Happy Fitaversary To ME!!!
(Don’t forget to enter all 3 of my great giveaways! You could win 50 holiday cards, an 18×24 poster print, or a 16×20 rolled canvas print! Good luck!)
Wow, Wow, WOW!!!
A year ago today, I took a fitness assessment that was provided for free at my job. At that assessment, things like my weight, bmi, body composition, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, etc. were measured. While most of my numbers were “normal” I was NOT happy. I weight over 170 lbs, and was not looking cute…
(check out my health page at the top of my site, or click here to see more before photographs)
Before:
The number that threw my jaw to the floor was my % Body Fat. I had 38.1% body fat.
The now almost famous conversation that I had in my head went something like this, “Woa. 38%. That is almost 40%… THATS ALMOST 50%!!! I’m almost HALF FAT!!!”
That night, I went to the store and bought the 30 day shred DVD… and the rest was history!
I’m proud of the accomplishments that I’ve had this year:
- I worked out 30 days straight when I thought it’d kill me
- I went from running 30 seconds, to running up to 5 miles
- I graduated from the couch to 5k program
- I’ve completed 4 5k races
- I’ve completed 1 4 mile race
- I’ve lost and maintained around 25 lbs to date
- I’ve become more balanced and flexible
- I’ve gone from a size 16 to a size 8
- I’ve CHANGED my diet significantly, adding healthy and wholesome food to most of my meals.
- I’ve become a moderator or a national board related to health and fitness.
- I’ve got a blog reach of over 100 (usually quiet, but wonderful) readers who help keep me accountable.
That is a pretty damn good year, if you ask me. 
So, to the FITAVERSARY PART…
Today, the fitness wagon came by again, one year after driving through and changing my world.
I bounded into the room, ready and excited to see my numbers…
Here are some highlights:
| Last Year | This Year | |
| Weight | 168 | 146 |
| BMI* | 28.8 | 25.1 |
| Body Fat % | 38.1 | 25.8 |
| Overall Wellness | 72/100 | 91/100 |
Check out last year’s sad diagnosis…
Check out this year’s BEAUTY!!!!
THAT is meaningful change, people!
I was LITERALLY glowing all day… My Jess-i-poo took some pictures of my happiness, so I could share my excitement with you fine people…
I posed with both of my reports, last year’s and today’s…
I think this one says, “Hollerrr! I’m making myself the best me I can be and I have an abnormally huge smile!”
I’ll close this incredible meaningful post (to me, anyway) with an excerpt from last year… the day after my 38.1% epiphany…
One of the most prevalent messages of the story [kung fu panda] was that, there is no “trick” to becoming who you are destined/meant/hoping to be… No self help book, no 30 day shred workout video, and no special website that will make that change happen. In the end, we have to decide to make that change ourselves.
Anyone who has known me for any length of time has undoubtedly heard one of the dozens of “I’mma change! I’m gonna get fit! I’m gonna finish an album! I’m gonna eat only organic! I’m gonna blog every day!”
But… maybe, just maybe… a day will come and those changes that I want to see in myself will be my day-to-day… moment to moment priorities.
Love you guys…
<3
What a beautiful glow!
A few weeks ago, I got the amazing news from Caitlin at healthy tipping point, that my submission to her Operation Beautiful site had been selected for use in the book!
Caitlin, one of my favorite healthy living bloggers, started a movement earlier this year with the founding of her site Operation Beautiful.com. Operation Beautiful has a simple premise. Women can be hard on themselves, and hard on other women as well. In an effort to cultivate a culture of positive self esteem and self talk, Caitlin posted a note.
(Photo courtesy of Caitlin B. of Operation Beautiful.com)
In a public place, she left a note for another woman to find, and told her that she was beautiful. A small gesture, but one that allows women to build each other up, and not tear one another down. When she was got word about Operation Beautiful being picked up for a book, she asked the blogging community to submit for consideration in the volume.
I am so excited to have been selected and I was even more excited to find that I was also selected by Caitlin as one of the 19 prize winners too! I can not WAIT for the book to come out, and for you my readers and friends to see my submission! 
The other part of this entry, is about the great PRIZE that I won, for my submission! As lucky winner #6 I won a Variety Pack of Glo Bars from Angela at Glo Bakery!!
Angela sent me a box containing 11 Glo Bars! It contained:
- 6 Refresh Bars (Chocolate Peppermint)
- 2 Classic (Chunky Peanut Butter)
- 1 Revive (Dark Chocolate Chunky Peanut Butter)
- 1 Chi (Chia Seed)
- 1 Renew (Hemp and Chia)
Review:
Opening the Glo Bar, I was thrilled, because I love the quick and convenient package as much as the next girl! At first bite, I loved that it was softer than the Lunas that I usually eat. The texture was chewy, and chunky, but somehow smooth. The bars aren’t overly sweet, which I really love. I can say that at first, I wasn’t sure about the flavor, but as soon as it was off my tongue, I wanted another bite, and another, and I swear the flavor and taste gets better with every single bite.
