Inspire 4 Life Fitness Testimony

When I stepped into the Inspire 4 Life studio back in January 2012 to take my very first Zumba class, I was so unsure of how the class was going to go. I was intimidated, I was nervous, I was scared. Laurie Carroll was the instructor and she made me feel welcome and comfortable. That is hard to do for an overweight person stepping into a “gym” for the first time in a long time. But I honestly wasn't scared or nervous to go to another class after that. I was family.

Laurie, Bobby, and Carlos have inspired me, and many others, to either start a journey towards health and fitness or encouraged us in the journey we are currently on. I was honored and privileged to be chosen as the first transformation winner this past summer. I went through 6 weeks of hard-core workouts and nutritional counseling with Bobby, Carlos, and Laurie. Each of them told me they were going to step it up for me. They felt a desire and obligation to do that for me. Yes, that meant harder workouts, but it also meant that really care about my end result. It means that they are concerned about where I go from here. During those 6 weeks of the transformation, I lost a total of 13.25 inches and 39lbs! I have developed more of a drive for exercise, fitness, and healthy living through working out at Inspire 4 Life.

I am no athlete by any stretch of the imagination, but I am eating healthier and exercising more thanks to Inspire 4 Life Fitness. The instructors and trainers are so excited about fitness. They keep me accountable. They are very supportive and encouraging. They love sharing their passion and helping people reach their fitness goals. My thoughts and feelings about "working out" and "fitness" have completely changed since I started taking classes at the studio. It is amazing. When I started, there were so many things that I COULD NOT do. I couldn't even make it through an entire song at Zumba class without being winded and having to stop. Now, I can make it through the whole class, minus real water breaks! I couldn't walk a mile without stopping. Now, I have done 3 5k races and have plans to do more. The first one, I did stop a couple of times; the second one I didn't stop at all; and the third I actually ran some! I couldn't do pushups, let alone even think about doing planks, burpees, suicide drills, mountain climbers, etc. But now, I can do it all! I still have to modify, but I can do it -- all since starting at Inspire 4 Life Fitness.



Laurie Carroll


 

Laurie is so positive and enthusiastic. She has a true passion for fitness and it shows in each of her classes and personal training sessions. Every time I walk into her classes, she pushes me to do things I didn’t think I could do. I have been able to increase my weight-lifting abilities through her classes. She introduced me to Paleolithic eating which has furthered my weight-loss. Laurie has been there to answer so many of my questions and keep me focused on my journey. She accepted me in her Zumba class and has never judged me. She keeps me excited to exercise. Laurie’s dedication and commitment to health and fitness is contagious.





Bobby Campbell

 

I started working with Bobby during the transformation experience. He has a real heart for helping people lose weight and get into a fitness routine. He helped me get back into lifting weights. Every single workout I have had with Bobby has pushed me beyond my limits. Bobby takes time to make sure I am hitting my goals and keeping with my journey, even outside his classes. We did a 5k together in September and after he finished and recovered, he came back to make sure I finished ahead of a goal I had set for myself. When he could see “pain” in my face, he encouraged me to go a little bit longer. He instilled in me that “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” I will never forget that.



 



Carlos Johnson

 

Carlos has been a great coach and supporter for me. He helps with the nutritional Inspired! meeting at the studio and has been pivotal in my food journey. He keeps it real and gives me tips and tricks on changing habits and thinking. His passion is to help people get fit and stay fit. Carlos goes above and beyond to motivate and encourage me to work harder. He has helped me realize that I'll never know what I'm capable of until I push beyond my limits. His workouts are intense and I never thought I would run like he has made me do. But anytime I can’t do an exercise or move, he helps me adapt it to what I can do. There are no excuses with him.


I have been blessed with these fantastic instructors/trainers that have helped me along my way. Each of them has so much knowledge and eagerness to share and I am honored that they share it with me. Every time I start to get discouraged, one of them is there to pick me up and push me a little farther. They have most certainly been advisors and coaches, but more importantly they have become friends and confidants.

Success and Blessings

God has guided me along my journey and I have been very successful thus far. In the past 3.5 weeks I have lost an additional 2.5 inches! I continue to be amazed at the changes in my body. The fat is “melting” away and I am gaining much more muscle. Muscle that I never imagined having!

Since starting at Inspire 4 Life Fitness back in January, just 10 months ago, I have lost a total of 38.75 inches!! The instructors and trainers are so enthusiastic about fitness. They love sharing their passion and helping people reach their fitness goals. My thoughts and feelings about "working out" and "fitness" have completely changed since I started taking classes at the studio. It is amazing. When I started, there were so many things that I COULD NOT do. I couldn't even make it through an entire song at Zumba class without being winded and having to stop. Now, I can make it through the whole class, minus water breaks! I couldn't walk a mile without stopping. Now, I have done 2 5ks and have a 3rd scheduled for next weekend. The first one, I did stop once or twice, this last one I didn't stop at all, and the one coming up I plan to run intervals! I couldn't do pushups, let alone even think about doing burpees, suicide drills, and mountain climbers. But now, I can do it all! Some of it I have to modify, but I can still do it -- all since starting at the studio. I'm telling you, hard work and dedication REALLY WORKS!

I have been blessed with these fantastic instructors/trainers and so many supporters that have helped me along the way. Every time I start to get discouraged, someone is there to pick me up and push me a little farther. I have developed new friendships; friendships that will last forever.

