with Eric.  Also, if I do an afternoon workout, I'll do a post workout shake then as well as doing the breakfast shake. 

What I Do

I normally try to make sure that I get in a good amount of lean protein every day.  There are many people who will tell you different rules you should follow for different end results; I just try to make a conscious effort to drink my shakes and eat a good amount of white meat in my meals.  I also try to hold back on the fats and sugars, although I'm going to have to start cutting back a bit more on the sugars I think.

Shopping the Perimeter

There's a line of thought that recommends shopping in the perimeter of your grocery store (avoiding the processed and packaged foods that you find in the center aisles).  Of course brown rice, beans and some health food items are in the center aisles.  But the concept is that if you avoid things like cereals, chips (I know, I'm cringing too), pastas, candy, granola bars, etc., you will have a leaner, healthier diet.  Think about it; everything I've just mentioned is high in sugars and simple carbs. 

If you're primarily shopping the perimeter of the store for your food, then your purchases tend to be healthier ones.

Be Realistic

If all that sounds great and wonderful, but difficult to you, then start small.  Make your goals realistic for you and your lifestyle.  And little by little, you will reach those goals and set new ones.  You might start out with simply supplementing your sugary breakfast full of simple carbs and very little protein with a shake.  Or if you're already doing that, begin using an all-natural sweetener such as Truvia/Stevia instead of sugar.  Or as I've mentioned before, replace your cokes with water.  Or instead of eating fast food, bring your lunch from home to work.

The bottom line is you never want to make something harder than it is, because it will seem like an insurmountable mountain and you might give up before even trying.  Don't do that.  You can get healthier.  Think baby steps.  You will get there!

=) Amanda

Focus

We've all experienced those moments where something crushes us.  Sometimes it's a friend or family member, and it may even be a completely unavoidable circumstance.  Regardless, everyone of us goes through those moments when we feel devastated.

Being born and raised in church and in the home of a minister, I've always been taught that it's not about what happened to get you to the point you're at, rather it's about what you're going to do now to move forward.  How are you going to pick yourself up? 

One of the reasons I started working out in fact was because I hit a point like this.  And sure, I went through every emotion that we as humans go through.  But it wasn't about what happened up until that point, rather what was I going to do from there on out?  I chose to better myself by putting my frustrations into something positive. 

My time in the gym became the time that I needed to clear my head, focus on the things I needed to focus on and improve my health.  I would turn on some of my favorite upbeat inspirational music and do nothing but lift weights and think about the awesome things that were to come.  It's pretty hard to be discouraged and disappointed when you're listening to something that is uplifting. 

Some people don't understand this concept and that's okay.  What I can say is doing this created a healthier, more fit me in the end.  So instead of losing, I came out a winner. 

Tara Wilson once told me that the only thing stopping most people is themselves.  So if we were to all take that to heart, think of what we could each accomplish.  And once you remove your fears and doubts from the equations, what is really holding you back?

=) Amanda

Overcoming Obstacles

Many people want to lose weight, get fit, or just obtain better health; but not everyone is able to stick to that goal.  Everyone has setbacks while reaching for a goal.  More often than not, this is when many give up on reaching that goal.  But those who pick up and keep reaching for that goal are the ones who hit that goal with radiant smiles and exuberance. 

Promoting Body By Vi has been such an amazing blessing for us.  Not only have we been able to supplement our income, we've been able to help people reach their goals.  And this may sound cheesy, but it really is how I feel; helping people feel good about themselves again is pretty rewarding.  I would venture to say that it's more rewarding than the income.  The money is great yes, but there's nothing that can compare to the feeling you get when someone is able to reach their goals and is thankful that you helped them.

One of My Blessings, Pam 

Pam after 5 weeks of Body By Vi, 23 pounds gone

Pam has been such a blessing to me personally.  She started on Body By Vi's Shape Kit 3 months ago and has had some great results.  The photo on the left is 5 weeks into her first 90 day challenge; she had lost 23 pounds by this point.  

As of today, Pam's transformation comes to a total of 31 pounds, 17 inches and 3 skirt sizes lost, and she started on May 16 of this year. 

Like Liz, Pam has used Body By Vi to make a lifestyle change.  She has changed her eating habits to making healthier choices and has even seen an improvement in her health. 

Body By Vi isn't intended to heal any sickness or condition, but Pam has seen an improvement in her blood pressure.  In fact, in July, she told me that she'd been on blood pressure medication for the last few years and stopped taking them a few weeks prior; her blood pressure has been normal ever since and she fully credits it to her weight loss and the shakes.  She'd been told before that she'd have to be on blood pressure medication for the rest of her life, but now Pam is off the medications. 

