Square One

Square one is a scary place. It's a place where you have the face the fear and stand on the line between success and failure. Will you be great? Or will you be just another person who tried without being successful.

I went on this journey for a year, and if you read my last blog you know that after that year I got catapulted off the bandwagon and smooshed by it. Now I'm just sitting around hoping another one comes for me and I can stay on it permanently this time.

Working out and being healthy isn't just something I did because I wanted to. It's the realization that I'm not addicted to drugs, I'm addicted to something much more dangerous than drugs. I'm addicted to FOOD.


Your mind finds ways to convince you that you NEED certain foods in your life. It convinces you that you depend on food.

The past few days I have been trying to convince my mind that my body is perfect just the way it is. Instead of constantly trying to change every single aspect of my body, I'm focusing on one thing at a time. Come to find out the whole multitasking thing doesn't work well for me. I wanto be the person that works out because she loves it and because she is working towards a better person, not the person who does it because she is brainwashed and trying to fight off the urge to eat food all day long.

I am beautiful in my own skin despite my own insecurities. 

Don't measure your journey by how many times you get knocked down, measure it by how many times you get back up.

I may not workout every day, or eat everything that is healthy, but I sure do try my hardest. I put in all of my effort to put in a good workout and work up a sweat.

Monday after work I had planned to walk/jog on the treadmill to hopefully get back into the swing of working out every day. The problem is that I get BORED so EASY!!! I love beachbody programs but I felt like I was doing the same thing over and over and over again with no relief. I like an adventure. Something new and fresh that makes my brain actually work along with my body. So I decided after work to head out to the high school track and I created a workout with what I had. I had a track, bleachers, and a set of 8lb weights in my car.

I did an "S pattern" 5 times through the bleachers, sumo squats with an arm lift, ballerina toe raises in squat position, and wood choppers and repeated 3 times. Then I followed it all up with a one mile jog around the track.



I pushed myself hard and I loved every minute of it, because I was doing it for me, and because it was something new. Believe me, my muscles have told me it was new for the last 2 days. They have also told me they hate me for being lazy for the last 2 weeks.

Something else I have faced this week, is migraines. Not something that I love. Actually something that I question daily and wonder why in the world I have to suffer through these things. I cry, I yell, I feel like my eyes are being pulled out of my head and the whole room is getting smaller and louder by the moment. I sit around and wish with all of my heart that these things would go away. The picture above is me looking nice, me putting effort into my day.... This picture..

This is what I really look like on a daily basis. This is the struggle that I have, to put myself back in square one of my weight loss journey. TIME is no excuse... my exhaustion mentally and physically... that's an excuse.

My body is shouting nasty cuss words at me for the crap I'm putting into it and for not giving it what it wants. That's the FEAR. The fear that I wont live as long, because I decided to give in to the world full of bad foods, the fear that I will fail again, the fear that I'm not good enough, the fear that I will never reach my goal. The fear that I will fail, is what is stopping me.

Food controls my life, and I'm not proud of that. I'm an empty garbage disposal that doesn't search for the nutrients or the goods. I search for the junk. 

I will be working on myself, while trying to inspire others. Like I said last week, I know.... I'm slightly depressing. But stick with me and take these steps with me. I promise it's something that we wont regret.

WE are worth the fight for our own health. Accept this challenge with me, become better with me, grow stronger with me.

XOXO, Audrey

Piece by piece, I'm slowly giving up

So the hospital I work for has these chocolate chip cookies that are to DIE for. So good. There was a 14 day stretch where I worked every day and I also ate a chocolate chip cookie every day. Each day after I ate the cookie I cussed at myself and said, "darn Audrey... That was 200 calories you didn't need to eat!" But I still went back 13 more days in a row so obviously I lack in the area of self control.

Those around me are finally starting to give in to my freak eating ways... Right as I'm giving them up. I'm not doing it intentionally and I have no valid excuse as to why I've gained 10 pounds back in a month.... Other than I just really love food.

My motivation has tanked. I don't crave anything healthy. I don't want to workout. In fact I haven't worked out for almost a week besides a short 1.5 mile walk I took tonight. Much of this is due to stress related to work and school. 

I look at myself in the mirror each morning and I see pictures of myself and think "why are you giving up?" "Why are you dumping a year of hard work down the drain?" And I still can't seem to stop eating like total crap. And when I eat like total crap I don't want to work out either. 

Due to lack of time and commitment issues I recently decided to no longer be a beachbody coach. I love the products, the people, and all that they have to offer but I am a sorry excuse as a fitness coach when I can't even keep my own butt in line. 

I write Goals just to fail at them... And I just can't seem to find my "why" anymore. 

I don't believe that I will be teaching classes in Bedford anymore due to low attendance and it's a long trip for me when I should be spending that time on homework or completing one of the 100 errands that I constantly put off. 

I know... All you're reading is giving up, quitting, and failure. 

I started this blog to tell you my triumphs and the good things about my journey. But to make this blog as real as possible the truth is this journey has bumps, giant gaping holes, struggles, and times of wanting to give up. Hopefully I can make it out of my giant gaping hole once I stop being a pig... 

If you have any extra motivational words to share please pass them my way. Because each day I give up a little bit more and I'm afraid the phrase "is being fat really the worst thing you can be?" Is becoming my catch phrase.....

XOXO, Audrey

PS sorry if this was depressing or also killed your motivation. That was not my intentions at all. Please share your truffles with me as well and maybe we can help each other out!

LOL laughing at myself. Did NOT mean to put truffles above but that explains my "piece by piece".... Dove chocolates get me every time. I'm leaving it because it's hysterical!

How about you share you STRUGGLES with me and maybe we can help each other out! 

Let Your Goals Guide You

If we all had motivation, we would all probably have everything we have ever dreamed of too. Funny right? That all it takes is motivation and you could have all you ever dreamed of? One little word is all that is separating you and everlasting happiness….

Motivation is something I struggle with, as I’m sure many of you do as well. That and consistency. Pair the two together and you get pure laziness. Aka Audrey. I once had a friend express to me how upset it makes her to see a post that says things like, “start eating clean now, It’s EASY!” It’s not EASY! It freaking sucks! At first it sucks anyways. You crave sugar and carbs and junk food. Because that is what your body has been used to for so long. This isn’t something that is going to change overnight, this is something that takes practice, consistency, and learning. You have to reprogram your mind and your kitchen to be ready to clean eat. Just like you have to reprogram your body, and your mind, to workout. After you have come so far on this journey you forget what it was like to get started. You forget that you start with no experience and scared. Once you have been going, you forget that feeling because it all seems easy now. “it’s not getting easier, you’re getting better.” That alone should motivate you to start, that you WILL get better and that it does get easier because you’re getting better.

Lately my motivation has been at an all-time low. I find the time to workout, I just don’t do it effectively. And when I do it effectively, I ruin it all in the kitchen. I know what it takes and how to do it, just as many of you do, I just can’t get my brain programed right.