There is one new friend that I really want to appreciate - Crystal McKern! I only knew your name through us having a mutual friend. I friended you on Facebook and we developed a connection. I have watched you start your own journey and you are doing such a wonderful job. You encouarge me without even realizing it! We remind each other when we're hurtin' from a workout that HARD WORK PAYS OFF! Because we're on such a similar journey, we can grow [or technically SHRINK] with each other, share experiences, successes, failures, and encourage each other. I am proud to call you my friend!

Words could NEVER express my gratitude and everyone's continued support and encouragement in my life. THANK YOU!

Moving Forward

For those of you that follow my story, obviously you’ve noticed that it’s been a while since I’ve blogged. Sorry about that. I have just gotten so wrapped up in my routine that I just forgot to keep you updated. Well, hopefully I’ll catch you up today and stay up to date with my postings.


I didn’t hit the weight loss goal that I wanted to by October 16th, but I was pretty close. I did manage to lose 4 more inches though! I was very happy about that. I think my body is starting to adjust and get used to my workouts. My muscles haven’t felt as “worn out” the past couple of times. That just means I’m going to have to work harder; which is good because it also means I’m getting stronger and healthier. I’m still working on my mile pace.

My Color Run 5k is in 2 weeks! AHHH!! I am so very excited about it and anxious to see what time I end up with. The next 2 weeks are going to be FULL of workouts and running intervals! I’m just excited about that weekend in general. My team (No Excuses – Crystal, Erica, and Jenny) is making it a complete girls’ weekend. We are staying Friday and Saturday night and going to just do some fun stuff together. It is going to be a much needed weekend away for me! I absolutely cannot wait. Crystal actually has another 5k to do on Sunday at Furman with her work. I’ll be going with her to support her in that race as well.

I am still working on getting my eating habits in check. I am following some Paleo “restrictions” but not as much as I need to. I am going to be working on that in the coming weeks as well. I have actually had 2 people approach me recently about helping them to eat healthier. This is just a testament to me on how much my story and journey is reaching and affecting people. I know I say this about every time I blog, but I never thought how sharing my story would influence so many people. It completely amazes me. I hear stories from friends where people say something to them, people that I don’t even know! I am so very thankful for the lives that I am able to reach by sharing my thoughts, my struggles, and my successes. The whole reason I started sharing my story was to hopefully let someone out there know that they are not alone in their journey. I know that, at least for me, it helps to know that someone else has thought what you’ve thought or struggled the way you’re struggling. It also helps to know that the struggles are only temporary and success is on its way!

I have just been so blessed in my journey thus far. I may have failed to meet some of my goals and slipped along the way, but it’s all part of the process. It is inevitable to fail at some things. Life has an ultimate purpose and failure should not keep you from it. The important thing is to learn from it, pick yourself up, and keep going. My journey is not temporary. My journey is the rest of my life. I refuse to let failure rule the rest of my life, it has taken too much of my life already. I will be successful and I will achieve my goals! And you will reach your goals as well, just keep pushing forward. Push through the struggles, push through the rain, and push through the hurt. If you stumble, then take a minute to regain composure and continue along the way. Keep your eye on the little bit of sunshine you see ahead knowing that victory is just around the corner!

I’m not going back. I’m moving ahead. I’m here to declare to you. My past is over. In you, all things are made new. Surrender my life to Christ. I’m moving, moving forward!

Moving Forward – Hezekiah Walker

Schedules, Goals, and Diet

I must say I've had a pretty good week overall. Sunday I had a very long and productive phone conversation with my BFF and accountability partner, Jessica. She and I are both at the point where we needed to sit down and set some actual goals for ourselves. We haven't done this in a while, so it was well overdue! I have missed our Sunday evening chats about the week and out goals for the week to come. We talked about alot and set some of our goals in motion. Right now we're concentrating on short-term goals (things to accomplish before Christmas).

My first goal is for my 5k in November. I want to be around the 60 minute mark at the finish line. I finished my last 5k in 69:40. It's going to take some work, but I know I can do it. I have been using my Core 24 membership to work on that. I've gone a couple of times this week and just done a treadmill workout. For a 15 minute mile, I have to average a 4.0 mph pace. The past 2 times I went to the gym, I hit 3.0 and 3.5 mph. I didn't stay there long, but it let me know what that pace felt like. I think I am going to have to start running intervals again. I have't done that in a while, but I know it will get me to where I need to be. I just don't think I can power walk 4.0 mph the whole time, but I know I can do some intervals. So that's next on my list at the gym.

Some other goals involve a weight that I want to be at before October 16th. I'm still not ready to share those numbers here yet, but I'll let you know when I accomplish that goal! :) I have another goal to workout 6 times per week. This week I only hit 5 days, but one of those days I did 2 workouts. So I technically hit my 6 times. I am working on getting a schedule down for my workouts....figuring out days I'll be at the Inspire 4 Life vs Core 24. I'm also working on getting my eating habits in check. I am starting to incorporate more whole grains back into my diet. It's been a struggle making sure I'm not getting too many and keeping my meals planned out. I never thought I would say this, but I want to try to stick to the main points of the Paleo lifestyle. It was actually so much easier than trying to figure out if I'm eating too much of something.