Never Give Up

It is never easy to change.  It is difficult and scary.  I'm certain that if you were to ask Pam if all she has done were 2 shakes a day and ate lean, clean and healthy, and never put a bad morsel into her mouth, she would tell you that wasn't the case.  It never really is with anyone.  But the key is not to give up when you fall off the wagon, rather it's to get up and keep moving forward.

I binged while I was leaning down.  My personal weakness is some delicious salsa and chips.  Oooooh chips.  We have a love/love relationship.  I love chips and salsa, and it loves me so much it enjoys hanging around for a longtime after... on my hips (oooh yeah, I've felt like purchasing a beeper for when I back up at times).  Every time I give in to my cravings, I feel terrible about throwing away the progress I've been making.  But I don't give up.

Be real with yourself.  If you eat bad and put on weight, you know why it happened so get back up and try again, and you'll lose the weight.  Don't expect something unrealistic.  Set realistic goals and know that you absolutely can reach them. 

Ideal Weight

It takes everyone a different amount of time to lose the same amount of pounds.  The closer you get to your ideal weight/body fat, the slower your weight will come off.  But don't give up because you've already come over the biggest hurdle, getting started.  You've got this.

=) Amanda

How do I Transform?

When we jump on the scale and receive a significantly higher number than we'd like, the most common reaction is to think one of two things:

1. It's time to join a gym (or buy a treadmill)
2. I'm going to starve myself

Sometimes we get desperate enough that we think we should do both.  While exercising and controlling our diets are definitely the right things to do, it's our own lack of knowledge about nutrition and exercise that causes the majority of us to do these things and give up shortly thereafter, when not seeing the changes that we'd hoped for.

First, when you see that number on the scale, be realistic with yourself.  It took a while to gain the weight (or body fat) and it's going to take a while for it to come off.  Sure, with proper diet and exercise, it will come off a little faster than you put it on, but certainly not overnight.  It took me over a year to get to where I was completely confident in myself once I began trying to accomplish my own transformation.

Weight loss Starts in the Kitchen

 

80/20 Rule... weight loss is 80% diet/nutrition, 20% workout

There's a common saying that weight loss (or fat loss) is 80% about diet/nutrition and only 20% about your workout.  It is true that if you work your tail off in the gym but eat like crud, you won't see the results you are looking for.  In fact, you'd be working to maintain and not to improve.

As you can see in my very first post on this blog, my weight loss primarily came from watching how much I ate (portion control) and then what I ate (nutrition).  Working out gave me the shape and lower body fat (think less jiggly, fewer pounds of cheese) that I was ultimately looking for.  Building muscle actually increases your body's natural metabolism and therefore, you'll burn more calories with more muscle than you will otherwise.  But still, if you have beautiful muscle tone and start eating nothing but pastas, pizzas and cake, it won't be long until you'll be back to a jiggly, jell-o form.

Liz's Transformation

My neighbor, Liz, underwent her own transformation beginning in March of this year.  She did it with a combination of things all at once; she started a very lean/clean diet and incorporated Body By Vi shakes with that, and she joined the gym and began following a beginning weightlifting program in order to tone up as she lost her body fat.  Doing this sped up her results and Liz feels absolutely amazing.  She constantly has people asking her what she has done to get into this kind of shape, and she looks and feels amazing. 

Body By Vi promotes 90 Day Challenges, and the purpose of this is to set a realistic goal for yourself that you want to reach within 90 days' time, and go after it with everything you've got.  Liz completed her first 90 days with 32 pounds and 9 inches lost, and she went down 2 dress sizes.  Her face has leaned out, her arms have leaned out, her waist has leaned out, she looks better and feels more natural energy now that she's putting healthier things into her body.

A Better You, a Better Lifestyle

The biggest culprit for most of our health problems today is our diet.  I personally believe that the reason for this isn't that we are stupid, it's just that we've never been taught how to eat properly.  That was the case with me; it wasn't that I was gluttonous and threw caution to the wind and ate everything that I knew was bad just because of that momentary pallet satisfaction that I received, rather it was that I just didn't know that I was not making the best choices for my body.

Now that I've made healthier eating a lifestyle, I feel better overall.  When I do make bad choices and drive through Popeye's Chicken, etc., I feel absolutely horrible afterwards; my stomach is in knots and it's miserable.  When I indulge in my sweet, sugary favorites such as the Uncle Daryl's chocolate cake at the Chocolate Bar or Cheesecake Factory's Turtle Cheesecake, I feel a total sluggish drag shortly after the sugar rush wears off. 

