With the holidays sneaking up on all of us, I know that I personally worry the most about keeping in shape and staying on track wile the flood gates of buttery sugar cookies and ginger breads open and seem to pile up in every open space of my house. I may not give off the impression that I'm the most fit person in the world (ie: posting truffle recipes and sharing secrets of pancakes and cookies) but I take pride in the fact that I can not only bake but share those treats with people and not feel as if I'm missing out on something. Sure, there are days when I'd love nothing more than to have a big oatmeal cookie from Starbucks with my coffee, but where would it ultimately get me?
At the beginning of the summer I set a goal for myself, 30 pounds by Thanksgiving- and by the time labor day was nearing in I thought "there is no way in hell I'm going to make this happen, I just ate and drank my summer away and spent the early hours of the morning feeding my hangover with my friends at IHOP or eating cheese steaks on the boardwalk." I had successfully lost a grand total of 5 pounds all summer...in a span of three months, that was all I managed to do. I'm not all that comfortable divulging in the actual numbers that had been staring back at me on the scale, but I set a new goal for myself. I wanted to kiss those 30 pounds away by the time that turkey was on my table, and I'm proud to say that as of this morning I have reached that goal. Of course there were a handful of things that I had to eliminate from my diet, but I've bumped it up with high protein, high fiber, complex carbs (otherwise known as 'good carbs') and an intense amount of working out.
I started hitting the gym at a pretty basic level- fasted cardio in the mornings and twice a week I would go to a class that was offered; usually a body sculpting class one day and Zumba another day. It was a fun and simple way to get my body accustomed to working out again and not just throwing it into some outrageous workout that would rip my muscles up and leave me limping and gimping around for the first month. There was no need to put myself through any kind of pain at the gym while trying to help myself; would have definitely been a bad idea.
Now, before anyone gets all carried away thinking I've been doing this alone, I want to stop you in your tracks and correct you ASAP. I am NOT doing this alone, and I've got a support system that could blow the roof off any gym at any given moment. My friend Angela has been my inspiration throughout this entire journey, and I know that the more I continue this, she will still be there to help me and pull my head out of my ass when I text her with "I'm craving peanut butter help me."
Angela has been in my shoes, and now she's in the shoes of a competitor.
She's been such a big help along this journey and I don't think I would have achieved something so grand in my own eyes without her. I know I owe her so much for what she's done for me, and I know I can start by supporting her whether she needs it or not. But, truth me told, everyone needs support. It's a gratifying feeling when someone says "you can do it" or "I'm here if you need me." And I know that when she competes at NCP 2012 in New York next spring, she's going to need me to be waiting at the side of the stage to help in any way that I can; and I'll do it without batting an eye because she's my friend.
I want you all to know that whether your goal is 5 pounds or 30 pounds (and my goal goes beyond 30 pounds, I've just worked towards one of those many finish lines) you can attain it with hard work and dedication. Choosing the right foods and keeping your body moving is key- it makes all the difference and your body and waistline will thank you immensely for it. Plus, shopping is SO much more fun when you can grab something from the rack and not have to worry about it fitting in the right places. It changes you entire mindset, I swear. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions, or get the answers from Angela for anyone interested in working towards their own goals.
So, enjoy your holiday season, because if you keep it light and healthy now, you'll enjoy that holiday dinner so much more than you would if you tasted every cookie you baked leading up to it!
You can find Angela on facebook at www.facebook.com/angela-christine so head over there and 'like' her page. She's awesome! =]
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