I continue to be amazed at what my body is capable of and the things it's letting me do. I never in a million years imagined that I would have a goal to work out 6 times a week -- let alone actually DOING IT! ...and it  feels GREAT! I am so blessed to have been given a second lease on life and to be able to change my health outcome. It was very scary for the doctor to blatantly tell me that I would die if something didn't change. But it was at that point that I knew I had to do it. I couldn't let heart problems take me away from life. I couldn't let obesity rule my life and rob me of my happiness. I was not going to let more opportunities be taken away from me because of my health. This is MY life and I'm taking it back!

Update - Post Transformation

Okay, so I know you're all dying to know how I'm doing post-transformation. Things are going well. I'm still working out full force. I am still implementing some of the Paleo lifestyle into my eating.

At my party last week, Bobby surprised me with a 6 month membership to Core 24. He had mentioned it to me at one of my first workouts with him, but he never said anything else about it so I didn't really put any more thought into it. PLUS, my 2 best friends from college (Jessica and Erica) surprised me with a 6 month unlimited membership to the studio (Inspire 4 Life Fitness)! I am unbelievably blessed to have these people in my life that want to invest in my health and fitness! I picked up a couple more classes at the studio this week and did a workout at the gym today. I'm working on getting a real workout schedule done so I know what I'm doing when.

I have 2 5ks coming up within the next 6 months. One is the Color Run in Charlotte on November 17th. Then there is another 5k I want to do in January in Atlanta called the Hot Chocolate 5k! The only thing about the one in Atlanta is that there is a 15 minute mile pace requirement. Right now I am at about a 22 minute mile pace. That is one of my goals -- to get to the 15 minutes. I actually started working on that today at the gym. I hit the treadmill with some hills and started increasing my speed. I know it's going to take ALOT and even some running/jogging, but I'll make it! I'm hoping to be under 20 minutes/mile by the 5k in November -- 8 weeks! We'll see how that goes!

In the meantime, I'm just working as hard as I can to get further in my journey. My next goal date is March 22nd. I'll be having dinner with Erica and Jessica for E's birthday. It's part of their "gift" to me. They want to know numbers and progress that day. I'm ready to knock their socks off! :)

Hard Work and Support

Okay, so Tuesday I could hardly walk after that race! I barely walked at work and didn’t do any workouts. It was brutal, but my feet have finally healed and I’m back at my workouts full force! Wednesday I had Zumba class. I couldn’t do some of the moves because my feet were still pretty tender, but I did all I could. Thursday they felt a lot better, so I tried to work extra hard at College Street Zumba! Friday I had a workout with Carlos and he made me run again. We did 7 sets of running the length of the studio outside then came inside and ran suicides. It was HOT! But I did it and it didn’t kill me. Carlos mentioned that my stamina is building and I did well with the running. I think I did pretty darn good too considering I’m totally not a runner!

At our Inspired! meeting Thursday, we talked about why people workout and what keeps them coming or motivated. Besides my health scare, what got me started and has kept me going is having a support system; someone that has been by my side to encourage me and literally walk with me. I think that’s crucial for anyone wanting to get healthy and workout. If you don’t have someone there to stand by you, you can make all the excuses you want and you’ll eventually give in. Having someone there to remind you of your goals is so helpful. It keeps me motivated knowing someone out there cares about my end result as much as I do. I encourage you to find that person that will help motivate you. It could be someone that is working toward the same goals or someone that you know will just be there for you. If you can’t find that person, I’d be glad to help with your accountability! Just comment or send me an e-mail and I will do all I can to help you achieve your goals.

Speaking of goals, Laurie gave me one to achieve yesterday. She told me to do 20 minutes of walk/run intervals, 50 crunches, 50 push-ups, and 100 squats! When she told me that I couldn’t believe it, my jaw dropped. HOLY COW! How in the world was I going to do it? Well, I did! I actually did about 25 minutes of walking and running. I downloaded an interval app for my iPod touch and did 7 sets of 3 min walking 30 sec running. It definitely got harder toward the end, but I finished with a strong run. Next time I’ll try 2 min walking and 30 sec running. Then I’ll increase my running interval. I never thought I’d be running on my own! You do what your trainer tells you when you’re working out with them, but to go out and run by myself….NEVER thought it would happen. I could have very easily walked the whole time, but I was given a goal to strive for and I accomplished it. It felt really good!

Today starts the last week of my transformation. I am really sad to see this process end, but am completely excited to see my results! I really wish I could keep up with the training sessions with Laurie, Bobby, and Carlos but it just isn’t in the budget. I am definitely going to keep up with my Zumba though! Plus, each of them has given my great tips and exercises that I can continue at home. I have been blessed with their expertise, encouragement, and commitment. It has been an absolute joy to endure the pain they put me through. Pain is weakness leaving the body and they’ve helped me get rid of A LOT of weakness! LOL! I do my final measurement and weigh-in on Friday then Sunday we’re having a BIG REVEAL PARTY at the studio (Inspire 4 Life Fitness)! It is gonna be hard keeping my results a secret for 2 days! I cannot wait though! If you have been following my blog and are in the area, you are MORE than welcome to come to the party and help me celebrate! (if you need directions, just let me know!) I know the trainers are probably going to “torture” me this week, but I’m ready. Let’s finish strong!

