The Beginning of the End

Tomorrow is the day. 

Day one.

The beginning of the end.

What am I talking about? Beachbodys Ultimate Reset. 

I am taking the plunge and diving into my new me, starting tomorrow. 

You may be wondering what the Ultimate Reset is. The Ultimate Reset is a gentle, no starvation, total body cleanse. I have been guaranteed that in three weeks the Ultimate Reset will restore my body to its optimal "factory settings". I should look, feel and be healthier than I am now.  

I decided to do the Ultimate Reset because I have been working out a lot and I want to feel good inside as well as on the outside. I have terrible skin. My face is like a teenager going through "the change", which is really embarrassing, considering i'm in my thirties! I have Hypothyroidism, which wont change but I am hoping to find a source of new energy through resetting my inner workings. I have a couple of horrible habits. I like sweets and I'm not talking a chocolate here and there, i'm talking fruity candies of almost any kind and in large amounts. In fact, I cant remember a day that I didn't eat some sort of candy, which probably says a lot for my skin problems! Another unhealthy "vice" of mine is soda.Actually, soda pop is about the only thing that I do drink. I know, I know, I am terrible. Anyway, I drink mostly diet soda but I really prefer the "diesel" and I like the browns (aka Coke, Pepsi, Dr.Pepper), which usually means caffeine! I also like me some coffee in the mornings and since plain coffee tastes like crap I have mine with a ton of sugar in it! Most people who see me prepare a cup of coffee for myself often comment about me adding some coffee to my sugar. Yep, I am that bad. I am also a carb addict, i'm working through that one but pretzels and goldfish crackers are hard ones for me to resist.

With this reset I am hoping to break free from my unhealthy eating habits and find new healthier life, meal and snack choices. 

Currently, I do eat some meat. I will eat chicken on occasion if it is raised without animal byproducts, antibiotics or hormones. However, I can't remember the last time I actually did eat chicken. I have also ate ground turkey or turkey burgers. On Easter I had a turkey burger and I think it was actually the last time that I ate meat other than the eggs that I used to make the homemade bread that's sitting on my counter. (I consider eggs to be meat.) I don't mind bacon, if it's burnt to a crisp and on a BLT and I don't and wont eat any red meat. I like some kinds of fish and I love mot kinds of sushi and rolls. I like cheese and other than ice cream, its my main source of calcium. I don't and wont drink any milk-- not in my cereal and not in my coffee, never--yuck. I don't mind yogurt but I only like one kind (Dannon Light and Fit). Sometimes, I may like cottage cheese but I really have to be in the mood for it. I don't like pudding but I {heart} ice cream, especially from Whitey's (wink, wink) and I don't care for chocolate but I don't dislike it either! 

As far as fruits and vegetables, well, I love fruits and almost every vegetable that there is. I was a vegetarian starting when I was around twelve or thirteen years old (by my own choice) and since then I have gone back and forth between a full vegetarian and eating some meats on rare occasions. In general I don't think that I could be or even want to be a vegan. There are too many things that have hidden animal byproducts in them and being a Vegan (IMHO) takes too much time, effort and money but I am going back to being a vegetarian and i'm starting with the Ultimate Reset. 

Week one of the Ultimate Reset helps those who do eat meat wean off of it. The meat that they allow is meat that I don't like, other than eggs, so i'm practically a vegetarian again from day one, which is fine. By week two ill be off of eggs and for the next two weeks my diet will be that of a pure vegan. I can have no pop, no sugar, no candy/gum, nothing with preservatives or additives in it. Only Fresh. Raw. Vegetables, fruits and grains. It should be an interesting journey and to be truthful I am both nervous and excited. I am hoping that I come out on the other end feeling rejuvenated and strengthened both inside and out! I hope that I can say so long to pop, candy and coffee and hello to a vegetarian life style, again. 

My fridge is stocked with week ones menu approved foods. I have some light prep work to do tonight but other than that, I am ready to begin. So please, wish me strength and will power. I have a feeling that I am going to need it at least for fighting through the cravings of sweets and caffeine!

*** If you are interested in learning more about the Ultimate Reset or any of Beachbody's products then Annie is your gal. Annie is a team Beachbody Coach and she will give answers to all of your questions and she will motivate your socks off! ***

Reset

Curious? 

 You should be! 

No More Giving Up

I saw this photo on Facebook yesterday and it really hit home for me. 

I am notorious for starting exercise routines and not following through on them. Finding excuses for why I can't work out comes very natural for me. That's why five weeks into the Insanity program I was uber ecstatic with my success. I had only missed two days in the Insanity routine but each time I made up for my lost day with a double workout on the following. Me, sweating to Shaun T's Insanity became a normal activity for my family to see. Everyone was cheering me on, motivating me and especially encouraging me to push through and to not. give. up. I was feeling better than ever and my body was already transforming. 

And then I slipped. 

I had met part of my goal, which was to fit into my gown for the GiGi's Playhouse Gala (without any under garments to help into that dress, I have to add) and then the excuses began. 

The excuses lasted three to four weeks and then it hit me. This is not where I want to be. I'm tired of thinking "I wish I had ab's like hers", or complaining of this stomach roll or the jiggle in my ass. People look at me and very often roll their eye or scoff at the idea that I am exercising or that I even want to. I cant count the times that I have heard that I am skinny so why work out. Well, I am a smaller person but I want to be slim, healthy and in shape. When a person exercises or watches what they eat doesn't always mean that they are on a "diet" to loose weight, although what you eat is considered a diet. I exercise to be healthy and to give my daughters an example of what being healthy is really all about. You have to get off of your butt and do something, be active and most of all (for me) I have to stop making excuses and take responsibility for my body and for my health.

Luckily, I have the support of my family and I even have my own personal trainer (well, actually, I have a few of those)

Pssst... check out Miss. V. she's standing on her own!! At first glance it looks as if she is using me to support herself but she's not!!

Whats my goal (besides being healthy, in shape and setting good examples)? Look below...

I do want a stomach like hers. 

I want all of this stretched out skin and flab (from having three children and from being on a period of prolonged bed rest) turned into lean muscle. 

I want to look into a mirror and say "I have the body that I want" and "I did it!

 I am now into my second week of Insanity. I will finish it this time. I will have before and after photos and I will reach my goal!

No. More. Giving. Up.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

With all of the above I wanted to add some information on Beachbody. It is the company known for its amazing workout videos such as the one that I am currently doing, Insanity, as well as their tasty meal replacement shakes, Shakeology and their great one on one support given from their independent coaches. I have had the honor of personally meeting my coach before she even became interested in Beachbody. Annie Reid from The House That Jade Built and her mother Janie at Janie Fox Talks and I plus our youngest children met months and months ago and we have both supported each other through our girls going through open heart surgery. Now I have the privileged of knowing my personal coach and knowing that she is going to be honest, push me when I need to pushed and keep me accountable for my health and fitness. Annie Reid is an Independent Diamond Beachbody Coach. If you are interested in starting one of the many amazing workouts that Beachbody has to offer, contact Annie, she has done quite a few of the programs already and is checking off her list as she continues to move through their different videos! If you don't believe me, check out her success story below!