As of this weekend I am sitting down and writing goals. Short-term and long-term goals.

Short term goals are going to be week by week and month by month. Long term goals are where I’m trying to get in the end. My problem is that I set my goal for this last April, and I reached it. I did what I wanted to do and never bothered to set new goals. Goals are what it’s all about. Goals are what trigger motivation.

Yes, my goal is to have a rockin’ body that I am happy with, but if I don’t have goals to get there, I’m just wandering aimlessly through my workout routines and my every-day life.

Set goals with me. Tell me what your goals are. Accountability makes a difference. I don’t want to be obnoxious, I just want to push you in the right directions. I’ll only push Beachbody products if you want them pushed. Other than that I will supplement you with what you need to reach your goals in the time that you set for them.

GOAL QUESTIONS:

What do you want to achieve in one week of health and fitness? (write one every Sunday night)

What do you want to achieve in one month of health and fitness?

What is your long term goal that you are working towards in health and fitness?

Why do you want to reach this goal?

How will you feel when you reach this goal?

 

I will answer these questions for you, so that you can see my goals, since I am asking for you to share yours. (Please notice that I use the phrase I WILL instead of I WANT. Because I am in control of my own actions and decisions)

What do you want to achieve in one week of health and fitness?
                -This week I will workout 5/7 days at THE LEAST and lose at least 1 pound and 1 inch off of my waist. I will eat health 90/10 meaning only 1 dessert for the entire week, and control the portion size of the dessert.

What do you want to achieve in one month of health and fitness?
                -For the month of September, I will lose 5 pounds. I will only eat 4 sweets for the entire month starting on September 6. I will get rid of the excuses and be proud of my results. I will lose at least 4 inches off of my body head to toe.  

What is your long term goal that you are working towards in health and fitness?
                -Running: In the spring, April, I will participate in a 10K run
                -Eating: I will clean up my diet and achieve overall health by September 2016. Being confident in my eating skills and knowledge and knowing what my portion sizes should be
                -Workouts: I will be at an overall goal weight of at most 150 meaning a loss of 35 pounds in 12 months. I will lose at least 10 inches from head to toe.

Why do you want to reach this goal?
                - I want to be healthy and happy for the sake of my present, and my future. I want to look good for any future weddings, my own and many of my friends. I want to look at myself in the mirror and know that I am capable of anything I set my mind to and success is not impossible. I want to teach myself to be consistent and persistent with my workout routines and eating habits instead of giving myself excuses to cheat and not workout. I want to be able to run long distance comfortably and use it as my stress relief.

How will you feel when you reach these goals?
                -Week by week I will feel satisfaction and success. Reaching these goals will give me the self confidence that it takes to make it in the big kid world. I will have no regrets in life as to never reaching a goal that I have wanted for so long, instead I will know that I said I could, so I did.

My weight loss has plateaued and I need a reason to be motivated again. Choose to have this reason with me. Make these goals to get motivated with me. We have a clean eating group on Facebook  with great menus that I am willing to share or create for anyone that is interested. I have workouts of my own that I favor and I can give you sites of workouts and names of people who can put together an awesome workout.

Please feel free to contact me at any time, because I need you just as much as you need me ;).

Know that when I am not blogging, I am not doing well. I am not being the person that I want this blog to be about. If you notice that I am not blogging, bug me about it and ask me to write something. Tell me you miss seeing my blog because it is what motivates you. I will get my butt back in gear and start writing more.

 

XOXO, Audrey

Shark Week 101

Let me start by making a statement that MAYBE everyone wasn't aware of:

I'm a girl

Shocker, I know. I looked like a boy until I was roughly 15 years old, but yes, I am a girl. Which inevitably means that mother nature hates me and each month one week out of every four is shark week(and I don't mean discovery channel shark week from last week). During shark week you can expect to see the women in your life to partake in some or all of the following acts:

*Lay on the floor and cry
*Talk about how fat she feels
*Show you her fat
*Say that nothing in her closet looks good (This happens anyways but it's worse during this week)
*Cry at nothing
*Absolutely sob at emotional movies
*Scream at you, 10 seconds after she was laughing with you
*Think you hate her if you say the word 'no'
*Complain about how much she does in life, and how you do nothing (even if you do a lot)
*Throw things
*Think every person in life is out to get her
*Have headaches
*And let's go ahead and add cry a little more

And IF, you're one of the lucky, lucky men in the world, the woman in your life is not only on an emotional roller coaster one week out of every four but the week BEFORE shark week is just as bad, if not worse.

Now to add some TMI to this blog, I would like to tell you that Ross gets to be one of the lucky 2 out of 4 weeks guy, because I am an emotional wreck during the week before and the week of. To cut it short and get to the point, last week was my week before. The post that I made was in the state of all of the emotions listed above.

Growing up, I know my parents did not EVER body shame me. The worst thing that ever happened to me was that my dad asked me if I wanted to order a large t-shirt for soccer when I really wore a medium... Gosh dad. The body shaming didn't begin until 6th grade. Girls are MEAN. I mean they will say anything to make them feel the power surging. Especially middle school and high school girls. If someone was mad at you they took the lowest blow possible. For me, the low blow was my weight.

Have you ever heard that you are most like the 7 people you spend the most time around? Even though it wasn't what I wanted to be like, I began body shaming myself because others were body shaming me. For some reason it makes you feel better when you're body shaming yourself along with them.

Watching some of my favorite little girls grow into young teens has made me realize that this was terrible. I never want them to have to go to school and get body shamed or made fun of for things that I think they are perfect for. As girls it's like we are trained to be vicious animals and weight is our #1 thing to target people for. Middle school to high school, high school to college, and college to the big girl world. All girls do it, all girls are guilty, even me.

Even if you don't do it to others, you probably do it to yourself. Do you look in the mirror every morning and tell yourself how perfect you are? Or do you look straight at your perceived flaws? Find your flaws is body shaming, and instead of finding our flaws, we should learn to love our flaws. Believe it or not our flaws are what makes us unique. It's what makes me look nothing like you, and vice versa. We should all appreciate those flaws.

A year into my journey and I have lost a total of 30 pounds and 10 inches off of my waist. I used to wear a size 16-18 and I am now getting closer to swimming in a size 11-12. My body fat percentage in the beginning was 58.4% and as of this morning it is 32.4%. I forget to stop and think about how amazing that is. I get told daily how great I look and I need to tell myself that daily. I have changed myself for the better and even if I am not at my goals I need to learn to appreciate the places that I have been and where I am now.

Remember to take the time to stop and appreciate you for you. Even on shark week try to remind yourself that everything is going to be okay.