Catching You Back Up

As you might have noticed, I didn’t get much of a chance to blog last week. So let me try to catch you up! I left you having made my 8,000 step goal for Tuesday; well I met that goal again Wednesday! I hit 8, 312 steps Wednesday and 7,517 Thursday. I’m definitely making strides toward that 10,000 mark! I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll hit 10k tomorrow because I am walking a 5k in the morning! I haven’t said much about it because, honestly, I’m not really prepared for it. It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m really doing one again. My sister-in-law asked me if I wanted to do it with her (she’s actually doing the 10k) and my nephew, and possibly my brother. Obviously I said yes but my mind just isn’t completely there this time. I’m actually kinda nervous about it right now. I know I can do it, that’s not the issue. I just haven’t prepared for it by walking like I should, plus my legs are KILLING me from my workout with Bobby yesterday. He did actually prepare me for it a little bit without even knowing it. We went to the gym (Core 24) to workout yesterday and he had me “warm-up” and “cool down” on the treadmill. He had my speed at like 2.6-2.7 with an incline of 2.5-3.0! My body is not used to that…my LEGS are not used to that! And on top of that, he had me doing leg extensions with 30lbs. My thighs are screaming at me today!! I just hope they feel better tomorrow for this race. Carlos actually said he wanted to see me run the next one! Yeah, we’ll see about that! LOL

Speaking of Carlos, I worked out with him Thursday before our Inspired! meeting and Zumba. And of course he made me run again. We didn’t have a whole lot of time to work out. I went straight there after work, changed clothes and we got going around 4:15pm; our meeting started at 4:45pm. We did about 4 rounds of running, kettlebell squats/raises, and modified burpees. The running actually aggravated my hip from where I “hurt” it Tuesday, but I did it and it didn’t kill me! I did feel like I was falling apart by the end of the night though. I have developed a bone spur on the top of my foot and that started hurting, plus my hip was already bothering me, then I started getting calf cramps during Zumba! Again, I still made it. There’s a quote image that I found a while back that rings true in situations just like this…

Friday I didn’t have a workout because I had a surprise birthday party for my 2nd mama (my best friend’s mom). I did well at her party though as far as Paleo goes. I had some chicken salad (no sandwich), some veggies, and fruit. I stayed away from the cake, even though I had to cut it. I didn’t even lick my fingers! We had a great time.

Today was homecoming at our church. I wasn’t really looking forward to it because of all the food I couldn’t eat. I wanted to dig in so bad, but I didn’t. I actually brought my own stuff to make a salad for my lunch. I did enjoy a little bit of the apple and cherry crisp that my mom made, but mainly ate the fruit filling and not so much of the topping. I couldn’t even eat much of it because it started becoming too much.

I’m proud of myself and the obstacles I overcame this weekend. That was actually the main topic of our Inspired! meeting this week, obstacles. We talked about different things that stand in our way of staying on target for our goals. This weekend it was special occasions for me. The biggest thing is being prepared. Carlos mentioned planning out your meals on Sundays. Honestly, if you don’t prepare, you set yourself up for failure. That doesn’t mean you can’t overcome, but the odds are stacked against you to make bad decisions. I knew there would be fruits and veggies at the party Friday, so I wasn’t worried. Today, I knew there wouldn’t be anything I could eat, so I took my own. "By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail." (Ben Franklin)

Today is the day you can take control of your life. Take the necessary steps to get where you want to be. You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

Stepping It Up

We had a great Inspired! meeting Thursday. Carlos talked about trying to get our 10k steps in and finding ways to get it done. We also started discussing different options for meals, like what we can eat for breakfast and lunch. I can’t wait to get my almond flour because right now I’m eating a lot of eggs for breakfast and I’m kinda getting sick of them. LOL. Once I get that in, I can make some different things for breakfast, and even treats (cookies!). I’ve been finding and finally trying some more recipes. Some of them have turned out pretty good, others just not quite like I expected/wanted.

Sweet Potato Fries

Creamy Chicken Tomato Soup

I also had Zumba Thursday night. And even though I had that, I didn’t make my goal of 7,000 steps. I had to make an unexpected trip to Pendleton, so that took a lot of the time that I would have been able to get in my extra steps. I did make sure to hit 6,000 though Thursday, Friday, and yesterday.

Bobby definitely helped me get in my steps on Friday. He asked me first thing how many steps I had in already. He had quite a few exercises in mind to help push me farther. We did 12 straight minutes of circuit training, no rests – squats, rows, curls, shoulder press, tricep extension, and pushups. I did probably about 7 rounds of those. Then we did step ups and on to alternating seated squats and knee lifts. My legs were burning! Plus we did some swinging ropes, side tilts, trunk twists, and punches using a bungee rope for tension. If that weren’t enough, he threw in some “farmer walks” carrying 50lbs of weight and walking knee lifts!

I was worn slap out! BUT I still had to come back yesterday morning for my workout with Carlos. SO, I get up early to go workout with Carlos yesterday at 7:45am. He has a boot camp class before I come and he warned me. He was pumped and ready to go! Boy was he ever! He had a whole workout planned for me, one similar to what they do in his boot camp class. Well, in the middle of doing push-ups, he asks me about my workout with Bobby. I told him everything we did and he has to change his workout because it’s too similar to what he was going to do. Now I really don’t know what to expect. He says we’re going outside. Okay. We’re going to run. WHAT?! RUN?! Yes, run. This fat girl ran. There are two buildings: the studio and Core 24 Gym. We “power” walked the length of one building then ran the other length. Turned around and did it again….and again….and again - about 8 times - walking then running. Get done with that and he wants me to do tire flips and sledgehammer swings. I had to do about 4-6 rounds of that. THEN he mentions suicides – run the length of 2 parallel parking spaces, do 10 jumping jacks, turn around and do it again. I couldn’t really tell you how many of those I did. I probably haven’t really run since like 6th grade! My legs were some serious jell-o! But I did it!