True, it's unrealistic to ask anyone to just eat steamed chicken breast or grilled fish with veggies for every meal for the rest of their lives.  You have to find a happy medium for you and give yourself cheat days so that you won't turn to binge eating.  And if you're having a hard time kicking that sweet tooth, then find a healthy choice to satisfy that (Body By Vi does an incredible job at this with its shakes and Nutra Cookies). 

Think Baby Steps

Change scares a lot of us (myself included) because it's that fear of the unknown.  What I would suggest to someone who would like to improve their health but doesn't think they can change everything at once is to take baby steps.  Even if it's something as simple as cutting out fried foods, that's one step in the right direction.  Or if you slowly cut back on the amount of butter that you use, that's another step.  Or even if it's just drinking more water and less cokes, awesome. 

Regardless of how quickly or slowly you move toward a better you, you're moving in the right direction.  When you make a decision to become a healthier you by learning what choices are best for your body, you will feel much better about your health.  You can do this.  There is no possible way to fail.

=)  Amanda

Workout Pump

While lifting weights, your muscles swell from plasma that is trapped in them. This is brief, usually lasting for 15-30 minutes after your workout. It's commonly referred to as "pump," and doesn't last.  So that's why you'll find that the photo of Eric and I flexing looks like I have huge arms... but when you see me out of the gym, they're pretty average.

Rebekah filmed me while doing bicep curls this weekend and in her video, you can see the pump I'm referring to.  Now I must say... while watching this, I can see many areas where I need to improve my form (lower my shoulders, need to keep elbows still, etc.).  But you can still see the pump I'm referring to. 



That pump left while I was still in the locker room. 

=) Amanda

Think I've Found My Next Challenge

One of the things I enjoy about what I do is being able to help others reach their goals.  With my schedule lately, that has meant putting my own physical progress on the back burner.  But to be honest, I haven't minded it much because of the many amazing friendships I've made along the way.

A friend of mine at the gym was seeing a nutritionist across town for many months last year.  I remember her frustrations from not being able to reach her goals, and she was doing everything that she knew to reach them.  But I've been noticing over the last few weeks that she is leaning up quickly and I'm seeing some incredibly beautiful definition in her shoulders that I've not seen before.  She looks absolutely amazing.  When I asked her what she'd changed, she told me about a trainer that she's been going to; Natasha Reyes at Fitt Life Fitness.

Today, Kayla and I went to her Saturday morning Toning Insanity class and OH. MY. WORD.  Natasha kicked my tail.  It was more intense than any workout I've ever experienced in my life.  I was panting for breath and about to hurl from eating a Nutra Cookie literally 10 minutes before the workout.  The cookies are wonderful and pretty comparable to a protein bar; but I shouldn't have had anything other than water that close to such an intense workout.  Not a fun lesson to learn the hard way!  I literally felt that cookie coming back up again more than a few times during the class.

Fitt Life is a training studio that is geared for reaching needs on an individual/personal level.  They have group classes, partner training sessions and personal training sessions. 

Fitt Life Fitness

Natasha looks amazing.  She has incredible tone and form and definitely is my fitness hero.  Next week, I'm going for my initial consultation so that we can set some goals and make a plan to reach them.  I have no idea where this next 90 day challenge will take me, but I can't wait to find out.

=) Amanda

Not Bulky; Lean

There are some people who've seen my photo on our Body By Vi website who have thought, "Wow, Amanda is huge and bulky!" and the implication has been that it isn't feminine.  So let me share with you exactly what's going on.

First, here is the photo.  You will notice the definition; but not because I'm huge, rather I am pretty lean.  Also, I have the post-workout pump going on from having just whipped through an invigorating arm workout.


Flexing after a crushing arm workout

Now, here's another photo of me that isn't immediately following a workout and where I'm not flexing.  This should pretty much clear things up for anyone who was worried.  ;)


Not flexing, not bulky

 =) Amanda

Where it Began... and Why

I'm asked a lot about fitness and nutrition.  Partly because I promote America's #1 fastest-growing health Challenge, but mainly because the people in my life have seen the transformation that I have gone through myself.  I am not perfect in any way, nor could I stand on stage and compete against women with incredibly low bodyfat and veins popping out.  Those women work hard and look amazing yes, but this is just me.  I'm simple and have a pretty full plate.

My Stats Before

When reading the following weight statistics, keep in mind that I'm 5'5".

In November 2004, I weighed 125 pounds when I took my wedding vows.