A weight loss journey doesn't happen in 2 months. It truly is a life change. When they say life it means you are willing to change everything you do and make it your habits for the rest of your life. Don't give up when you don't see results. And don't be like me and freak out when you gain some weight back. Everyone has told me that maintaining can be WAY harder than actually losing. So keep your head up and picture the future. Set long term goals, and short term goals. Then go out and destroy them!

XOXO,
Audrey

Unwanted gains

Today is day 10 of the 21 day fix. I often slack when it comes to food in this program but this round I have been giving it my all. Using the 21 day fitness tracker to keep track of my water, food, and workouts. Focusing on getting all of my containers and no more than allowed, and a workout in daily.

The reason I started this journey on another round of the 21 day fix is because I had gained a few pounds back. On March 5 I weighed in at 174, the lowest I have ever weighed in my adult life. On Monday, day 1 of the fix, I weighed 182. My long term goal was 165 by August 5, to mark my 1 year weight loss journey at 50 pounds gone. I was getting so close and now I have put myself 20 pounds away from it, 3 weeks out.

Not to mention, this morning I weighed in, day 10 of the fix..... And I have gained 4 pounds since day 1. Let the water works begin. How is it possible that I can be working SO hard and be getting nothing in return for it. I know the scale doesn't always tell the true numbers of who you are so I measured my waist quickly.... 1 inch GAINED around my waist.... The last 10 days have been nothing but unwanted gains for me.

I was set to get up at 6 this morning and work out.... After those numbers I crawled back in bed, where I still lay now, needing to leave in 20 minutes, discouraged and upset. On August 1 I have to look amazing in a bridesmaids dress for one of my best friends wedding. I'm excited about everything except for for the getting up in front of everyone and feeling the whispers of, "I thought she lost weight, it looks like she has gained it all back!"

After I sat all day and thought about this and what I could do, I still felt down about it. I feel like I've been thrown backwards and it will take me forever to get where I need to be. Despite this, I ate healthy all day long (besides that dark chocolate that I gave into). I couldn't bring myself to gorge and go crazy in the kitchen. I used my containers and worked out as soon as I got home. I leave for vacation on July 19 and until that morning I am going to stay off of the scale to the best of my ability. That will be day 21 of my fix and I am hoping that my inches or the scale show some progress.

This feeling that I have, it's the biggest battle in a diet. It's the biggest battle in life. We want a quick fix, fast results. I may have been at this journey for almost a year but I have to remind myself that I have changed my life for the better. My blood work came back clean, I am no longer falling into the "obese" category on the body fat scale, and I feel better. I am a new person because of this journey and my largest goal of all was to become a better version of myself.

Motivation can be hard to come by, it's not easy to get up every day and convince yourself of things. But you have to. Whether it is working out or going to work, the motivation has to be there. With motivation comes determination, enthusiasm, and compassion. To be successful in anything, these are all traits that are needed.

If you have fallen off of the wagon, like I have before (like once a week don't worry), get back on tomorrow. Eat healthy to the best of your ability, get a workout in, and focus on being positive and happy. Motivate yourself to become a new you, a better you.

Being in the dumps is a normal happening in this process. There is so much changing physically, mentally, and emotionally, we have to take time and steps to get where we need to be. Stay positive and most importantly:
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, GIVE UP!

XOXO,
Audrey

The Status of Kels

Back in August I talked Kelsey, my sister, up off the couch and to the gym with me. She moaned and groaned through every minute of the workout constantly asking, "How much longer?" We joked after this workout that this was her 'annual workout'. Today I would like to update you on the status of Kels.

August 31, 2014 - Get fit 24 gym

Kels has never been the type to head to the gym just because she can. She doesn't go on runs to release anger, she doesn't eat healthy foods. Kelsey was blessed with the fast metabolism and amazing skin that we all dream of. She can drink alcohol and eat chips, pizza, etc.. and still never gain weight.

 

Tiana was blessed with a slightly sped up metabolism but not as much as Kels. And then there was me....I was blessed with the slowest metabolism known to man until I started lifting weights.

 

After this visit to the gym Kelsey changed a few things around December, by accepting one of my clean eating challenges.

 

In the challenges the menu is made for you for 5 days. 3 large meals and 2 snacks, and they ask that you workout for 30 minutes a day. (want in one of these challenges? Message me today and let's get your journey started!!) I talked kelsey and my mom into being my trial subjects and it sparked a whole new world for Kelsey. That week I think she lost around 4-5 pounds and felt like a millon bucks.

 

Since this challenge Kelsey is a frequent flyer at the gym. I'm telling you this so you don't fall down of a heart attack if you walk past the Lenox gym and see her there. She likes to run and lift and sweat her butt off. Kelsey decided to attend our Bedford Bootcamp Tuesday and Thursday night this last week to find out what all the hype was.

 

June 16, 2015 Les Mills Combat 30

The amount of sweat was
unreal! Nike Dryfit shorts
are the real deal ;)

 On Tuesday we did a Beachbody program called "Les Mills - Combat" (only on sale for limited time and then it is GONE forever! 40% off right now. Click the link for more details!) this is a program very similar to kick boxing, but without a bag in front of you. Tiana got the pleasure of wearing the gloves. In this workout you don't even begin with a stretch, you jump right in and start punching and kicking from the very beginning. To give you an insight on how much sweat there really was, I will tell you that every time I kicked, there was sweat flying off of my legs. Oh, and not to mention the entire surface of my body being covered in sweat in the end. Holy hot!

 



June 18, 2015 - Cardio Fix

On Thursday we decided to go for a 21 day fix workout. These workouts may not seem like they can be incredibly tough because they are only 30 minutes long but believe me.... Autumn Calabrese does NOT take it easy on you at all. If you're only going to workout for 30 minutes a day, she makes sure you know you did it. Thursday before Devon's baseball game we did Cardio Fix, with two spectators (Ross & Kyle) there to watch the show. Not only was the workout hard, but the studio was probably near 90 degrees, not even factoring in the humidity. We survived and felt good about our accomplishments for the night!

 

Having people to workout with makes you push yourself that extra mile. Especially when it is your sisters. Knowing that you are all making a change for the better, and doing it together, gives you a special bond. Before every home game we will be doing these workouts and we invite the public in as well. Something you have to remind yourself is that it is summer and it is okay to go places with some sweat dripping down. Perfection is impossible during the summer heat so you might as well go looking like you worked out hard and earned the sweat. As for the smell, I would stay at least 5 feet from anyone you speak to after working out. ;)

Shakeology, C4 Performance Enhancer, and Herbalife Herbal
Tea Concentrate.