I honestly can’t say how much I love each of my trainers. Both Bobby and Carlos told me during their workouts this week that they were going to step it up for me. They felt a desire and obligation to do that for me. Yes, that means harder workouts, but it also means that really care about my end result. It means that they are concerned about where I go from here. Laurie pushes me every single time I walk into one of her classes or training session. These people really care. I am honored and privileged to have the first transformation opportunity at Inspire 4 Life Fitness!

Day 22 - Marine Corp Barbie

I only THOUGHT I was sore yesterday! The past two nights I shared training sessions with a guy named Brian – he’s in the Zumba class too. Well, I can tell you that Laurie does not hold anything back! She did “super sets” to wear out the muscles and boy did it ever! I have worked muscles that I didn’t realize you could work. She definitely pushes me to give all I have and more. She mainly concentrated on arms/chest, which is where I think I am weakest. So, it was tough. There’s no letting up though because tonight I have Zumba again. Not to mention my other workouts with Carlos and Bobby to finish up the week. I can tell you now that Sunday will be a GLORIOUS day of rest!!!! I’m already looking forward to it, but I know all the work I’m doing and the soreness I feel every night is so worth it. I am seeing more and more differences in my body and starting to see some muscle definition beneath this fat. More muscle burns more fat, so bring it on! Let’s do this!

*Oh – and I hit my 6,600 step goal yesterday! Now, to just do it again today.

It's All Paying Off

So it’s back to the grindstone after a not-so-productive weekend with workouts and eating. I did my regular Zumba class Monday night but had to cut out 30 minutes early for a Thirty-One meeting. I contacted the trainers yesterday to see when we could train again. I heard back from all of them then Laurie sent me a text with my schedule for the week! Last night she either wanted me to come train with her or go to step class. Since I haven’t had the chance to really work with her personally, I decided to do that. She pushed me harder than I actually expected. My arms we so sore; I could barely lift them to do the cool down exercise or afterward. It was great though. All of the trainers have been great to push me beyond my limits and give me the encouragement I need to keep going. I just wish I could afford these session after this is all over. But in the meantime, I am going to soak it all up and take full advantage of everything they have to offer!

As for the rest of this week, tonight I have Zumba again and another personal training session with Laurie. Tomorrow we have our Inspired! meeting and I’m doing another Zumba class. Can you tell I love Zumba?! Then I have a training session with Bobby Friday afternoon and with Carlos Saturday morning at 7:45am! WOW! Plus they want me to get in 10,000 steps, which is very hard. I have yet to get there actually. I did make it to over 6,100 yesterday. Laurie wants me to add 500 to that. So my goal for today is 6,600 steps! I think I can do it though, especially with Zumba tonight.

At our Inspired! meetings, everyone usually weighs every week except for me. They don’t want me to weigh again until the transformation is over. Laurie did mention that she wanted me to measure again though. With going out of town last weekend I didn’t get a chance to until last night. I usually measure only once every 4 weeks. I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially with my most recent less than mediocre losses. Plus this was cutting my time in half. But, like I said, I did measure last night. In just 2 weeks and 2 days (I last measured 8/5) I have lost 6 INCHES!! I was so shocked and surprised! I honestly couldn’t believe it. That is more than I have ever lost in a month, or even 6 weeks!!! OH MY HEAVENS! I can’t wait to see what my final measurements and weight it once this is all over! By the time the transformation end I will be at my one year mark for my weight-loss journey. So amazing! I am blessed.

Day 11 - New Experiences

So I had my second workout with Carlos yesterday morning. I met him at the studio at 7:45am! I have never worked out that early in my life! But I know this experience is going to be full of firsts. We had a great workout. He worked me hard without a doubt! There were a few times where I was like “holy cow, this is craziness!” I definitely had to push through some weakness. There was one exercise that he wanted me to do (side leg raises while on all fours) that I just couldn’t do. Thursday during Zumba, I felt like I pulled or strained a muscle in my glute. It hurt and I did some stretches and put some heat on it that night. Friday it was a little better, but it was still tender. I thought I’d be okay yesterday, but when Carlos wanted me to do that one exercise, I just couldn’t do it – the pain was still there. Anyway, we adapted and kept going. He concentrated on arms/shoulders and legs. I thought I was sore Monday after his workout – that was nothing compared to today! I think the combination of Bobby Friday then Carlos yesterday really pushed me beyond my comfort level. I love it though! It feels so good to know that my body is being tested and “growing” in ways that I never could have done on my own.

Another new experience was the shopping trip with Laurie last night. I met her at Ingles and she guided me through the grocery store. She helped me pick the right foods, knowing what to get and what to stay away from. We also picked a few foods that I’m not so sure of to see if I’ll like them or not. I came home and unloaded everything, took a few pictures, then made my first “real” Paleo meal. I had scrambled eggs with organic salsa and pan seared pork chops…all cooked in coconut oil. I don’t know how I like the coconut oil just yet. It’s definitely different. There are going to be a lot of different things this month; stuff I’m not used to and doing things so differently. I’m going to try it though. If I don’t like it, I’ll figure something else out! But then again I may find something that I love that I never would have tried or bought before. It’s all about new things and I know it’s worth it. I am blessed to have this opportunity for this transformation and new experiences!