Egagement, 125 pounds

  

In February 2006, I weighed roughly 175 pounds at full-term pregnancy.  Oh yeah, it was bad.  Hey, it was pregnancy so yes, something beautiful came from it, but I should have never let it get so out of control.  I am cringing while posting this photo, but I might as well be real.  



Near full-term pregnancy, 175 pounds



The Cause

I never knew how to eat properly.  As newlyweds, we were going for the cheaper items at the grocery store; the frozen burritos and the mac-and-cheese, and the frozen pizzas were all simple favorites for us.  Especially after Celeste was born; I usually popped something in the microwave while doing her mounds of laundry, and that normally meant frozen corn dogs or the cheap frozen meals.  I only paid attention to the price at the grocery store and knew nothing about nutrition.  I mean between the new house payment, diapers, wipes, baby clothes, socks and shoes, baby cereal and food, etc., we were pretty strapped and well, Celeste's needs always came first.




2 years after childbirth, 155 pounds

 

Wake-up Call

Then one day, when Celeste was about three years old, I stepped on the scale only to find that I weighed nearly 165 pounds, and there was no baby in my belly to share the blame for my weight.  True, 165 pounds isn't horrendous, but it was my wake-up call.  It was completely unacceptable that 4 years after being married, I weighed 40 pounds more than I did walking down the aisle.  And as most women can relate who've had children, your anatomy changes somewhat just with childbirth so let's just say I felt pretty gross and unhappy with myself. 



3 years post childbirth, 165 pounds


It was then that I realized I needed a change; but like most people do, I just looked at the scale and thought, "What I wouldn't give for those digits to at least be in the 130s again!"  I was desperate; I'd reached my breaking point emotionally and I just didn't care what it took, even if it meant starving myself, I was going to do it.

Step 1: Portion Control

Well okay, I didn't end up starving myself at all!  But I did implement portion control.  I didn't know much and I had no idea where to start, but I knew that when I was smaller in size, I ate a lot less each time I sat down to eat.  In fact, whenever I'd gone out to eat as the skinnier me, I use to eat about half of what was on my plate, maybe a little more.  So I made it my goal to only eat half of what was on my plate.  And OH EM GEE that was hard to do.  At first, my stomach would still be growling, but I dealt with it by drinking more water.  No, it didn't sooth the craving I had for more french fries or pancakes, but it did provide a small distraction; something I could focus on while trying not to think about the delicious goodness still sitting on my plate.  And I started making sure that if I ate within a few hours of going to bed, it would be something extremely light, and just barely enough to stop the hunger.

I also implemented calorie counting.  After a month or so of just portion control, I learned that fewer calories in meant less fat that was stored on your body.  Now in reality, you should get 1,100-1,200 calories a day minimum while dieting, but this wasn't my problem at all.  At the time, I was use to consuming much more than that so calorie counting combined with portion control kept me just near 1,100 calories a day.

This is not the best way to go because I didn't realize what you eat matters almost more than how much you eat, but after nearly 6 months of this, I'd lost roughly 25 pounds and weighed 140 pounds. 

But then, I reached a plateau and couldn't seem to make it into the 130s at all.  Nothing I did was working, and I decided that perhaps it was time to do the other thing that everyone thinks of doing when losing weight, join a gym.  (This was progress in the right direction.)

Step 2: Join a Gym

Spring of 2011: I was so nervous walking into the gym for the first time that I think I burned more calories with my heart racing while walking to the locker room and then the elliptical than I did the entire workout. 

Did I look stupid?  Could people see my fat going crazy while I exercised?  What if I fell on the elliptical?  What if my shoelace got stuck?  What if I broke it?  Or worse, what if I couldn't figure out how to turn the thing on?

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but somehow, I made it through that cardio session on the elliptical.  It felt so amazing to be able to accomplish something like that!  So I kept going.  It was only a few days a week at first, and I really enjoyed it.  Plus, I started to see the pounds sloooooooowly coming off.

By July 2011, I weighed 122 pounds and was ecstatic!!

July 2011, 122 pounds

 

Step 3: Take it Up a Notch... Weightlifting?

So for those of you who don't know, I have a brother who has most always been hardcore into fitness.  Gabe competed in bodybuilding competitions and did pretty well.  He married my beautiful sister-in-law, Luwannah, who also competed and did well in shows. 

During several of my cardio sessions that I mentioned above, Gabe would come over, remove me from the machine and encourage me to do some weightlifting.  He would give me pointers and tips, and he can be pretty motivational.  :)  

But I didn't have any consistency with this method, and my curiosity was piqued.  So I started Scivation's 12 Weeks to Your Hottest Body Ever: the 12 Week Women-Only Plan to Transform Your Body.  It's free and downloadable on the link given here, so since I wasn't spending any extra, I thought hey, what is there to lose?