Something I have Tiana doing now, but not Kelsey, is drinking Shakeology. Many people are scared by the price of this....sit down and think of the money that you spend on yourself each month anyways. Think about how many times you would go to the ice cream shop and spend $4. If you mix Shakeology the right way, you can have the best "milk shake" that you've ever had from the comfort of your own home, and with a thousand ingredients that will change your life forever. Spend the money on Shakeology, not because I told you to, but because it's something YOU want to do for YOURSELF. I love Beachbody and I am a firm believe in it but my energy sources come from every where. When you wake up at 4:45 every day to workout, work a 9 hour shift, and go to workout more, energy is key. I use a performance enhancer that tastes like heaven, which can now be found at Walmart for $19. This stuff gives you the extra kick in the butt when you need it for a workout. Then in the mornings I drink my Herbalife peach herbal tea. This stuff is my saving grace and it's my low calorie coffee instead of indulging in 6 pumps of creamer. Second thing I do every morning is drink my Shakeology. It gives me all the nutrients I need and keeps me going all day long. Don't be the person who falls asleep on the couch every night like I used to be! Find what works for you!

If you have any questions about these things, or about fitness in general please feel free to contact me! I love to help all people. <3

XOXO,
Audrey



Why I help people

When I was younger, my parents taught me to help all of those around me and to be the best person possible. They had high expectations for me and I always strived to meet those to make them proud. I loved having this image of being the person who would bend over backwards for someone else.

Recently I have had all sorts of body confusion and ended up gaining back 6 pounds. Those steps backwards, they SUCK. BUT they have made me realize why I help others. When I am down in the dumps from gaining this weight, I feel disgusting, I feel heavy, and I want to sit in a corner and cry. When I feel like that, I know that other people get this same feeling.

When you're in that rut, coming out of it seems virtually impossible. You convince yourself that fat isn't all that bad so you keep eating bad, drinking bad, and not exercising. This morning I finally got my butt out of bed and exercised because enough is enough. I am so tired of feeling this way after feeling so good. I want to help other people feel that good. I don't care if it's through every product you want to try or simply from eating the right foods, I want to help.

I know that when I feel this crappy, I just want someone who will understand my constant complaints but help me push through.

Tough love doesn't do it for me. Sure, if someone looked at me right now that hadn't read this and said, "looks like you gained weight" I would probably be back up in the morning ready to workout, but nobody is rude enough to say that (or I hope they aren't).

Once I started helping a friend of mine lose weight. We ended up on the phone together and she said to me, "you have to realize that you're making this sound really easy and the truth is that it isn't". She told me, "You have been doing this for so long that it seems easy to you now, and you don't realize how hard it is for some people to do this". Wholy buckets was she right. I've been in this rut so eating healthy seems impossible. I want sweets and junk food and tons of carbs. The choice of eating a salad does not always come EASY to people, until they see the results.

Please understand that following me through this journey, I am just as much a work in progress as  you, sometimes maybe even more. One of my best friends is signed on as a coach under me, meaning I am supposed to be her coach. Little did I know that she would be more of a coach to me that I am to her in the long run. Join me in this journey, and know that it isn't easy. Not one bit of it is easy. But starting small baby steps of good habits turns into running and next thing you know it will be you telling people it is easy.

Promise me something, if you read this tonight, get up in the morning and workout. Salena will have class at the studio at 5am in Bedford if you need the extra push of someone beside you, and if you're more of a night person Tuesday night at 5:45 we will be working out again. Youtube videos and just get up and be active. Second promise, if you have extra cash laying around that you would like to spend on yourself, look into a fitbit, or some form of activity band. This will help motivate you to continue to stay active throughout the day and to challenge others while youre doing it.

XOXO,
Audrey

Take it on back

If you know me, you know that softball was my life up until the end of my high school career. I was never all-state material, but in my daddy's eyes (aka coach Wheeler) and coach Wellers eyes I was capable of more than I would ever know. Often times I got frustrated and was very much uncoachable. I'll regret this characteristic of mine when I have my own kids being uncoachable. My dad would take me to the batting cage for "back to basics". He would take me to the field to remember WHY I loved playing the sport.

You lose sight of why you love things when you get caught up in life. I got caught up and forgot why I loved bettering myself. So I'm going back to basics. Today was day 1 of a new weight training program for the summer. Weights is what got me hooked so now weights is what will keep me going. I love being coach Audrey and showing people all things Beachbody products can do for you but the truth is, I'm a gym rat.

I know I've lost a lot of followers with losing sight of why I started this blog but I'm back. I'm ready to lead you to where you want to be on your body image while I work towards it as well.

Xoxo,
Audrey

People Tell Me I'm Inspiring.

When you lose weight you face a lot of physchological issues. Some bad and some good. You have a little person in your brain telling you to quit each and every day and you have to fight past them. You have another little person telling you that that greasy food sounds good. The ones you have to listen to are the even littler inside your head telling you to prevail and reach further past your goals. You have to be stronger than the negativity that life throws at you.

I am still not at my goal weight because I do slack at time, after all I am only human. I have weeks where I feel like a beast and weeks where I want to give up. I never give up entirely because I know how much time and work I have put into this. And I also know how bored I would be if I gave this up.

Working out gives me something to focus on besides all of the negativity that life gives you. It gives me the ability to find the silver lining in all situations. I choose to be positive because I know that if I keep infesting others with happiness, kindness, positivity, and love, they soon will do the same to others around them.

Last week, I sold a bunch of my clothes on facebook that unfortunately no longer fit me. I am happy that I am shrinking in size, yet slightly depressed that every single item of clothing I have no longer fits me correctly. Yesterday alone I found 2 brand new shirts that are way too big and today I am cussing at myself for wearing my size 34 jeans that I refuse to give up even though my 31's are beginning to be too big for me. All small successes yet failures at the same time because I am broke and have no money to buy new clothing. :)

During my clothes selling I decided to put everything on swap shop, including a pair of Sperry's that never got worn but maybe one time. The amount of people that commented on these Sperry's was unreal and I was almost overwhelmed. The first person that got to them was a distressed mother who told me that I came along at the perfect time because her daughter had spent 4 weeks babysitting to afford a pair of Sperry's. The daughter went out and spent every last penny as a 14 year old to afford these shoes, only to go over to a friends house where these shoes got latched onto by the dog and holes torn everywhere. I am a firm believe that everything happens for a reason and I believe that I decided to put those Sperry's up for sale because another little girl lost hers. I met the mother the next day and decided to give these shoes to her free of charge and I told her than you for being such an amazing mother because many would not do this for their child. She cried tears of joy and hugged me right then and there.

The feeling that you get walking away from that situation is way more satisfying than $10 was ever going to give me. That example is why I choose to be the positive and kind person. You should try it too.

If you know me, you know that I didn't used to be the nice person. I went through a few years where I felt like it was more beneficial to me as a person to be nasty to all those around me. I found Christ in my life and that changed it all for me.

Now, I have found 3 things in my life that keep me positive all the time. Jesus Christ, Ross, and health and fitness.