Day 10 - Weights

I finally got to work out with Bobby last night. He took me over to the gym beside the studio (where he also trains) and did some warm-up on the treadmill and weights. It has been a long time since I’ve worked out with weights, and I have to say I’ve missed it (missed the treadmill too!). I’m not very strong in my arms right now, but I’ll get there. I’m okay with curls and shoulder height stuff; but when it comes to lifting above my head….man am I weak! I used a medicine ball for the first time too. You wouldn’t think that holding about an 8-10lb weight while you do certain things (squats, trunk twists, throws, and knee lifts) would be that big of a deal, but it is. It adds just enough extra weight to make it challenging! I really enjoyed it!

This whole week has been really good. I have been challenged, but not so much that I want to stop or give up. I am excited about this process and can’t wait for my next workout. I never thought I would be saying that. I never thought I would look forward to workouts. I like it and I’m excited!!!

I worked out with Carlos again this morning and I'm going grocery shopping with Laurie this evening, so I'll blog about those later tonight/tomorrow.

Day 9 - Inspired!

Yesterday was our second Inspired! meeting. This week was a little more informative and instructional. They looked at our food journals for the week and gave us things to work on. We’re all basically working on the same things: getting more veggies, cutting out breads/cereals, getting in 30 minutes of exercise per day, and 10k steps. That’s going to be a challenge. I’m used to my breads and cereal or cereal bars. I’ve already been working toward 10k steps, but that’s a feat too! Even on days that I do Zumba, I’ve only gotten to about 8k. It’s a lot harder than it seems. The 30 minutes of exercise I can handle; with this transformation, I’m getting that easily!


Speaking of workouts, I had another night of Zumba. It wasn’t as bad as last week. I didn’t seem near as drained. I’m finally working through the soreness. I’m sure I’ll be a different kind of sore tomorrow as I have my first workout with Bobby; then another workout with Carlos on Saturday morning! That’ll be 6 days in a row! WOW! I can’t believe I’m one of those people now; but it feels good. I go to bed with a huge feeling of accomplishment!

We finally have a plan for the pantry raid and grocery trip too! I’m so excited! Laurie is taking me grocery shopping Saturday evening and then the guys (Carlos and Bobby) are coming to raid my fridge and cabinets on Monday. I know it’ll be an experience for sure, but I’m ready for it. I’m ready to have the tools I need and experience new things/foods. I have to start looking for recipes to get ideas so I can be prepared for whatever “craving” I might have. Like I said, I’m excited! Let’s do this!!

Days 7 & 8 - Overwhelmed

Workouts have been great. I am still sore from Carlos’ workout on Monday. I think I was more uncomfortable Tuesday than Monday after the double workout! Normally I would just sit around and rest after being worked like that…but I didn’t. I did a 24 minute Biggest Loser Box-Fit workout on the Wii. Then yesterday I had my normal Zumba class and tonight I’m doing another Zumba class! I never could understand the people that worked out all the time, 6-7 days/week; but right now, I’m one of those people. To my surprise, I’m not as exhausted as I thought I would be right now. I’m still at the beginning of this transformation process, but that really gives me hope….which I really need right now.

I am completely blessed that I have this opportunity. I knew it would be hard, but it never crossed my mind about the emotional aspects of this specific journey. It’s not the workouts, it’s the eating right. You get so used to eating a certain way, or not even caring about what you eat…then to completely change everything. I don’t even know where to begin! I don’t know what to buy. I don’t know how to prepare it. I don’t know if I’ll like it. I went to the grocery store last night and basically just wondered around. I bought a bell pepper. Woo hoo. I wasn’t really sure what to look for or what I should/shouldn’t be buying. It’s hard to change 29 years’ worth of thinking and habits. I am absolutely clueless to this new way of things. I literally wanted to cry in the middle of the store, and almost did. I don’t know what I’m doing. Not to mention, to get started on the right path and get what I really need is expensive. Money we don’t have. I’m just overwhelmed……..

Day 6: Double Workouts and Discoveries

So yesterday was my first workout with Carlos. We scheduled it for 4:45pm before Zumba so I could do both. I was nervous about working out with him. I didn’t know what to expect. I pull up and he’s sitting outside on a tractor tire with 2 sledge hammers and a kettle ball. We went inside for warm-ups -- squats, forward and backward lunges, pushups, hip circles, and leg extensions. Those hip circles and pushups got me! Don’t let the size fool you …my arms have no strength! On we go outside to walk; and Carlos has a faster pace than I usually do and that was regular tempo. We did intervals of “slow” and speed – concentrating on breathing and pushing with the arms. We walked around the parking lot and restaurants, then back to the studio and on to the rotations. This included walk-out burpees, step-ups, push-ups, and sledge hammer swings….all but the step-ups on the tractor tire. I think he was supposed to have kettle ball swings in there too, but he forgot those. We got 3 rounds in before he let me “relax” before Zumba started. Laurie also took some pics and video for the transformation.

The workout with Carlos wasn’t as bad as I think I expected it to be, but it was still challenging. I could hear that voice in my head saying “you can’t do this” and “it’s okay to stop”….but I didn’t listen. I knew I COULD do it and NOT to stop! I had to keep pushing – through the pain and the doubtful thoughts. This was just workout #1. I HAD to keep going! And I did. I made it through his workout AND Zumba! Now, granted, I couldn’t go at the intensity I usually do during class; but I did my best, kept up, and I made it work! At the end, most definitely I was worn out. But it was worth it. The pain in my arms: worth it. The pain in my thighs: worth it. The soreness in my hips: worth it. The confidence that I can do it again: WORTH IT!

