Week 12: Gaining a ton

These last twelve weeks have been a beautiful experience.
I have definitely pushed myself through some rough challenges. Through nutritional eduction, physical training, and self exploration, I was able to prove to myself that I could live healthy and happy!
I have muscles that I have never even felt before, and the most amazing endurance that I could ask for.

The last week was crunch time, where I really had to buckle down and follow my diet very closely. I lost 2 more lbs while preparing for an 11k race! I was really focusing more on if I could really survive such an endeavor, which seemed to me, a terrifying challenge!
How the hell could I run 6.8 miles on a trail, when I have never even ran a regular 6.8 mile jog on flat land?! But I did was I was told...I went to personal training, ran my cardio outside, ate well, and tried to sleep well.
Showing up to the race, I was so nervous and terrified.
The first FOUR miles were uphill!!!!!!! I wanted to give up and stop within 15 minutes. Thank god Rob and Devon were with me because I woud have probably walked more if they weren't around. We kept a really even pace the entire time, which definitely prevented me from burning out.
We finished in about an hour and fifteen minutes. And I am proud to say that I didn't quit. Hell...I think I might be crazy, but I may want to go back and run it again sometime in the future. The view was spectacular and the run was challenging, but really good!

I personally do not want to give up where I am now, especially when I have dreamed of it for so long!!
So I am not going to. I will continue to maintain my health by attending Lunch Crunch Boot Camp three days a week, cardio 2-3 times a week, going on a long run at the end of the week (5.5 miles), and eating well!! All I want now is to get more toned, which will be about 5 more lbs.... but there is no rush in that. The goal is by January....which I will start to pursue NEXT Monday :]

Even though I found myself daydreaming on what I will eat once this is all over, I can't even allow myself to pig out!!! I gave myself the freedom to fantasize as much as I wanted, but I think the fear of the consequences are now stronger than my actual cravings....especially now that I know how hard it is to pay for those consequences!


Let the following picture show what the consequences may look like...and then having to pay for them......

                                           Before :[                                    After!!!!   :D


In the end I will miss my commitment to Open Sky Fitness very much!
I will miss my Gyrotonic classes
I will miss personal training
I will miss nutrition
and I will miss all the individualized help, attention, and genuine care that I received from Rob and Devon.
I am really lucky to have met both of them, because without them I know I would still be struggling with my weight, self esteem, confidence, and health.
I know this may sound REALLY cheesy... but
I may have lost a lot of weight, but I have gained so so so much more!

Thank you Open Sky Fitness! See you at Bootcamp :]

Week 11: On a plateau

Hey readers!
I have one more week left and I have hit a plateau that seems to have thrown me off my tracks!
Last weekend I dropped about 2 lbs, then I went up 3...and now I'm stuck!
I went to my nutritionist appointment the other day and we reviewed my food journal.
Well we found some evidence that I wasn't even aware of, that jeopardized my progress.
We realized that I have been eating more vegetables and fruits that cary a lot of sugar in them!
Peas, beats, rasberries, tomatos! All of them are high in sugar.
I thought I was being good and following my diet, but I guess I was taking in a lot more sweetness than i realized. I was craving sugar and didn't even know it!

So now the plan:
1. Eat as many dark greens as possible. And I mean, as much as I can.
         Example: Broccoli, bok choy, kale, collard greens

2. Eat a serving of lean protein for every mean
         Example: Fish or chicken

3. Drink a glass of water with lemon every morning to help detox the body

I am so discouraged with this fall back, but I need to push through.
Training has been really good to me.... especially cardio! Since I have committed to running a race (which is next Sunday), I have been running outside and a lot further too!!
This entire time, I have been running on a treadmill at the gym. What I had failed to consciously consider is that running outside is so much harder! Its nothing like the treadmill makes it out to be.
So, whoever is using the treadmill to get in a challenging run is lying to themselves!! Hit your ass to the pavement and see the difference...

My cardio schedule to prepare for the race:
Sept. 27 -- 3 miles
Sept 29 -- 4.5 miles
Oct. 2 -- 30 minutes interval
Oct. 4 -- 4 miles
Oct. 6 -- 5.5 miles
Oct. 9 -- 2 miles
Oct. 13 -- 1.5 miles
Oct. 14 -- Race day! 6.8 miles (11k)

I'm scared to death to do this race, but some time into my 5.5 mile run that I did this week, I realized that I will probably be perfectly fine. Check out the info about the Xterra Point Mugu trail race that I'll be running
Wish me luck!

Below is the map of the race, I will be running the 11k (blue dotted path):

Week 10: Open your eyes!

This Blog is coming a little late, so I apologize to everyone for the delay:

Ahh!! Two more weeks!
I'm getting a little restless and cannot wait till I could indulge a little here and there. I am almost at my goal weight and I am loving all the encouraging words from everyone. I find myself day dreaming about what I will eat once I'm done with the Sky Fit Challenge. Which is ridiculous, because I should be looking forward to continuing my healthy habits that I have formed through these past 10 weeks.
I think it is safe to say that its only natural to day dream about the bad foods that we are exposed to...its everywhere! Its in our face durring our everyday life!
There is more unnatural products that are being produced to the masses than real food!
Its a scary thing because its easier than just getting to know your vegetables, fruits, protein, and grains.

I am currently working on how I will be keeping up my healthy diet and exercise once this is all over with.

It all comes down to specifics. I have to make a list for myself on what and how often I can allow myself to have that pasta, ice cream, and cheese, while assessing the actual importance of it. Why am I eating it? What will it do for me? What am I really craving? How bad do I want to eat it? and what will happen if I dont? what will happen if I do??

There is now a conscious thought process that goes into my eating, and it has been a beautiful change!

Before I felt like someone who had lost control over knowing what to eat, while blindly filling my stomach with what I thought was good, healthy, or not as bad as the alternative. 

I can now say that I am getting so much more out of my body because of what I put in it!!

Its just such a strange feeling when people tell me that I am so "tiny" now. I still have this body dysmorphic view when I look in the mirror.
I don't see the extreme difference that others do.... which is a little messed up because I think I still have a lot of improvements to make. My perception is a little skewed and its going to take a while to get used to. I am still working towards a goal weight, so until I reach it, I don't see why I shouldn't continue improving. Its not like I am damaging myself in any way. I do not starve myself at all, I actually eat a lot!!! I just don't eat the processed foods that I used to.
I actually have not really realized how unhealthy I used to eat, until I started this program. Its really been a wonderful eye opening experience!