4:45 AM every single morning I get up and get to spend 30 minutes working on myself. I get to work on my physical self and my psychological self. I know most of you are thinking I haven't seen 4:45 on my alarm clock unless I woke up on accident... It gets easy as time goes on. When you know something is going to make your day better, help you wake up, and keep you in a happy positive mood all day, would you do it?
When I wake up at 4:45 AM I know that it's the right decision because I get my me time, I wake up, and I get my day started off right. For the rest of the day my body rewards me for it.

Did you know that fitness classes will be starting in Bedford, IA soon? Soon as in 3 days. Monday morning is the first class that will be held at the Bedford Dance Studio. The first class that will be taught by me is Tuesday at 6:30 PM. However, if you are planning on coming to this class I would like everyone to be there by 6:00PM if possible to work on you. We are going to take before pictures to be shared with NOBODY but you and I. We are going to take before measurements, and we are going to fill out a goal sheet. I want to do all of this so that you have something to look back at when you don't know why you're doing this anymore or when you don't think that it is working. Before pictures give you motivation to keep going, measurements help you see the changes, and goal sheets tell you why you started and what you want to get to in the end.

The Schedule for these classes will be listed below. I want each and every one of you to know that there will be ZERO judgement in my class. I am not at my goal, you are not at your goal, we are all equal! I am going to wear what I am comfortable in, which I encourage you to do as well.

Monday, April 6, 5:15am Total Body Cardio Fix 
Tuesday, April 7, 5:15 am Upper Fix 
Tuesday, April 7, 6:15 pm Lower Fix
Thursday, April 9, 6:15 pm No Class Due to Dance Pictures at the Studio
Friday, April 10, 5:15 am Pilates Fix
Saturday, April 11, 6:30 am Cardio Fix
Saturday, April 11, 1pm Dirty 30 Fix
Monday, April 13, 5:15am Plyo Fix
Tuesday, April 14, 5:15 am Total Body Cardio Fix
Tuesday, April 14, 6:15 pm Upper Fix
Thursday, April 16, 6:15 pm Lower Fix
Friday, April 17, 5:15 am Pilates Fix
Saturday, April 18, 6:30 am Cardio Fix
Saturday, April 18, 1pm Dirty 30 Fix
Monday, April 20, 5:15am Upper Fix
Tuesday, April 21, 5:15 am Lower Fix
Tuesday, April 21, 6:15 pm Pilates Fix
Thursday, April 23, 6:15 pm Cardio Fix
Friday, April 24, 5:15 am Dirty 30 Fix
Saturday, April 25, 6:30 am Plyo Fix
Saturday, April 25, 1pm Total Body Fix
Monday, April 27, 5:15 am Lower Fix
Tuesday, April 28, 5:15 am Pilates Fix
Tuesday, April 28, 6:15 pm Cardio Fix
Thursday, April 30, 6:15 pm Dirty 30 Fix
Friday, May 1, 5:15 am Plyo Fix
Saturday, May 2, 6:30 am Total Body Cardio Fix
Saturday, May 2, 1 pm Upper Fix

We hope to see you there!

XOXO,
Audrey

Destined For Greatness

Tomorrow marks an anniversary for me... Two of them actually.

Most IMPORTANTLY, Ross. The man who is my everything and life and treats me better than I could have ever wished upon a star for. I am blessed beyond belief to have been with this man for a whole entire year! I will go ahead and tell you that I am a pain in the freaking butt. I am not always easy to be around when I am going through moody periods but Ross always hugs me and tells me it will all work out. Have you ever spent much time around someone who is going through a weight loss journey? Sometimes being hungry makes you angry.

Second, tomorrow marks 7 months of being consistent with my health and nutrition!

I have lost 39 pounds in these 7 months making me a completely new person. I feel like I have a whole new perspective on life now that I have given life a new meaning. Ross showed me what it was like to be happy and health and nutrition showed me what it was like to feel good in my own skin. I have never been at a better place in life than what I am in right now.

Many of you ask me "How do you stay motivated?".... Wanna know the true answer?

Most mornings I roll out of bed sore as heck and wonder why in the world I do this to myself. I am tired all the time. My stomach is ready for me to eat breakfast like ASAP and I struggle to get out of bed. This by the way is why I am NOT a morning workout person. Kudos to those who are. After I get past the sore abs and legs.. I look in the mirror and realize how amazing I look. How I am happy to see what I am looking at and how I don't despise my own body.

I used to look in the mirror every single morning and find something that I hated. I would grab my fat and say, "If only I didn't have THIS."... Guess what guys, most of that fat is gone! I haven't quite met my goal that I set from the beginning but I know I will get there. I'm not in a hurry.

If you're wondering how in the world I stay motivated enough to be consistent with my workouts and keep doing it every single day the answer is, 21 day fix. As you can tell from my pictures I do most of my workouts from the comfort of my own home anymore. I don't have time to go to the gym and spend 2 and a half hours there so I found a way to do it all in an hour in my basement. It's all about self discipline. Self discipline is a quality that everyone should have in life so I am only improving myself.

Are the workouts easy? Nope! I usually end up laying on the floor drenched in sweat after each and every one! LOL! Need proof of that? No worries, my phone takes automatic pictures of my workout and catches me doing so.

Have you ever felt the adrenaline rush that comes from a good workout? If you haven't I encourage you to try it. Nothing makes you feel like you have accomplished more than pushing your body and mind to it's limits for 30 minutes of excruciating work.

You have to WORK for what you want. It isn't going to come to you over night and it isn't going to change by sitting on the couch.

As much as I wish just as much as you do that it worked that way, the truth is it doesn't. Ready to start a workout from the comfort of your own home? I'm ready to tell you more about any of the Beachbody programs at any time of the day. Bring on the questions!

Let's do this TOGETHER!

xoxo,
Audrey

I'm Changed

I'm getting worse at writing my blog as each week goes on. Between a part-time job, full-time school, working out, and time for Ross, my blog tends to come in last place.

I hope all of you are still following and watching my journey each step of the way, because YOU are what has made all of the difference in this time around.

Did you know that when I started this blog I thought that it would be a flop? I had started a blog with a diet I tried before and I couldn't stick with it. I couldn't find things to talk about or find my inner self that wanted to be heard in writing. Well.... I found her. She was there all along. Now she is leading people in the right directions in life to help them better themselves. It's really an enlightening and empowering experience and sometimes I get happy tears just thinking about the lives I have affected.

I became a beachbody coach, not to make money or to sell product, but to have a title to what I was already doing. Next week will mark 7 consistent months on this journey. Can you believe that? (It also marks 1 year with Ross William which is AWESOME!) 7 consistent months of self discipline and telling myself that I am good enough for this change. 7 months of seeing someone new in the mirror each week. It's kinda crazy! I love being a Beachbody coach and I love the products and will recommend them to anyone, but let's be real. Not everyone is going to do it. I still want to be the person someone can say, "Hey, I have some chicken in my fridge, what should I have for supper?". I don't want to charge them for asking me that question because it makes me smile and gives me a reason to keep going.