You can taste the love that Angela bakes in these bars, and you can also taste the lack of chemically ickiness that is in lots of store bought bars. Incidentally, I didn’t even notice some of the chemical flavors in my other bars, until I tasted these vegan darlings.
I’ve gotten hooked on the Refresh bars (and I’m glad I got mostly those!) but I’ve also enjoyed the Classic and Revive. I had been looking forward to trying one of the more fruity bars, but I’m not complaining. What I received have been totally delish. Now my only worry is how much I’m going to want to keep these babies on hand.
Thanks so much to both Caitlin and Angela!
Back to work (sorta)…
Well, tomorrow, I go back to “work” tomorrow. I’m not mad about it, actually, I’m pretty excited. I know that I’ll have the opportunity to learn a lot, and I know that it won’t be that bad.
See, tomorrow, I start my summer internship. In order for me to graduate in August, I have to log a bunch of hours of field experience. While it is a little bit backwards (because I already have 3 years of teaching experience under my belt), it is still part of the process. So, tomorrow, I’ll go in and assist a teacher, as she prepares for summer school which starts on Tuesday.
It will be kinda cool to be an assistant, because I’ve never been in that role in the classroom before. I just hope that I can be helpful.
In other news, time is REALLY flying towards Spain… I’m working to get my to do list fully fleshed out, but there are so many different facets of that to do list, I keep getting distracted.
There are a bunch of lists, but they fall into specific categories…
- Packing stuff
- Conference stuff
- Itinerary stuff
- Traumatic Brain Injury Class stuff
- Internship stuff
- Before-I-leave stuff
- Money stuff
- Fitness stuff (10k RACE IS ON JULY 4!!)
Basically, I just want to get it all done in time. I’m sure I will, but I definitely will be summoning my very best organizational skills to manage it all!
One more thing, I was going through the “tennis day” pictures from my 20 lbs progress picture post, and I found one I meant to share with you. I should explain and disclaim that I am not a tennis player… my sweet husband is, but I merely go to try my best. With that in mind, d always tries to teach me tennis skills, and while I’ve improved a lot, there are still areas that I am painfully bad at… Case in point, this sweet shot was captured when I attempted a serve… badly.
Please note where I’m looking, where my racquet is and where the ball is. No bueno. hehe.
Anyway, we had fun… Have a great Monday, everybody.
milestones and progress…
Well, on Wednesday, I ran a 5k distance in the morning for National Running day! I had a pretty fair time too, but nothing earth shattering. That morning I weighed myself, and I finally reached it.
20 lbs!
This is a pretty big milestone, and I have to say that it is a pretty cool number.
I’ve never posted any before/after pictures before… probably because they are obviously embarassing, but… what the hell. I suppose I might as well. It might inspire someone else to get out there and change their life too.
I still have a long way to go, and I know that… but it is a start that I’m proud of…
Before: Pant size: 14-16 /171 lbs
Today: Pant size: 8-10/151 lbs
Okay, then…. not sure what to say now, so I’ll leave it at that.
I’ve got a 4 mile race in the morning! Wish me luck.
10k training progress, and the end of weigh-ins!
Hey everyone!
I hope you’re having a great week!
I’m feeling pretty darn good, most days! It seems that health and fitness really is 90% mental, because I’m still on the wagon and going strong!
Training for my 10k is going well, my training schedule looks something like this:
Monday: short run for time (30 minutes or more)
Tuesday: stride run on the track of varying times and distances
Wednesday: Full body strength
Thursday: short run for distance (usually aiming for 3 miles)
Friday: short circuit of abs, back, arms… maybe a little legs, depending on how I feel
Saturday: long run (working up to 8 miles before the 10k)
Sunday: rest
Along with that, I also try to do yoga once or twice a week, and I’m stretching EVERY day.
So far, I’ve lost 16.4 lbs in 4 months.
Tonight, I set out for a 3 miler, but for some reason, my legs were sooooo tight!! Front to back, top to bottom, both of my legs in their entirety were so sore. I’m going to stretch well tonight, rest up tomorrow, and prepare for my long run on Saturday.
Well, I mentioned my love of yogurtoats, and this morning, I tried a new concoction. Oat bran with raspberry preserves.
I used 1/3 cup of Bob’s Red Mill Oat Bran, and a tbs of raspberry preserves… plus a little milk to loosen it up. YUM!
For lunch, I had a wrap, with homemade red pepper hummus, kale, sprouts, and some button mushrooms. Double yum!
Can we talk a minute about how freaking GREAT the White Chocolate Macadamia LUNA BARS are!?!? Seriously good. I’m so glad my Kroger stocks these… *drooool*
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In other news, tomorrow is the end of the biggest loser competition at my work.
YES.
I’m so glad, because I need to stop stressing about the ups and downs of every week. I’ve ranted about much I wish I hadn’t signed up. Mostly because I’m not trying to do a quick big loss! AND, I’ve mentioned how weight loss isn’t even my focus, and that I know healthy living is way more important to me (and that weight loss will most likely follow ) Anyway, I’m really glad to have that weighing pressure off my back.
Have awesome Fridays, guys, and I’ll talk to you later.
Holy YUM!!!!
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