Let me back up by saying that I had previously been completely determined not to lift weights.  I mean there were soooo many reasons why I shouldn't; I would get bulky like Gabe was with his huge traps, broad shoulders and veiny arms.  Plus, only women with mustaches would do that, or so I thought. I love being a woman; God knew exactly what He was doing when He made me.  So there was absolutely no way I was going to lift weights.

Yet because I have some friends and family that are heavy into fitness, I began researching what they were telling me; that the only way a girl would ever get bulky (think mustache and broad jaw) is if she were taking steroids.  I began researching on bodybuilder.com, and more importantly, I purchased The New Rules of Lifting For Women, by Lou Schuler.  It is an absolutely amazing read and I highly recommend it to any female who is looking for a total change in her shape.  This book scientifically dispels those common misconceptions that we women have about lifting weights.  I remember reading it while on the elliptical and getting so excited that I felt like running over to the weight rack immediately.  (Hah yes, I'm a nerd!)

So while reading The New Rules of Lifting for Women, I began following the workout plan in Scivation's  book referenced earlier.  And since I was a newbie at all of this stuff, I looked up every single workout by name on bodybuilder.com and printed out the little pictures of how the workout is done.  I took those with me to the gym in the beginning, and my sister-in-law, Luwannah, came with me for a few months to help keep me company.  This is when the 5am workouts started.

Working out with Luwannah was great, absolutely great.  She would tell me if my form was bad and encourage me to do things in different ways to improve the workout.  She'd seen a total transformation herself so of course I completely trusted everything she said.  Luwannah was a huge blessing to helping me get started; there were never any dull moments and she helped me build my confidence with the weight room side of the gym. 

After a few weeks of weightlifting, I began to notice things taking shape that use to not have any.  My arms were slimming up and getting some curvature; my hips were becoming slightly narrower (can I get an amen?) and there was definition where there use to not be anything but glob.

Baby triceps showing after a few weeks of weightlifting

Step 3.5: Good Calories vs. Bad Calories

Pretty much as soon as I began weightlifting, I began changing my diet.  The New Rules of Lifting for Women talks a lot about good vs. bad calories, simple carbs vs. complex carbs, healthy fats and bad fats, fiber and it's importance, etc.  I have to say that this was one of the toughest things for me to learn about.  The more I read each day, the more I found out that the "healthy meal" that I'd just eaten was actually not all that healthy. 

I'm not going to sugar-coat it, there were times when I felt like giving up.  I mean rice is rice, right?  Who cares if it's fried rice?  It's BROWN after all!!  But it does matter, and I learned a lot about myself as I began working on my diet. 

Was it easy?  Not. At. All.  I had to make myself change the way I'd eaten all my life and that is absolutely never fun.  There were times when I cried from frustration because I felt like I wasn't gaining any ground here, just treading water.  (This is one of the simple reasons I love Vi; it actually makes nutrition a no-brainer for you.  But I hadn't been introduced to it yet.)

The days got easier though.  I learned more about what I liked and didn't like, and I slowly transitioned myself into a lifestyle of healthy eating.  I feel better.  I have more energy and don't feel sluggish when I'm eating right.  It just makes sense to make it a lifestyle.

Now don't get me wrong, every now and then I do have my indulgences.  I absolutely love the Chocolate Bar, Cheesecake Factory and Starbucks.  But they aren't regular occurrences for me anymore.

The Result

In December 2011, after 5 months of weightlifting, I weighed more than when I'd started (126-8 pounds vs. 122 pounds), but my skirts went from a size 6 to a size 4.  I was smaller all over, even though I actually weighed a bit more.  And for the first time in my whole life, I felt confident with myself.
 

December 2011, 6 months of weight training, 128 pounds



So the purpose of this blog is simply to help give others the information that I've found that has helped me with my transformation.  It took determination, and it was a total struggle.  There were times when I felt like the fattest, ugliest girl in the world, but I was determined to reach that seemingly unreachable goal.  Sure, people told me that my skin would never pull back in (yeah, they lied), people told me that I would look like a guy and some even said I was getting too skinny (until they saw how I can put away food like nobody's business). 

So what I'm saying to you is that no matter where you are now and no matter how impossible your goal seems, you can reach it.  Don't listen to people who tell you "you can't do..." or "you are not going to be able to..." etc.  Be the person you want to be.  Set that goal.  Reach for it with all that you've got, and one day, you'll be soooo glad that you did. 

=) Amanda