This blog lets me know that there are eyes all around.. and they are all on me. Watching my every decision, workout, and food put into my mouth. This blog tells me that even though I have changed, I still have people around me who care about me and want what is best for me. That's why this blog, and this blogs followers are the bomb.com.

You know what I haven't done in a while? POSTED A RECIPE!

This week I ran a 5 day clean eating challenge on Facebook that went incredibly well and nearly everyone in the group lost weight or inches on their waist. Even 2 pounds... that's a step forward! The food in the challenge was to show you that healthy can be yummy too. I promise...it really can! Today I am going to share the best chicken I have ever eaten in my life and some really awesome broccoli, even if you hate broccoli like me. Please do try this recipe and share your pictures with me!

Honey Dijon Chicken with Steamed Garlic-Parmesan Broccoli (Family of 4 Portion)

Ingredients:
*Four 6-oz. chicken breast halves

*1/3 cup Dijon mustard

*3 Tbsp. honey

*1 Tbsp. parsley flakes

*Salt, to taste

*4 cups Broccoli

*4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

*Garlic salt, to taste

Directions: Mix Dijon mustard with honey, add parsley flakes and salt. Coat a 6-oz. chicken breast half in the  mixture. Cook on a grill for about 7 minutes on each side (or until chicken's fully cooked).
Steam 4 cups of frozen or fresh broccoli and top with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 tsp. garlic salt, and 4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese.

 

 

xoxo,

Audrey

PS. Want to be apart of my next 5 day clean eating challenge? Message me on facebook or contact me now!

Can You Taste It?

Every single day I say, "today I will write my blog". All of the sudden it's 9:30 PM and the day went way too quickly for being my only day off this week...

However, here I am to write my blog! I want to keep up with my trusty followers because this blog is what has kept me going more than anything in the journey. Knowing that if I give up all eyes are on me and I made it publically known.

Being a Beachbody coach has proven to be one of the greatest choices I could have made for myself at this point in life. For the sole reason of, I love seeing others success. I see someone who has asked me for help in the past and now they are the newest success story. I see people say, "this is exactly what I needed right now" when they get added to one of our challenge groups.

Since I've become a coach it has inspired me to really continue to push myself past my limits because I want to show others that if I can do it then they can most definitely do it. When I eat I began to slow down and enjoy the taste of every bite instead of choking it down and getting on with my day. I listen to my taste buds, my stomach, and my mind.

Have you ever eaten a carrot and tried to describe what it tastes like?

Let me try it for you:
Crunchy, slightly grainy, hard to chew,  feels like eating an uncooked potatoe.  Uhhhhhhhh

I got nothing else. But do you want to know one thing I did think about while eating it? I appreciate that crunch. I gave up potatoe chips when I started all of this and that crunch of a carrot gives my mind the crunch that it wants. Do carrots taste like chips? No. But they trick your mind.

I think a lot of things that we eat are to serve our mind not what our stomach actually wants. Can you actually taste the things you're eating? Do you eat because it's time or do you eat because you're hungry? Tomorrow I want you to slow your meal down and as you eat each thing try to describe the taste to yourself. Appreciate the nutrients you're getting from the food and enjoy the taste. Don't eat so fast that you can't remember an hour later what you had for lunch, savor every bite.

As of this morning I am down 37 pounds! 37!!!! I'm pretty sure I'm a rock star. ☺️

XOXO,
Audrey

Ready to take the plunge into your own fitness journey? Start with one of my favorite Beachbody products by following this link: http://www.beachbodycoach.com/audwhee
Create your own account and start your journey today!

Coach Audrey

Every day I say, "Today I will write my blog."....

Next thing I know 9:45 PM has rolled around when it feels like I blinked and it was just 9:45 AM. Time flies past me each and every day with the blink of an eye... But guess what, I still get my workouts in.

Something I have learned about myself is that if I don't workout it's basically like me when I get no sleep, which means I'm a mean growly witch... If I don't get my workout in I am full of regret, I am full of hate, and I am ready to attack the next person who looks at me wrong. It's basically like hormones to the max, but all because I didn't workout!

Do you know why I know this about myself? Because I have learned. I have listened to my body for 7 months now and I have learned what I should and shouldn't do (for the most part). What makes me sick. What makes me mad. What makes me sad. What makes me cry. It's a funny thing, health and nutrition. While working out is actually the most tiring part of your day it actually helps you get to know yourself and your body! CRAZY!

This past week I made the decision to become a Team Beachbody coach. I am sure you have all met one person who is doing Insanity or P90x or at least heard of some of the other products. Some of them are offered as classes at most gyms. I didn't become a Team Beachbody coach to push products on others or to make money, I did it because I want to help YOU. I want to see you drop 35 pounds like I have so that I can look at you and say, "I coached that incredible human".... I want to be the person that you message on Facebook each time you've had a bad day, or each time you feel like you ate more sweets than you should have and need a pep talk. I want to be your shoulder to cry on, your person to talk to, and most importantly your coach towards success.

I know, I know.... You're all thinking, "Why would I let HER coach me when she hasn't even met her own goals yet?"

Well, here is the answer. Do you want to go to the gym and be intimidated by your muscular coach who has never known what fat looked like a day in their life? Or would you like someone who spent most of their life being known as the fat girl, and did something about it? Would you like to feel ashamed by your coach only likes people who lift a lot? Or be encouraged by your coach who can workout on the same level as you? Would you like your coach to be trying to gain weight by building muscle? Or would you like your coach to be a woman working hard every single day of her life to lose fat and tone her muscles to lengthen her life and make herself, and you, better?

I know which one I would choose!

I'm not an expert. I hate science so I will never get a college degree in things like this, and you may be someone who would never trust me. THAT IS FINE. I am trying to be the person who I was taught to be.. The girl who helps people in need despite who they are, where they came from, what their past looks like, etc.. I am the girl that just wants to see someone smile from the nice things I have done for them.

My last few weeks have been a roller coaster. I start the week thinking "THIS is going to be my week." "I am going to do PIYO every morning and I'm going to lift every night." If you're not a morning person like me you know it's easier said than done, getting up at 5:45 AM. I lift hard Monday through Thursday and then I fall onto a lazy train for the weekend and hate myself for it Sunday night. But I'm learning from it and adjusting my schedule as I go.

I struggle every single day. I work in a bakery for goodness sakes. I get offered more sweets than a normal person each and every single day of my life. It's hard for me to have self control and I often give in and taste test things. It's not about how many times you fall down, It's about how many times you get back up. Weight loss is a physically and mentally tough battle to put yourself through. Without someone by your side, cheering you on for every .1 pound lost and ever tear shed, it's hard. Even with that person it's hard. Do you know why? I'll give you three reasons:

1. Life tugs you in 90 different directions DAILY.
2. Stress and addictions. (Once the stress kicks in the addictions of sweets and junk food are close to follow)
3. You're changing. Everything about you is changing. Every morning when you look in the mirror, you're a new person. That isn't always easy to accept.