In addition to my workouts yesterday, I was finally able to weigh. I stopped by the hospital at the Wellness Center after work. They were actually already closed, but the door was still open. I walked in and the director was so nice and let me go ahead and weigh anyway. I’m not about to disclose that number in public, but I’ll just tell you I was surprised. It wasn’t quite as bad as I expected but not where I want to be. It really made me think about where I started from. I don’t know how much weight I have lost to date, but the 39.5 inches has to be a lot. Adding that to what I weigh now is – it’s reality. When I started this journey, I was the size of TWO overweight people….not just two average people, but overweight adults! It really makes me see just how bad things really were. I’m still not where I need to be, by any means, but I’m working on it. It is a long journey, but I know I’ll get there and I am blessed and privileged to have Inspire 4 Life on my side right now pushing me along!

Day 1

I have quite a few people that have requested that I keep them update with my progress and the transformation journey. Well today was day one. It felt like just another day, but at the same time it didn’t. It was almost like today was the first day of the rest of my life. In essence it kind of was. I’ve been on a plateau for the past two months, edging toward the cliff, ready to fall off. Today, I backed away from that cliff. It felt really good. It felt good to know that I have a purpose again; that I have a goal to reach for. I had the motivation to stay away from the snacks and empty calories. I ate fairly well today, except for my one snickerdoodle cookie. I felt in control again. It’s hard to not feel in control and the toll it can take on your habits and emotions.


Zumba was amazing! I felt like everyone was watching me though, which was awkward. But at the same time, it made me work that much harder and to keep pushing. I got a couple of extra looks, pushes, and encouragement from Laurie during class. Then afterward I stuck around to talk with her about our plan and my eating for the day. She showed me a few arm workouts to do at home with some light weights. I’m gonna start working on that and getting a pedometer to count my steps.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about what’s to come. I am; but at the same time I’m excited. I know I’m going to be pushed beyond my limits. I know I’m going to be sore and tired. I know it is going to take a real sacrifice to make this work. But I can honestly say I’m ready. I am ready for what’s to come and the new goals I’m going to reach throughout this month and the months to come. Let’s do this!!

If You Only Knew...

I will admit sincerely that the past couple of days have been rough for me spiritually and emotionally. I have felt like I'm missing out, like I don't belong, like I don't know what I'm doing or where I'm going. This has spilled over into my eating as I haven't really paid attention to what I've been eating and basically eating what I want without caring. But you know what.....that's OVER! God never ceases to amaze me and has spoken to me in the midst of my storm. I'm not out of it yet, but instead of hanging my head saying "woe is me," I will take this day as a day the LORD has given me and REJOICE in it!

Music is a passion of mine and I love the way God speaks to me through songs. There have been 3 songs that have spoken to me over the last few days. One I posted Monday - Broken. Another is a brand new song by Mark Condon -- Cover Me. The other is one I have heard countless times before and it really spoke to me. I can't let the devil keep taking what belongs to me! My joy and my peace - I want it ALL back!

I want it all back.

You may have thought you won that last round. You may have laughed. I almost fell down. Maybe you think I give up easy. But it's not over, I got more in me. You thought I stopped. You thought I sat down. But I am standin'! You made me mad now! You got some things I think you owe me. I've come to get back everything that you stole.

I want it all back.

You hit me hard. I should be knocked out. Things I've been through - don't even wanna talk about. You crossed the line. You violated me. I want revenge. I want everything back from A to Z. The battle's not mine. The battle is the Lord's. In the name of JESUS, I'm takin' it by force!

I want it all back!

If you only knew what I was gonna be after the storm you wouldn't have even bothered me!

And now I'm STRONGER. And I got more POWER. I'm a little bit WISER. And I for more STRENGTH. I for the ANOINTING. God God's FAVOR. And we're still STANDING. 

I want it all back!

I'm telling you -- God spoke to me in this song. I can't let the devil take what God has given me. I can't give him my joy, my success, my determination! I'm taking it ALL back and running full force into God's arms! The part I like best is: "Devil, if you only knew what I was gonna be after the storm you wouldn't have even bothered me!"

Through this whole thing, like I said it has affected my weight-loss determination. I still did my Zumba, but I didn't have the will-power to stay away from the "bad" foods. Without God as my focus, I lost focus! I didn't see my success. I just saw the road ahead and became discouraged. Now my mind is back where it needs to be and I am read to RUN! I'm ready to do something about it. I'm ready to do something that takes this journey to the next level. Pray for that if you will. I have an idea in my head, but I'm not sure how receptive an idea it is.

When I went to Zumba Monday, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I didn't look long because I've never liked looking at myself (full-body) in the mirror. I thought something though. I thought -- I can really tell I'm losing weight. I didn't dwell on it much because, at that point, I was still doubting and going through my "battle." But tonight -- I took a second look. I really looked at my full-body in the mirror. Staring back was someone I never thought I would see. I saw a "skinnier" version of ME! I saw someone that likes to exercise. Someone that cares about herself enough to start a journey that she has failed at many times before. And you know what -- I LIKED IT! I really can tell I'm losing weight. I can see the difference...but more importantly, I can FEEL the difference! I know I still have a LONG way to go, but I see the obstacles I've already overcome and I know I can do more!

