About 5 months ago I blogged about my beautiful friend, Jen. http://melissajean3.blogspot.com/2012/02/living-healthier.html
Jen leads one of the healthiest lifestyles I know. She eats right, exercises daily, and looks incredible because of it all! A few months ago we started going on hikes near her home. I loved getting the extra workout, and getting to spend time chatting with her. After hanging out with her much more often, I became even more motivated.
4 weeks ago, I was going through a very stressful and emotional time. I left work with a feeling of overwhelming sadness and frustration. So on the way home, I stopped to get myself dinner at McDonald's and ordered some food I thought would make me feel happier. I'm an emotional eater, so when I feel down, I eat the worst things. That night I ordered 2 double cheeseburgers, a large coke, and a large french fry. After I ate it all I felt sick. Not only because of the food, but because I allowed myself to ingest that much junk. I've seen lots of documentaries and shows and I know how unhealthy that choice was, but I got it anyway. That night I decided I would take a few days off from eating fast food. Since I ate it nearly every day, it was kind of a big deal. The next thing I knew, it had been a week. I wondered if I could avoid fast food all summer. So I decided it wouldn't hurt to set that goal. And 4 weeks in I'm still going strong. I have gone straight home to eat dinner instead of going to a drive thru. And it feels great!
I have noticed major differences in my health. My constant digestive problems, while not gone, have definitely subsided. I have lost 5 pounds, and I can tell that I have lost some fat from my midsection. Since it had been about a month, I decided to go to the gym with my most inspiring fitness friend. We have had 3 cardio sessions together, and she makes it go by faster because we're able to chat while we sweat. It hasn't been easy...I'll admit the first day after a rigorous (for me) session, I felt a bit woozy...but I took my time and didn't let it discourage me! I have gone 4 days in a row now and I feel so great! I may not have instant results...but I can feel the difference exercise is having on my body.
I have altered my diet and I decided a few days ago that I would start a better eating program. I am going to be eating 5 small meals a day, and along with the exercise I'm partaking in, I'm looking forward to seeing even more positive results. I am going to attempt to drop not only weight, but body fat. So I'm going to measure my BFP (Body Fat Percentage) each week and track it. I also am going to have Chad take some progressive pictures of me! I want to be able to see the results I'm getting from working out!
So as of Friday, which was nearly 4 weeks into my fast food cut, I checked my stats:
Weight- 136.4 (This is 5 lbs less than I weighed a month prior)
BFP- 22.3% (I'm sure it was higher before, but I'm using this as my starter)
I am not yet brave enough to post the pictures of what I looked like last night in a bikini, because I didn't suck it in, flex, or attempt to hide my flaws. I wanted to see all of them, and wow was it sad! But now I know my exact problem areas, and I know what it is I want to see improved. I know with the motivation I get from Jen, and the incredible support I get from Chad, I'll be able to reach my goals.
So here's to really being fit and fabulous! I am on a mission to look fantastic in a bikini, without sucking it in!