Despite these three things and every other obstacle that tries to get in my way, I keep going because,
I am Coach Audrey.

XOXO,
Audrey

Stay strong.
Ask me questions. (About anything!)
Vent to me, I swear I won't tell anyone (maybe Ross but he wont tell).
Eat Healthy foods for EVERY meal.
Be consistent. Consistency is key.

I'm not the type of person to tell everyone I love them, because I think those are strong words, but I really do love all of my followers. Each and every one of you has kept me going on this journey and for that you should consider yourself worth of starting your own journey. Let me help you on your journey by starting a workout program that you can do in the comfort of your own home! Beachbody isn't a product that is going to give you supplements to lose the weight, it comes from your hard work, sweat, and tears. Whenever you're ready to make the commitment, contact me and we will get you started on your own journey!

I Feel Like I'm Failing

The thought crossed my mind today... And every day this last week. Do you know what thought that was? It's the one that got me in trouble last time I lost weight.... and then gained it all back.

"can I quit yet"......

Defeat. I felt defeat. I feel like this last week my brain won't listen to me. I'm eating crappy I'm chowing down on foods I shouldn't... Today I ate my first bag of candy since this all started. I am a candy ADDICT. All things candy, get me. My dream job is being a candy tester for Wonka... That is if I didn't have goals that were more worth it than that...

I can't stop eating junk food. I love food, I love trying new foods, everything. However, these foods make me want to cry. I am becoming depressed and sad because I can't stop eating the bad foods. Something has triggered in my brain and that trigger is dangerous. I just want to lay in bed, I haven't worked out for 2 days, carbs seem to be my best friend.. The list just keeps going.

Why do we get to this point in our weight loss journey where we feel like nothing works? I've been at a standstill with my weight for 3 months now and I actually just gained 5 back and feel like crap. I gained 5 back while working out in the morning and at night and eating by following the 21 day fix. I feel hopeless. I feel the way I felt when I didn't want to lose weight before. I felt like I was stuck at my weight and never going to change.

Tips anyone?
Encouragement?
Help?
Kind words?

I hope you know that this isn't the point where I will give up and it isn't where you should give up if this happens to you either. Collect yourself and start again. Don't throw in all of your hard work and give it up now. Keep at it. Consistency is key and these falls are what is going to help you perfect your health.

I'll keep telling myself I can do this, if you do too.

XOXO,
Audrey

I'm A Foodie

I'm 23ish weeks into this journey and 25 pounds down! This seems like a slow journey but I want it to go slow. In a super weird, I need a psychiatrist, kind of way this journey is like watching a baby grow. You're excited to see what their future holds, what they will look like, how they will talk, etc... But you don't want them to stop being a baby. This journey is like that to me. I'm excited about what my outcome will be and what I'll look like, what people will say, how I will feel... But. I don't ever want to go through this journey from the beginning again. This is the last time I get to feel these feelings and endure the ride for what it is. Also, we have all heard that if it comes off slow it's more likely to stay off permanently, rather than a quick fix.

I hope you can all see through the screen and realize that I'm just a person. I'm a person who used to cry myself to sleep every night because I was unhappy with my body. I'm a person who hated looking in the mirror in fear of hating myself more. I'm a person who wouldn't undress in front of others in fear of them commenting on my body. I'm a person who used to be scared of dress clothes because they showed my flaws. I'm a person who wouldn't go out in public because I thought I was ugly.... There are no magic pills, no liquid diets, no 7 hours of exercising each day, no surgery... There is sweat, tears, laughter, and love put into my health each and every day. Is every day perfect? HA! No! I am a foodie! I'm the girl that loves to try new foods, loves to eat a home cooked meal, loves sweets to the moon and back... I am the girl with the fat girl eating habits. Habits that I'm working hard each day to change.

Do you know how long it takes to break a habit? It could take YEARS! I work towards breaking it one day at a time and if I trip I keep going because I know it's worth it. For example. I have been eating 100% clean for 17 days today. But yesterday I was an endless pit! I couldn't stop eating, I couldn't get full, I was just straight starving! So you know what I did? I ate, and ate, and ate. BUT I learned! I ate healthy foods that I wouldn't regret later and I figured out why I was so hungry! I went to bed at 6:15 last night because I was so tired. It's proven that if you don't get enough sleep your body craves carbs.. My body was talking to me!

I wrote in my very first blog that I was meant to be in the kitchen and that I truly loved it. Cooking and baking is what I'm meant to do. God lead me to a bakery and gave me a job. At first I thought he was punishing me but he was showing me how great my self control could be while doing what I love. He showed me that I can learn to cook, and make it good for me.

This journey is easier to get discouraged on than anything else. But I don't want you to be discouraged. I want you to remind yourself that you are only human and that you can get past the obstacle! I started one of my last 2 semesters of college this week and it is going to be my hardest yet.. I was bummed and upset but now I'm ready for the challenge. Sit down, breath, and tell yourself you can handle this challenge and you will take it down.

I triple dog dare you to post this picture to your facebook wall and see how many people are ready to push you for a challenge. My likes were at 105 and my comments were at 43.. and I can happily say that I did them all.

XOXO, Audrey

Click HERE to Begin a New You!!

While I was stalking people on Instagram, my hobby, I ran across another girl who went on a fitness journey and read through some of her posts. I'm good at stalking so beware. ;) One of her posts was a picture of the treadmill screen and she had burned 926 calories in an hour on the treadmill. Someone posted "HOW DID YOU DO THIS!?" and she wrote, "Turn your incline up to the highest setting and walk for an hour! Turn a good show on and the time flies!"

Put the incline on high, she said...... walk for an hour, she said.. Time flies, she said......HOLY FREAKIN COW I'm pretty sure I am not going to have movement in my legs in the morning. Make that tonight. I think one just fell off tonight.. OUCH. On top of my leg falling off I sweat enough to fill up a gallon zip lock baggie, I'm sure of it. However, I felt major satisfaction when I walked out of that gym and felt like I truly gave it 100%.

Today I reached a weight that I am almost sure that I haven't seen on the scale since maybe 6th grade. I made it into the 170's and I couldn't stop smiling all day. Do you have any idea what it feels like to have small success like that? I could not wipe the smile off of my face all day because I feel like I truly have control over my own health. It's an empowering feeling!

I have to give partial credit to my 170's to my change in eating plans. It's hard to be strong in both exercise and in the kitchen. I have the exercise down and figured out but the eating was hard for me. I had all of the materials to help me make a good eating plan and help me stick to it but I was putting it off. I was making the excuse too much of "I workout, so I can eat this cookie, they counter balance". Instead I need to plan my day around planned cheats to make sure I still get the nutrients instead of my lapse of self control. Sunday I sat down and made my grocery list to last me each meal the whole week and did some meal prep once I got home. I started following the beach body 21 day fix eating plan.