Progress

As I was on my way home from Zumba tonight, I really started thinking about my journey over the past 6 months. First off, I can't believe it's actually been that long -- it has been amazing! I see a change and difference in myself that I never really thought I would ever see or feel. I have started countless diets and exercised, but I always quit. Habits are hard to make and break, and up until now I didn't think it was possible to change them....but I HAVE! I am no where near where I want to be and some habits are still hard to break...but I'm working on it. This is more than just diet and exercise -- this is my LIFE now. Healthy foods are in the forefront of my mind and exercise is like second nature to me now. I can't even tell you how bad I feel when I miss a workout/Zumba. As much as it "hurts" to exercise sometimes, it hurts worse knowing that if my life doesn't change I won't be ABLE to exercise.

Like I said, I am no where near where I want to be in my life (all aspects), but I can most certainly see the progress. I can actually see where I've lost the inches. I can feel a difference in my body. I can feel my stamina building. When I first started doing Zumba, I'll admit - I was scared. I knew my overweight self wouldn't be able to keep up with all the "little" bodies in class...but I did it anyway. I kept going and kept going...and NOW, I can double time with [most] the best of them! When I started walking, I got winded and needed to stop just walking a mile. NOW, I can do two miles without needing a "break." Heck, I even completed a 5k...and plan on doing another one soon! I'm not the best dancer or the fastest walker, but I'm proud of what I can do now. I can honestly say that I am excited to go back to the cardiologist and tell him what all has happened in the past 6 months! :) I am blessed beyond measure, and am excited to see what I'll do next...

Extra Push

It is no secret that the past few weeks have not been great for me. They have been a huge roller coaster ride, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. My life is a journey and my journey to weight-loss and health is a daily struggle. I've been this way all my life, it's hard to change habits. It's hard to change the way you think about food, how you eat, and your level of activity after doing it the same way for almost 29 years. It is tough and that's why I have brought you along on this journey. I want to share my ups and downs with you. This is hard to say/do, and not meaning this in a self-centered way - but I want everyone to see my struggles and the fight it takes to get it right. There is someone out there that needs to know that someone else is on the same journey or has been exactly where they are -- whether they read this today or 5 years down the road. Someone out there needs to know that it's okay to fail but you are not a failure unless you give up!

Along with the struggles, I want to share my victories! As I have blogged before, I completed a 5k on January 21st. I mentioned that day that I had lost a total of 24 inches since 9/11/12. Well, as of last night, that number is up to 28.75! In the midst of a challenging month, I have lost another 4.75 inches! This is the exact reason that it is essential to keep pushing. And when you don't think you have anything left in you, KEEP PUSHING! Trust me -- you'll be surprised -- the strength will come! One little victory will give you the reinforcement that you need to keep going. There's a country song by Rodney Atkins: If you're going through hell, keep on moving. Face that fire. Walk right through it. You might get out before the devil even knows you're there. It might seem like hell in the battles and struggles that you face, but before you know it you'll be on the other side wondering how in the world you made it through! Take one step at a time. It's a process -- physically and mentally -- but eventually we'll make it!

I Am Who I Am

My honest statement: My weight/health is what it is because I ate what I ate and didn't do what I should have done. I'm changing that now. I have been on this journey whole-heartedly since September 11, 2011. I kinda started before that, but that date is when I consciously made the decision to attack this thing full-force. That is the day I first measured....my starting point. One thing that I keep in my head is that "The only thing standing in the way of me is ME!"

This is a personal journey that only I can take. No one can do it for me. I have to be the one to change. I have to be the one to eat different. I have to be the one to get out and walk. I have to be the one to do the exercises. But even though this is a personal journey, it is SO beneficial to have someone walking with me....literally and figuratively. So I cannot even begin to tell you how much it means to have an accountability partner! If you're on a similar journey, I encourage you to get one if you don't already. I'll be glad to stand by you if you can't find one. It has made such a difference in my decisions and confidence. If it were not for Jessica and Leah, my 2 main partners, I can pretty much guarantee that I would have given up a long time ago!

This journey is HARD, it gets discouraging, I have failed -- but with people by my side, it's easier to get back up and keep going. They push me, support me, criticize me, encourage me....I am blessed to have them on this journey with me. I'm sure you're saying to yourself, "Criticize you??" YES, the provide me with criticisms that I wouldn't accept from anyone else.  One of my favorite quotes right now is this: Cherish the friend who tells you a harsh truth, wanting ten times more to tell you a loving lie. *Robert Brault* I am lucky to have them be truthful to me. Yes, it's hard sometimes, but I know they love me. I know this because they tell me the truth and don't beat around the bush with me or try to sugar-coat things. It's scary, but I know they're behind me 100% -- success or fail...and they push me so I don't fail!

It feels so good to finally get back on track with paying more attention to what I am eating and putting in my body and exercising. I'll admit, the past few weeks have not been great. But I can tell you why -- I didn't have any goals. I hadn't sat down, talked it out, and committedly decided what I would be working on. I have some set goals now though. They are:

1. Eat out only 3 times/week.
2. Eat less than 3 snacks/day.
3. Exercise 4 times/week.
4. Blog 4 times/week.
5. Drink more water!

It is so important to have goals. And it takes a plan to achieve your goals. I encourage you to take some time, sit down, and map out your goals. It doesn't have to necessarily be for weight-loss, it could be for your career or just life in general. Just DO IT!!!!