I don't follow the Beachbody workout portion of the 21 day fix, I only follow the eating portion (aka I didn't pay for it through Beachbody, neither do you). The key is to workout at least 30 minutes each day because that is what the workout video would be if you used it. 30 minutes of workouts and eating healthy will pay off eventually! Most people see results within 5 days! 5 days people!

What is the 21 day fix you ask?

The 21 day fix Is accompanied with 6 color coated food groups. Green is veggies, Purple is fruits, Yellow is good carbs, Blue is healthy fats, Orange is dressings and seeds, and Red is proteins!

To begin you have to do a small math equation. You take your weight X 11. Then add 400 (for any workout you may do). Then Subtract 750.
EX: Mine is 178 X 11 + 400 - 750 = 1608





There are 4 groups which you may fall
1,200 - 1,499
1,500 - 1,799
1,800 - 2,099
2,100 - 2,300
No matter where you fall, do not be discouraged! This eating plan will give you the nutrients your body needs and help you lose the weight quicker!

Once you figure out where you fit into the groups you will then know how many foods from each colored category you are allowed per day.

From here you should make a grocery list from each category for the week. I plan 7 days in advance and make all of my meals in advance so I have no excuses. I know this sounds like a diet and may suck but it really isn't a diet. It is showing you how to have the nutrients in your diet that you really need. You will see a change within a few days of how good your body feels with the right nutrients!





The Green Container is 8 liquid ounces
The Red is 5 liquid ounces
The Purple is 8 liquid ounces (but most fruit is specified, so you won't need to measure)
The Yellow is 4 liquid ounces
The blue is 2 liquid ounces
The Orange is 1 liquid ounce
And then your teaspoon.

On top of eating correctly you should drink half of your body weight in water. For example: my body weight is 178 so I have to drink 89 oz of water each day.

If you have one bad meal or give into temptations don't throw the towel in for the day. Jen, a trainer off of the biggest loser says our minds can be a dangerous thing. We often get into the F*%k it mood when we eat one thing bad during our day. If you give into a cookie, learn from it and figure out what you were feeling when you gave in to help with next time. Don't say, "well, I already ate a cookie so now I can eat bad the rest of the day". This goes back to the 80/20 rule. Focus on each week being 80% healthy and 20% bad. If you do better than that AWESOME!

Want support and motivation? I am willing to make a Facebook group that is private for everyone to talk about their weight loss journey. From workouts, foods, struggles, successes, and good/bad days. If you are interested comment on this blog, message me on Facebook, or text me!

This week I began a new challenge myself. I have started the challenge package from Beachbody for PIYO. This is a mix between pilates and yoga and shakeology each day. I will be doing this for 90 days and keep you in on my results and progress! An important part of each persons weight loss journey is to make sure you are always challenging yourself.

A lot of people have been asking me for a workout for beginners. This is one of my favorite HIIT workouts that you can do at home with not a single piece of equipment. You can do as many as you can and push yourself a little harder each time. This will start you out slow and you can Youtube "Interval Training" workouts too to find more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhdXXqcoco0

I believe in each and every one of you and I know that you can start this new year as the old you and finish the new year as a new you. Believe in yourself and do this for yourself!

XOXO, Audrey

I work with one of THOSE people...

If there was one category that I would place myself in, it would be hypocrite. I'm terrible at saying "you can't do that" and I turn around finding myself to be engaging in the act that I just shamed. I still do it anyways and think I'm above all else so.... I'm a hypocrite.

I still weigh 183 pounds,. One of my selfies won't end up on a health inspiration page. I do things wrong sometimes. I don't always know best. I haven't learned the 100% ins and outs of health and fitness. And biggest of all, I suck at the holidays.

Man oh man do I suck at the holidays. Mentally I kept tellinng myself I would NOT eat those sweets and that i would stick to the veggie tray, not the carbs... However, I have to admit that deep down I had it planned to cheat and enjoy my holiday and jump back on the band wagon after the holidays were over. That's horrible! This mindset sucked my motivation dry and made me miserable! I have breakouts on my face. I cry during the day because I feel fat and I am crazy unhappy! Why on earth do I continually do this to myself when I KNOW exactly how it makes me feel. Maybe some day I will learn.

I purchased a year membership at the local gym (so I now I a year membership at 2 gyms.. Yes I am stupid). I bought an exercise ball, a medicine ball, and a set of 8 lb weights to add to my elliptical in the basement to begin my own home workout area and I am set to purchase PIYO the beach body program tonight. This girl, is ready for a challenge! I am going to challenge myself and pish past my limits to reach the goal that I have worked towards. I refuse to give up now and you shouldn't give up either. Don't make this a New Years resolution to get as many likes as you can on facebook make it a goal with determination from within!

On the subject of the title of this blog... If you aren't familiar with one of THOSE people you will be after I point this out. It's one of those things that has driven me nuts since the day I began to lose weight. When you're on a weight loss journey you want to talk about it, show it off, brag about your weight loss, swap healthy recipes, share your favorite workouts, etc.. It's such a great feeling to find that person that you relate to on every level and have all the health and fitness things in common! .... Then you have the opposites. Example:
Me: "I ate an apple, green beans, and grilled chicken for lunch!"
Them: "that's way too healthy and you aren't getting enough carbs! If you're running you need carbs!"
Me: "what are you eating for lunch"
Them: "French fries and fried chicken"
note*** they weigh 115 pounds and never gain a pound
THAT is on of THOSE people. They also proceed with telling you that you are ruining your metabolism by training the way that you are and BLAH. BLAH. Blah.

I know I'm not a fitness guru but I have lost my 20 pounds in a very healthy way and I plan to continue with my diet and exercise the way that I started. So back off naturally skinny girls. I love you all but I am large and I don't plan to eat like I want to be large forever. If I follow your diet, I will be forever overweight. Therefore, I will follow mine.

Last blog I discussed emotional issues with your weight loss, if we never face these, you will struggle in your weight loss. You have to pinpoint why you gained this weight to begin with and why you eat with your emotions. If you don't pin point this now, you never will. Every time this comes back to haunt you, you will go back to your old ways. I have done it, probably 10 times.

Research your emotional eating problems, start this journey from deep within, and know your stuff. Don't let the outside world get to you. Stick to your diet. When you drop the pounds, they will realize that you're doing what is right for you.

Please please please everyone take a chance with health and fitness and just see what it has to offer you. Don't break promises to yourself and don't be the person that says you're going to the gym but finds excuses. Become a new person this year. A new you, a better you, a stronger you.

Remember I'm here for YOU just like you're here for me.
XOXO, Audrey